A Christmas Wish by Erin Green

This is why you need to read the description of a book and not just go off the title and the cover illustration.  I did my usual greedy "snap 'em up sweep" and was looking for a slew of Christmassy reads.  The only thing that speaks to Christmas in this book is the date it all starts - Christmas Eve. It isn't really even a back drop to the action so that disappointment may have coloured my judgement of this book.  I did feel that it was mis-named and slightly misleading; but if I'd read the blurb I may have picked up on that.

Still, quashed that feeling of mild delusion and ploughed on.  Started off so well with the differing viewpoints of Joel and Flora and what exactly happened during that fateful clash on St Bedes Mews.  The novel then proceeds to tell everything from the point of view of a different character as indicated by the section heading.  Sadly, none of them have a distinct "voice" so I found myself having to frequently flip back to find out who was telling me this section.  I have no issue whatsoever with first person story telling and seeing everything from one character's perspective - in fact this often makes the book for me because I become invested in that particular person.  Unfortunately, because every one of them sounded the same I couldn't get particularly interested in any of them.

Love the story theme - an abandoned baby coming back 30 years later to find out who her mother was, less important to her seemingly is the father.  What I didn't like was what a wet lettuce Flora is.  Yes, I am sure it was a shock to find out the circumstances of your birth when you were the tender age of 7 but she seems to be stuck at that age and an immature, tantrum throwing 7 year old she must have been.  Everything ill that has ever happened to her she blames on the fateful event in 1986 and blatantly ignores the good things and completely refuses to take control of her life.

Not quite sure where heartwarming or uplifting come into this story, they are as missing as the Christmas.  The "romance" between Joel and Flora is just "icky" and so forced that they feel like two disparate characters just settling for the best they think they can get - which isn't really best for either of them.  I did manage to read on to the end but wasn't really that fussed about who her mother was I just wanted to finish it so I could get on to something more warming and fun.

Simply put, this one really wasn't for me.

**Review originally published December 3rd, 2017**