Karen Schaler’s Finding Christmas was a little like falling into a Hallmark movie. It will come as no surprise to anyone that Schaler is the writer of a couple Hallmark movies, including “Christmas Camp”, and a Netflix one, “A Christmas Prince”. But, the book could have used a little editing so it would fit in a two hour span.

Emmie Sanders’ parents always told her the true meaning of Christmas is “about spending time with the people you loved most, making memories, and helping others”. They lived that until their deaths in a car accident five years earlier. Emmie has taken over the community center they built, and she tries to bring that spirit to the people who come. But, somehow, her boyfriend, Grant Baxter, is just too busy to appreciate her love of Christmas. Emmie knows it’s because he’s so busy trying to make partner at the law firm. So, she plans something special, a scavenger hunt.

Grant promises Emmie they’ll have a special weekend escape to kick off the Christmas season, but it’s not Grant who shows up in Christmas Point, the final destination on the scavenger hunt. Sam Riley, a bestselling author who lost his sister to cancer a year earlier, was given Grant’s first clue by mistake. He loves Christmas as much as Emmie does, and this escape is just what he needs to forget about his case of writer’s block. But, Sam isn’t the man Emmie was expecting for the weekend at a charming bed and breakfast in a Christmas town.

Remember when I said “Hallmark”? Anyone who has ever seen even one Hallmark Christmas movie knows where this story is going. There really are no surprises. There is a happy ending. And, there are wonderful characters in Christmas Point, including a dog. A year later, there are happy endings for most of the characters, as expected.

I don’t have trouble with happy endings and Christmas books. But, this book needed tighter editing. It has a slow start with too much detail. And, it seemed too commercial when the author had Emmie and her best friend choosing to watch Schaler’s own shows on television.

Schaler’s book does have a strong Christmas message. The spirit of Christmas and the romances are the reason people watch Hallmark Christmas shows. Finding Christmas will fit right in.

Karen Schaler’s website is www.karenschaler.com. You can connect with the author at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.


Purchase Links: HarperCollins

Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler. William Morrow, 2019. ISBN 978006288371 (paperback), 359p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received the book for the TLC Book Tour.