Can Christmas and its Spirit fix all the problems?

Synopsis

Can a sprinkle of magic heal broken hearts this Christmas?

With Jacob now at the helm at the cosy Sugar and Spice café, it’s the perfect opportunity for Christmas Spirit Lara to weave her magic.

Fraser is floundering in his new role as headteacher as he grapples with guilt over having to place his beloved mother in a care home, leaving him feeling lost and alone during what should be a joyful time. 

Meanwhile, school janitor Paul is torn between his desire to feel needed and the pressure from his wife to retire, dimming the season’s sparkle. 

Valerie, overwhelmed by the demands of newborn twins, feels she’s not giving her other daughter enough attention. She needs a bit of me time and for her husband to realise the responsibility for the kids falls to both of them.

And Bella, heartbroken after her husband’s shocking request for a separation just a year into their marriage, longs to escape the memories of last year’s perfect Christmas.

Can Lara help them rediscover joy, connection, and the true spirit of the season? 

A heartwarming journey filled with friendship, community, and a dash of holiday magic that promises to transform the lives of those in need of hope this Christmas.

My review

Christmas is approaching and it should be the most magical time of the year. Unfortunately, that the case for everyone… Because Fraser has recently become headteacher and he is struggling with his new position. But he is also struggling with feelings of guilt since his mother had to move into a care home. And let’s not talk about his romantic life, which is non – existing. Paul the janitor loves his job, and even if he has reached the age to retire, he for sure believes he could add a few extra years working. Even if his wife is already making plans for after retirement and is even pressuring Paul into it. Valerie meanwhile should be enjoying her newborn twins, but finds herself longing for more me – time, as she is doing the biggest part of parenting on her own and feels she is neglecting her older daughter. Bella is trying to hide her heartbreak from anyone, as she is still trying to digest that her husband asked for a separation, even if she believed that the marriage was one filled with love. So now young Lara has made it her mission to bring joy into everyone’s life. Will she manage to put a smile on everyone’s face once again?

I have to admit, even if this book is the third part of a series, this is the first one I read of it. And I was bit scared that it would be a little bit difficult to catch up with each character, or just to understand everything that was going on.

But I shouldn’t have worried, because it can be perfectly read as a standalone, and if more information should be required, we get all the info we need!

It was sweet to see many different characters, with a different background, at a different stage in their lives. Yet despite their differences, their lives are somehow all entwined, with the school and all its activities and teachers and students as the main setting.

And one little girl with a special purpose this Christmas!

I cannot say which story I liked the best, the most, because that would be an impossible choice. Susan Buchanan made each character so lovable, likeable, but also with a some kind of layer of sadness over them.

Whether it is a man with a new position but with feelings of guilt, or a woman losing her calm with twins, each and every one of the characters has something over them.

And even if their own situation is far from my own, again, each and every one of them had something that made it so relatable, recognizable.

There are several heartbreaking moments in this book, but they all evaporate with the presence of all the warmth, love and kindness in this book. Christmas is always a special period of the year, but that is not the only magic in this book. Because all the characters have such a kind, generous heart. And no matter what is going on their own lives, they always are there to offer a helping hand, to be there for the community.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this Christmas book, with a wonderful layer of magic, mixed with many drool – worthy cupcakes, hot chocolates that I wanted to devour myself. But the heart of the story was exactly that, the heart. Susan Buchanan shows us with this great story what Christmas is about, but most important, what love in all its facets is about. There were several moments that made myy heart melt, for several reasons, yet once again showing us the power of love, the magic of Christmas.

If you are in need of a perfect Christmas book, go ahead, pick this one up. I assure you that you won’t regret it for even one moment!