Customer Reviews

Kids By Christmas (Harlequin Super Romance)

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

 

 

KIDS BY CHRISTMAS by Janice Kay Johnson
November 11, 2006

Rating **** (4 Stars)

The last in a trilogy, KIDS BY CHRISTMAS by Janice Kay Johnson centers on Suzanne Chauvin, one of three siblings who were separated as young children when their parents were killed in an auto accident. In the previous two books, Suzanne locates her lost siblings after over twenty years of wondering if she'd ever see them again. Now, in this third book, she's ready for her happily ever after.

Suzanne was always irritated by her next door neighbor Tom Stefanec. With his beautifully mowed lawn and perfect house, it made Suzanne feel like she was the bad neighbor, with her weeds coming up all over her lawn. However, Suzanne's opinion of Tom slowly changes as she gets to know him as a friend through her newly acquired foster children Sophia and Jack. The two children had just recently lost their mother to MS. Tom had always shown an interest in Suzanne, and for some reason Suzanne begins to open up as a friendly neighbor, sharing her excitement over the children with Tom as if they were old friends. Suzanne is surprised at how easy it is to confide in Tom, and wonders why she hadn't sought out his friendship sooner.

Tom has always been interested in Suzanne, after being concerned when he heard her then husband yelling and throwing things at her during their many squabbles while she had been married. Suzanne's divorce was finalized a while ago, and Tom felt relieved that her husband was no longer there to hurt her, but now he wanted to get to know her, and not just as friends. However, Tom was not one that was outwardly sociable, and never makes the move to tell her that he was interested in her romantically. Instead, he plays the friendly yet shy neighbor, always offering to help her out around the house and her yard if he saw she needed it.

As the children become a regular member of Suzanne's household, so does Tom. It feels like they would make the perfect family. But Suzanne cannot even believe that Tom would have an interest in her past the friendship they have developed, as she's seen no overtures from him, and Tom feels the same way. There's a big miscommunication between the two. Will tom and Suzanne ever get past their casual friendship and turn it into something more?

KIDS BY CHRISTMAS is part of a very enjoyable series of books depicting Suzanne's wish to find her long lost siblings and unite the family she had lost when she was six years old. There is something warmhearted and comfortable about these books, with Suzanne being the very nurturing woman that she is, wanting to correct a problem that she felt was her responsibility, to seek out her brother and sister and share with them all she remembered about their parents. When she decides to adopt two children, siblings, she wants to give them all that she never had while she grew up as an unwanted member of her aunt's family.

Besides centering on the romance, the book also focuses on Suzanne's relationships with the children, Jack and Sophia, as well as the relationships she has with her newly reunited sister and brother. Tom is portrayed as a man that is not quite the handsome next-door neighbor that a woman would take notice, but Suzanne learns that once she gets to know him better, she sees how attractive he can be to her.

Continuity was done well in this series, and KIDS BY CHRISTMAS was no exception. For those who have read the previous two books, this third book is a welcome read as it brings back the two previous main characters prominently in this one. For those who have not yet read the previous books, they will not be lost jumping in and starting with the third book. Enough is explained in KIDS BY CHRISTMAS so that all readers will be able to catch up with all the characters from the entire trilogy.

While one may assume that many adoption cases are not as happily-ever-after as this one was, Suzanne does go through some difficult times with the two children. Without a happy ending, however, this would not be a harlequin romance. KIDS BY CHRISTMAS is the perfect book to read right before the holidays. -
Courtesy of Loveromancesandmore - M. Lofton

Don't be scared off the fact that this is the conclusion to a trilogy. This book is a winner, whether viewed as the series conclusion or as a stand-alone book (although it'll make you want to rush out and find the earlier books!).

Janice Johnson is easily one of the best writers in romance. Her characters always come to life, and the romance is heartfelt and lovely. Definitely a keeper!

Since the back cover description is already given on this page, I'll skip straight to my review:

I expected a really good read, as I'd really enjoyed another of this author's Christmas stories, UNDERCOVER SANTA, found in Harlequin Superromance's THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS collection. But KIDS BY CHRISTMAS did not live up to my expectations.

I felt that the whole "adopting troubled children" storyline was very well executed. I really felt the emotions of the children, especially Sophie's, and the struggles the heroine was having in adjusting to adopting two children when she'd been expecting one. I also felt that the author did a really good job of portraying all of the problems that would come with the situation. The heroine felt like a real person to me, especially when she had to let go of her previous hopes and misconceptions of a giggling little girl who would love her instantly.

However, I was never really captured by the romance. It was very slow moving, and I couldn't really see why the hero and heroine should fall in love, to the exclusion of all others. Yes, they were both nice people and probably could have a successful and happy relationship, but the "spark" just wasn't there. I almost felt like they were together more out of the convenience of being next-door neighbours than because of any real chemistry or deep, lasting love.

Maybe I would have enjoyed this story more if I'd read the other books in the trilogy that preceeded it. Not that I was ever left feeling lost, but reconnecting with character who'd obviously had their own books left me feeling just a little "out of the loop".

I would only recommend this book if you're already a fan of the author and/or want to complete your trilogy. Just so you know, the other two books in the LOST...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN trilogy are OPEN SECRET and JUST CAUSE.