Title: Merry & Bright
Author: Joanna Chambers
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 203 Pages
Category: Contemporary, Holiday Romance
At a Glance: I can say without hesitation that if you’re a sucker for a warm and charming story, whether it’s set around the holiday season or not, and love a well-written novella that offers a quick happiness fix, you should grab this three-in-one collection of sweet Christmas cheer.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Blurb: Three seasonal love stories from Joanna Chambers
Humbug
Quin Flint is unimpressed when his gorgeous colleague, Rob Paget, asks for extra time off at Christmas. As far as Quin is concerned, Christmas is a giant waste of time. Quin’s on the fast track to partnership, and the season of goodwill is just getting in the way of his next big project. But when Quin’s boss, Marley, confiscates his phone and makes him take an unscheduled day off, Quin finds himself being forced to confront his regrets, past and present, and think about the sort of future he really wants…and who he wants it with.
Mr Perfect’s Christmas
Sam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?
Rest and Be Thankful
Things haven’t been going well for Cam McMorrow since he moved to Inverbechie. His business is failing, his cottage is falling apart and following his very public argument with café owner Rob Armstrong, he’s become a social outcast. Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow, he can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.
Review: Humbug:
Considering Charles Dickens is now being billed as the ‘man who invented Christmas’, it stands to reason that Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption story is a popular one to borrow from in a holiday romance. Joanna Chambers kicks off her new collection of Christmas stories, Merry & Bright, with Humbug, the story of Quin Flint, a cold and distant workaholic who meets his opposite in Rob Paget, the man who will help Quin see that all work and no play really does make him a dull and callous boy. Not to mention a lonely man.
Chambers doesn’t delve into the ghosts of the past, present and future in the story. Rather, Humbug focuses on Quin’s personal awakening and his growing awareness of how empty his life is, how devoid it is of anything meaningful, and when he is confronted by the truth of his own neglected friendships and failed relationships, Quin begins to more closely examine how narrow a life path he’s been following.
But it’s Rob and his brother, Tim, who help Quin find new direction, a course that leads him to a full and fulfilling life.
Joanna Chambers tells a sweet and heartwarming tale about finding and grabbing hold of a new lease on life and love. It is, of course, encompassing of everything magic about romance and the holidays. – 4 stars
Mr. Perfect’s Christmas:
Sam Warren has a new job, not by choice but by virtue of his temp position not turning into a permanent, full-time fit at a reputable and well-respected London law firm. Out of necessity and desperation, Sam accepts a new position at a much smaller firm far from the city. Not only did he leave his cosmopolitan lifestyle behind, but he left behind the hope of a high-profile job only to work for the small Morton & Higgins law firm, in a place far removed from the usefulness of designer label clothing, perfectly molded hair, and his Armani murse.
But perhaps the most ill-fitting thing Sam found at M&H was the giant shoes he’s been left to fill upon Nick Foster’s departure from the firm. When a Secret Santa gift exchange goes a bit sideways for Sam, it drives Nick to make some confessions that cause Sam to see ‘Wonder Boy’ in a new light.
Misunderstandings and misperceptions are the ties that bind this romantic little tale into a tightly told short story. Perfection begins in the eye of the beholder, and I liked how that simple truth was the trick to bringing Sam and Nick together. – 4 stars
Rest and Be Thankful:
This story is my hands-down favorite of this trio, owing a good bit to the fact that it didn’t just pluck at my heartstrings. It wrenched them into complete submission.
Cameron McMorrow is having a rough go of it. Having left behind a stable job in accounting to start up his own business in a small and close-knit community, Cam is struggling on multiple levels. Running an outdoor adventures business may be his dream, but in the cold light of day, the reality is that winter has meant a complete stoppage of income, and his financial reserves have run dry. A broken boiler, a broke down car, and a run-in with local café owner, Rob Armstrong, have converged to leave Cam in a depressing and desperate spiral.
Being an outcast outsider on the cusp of the New Year, who’s now stranded for the holiday in a place that doesn’t want him, is the bitter icing on Cam’s sad and depressing cake. And this is the element I loved most about this story. The slings and arrows of misfortune Cam suffers were necessary rather than the more annoying angst for angst’s sake. Cam was rudderless and sinking fast when Rob threw out a lifeline of friendship, which came at a time when Cam not only needed it but was desperate to accept it.
I loved this serene and touching little story. It is redemptive and it speaks to the power of compassion in a weary and troubled world, in the way only holiday romances can. – 4.5 stars
I can say without hesitation that if you’re a sucker for a warm and charming story, whether it’s set around the holiday season or not, and love a well-written novella that offers a quick happiness fix, you should grab this three-in-one collection of sweet Christmas cheer.
You can buy Merry & Bright here:
[zilla_button url=”http://authl.it/B0776R441X?d” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Amazon [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2zYFNF2″ style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Barnes & Noble [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2zZdp5k” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Kobo [/zilla_button]
The Novel Approach Reviews 
Leave a Reply