5
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The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
Romantic Comedy
That's What She Said Publishing, LLC
December 1, 2017
297
She’ll save Christmas just to spite him…
When a late season hurricane hits Merry, Connecticut, city manager and single dad Noah Yates has to inform the already devastated residents that there won’t be a Christmas Festival this year. No festival means no tourism dollars. A disaster of epic proportions for his hometown.
But when home renovation expert slash smoking hot reality TV star Catalina King shows up with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again, Noah balks. Hard. The last time Cat was in town she stirred up trouble everywhere she went. (Residents are still talking about the town’s first and only bar fight.) Noah doesn’t need a TV diva capitalizing on his town’s tragedy or filling his daughter’s head with glitz and glam.
Cat is ready and willing to put Merry back in Christmas mode with a holiday special that will leave everyone believing in miracles and get her friends back in the home they love. But there’s one big problem standing in her way. And his name is Noah Yates. He’s wrong about her and she can’t wait to prove it. Ring those jingle bells because it’s on.
“I’m perfect for you. I’m what you’re looking for.”
I have started and stopped writing this review so many times now because I keep hoping that adequate words will somehow flow from my brain to my fingers and onto the page. It hasn’t happened yet and I am disappointed in myself and with my inability to convey how unbelievably amazing this book is. I don’t know how I can continue to be surprised each time Lucy Score outdoes herself. And she *does* outdo herself. Time after time. She is an artist, and words are her medium. For this is no mere holiday story. This is a story of how there is good in humanity. Of how communities still band together in times of tragedy. Of how people can overcome their pasts, their gender, the stereotypes that are applied to them, and achieve whatever they put their minds to. And it’s also a tale of hate that turns to love, of a romance beyond beautiful, and of Christmas miracles that are apparent in every day life.
Noah Yates is the city manager in Merry, Connecticut. His town has been ravaged by a late season hurricane and the holiday events that the town depends on for revenue needs to be canceled. So much damage, houses are flooded, businesses are ruined and the town’s park and Christmas decorations are ruined. The burden falls on Noah to inform the town.
But Catalina King won’t let it happen. She has friends in this town. She has pull with her home renovation network. And her show is ready to pull off a Christmas miracle. She just has to get approval from Mr. No himself.
Noah wants no part of this prissy, reality TV star in his already hurting town. But he may be in for a surprise. Cat King is BAD ASS. There is no other way to say it. And what a refreshing detail. I’ve definitely read romance novels with strong, independent heroines. But Cat is more than that. She is determined, dedicated, and driven. And she is utterly capable- of demolishing rotted drywall, of organizing a crew of workers, of drumming up funding, rallying the townspeople, figuring out how to make people feel needed, appreciated and important and damn if she doesn’t do it all (and I mean ALL) while looking phenomenal. And when a startling piece of information comes to light, Noah has no option but to start to acknowledge just how amazing she really is.
Noah may be Mr. No, but his past plays a significant role in that. You will not be able to help yourself from tearing up when you learn about what Merry’s city manager has lived through. And even Cat will have to admit that she may have judged her nemesis a bit harshly. As the two spend time together, working side by side to restore Merry to its holiday glory, they start to realize that perhaps the opinions they formed from judging each other based on stereotypes have proven to be incorrect.
This book has more than its share of sweet moments that will tug at your heartstrings, and it has quite a few unbelievably hot scenes that may leave you fanning yourself. But, as I said, although at first glance it appears to be a simple holiday romance, just as Noah and Cat were proven wrong after they judged a book by its cover, do not let yourself be fooled that that is all there is to *this* book. There are layers upon layers. Ms. Score weaves those all-important themes throughout the story. And if you finish the story without being in awe of our heroine, without feeling compassion towards our hero, and without shedding a tear for the community that came together and pulled off a Christmas miracle, then you should probably go get checked out.
My fav tradition is setting up the tree on 24th and singing to Christmas songs while decorating.