I meant to post this book review a little sooner since it’s a Christmas read. However, I’ve been a little occupied listening to another audiobook for a future book review. This one is called Oh, Baubles by Harmony Kent. It’s technically a novella which makes it a quick and easy read for anyone traveling for the holidays.
This is a short, sweet Christmas story about a woman trying to make sense of her new world after a tragic car accident. Her husband is dead, she lost a limb, and the new doctor might be into her. It’s been years since Charlene has been with anyone else and because of her condition, she’s unsure anyone will ever love her again.
I thought the story itself was cute and sweet, but I often found it frustrating. It’s a classic tale of two people with a severe lack of communication that makes it hard for them to be together. Charlene was hurt physically, emotionally, and mentally during her accident. It’s clear from her story that she’s lost love for herself and therefore makes it that much harder to accept that another person could love her. However, we can clearly see that John, her physiotherapist, has some sort of spark for her which Charlene writes off almost instantly as pity.
I did think the romance was there, but given the length of the novella, I wasn’t sure I was as emotionally invested in their characters as I could’ve been. I think it was because I didn’t get to know their past that well. Charlene didn’t expound on the topic of her past or husband in a way I could figure out who she was before the accident. It made it a little hard to understand why she changed so much after. I also didn’t see a lot of John’s past which made it harder to fall in love with him along with Charlene, even though he was super sweet and caring.
All in all, I thought it was a nice Christmas read and a feel-good romance about two people finding love in an unlikely place. I also enjoyed the author’s writing style.
All in all, it’s a different kind of story that I don’t get to read very often. I can only imagine how hard it is for someone to lose the love of their life and their independence all in one go. If you want to read this sweet story, pick up this book. And as always, don’t forget to leave a review for the author! Happy reading!
Author Lauren Eason 