Christmas Letters [Hardcover]

Debbie Macomber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

Katherine O'Connor often spends her days at a cozy café on Blossom Street in Seattle—where she writes Christmas letters for other people. She's good at making their everyday lives sound more interesting. More humorous. More dramatic.

But for Dr. Wynn Jeffries, who also frequents the café, Christmas means lies and deception. In fact, the renowned child psychologist recommends that parents "bury Santa under the sleigh." Katherine, however, feels that his parenting philosophy is one big mistake—at least, based on her five-year-old twin nieces, who are being raised according to his "Free Child" methods.

She argues with Wynn about his theories, while he argues that her letters are nothing but lies. They disagree about practically everything—and yet, somehow, they don't really want to stop arguing.

As the days—and nights—move closer to Christmas, Katherine and Wynn both discover that love means accepting your differences. And Christmas is about the things you share….

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Katherine O'Connor, a Seattle medical transcriptionist, has a booming sideline business, writing other people's Christmas letters. A run-in with Dr. Wynn Jeffries, however,ruins her holiday cheer. Katherine's sister is a devotee of Jeffries's Free Child movement, advocating "no boundaries for kids," a technique that has turned Katherine's into terrors. Jeffries just happens to live in Katherine's building, and their debate over parenting technique turns predictably, if perplexingly, to lust. Sticky with sentimentality, Macomber's latest is a fine companion to a glass of eggnog, but don't expect sustenance. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Similar in format to Keys to the Imagination [BKL F 1 06], a previous StoryWatchers Club episode, this title features Christmas stories. Kevin Condi relays the story of Marie in "A Gift for Santa," and Christine Petrell Kallevig uses paper folding to enhance "Home for Christmas," a nineteenth-century immigrant tale of unselfishness. Mary Jo Huff humorously relays that Santa is under the weather in "Christmas Is Cancelled," while Michael R. Kasony-O'Malley concludes with a recitation of "The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg," a participation tale that takes an original view of the first Christmas tree. A multicultural group of puppet friends leads viewers into the stories and helps segue into the next tale. There are some studio-audience shots, but the main focus is on the storytellers. Suggested for holiday and storytelling collections. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 269 pages
• Publisher: Mira (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778323498
• ISBN-13: 978-0778323495
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With more than 100 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Debbie Macomber is one of today's most popular authors.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Drawing on her own experiences and observations, Debbie writes heartwarming tales about small-town life, home and family and enduring friendships. Every book features the delightful sense of humor that readers around the world clamor for.

Debbie is a regular resident on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times (55 times and counting), USA TODAY (currently 63 times) and Publishers Weekly (23 times to date). She is the first-ever recipient of the "readers' choice" Quill Award for Romance Fiction, for 44 Cranberry Point, the fourth book in her highly popular Cedar Cove series. Debbie has also been honored with a RITA® Award, a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Career Achievement Award and is a multiple winner of both the Holt Medallion and the B. Dalton Award.

Her recent books include 92 Pacific Boulevard, 8 Sandpiper Way, 74 Seaside Avenue and Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook, as well as Twenty Wishes, A Cedar Cove Christmas, Summer on Blossom Street and The Perfect Christmas.

For more information on Debbie and her books, visit her Web site: www.DebbieMacomber.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...Will warm you from head to toe, and leave you craving more, October 4, 2006

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Letters (Hardcover)

Twenty-eight-year-old Katherine "K.O." O'Connor, adores the holidays on Seattle's Blossom Street. She spends her mornings lounging at the French Cafe, a peppermint mocha and bran muffin seated in front of her, and clicks away on her laptop, creating Christmas letters for the hurried and harried who have no time to write their own. It may seem like a crazy job, but it gives K.O. pleasure knowing that she's helping people out around the holidays, and gives her a chance to get away from her never-ending job hunt and medical transcription wonderland. However, when K.O. finds out that her younger sister has decided to boycott Christmas, and bury Santa under the sleigh, ending all of her lifetime holiday traditions and creating a horrible holiday atmosphere for her twin daughters, all because of a ridiculous child-rearing book written by Dr. Wynn Jeffries, K.O. gets angry. She feels that Dr. Jeffries is a pretentious quack, and finds his theories borderline insane. But when she comes face to face with the doctor of the hour, K.O.'s opinions quickly begin changing. Suddenly she realizes that the man who seems so evil on paper, is actually quite a warm-hearted fellow, who just happens to be quite easy on the eyes and absolutely irresistible. Oddly enough, Wynn finds K.O. just as irresistible. But when the two of them see just how much they disagree with one another, and realize that their personalities and beliefs are, quite frankly, on two different sides of the hemisphere, K.O. and Wynn begin to question whether or not their feelings for one another will make it through the holidays, or be shelved with the decorations come January.

I suppose I should admit that I'm a sucker for holiday romances, especially those that mention quaint cafes, fallen snow, and presents galore. So you can imagine that I was instantly taken with Debbie Macomber's CHRISTMAS LETTERS the moment I saw the cover, and read the inside flap. K.O. is a wonderful character, who instantly captured my heart. Her love for the holidays, determination to find the perfect job in PR, and creativity in starting a business writing Christmas letters are so admirable; while her witty dialogue, oft-times sharp tongue is hilarious, and keeps you laughing as she muddles through one awkward situation after another. Wynn, on the other hand, possesses many of the same traits as K.O., yet allows them to shine through in a less rough and tumble manner. The romance that develops between both him and K.O. is awe-inspiring; while the difficulties in finding a stronghold for their relationship often leave you on the edge of your seat. The appearances of characters such as K.O.'s friend LaVonne, Wynn's father Max, and LaVonne's assortment of cats, are also quite entertaining, yet never overshadow the main characters of the story, and leave room for a possible holiday sequel starring another pair of lovebirds next year...Will warm you from head to toe, and leave you craving more.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Holiday Story, September 28, 2006

By 

Wantz Upon A Time Reviews (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas Letters (Hardcover)

Katherine O'Connor loves Christmas. So much so that she has turned her ability to write charming Christmas letters into a second job. Understandably, she gets upset when she hears her sister is forgoing severing holiday traditions based on a book by Dr. Wynn Jeffries about child rearing. Katherine thinks the book and the doctor's theories are laughable. However, when she comes face to face with the man, she finds him to be much different than she expected. He's irresistible, and he thinks she is, too. Can these two find enough middle ground, or are they too different for love to triumph?

As always, Debbie Macomber writes vivid and heartwarming characters. Katherine is smart and spirited. Wynn has a sense of humor and a strong sense of self. Most wonderful, perhaps, are the secondary characters. The eccentric LaVonne and the aging hippie Max are funny and charming. All together, they create a fabulous world for this story to unfold.

The love story between Katherine and Wynn is quite engaging. Debbie Macomber fans will love the romantic settings and witty dialogue. However, due to the shortened length of this book, the resolution of the conflict is abbreviated and a bit unrealistic. Also due to the length, the entertaining secondary characters are lost in the final chapters. Because Ms. Macomber created such compelling characters, it is understandable the reader would feel cheated not seeing the resolution to their storylines. Still, fans of romance and Ms. Macomber's stories will love this book and will cheer for Katherine and Wynn to overcome the odds and find their happy ending.

Reviewed by Joelle Charbonneau-Blanco
9/28/2006

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun holiday romance, October 9, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Letters (Hardcover)

Her sister Zelda knows that Katherine "K.O." O'Connor has a full plate. Besides working as a medical transcriber and searching for a better job, K.O. writes Christmas letters for other people. Z knows K.O. is so good, her side business at the French café on Blossom Street in Seattle is booming.

Famous child psychologist Dr. Wynn Jeffries thinks Christmas is a commercial lie. He believes kids should know the truth about Santa. K.O. thinks otherwise and that kids should have some whimsy in their life. He got her tossed out of a local bookstore and now wants her removed from the French Café though he admits to himself he enjoys their debates over his "Free Child" methodology. She accuses him of being Dr. Frankenstein causing the change in her formerly precocious angelic nieces into cold monsters so she wonders why she cherishes their arguments.

This is a fun holiday romance as Debbie Macomber warms the hearts of her readers with this fine Christmas cheer. The two lead combatants make for a nice coupling as she really believes in the magic of the holiday while he literally writes if off as a bah humbug waste of parenting. Fans will enjoy how these beloved enemies find the way to each other's heart.

Harriet Klausner