Review: A Wish for Father Christmas by Laura Rollins
“In just a few short hours, she’d learned that several of the men of her acquaintance were not worthy of her time and attention, and that at least one man in Carlaby thought the very same of her.”
The Basics
Title: A Wish for Father Christmas (A Christmas Match #1)
Author: Laura Rollins
Published: 2021
Publisher: Laura Rollins
Pages: 192
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Historical fiction, Regency fiction, Holiday, Romance, Historical romance, Regency romance, Holiday romance, Clean romance
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Book Synopsis
Alice, a young widow, is on a mission to marry after inadvertently promising her son that Father Christmas would be bringing him a new father this year. Christmas is rapidly approaching, but after a loveless first marriage, she is unwilling to marry just any old man. To ensure that she finds an honorable, caring husband in a timely manner, she decides to disguise herself as her fictitious cousin, Mr. Allen, for if her deceased husband taught her anything, it is that men only present their best selves when courting a woman.
As Mr. Allen, she befriends Lord Brooks, who would be the perfect catch, except that not only is he looking to marry for money, but he also cannot stand Alice. Her father once betrayed his trust, and now, he is loath to trust the daughter of such a man. Nonetheless, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to Alice, and likewise, she finds herself drawn to him. Can past wounds be healed and current prejudices abandoned, or will Father Christmas be showing up empty handed this year?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: An imperfect but feel-good holiday story with romance and humor.
A Wish for Father Christmas is a one-and-done read for me. I enjoyed it overall, but there are a couple aspects of this book that quash any desire of mine to reread it, chief among which being its perspective on family. The book rather heavy-handedly pushes the notion that a woman with a child needs a husband, an idea which is both traditionalist and antiquated. Had this book been written 60 years ago, at least its age would have accounted for its conservative viewpoint, but alas, the book was published quite recently.
This book also includes shoehorned references to Christianity, causing it to occasionally read more like Christian fiction than a lighthearted, holiday romance. Additionally, the book could have benefitted from more thorough proofreading, as I found several typos. For instance, on page 49, the first sentence reads “Rogers nearly jumped from his seat.” When I first read this sentence, I was quite confused and became worried that I had somehow managed to miss the introduction of a new character named Rogers. After reading on, however, I realized that Rogers had been a typo.
The good
A Wish for Father Christmas has its redeeming qualities, most notable of which being its novel, humorous premise. This is the first historical fiction book that I have read where a woman disguises herself as a man in order to uncover which of her suitors are worthy and which are just fortune hunters. Alice’s subterfuge gives rise to some laughable encounters, such as when men express their mercenary interest in Alice to Mr. Allen, believing him to be her cousin, not the very woman in question. In the early days of her disguise, she also has several comical close calls, such as when she almost crosses her legs in a demure, feminine manner.
Alice’s moonlighting as her cousin also enhances the story’s romance. Initially, Lord Brooks despises Alice, casting her off as the untrustworthy daughter of an unscrupulous man, but he does not regard Mr. Allen with the same disdain and soon forms a close friendship with him. This, in turn, creates a conflict that makes the romance more interesting. Namely, Lord Brooks detests Alice, but when she is able to remove the influence of his prejudices by hiding behind the mask of Mr. Allen, he discovers a kindred spirit. Alice is drawn to Lord Brooks, regardless of what mask she wears, but at least initially, it is only under the guise of Mr. Allen that she is able to spend time with him and form a close connection. This instills the narrative with a sense of tension and uncertainty, for as the reader, you cannot help but wonder what will happen when Mr. Allen’s true identity is unveiled. Will Lord Brooks realize the error of his ways and recognize the compatibility between him and Alice, or will he view Alice’s deceit as proof that she is not to be trusted? It is this question that enables the book to retain your attention throughout its entirety.
Its setting further bolsters its enjoyability. The story ferries us back to Regency England, where we are able to experience grand balls and even grander estates. It is an escapist adventure that offers a momentary respite from reality.
At under 200 pages, it is also a quick read. So, if you feel like reading something festive but do not want to commit to a full-length novel, this book is a good option. It manages to tell a compelling story without sacrificing pace or flow for brevity.
Overall
A Wish for Father Christmas is an easy-to-read, feel-good holiday story. It is not without its issues, and I will likely never read it again. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it more than I didn’t, and when I turned the final page, I had a smile on my face, which at the end of the day, is what you most hope for when reading a cozy, Christmas book.
Have you read A Wish for Father Christmas? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments section below!
