The Clause in Christmas
by Rachael Bloome
Read by E.L. Beckett
Run Time 8h 15min
Release Date: January 6, 2020
Publisher: Secret Garden Press
Genre: Christmas, Contemporary, Romance
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.
Publisher Description
An unexpected inheritance. A pesky clause in the will. And 25 days to avoid falling in love…
Cassie Hayward hates Christmas. Especially this year.
No job. Flat broke. And an ex most definitely on the naughty list.
The unexpected inheritance of a charming Victorian cottage in the small town of Poppy Creek may be the Christmas miracle Cassie needs.
Except for one itty-bitty problem: a clause in the will.
To inherit the house, Cassie must complete a series of festive tasks every day in December leading up to Christmas. All overseen by the handsome, Christmas-loving lawyer Luke Davis.
Luke is as strong and steady as the bespoke furniture he crafts as a hobby. He has to be. Stepping into his late father’s shoes as the town lawyer comes with a sleigh full of responsibilities. Which means the captivating stranger collecting her inheritance is a distraction he can’t afford.
As the unlikely pair complete the daily tasks, their hearts begin to soften. But will the wounds from their pasts—and an unexpected visitor—steal what little hope they have left?
Find out in this heartwarming holiday romance.
Review:
Cassie hasn’t had a good year and she isn’t looking forward to a joyful Christmas season. She had never celebrated Christmas with her mother who ‘raised’ her. Raised is a stretch since her mother is an alcoholic who was able to provide a roof over their heads but let Cassie mostly handle the home chores. Cassie’s only hope this year is the unexpected inheritance of a Victorian cottage from her maternal grandmother. She hopes she can sell it quickly and get back to her tiny apartment in San Francisco.
Cassie meets the handsome, small-town attorney, Luke, who tells her that there in a clause in the will that conditions her inheritance on her fulfilling her grandmother’s Christmas Calendar of activities. Luke will oversee the tasks which is no problem for him since he loves Christmas as do most of the folks in Poppy Creek. It starts as a problem for Cassie, especially as she struggles to get a good cup of coffee in town.
Luke took over his father’s law practice and no one knows that he’d much rather craft hand made furniture. As he watches the Christmas Calendar activities change Cassie’s attitude, he contemplates whether he should make some changes in his own life. And the whole town is surprised when Cassie changes the life of one recluse as she tries to get good coffee from him.
I was charmed by the calendar activities and Luke’s consistent optimism. He shares simple joy in life. The town people rally around Cassie and offer her support and enthusiasm, especially Luke’s mother and sister. The coffee expert is a wonderful addition. I loved how the story moves long to recognize the dreams of several of the characters. I want to read more in this series. I recommend this to readers who enjoy small town romance and all things Christmas (and coffee too).
Audio Notes: E.L. Beckett does a spot on job with the narration. She brings the text to life with the emotions of the characters. I enjoyed the audio experience.
Source: 12/16/2021 purchase at Chirp for $1.99. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.
