Friday 13 November 2015

Review of The Art of Christmas by Jane Lovering - Five *


Blurb:

What if the memories of Christmas past were getting in the way of Christmas future? 
It’s been nearly two years since Harriet lost Jonno, but she’s finally decided that it’s time to celebrate Christmas again. 

Then she finds a stash of graphic novels belonging to her comic book-loving husband in the attic, and suddenly her world is turned upside down once more. 

With the help of eccentric comic book dealer Kell Foxton, she discovers that the comics collected by Jonno are not only extremely valuable, but also hold the key to his secret life – a life that throws Harriet’s entire marriage and every memory she has of her husband into question. 

As Harriet grows closer to Kell, she begins to feel like she could learn to love Christmas again – but first, she needs to know the truth. 







Review:

I was accepted to review an ARC by Choc Lit via NetGalley and I confess that I didn't even read the blurb before starting this Christmas novella from Jane. I've read all Jane's books and had been looking forward to this one!

This is an absolutely charming story of Harriet still trying to get over her husband's death and Kell, a graphic bookseller. Oh - and Frodo the dog! It has all the usual Jane Lovering ingredients - great humour, a lovely romance, some sadness and an unexpected twist to two. 

There is always at least one line that makes me howl with laughter and this novella was no exception: "a bus load of trainee removal men had come round to gain their BTEC in ‘shoving stuff up against the walls’."

Frodo was the funniest dog I've come across in a long time - wait til you read the bit about the phone call; I was crying with laughter!

A real Christmas treat! Thank you Jane!



1 comment:

  1. Thank you, Annie - I don't feel Christmas is Christmas without a dog peeing up your stairwell! So glad you enjoyed the novella, it's the first one I've ever written and I was a little bit nervous, but your reaction has reassured me!

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