Review of 'The Christmas Countdown' by Donna Ashcroft
My Review of The Christmas Countdown by Donna Ashcroft
The Christmas Countdown is a super enjoyable Christmas romance that exudes heart, warmth, fresh insight and persuasive depth! This is the second book of Donna’s I have read and once again she has delivered a well-written memorable story.
This is a tale about finding your identity, getting out from under another’s shadow and learning to trust again. It is also about taking off masks to expose and disarm crippling hurts. For sharing is a part of the healing process as it breaks down self-made walls that hold a heart hostage. The Christmas Countdown showcases the path to personal growth through courage: finding what is right for the individual and not being enslaved by expectations (imposed by others and self). And a big lesson? Realising honesty is the cornerstone or magic ingredient of true love.
Our main lead Holly is a twin who flees the scene after she discovers her boyfriend has been involved in a romantic relationship with her twin sister. She is devastated by the betrayal and heads to her Aunt’s to sort out her emotions. Sunflower Island is a lovely supportive community that rallies to help Holly be the person she really is, away from her limelight sister. This is a romantic Christmas story that deals with the connections and challenges of being a twin.
Aunt Clara wonderfully guides and infuses her niece with courage and insight through a Christmas Calendar countdown. This helps Holly try new things to move out of her comfort zone. Some activities are effective and others not so much but that’s part of the process of sifting through the good, bad and ugly, as she needs to know what works for her and what doesn’t. It may even resurrect abilities she has stowed away. The intended outcome is real character growth that will help her move toward who she is as an individual.
Finn is known as the town flirt but we learn how he got this way. There are always reasons why people act as they do. And we see over the course of the novel how and why he has closed off his heart and what he is protecting. Like Holly, his strengths and weaknesses are tested. But ultimately when their paths cross, positive changes occur as their relationship sharpens their goals and carves away the façades and confusion they each carry.
The ending is ideal as character growth transpires for Holly and Finn, (even Lucinda) due to Donna’s excellent writing skills and her understanding of human behaviour. There are many happy and exciting moments in Holly & Finn’s romantic tale and not just in the sparks between them. For the real beauty of this story is how something true and lasting can blossom out of heartbreak. A must read for serious feel-good romance readers.
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
