From Amazon
After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth.
During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who's on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure . . . and so much more.
For anyone who is wearying of staying home, Melody Carlson invites you to spend Christmas with her in the beautiful French Alps this year. So pull on your mittens, tie your scarf tight, and prepare yourself for a magical mountain holiday.
My Take
I've made it a personal tradition to read Melody Carlson's Christmas novella every year. They are the sweetest books and typically get me into the holiday spirit (probably too quickly, my family would say!)
This book was set in the French Alps, someplace I would like to visit sometime. Carlson sets the stage beautifully by all the descriptions of the location, that I am transformed away from the fickle Midwest (you all know, hot one minute, freezing the next) to a magical place where snow is commonplace and people love it! There's romance, charm, beautiful home, what else might it need? Well, for one, I wish Carlson would make a big deal of the food scenes and the table decor. I mean, really do it up for one of the major scenes in the book. I feel like that is something that is always missing.
Even though this is a quick read, read it slowly and savor the budding relationship between Simone, the main character and the man she meets on the plane, Kyle. It's fun to watch that relationship grow. The best part of the story is the delightful plot: Simone's great grandmother left her a letter pleading her to return to the French Alps and retrieve her "treasure," but doesn't say what or where it is exactly. So Simone gets on a plane and heads to Avre, where her great grandmother grew up. Some might differ on what the treasure truly was!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet Christmas tale. It was released in September of this year and I received an advanced copy through NetGalley. A review was not required and all the words here are my own.
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