Book Review - Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson

My Review

Carol Langstrom has her holidays planned.  Although she does professional Christmas staging and designs, having grown up in an unhappy family, she is not a fan of the holiday.  She plans to fly to the Bahamas for Christmas.  A snowstorm strands her plane in Michigan.   Carol remembers that she has an aunt - whom she doesn't really know - nearby and goes to meet her.  Her Aunt Maria is delightful and they have an instant connection.  As Carol stays and visits with Maria, she also enjoys small town life - and getting to know handsome neighbor Victor.  Carol starts to find real joy in the holidays - and begins questioning her life direction.

I wanted to read Once Upon a Christmas Carol because I love Melody Carlson's Christmas novellas.  I rarely miss one!  (You will find several reviews of her previous books at my blog.)

This is a charming read with all the ingredients of a Hallmark movie - charming small town, family connections, a surprising romance, and a sweet, heartfelt Christmas.

This is a short read, perfect for a few nights or a weekend.   I felt the last few chapters had a lot of story development, and I wish the book had been just a few chapters longer.  (Plus, I was enjoying the read and it would have been great to have a slightly longer book!)

I recommend Once Upon a Christmas Carol for fans of Christmas books, Hallmark movies, and heartwarming fiction.

Author Bio

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.