Customer Reviews

Hot Flash Holidays: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just in time for the holidays, Nancy Thayer brings out her third book in the Hot Flash series. Christmas finds the five friends gathered at The Haven, a successful spa that recovering alcoholic Shirley opened and that first brought the women together. All are planning festive and often complicated holiday celebrations centered on immediate and extended families. The best-laid plans are thrown asunder when Polly goes home to prepare a vegetarian Christmas dinner for her son and daughter-in-law and nearly burns her house down. Faye tumbles down the stairs and breaks an ankle on Christmas Eve just as out-of-town family are waiting to be picked up at the airport. The other Hot Flash Club members struggle and rejoice through Christmas, all the while giving moral support to their downed friends.

The book moves through the year, touching on holidays and their significance to each vibrant member of the club, with romances blooming and fading, families expanding, and health crises bringing poignant focus to the meaning of their lives.

A more disparate group of women you could scarcely find --- Shirley, the aging hippy who opened The Haven, is involved with a much younger boyfriend whom she supports financially and emotionally while he writes a novel, and she hopes for an engagement ring under the tree.

Type-A workaholic Alice, who inspired Shirley to go into business for herself, finds herself on the verge of grandmother-hood when her son marries a woman Alice believes is inappropriate for him. She also disapproves of Shirley's romantic partner and lovingly but forcefully inserts herself into the lives of her friends.

Paleontologist Marilyn, recently widowed, struggles with a new love interest who doesn't seem to fill the bill. Her aging mother, Ruth, is delightful but forgetful and presents a special set of circumstances that challenges Marilyn to seek new horizons that will change her life.

Faye's broken ankle and semi-invalidism goes from a disaster to a surprising success as her artistic nature re-emerges and she turns from teaching to creating again.

Polly, the younger newcomer to the group, turns her talented fingers to spinning gold as she designs and creates fashions perfectly suited for the members of the spa.

Nancy Thayer has created a lively, believable group of women who range in age from mid-fifties to Marilyn's charming octogenarian mother. They tackle problems that will tug at the heartstrings and resonate with female readers of that certain age everywhere.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

Remember the ladies from "The Hot Flash Club"? Well here they are during the holiday season, getting together at an exclusive spa. Sounds like it is going to be a great time.

Fate seems to be conspiring against them from the beginning. Most everything goes wrong. House fires, planes late, broken ankles, son problems, money worries ... You get the idea. Then one of the ladies has major health troubles. The ladies are about to learn that Fate has got nothing on Mother Nature!

**** I do not give spoilers, so my synopsis is vague and the name of the lady with the health trouble will not be told by me. You will simply have to take my word that you will thoroughly enjoy this tale. Keep the tissues handy, there are moments you will need them. This is the Feel Good Book of the season! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This third entry in the enjoyable "Hot Flash" series brings back our buddies Faye, Alice, Marilyn and Polly, in a sequel that takes them through the year, from holiday to holiday.

We follow the women through various triumphs and travails, from the appearance of Marilyn's elderly mother Ruth (a wonderful new character), who has become just a bit dotty, to the birth of new grandchildren, unwelcome family changes, relationships begun and ended, and other realities in any woman's life.

The story, as always, is endearing, not too meaningful, not too heavy, not earth-shattering, but terribly sweet. I would like a lot less graphic descriptions of the characters' sundry hot flashes, and a bit more fleshing out of their grown children's strange (in many cases) relationships, but on the whole, I have no complaints.

A lovely, heartwarming read, nice for an evening alone in front of the fire, or while lounging in the shade on a summer's day.

Ho, Ho, Ho. Merry Christmas! The ladies from "the Hot Flash Club" are making a return visit for the holidays. They are getting together at Shirley's Haven (a spa for women of "a certain age.") All is merry while trimming the tree, and then life happens.

Polly, the newest member of the group almost burns down her daughter-in-law's house; Faye takes a fall while at the airport for a family reunion; Marilyn is caring for her mother, with all that puts on one's plate, and receives a surprise from her boyfriend; Alice's family is having their own issues; and Marilyn gives money to her younger boyfriend and thinks he's going to pop the question.

There are misunderstandings, miscommunications, big and small disasters and challenges to friendships just like real life. And that's what I like about Thayer's books. She's writing about life. Sometimes it feels like it's my own.

Thayer's books have numerous characters and storylines, and it helps if you've read all the books. I have and it makes following the characters and storylines easier. This is my favorite of the three books. It will make you smile, tug at your heartstrings, and you'll be happy you took the time to read Hot Flash Holidays.

Armchair Interviews says: Gift yourself a gift this Christmas. Read and enjoy Hot Flash Holidays. It's a hoot!









\

I've read all the hot flash books, and enjoyed each one thoroughly. Some of the scenes are so perfectly and hilariously described, that you just can't help but chortle along with their escapades. The Hot Flash series is decidedly different from Nancy Thayer's other books, which I also enjoy as well. It's a testament to the author's versatility that she can do both serious novels and more light-hearted fare equally well.

Nancy Thayer is one of my favorite authors-she writes as tho she lives it and loves it-(LIFE that is)everyday-and it is hilarious to read-I have read all 4 of the series and am waiting patiently for the next installlment!! Keep'em coming Nancy!

Cute story; very light and entertaining read. Perfect break from "heavier" reading or work. If you need an escape, this book is your answer! Oh, best for the over-50 female set. LOL

I recommend this book plus the other three that go with it. And buy them from Amazon .com they are cheaper. And a good read for any woman who wants to laugh or cry. Millie Sabala

The Hot Flash series are the best books. Living with hot flashs is not easy these books are about a group of women with hot flashes and how they cope with this time of their lives. This book is an easy read, you feel like you are one of the group as you feel their pain and laugh with their times of joy. It's a book that is hard to put down and you can't wait to finish the book. When you come to the end then you are sad that it is over because it is so enjoyable. Lucky for you there are several of these books in the Hot Flash series each one as enjoyable as the next.

All of these Hot Flash books have been so much fun to read. For any women that has gone throught the change and had hot flashes, you should read these books. They are funny and each of the characters are very different but all have such a wonderful friendship.