Review: The Christmas Clock

Summary: Sylvia Winters just found a job and an apartment in her hometown of Dreyerville, Michigan, but she is hesitant to return. Eight years ago, she jilted her fiancé, Joe Dixon, telling him that she was moving to Chicago because small-town living was not for her. But she was lying. Syl was headed to Chicago to be treated for cervical cancer. Sadly, Joe never knew the real reason she left him. Confused and distraught, he turned to drinking to heal the pain, until he accidentally killed a man and served years in jail. Now Syl and Joe are both back in town, but it will take a miracle to bring them back into each other’s arms. Also in town is Lottie Sparks and her grandson, Teddy. Ever since Lottie’s daughter was killed in a drunk-driving accident, Lottie’s been in charge of Teddy. He appreciates her love more than she knows, so much so that the industrious eight-year-old hits up Joe’s auto body shop, so he can save enough money by Christmas to buy his grandmother a Victorian clock she adores—one that vividly reminds her of her childhood, even as the rest of her memories are slipping away with the onset of advanced Alzheimer’s. As spring turns to summer and summer to fall, matters in the Sparks’ household take a turn for the worse. And with winter approaching, will a little hope and a big dose of Christmas magic be enough to make everything all right again? -- Vanguard Press

A few weeks ago, I was checking out with some library books and DVDs for my son when I saw a big stash of Christmas books. You know by now that I love holiday-themed books so I grabbed a few and placed them on the counter. Much to my surprise, the library worker told me it would be $4! I thought they were library holdings so I was a little embarrassed, but I figured a $4 donation to the library was a worthwhile cause. One of the books that I picked up was a novella called THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK by Kat Martin.

Maybe it's because I'm overloading on Christmas books, but I thought this one was just okay. I'm glad I read it because it does encompass all the sweet emotions of the season, but it really didn't stand out to me. It tugged a wee bit at my heartstrings, but because it was so predictable, I didn't find myself really caught up in the story.

I did like all of the characters in this book, and as I read this novel, I was hoping that things would work out for all of them. Of course, for the most part, everything was wrapped up in a nice little bow by the end of the story. After I finished this quick little read, I felt a sense of hope for the characters, and it definitely warmed my heart.

I wasn't aware that Kat Martin was a New York Times bestselling romance author but that really makes a lot of sense to me now after reading THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK. There were a few ongoing story lines in the book, but two that stood out were about couples who had damaged relationships. Throughout the course of the story, both couples found ways to forgive, heal and work on their relationships. I am not a huge romance fan, but every once in awhile, a clean book about love and relationships is nice to read.

I recommend THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK if you are looking for a quick, sweet read during the holiday season. It's also a beautiful book that would make a nice gift for someone special.