This very Hallmark-esque book will warm your heart during the holidays.
I would love to thank Netgalley and the publisher for granting me access to an eARC of this story in exchange for a review.
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Overall:
Talk Santa to Me will make for a cute holiday read this year. It promised to give me that Hallmark movie feel, and I really feel like it delivered, especially on its heartfelt ending.
Teen angst and the holiday cheer entwined to make a cute short read. A girl searching for a redo on her first kiss and to help her family business embarks on a new task as Santa’s intern to help bring holiday cheer.
I felt transported to December while reading this in August. Linda Urban delivered Christmas right to my feet. It really cooled me down during these warm months, and it will be sure to warm your heart during winter.
Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban will be released on September 27th of this year. It will be a perfect gift for the readers in your life, or for yourself! View more information about this book here.
Plot:
Hallmark should be calling this author for a movie deal. This story was told in their exact wispy camera shots and their dramatic emphasis on the importance of Christmas.
It delivered on its promise of a heartwarming and fulfilling story. I felt like I was transported to being ten watching the Hallmark channel the entire month of December again.
Characters:
One of the major critiques I have of this piece is the main characters were static and had no real growth. The main character Francie learns to cope with her trauma, but that is dealt with very behind the scenes, not really worked on through the words of the story.
The other main characters, like Alice and Hector, were also a bit static, but I do believe that blends well with the hallmark vibe.
Romance:
The romance of the book is my major complaint about this novel. As promised, “A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this hilarious, romp-filled young adult romantic comedy,” but, this is more of a side plot.
The real romance aspect didn’t arrive until 50% of the way through the story. I do prefer my romance to be a bit more spread out.
(Also sidenote to add at the very end here, I don’t know how I feel about a seemingly white author calling a group of Hispanic men in her story the “Lumberjuans,” but I can tell you I didn’t really like that aspect of the story.)
What I Liked:
- Hallmark feel
- Christmas vibes
- Puns scattered throughout
What I Didn’t:
- Lack of romance
Read This If You Love:
- Christmas
- Hallmark movies
- Gigantic Rudolph statues
- Elf puns
- Teen life
Star: 3.5
As always, thanks for reading,
A Bookie
