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A review by beckymmoe
The Perfect Gift by Dani-Lyn Alexander
4.0
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books on 11/21/14.
The Perfect Gift is a sweet little holiday novella about two people who start out in competition for the same present for their seven-year-olds (possibly the last Little Family Dollhouse left in the entire city) and end up falling a little bit in love.
Thankfully, it's about as far away from Jingle All the Way as a story can get. (shudder)
Jason and Leah do try to buy the last dollhouse at the store where they meet, and they decide to (reluctantly--especially Leah, since she technically had her hands on the toy first) pair up to scour the city looking for a second one. But there the similarity ends.
Yes, Christmas is almost upon them and yes, their task of finding a second dollhouse often seems futile, but Jason and Leah manage to hang on to their sanity and their humanity throughout. They discuss their daughters. They eat a few meals together. They get to know each other--and decide that they like what they discover.
I liked that there isn't a magical fix at the end. A solution is reached; it's not exactly what they all originally desired, but that made the story feel more realistic. The novella ends with a very optimistic happy-for-now and hopeful for the future note that gave me the warm fuzzies.
It was just the thing I needed while stuck inside my freezing cold house in the middle of a November storm. (Thank you, "Winter Storm Knife"!)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Perfect Gift is a sweet little holiday novella about two people who start out in competition for the same present for their seven-year-olds (possibly the last Little Family Dollhouse left in the entire city) and end up falling a little bit in love.
Thankfully, it's about as far away from Jingle All the Way as a story can get. (shudder)
Jason and Leah do try to buy the last dollhouse at the store where they meet, and they decide to (reluctantly--especially Leah, since she technically had her hands on the toy first) pair up to scour the city looking for a second one. But there the similarity ends.
Yes, Christmas is almost upon them and yes, their task of finding a second dollhouse often seems futile, but Jason and Leah manage to hang on to their sanity and their humanity throughout. They discuss their daughters. They eat a few meals together. They get to know each other--and decide that they like what they discover.
I liked that there isn't a magical fix at the end. A solution is reached; it's not exactly what they all originally desired, but that made the story feel more realistic. The novella ends with a very optimistic happy-for-now and hopeful for the future note that gave me the warm fuzzies.
It was just the thing I needed while stuck inside my freezing cold house in the middle of a November storm. (Thank you, "Winter Storm Knife"!)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.