Goose Reads 2023! (Closed)

Week 51 - Hot Chocolate and Caroling

Week Fifty-One  -  December 17th - December 23rd

Title: Hot Chocolate and Caroling

Author: Vintaginity

Genre: Chick Lit

Number of Chapters: 14

Completed? Yes

Link (Added as an in-line comment):

Blurb:

After Nicole gets fired just two weeks before Christmas, she has to come to terms with the fact that her life isn't going quite how she expected it to. She has the perfect daughter, and the perfect husband, and she doesn't want to disappoint them. How is she supposed to tell them about the loss of her job? Everything she's worked toward for the last few years! Follow Nicole as she finds the holiday spirit during one of the worst times of her life.  

Goose's Thoughts:

It's Week 51, we're two weeks from the end, and we're jumping into yet another festive story about finding joy in the smaller things. 

This story is the definition of picking yourself up and carrying on even when things feel like their at the worst. I loved seeing Nicole begin to accept the state she found herself in after getting fired and really start to come into her own and figure out she wanted from life. She takes such a difficult situation and turns it around which is something we can all learn from, especially during the Christmas season. It was nice to see her grow so much throughout the story. 

I loved how Brittani doesn't shy away from the struggles of both life and the Christmas season throughout the story. She talks about the difficulties that come with being surrounded by family, and the pressure that the season puts on us all to be perfect. The family aspect is an interesting one and Brittani does a great job at creating the dynamics between the two sides of the family. She also manages to capture how annoying parents can be and just how overbearing they are as well.

On the opposite side of things, Brittani also masters the chaos and joy that comes from the season itself. From driving around to look at the lights, to the complete insanity that is Christmas morning - especially in a house with children. There were so many things that many of us can relate to, including the wrapping-paper rubbish bag on Christmas morning. She really hones in on those universal experiences that bring the magic of Christmas to each of us. 

If you're looking for a quick festive read about getting back on your feet, this is definitely the story for you. Brittani really does show us every part of the festive season from the good to the bad. I also loved how resilient our main character is and just how she manages to pick herself up and come back even stronger.

Thank you for writing such an amazing story, Brittani!

-Goose