Book Review: The Perfect Christmas

The Perfect Christmas

By: Debbie Macomber

Published By: Mira

Publication Date: September 2009

Page Count: 232

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Library

Adult - Contemporary Holiday

I have long enjoyed the Pacific Northwest fiction written by Debbie Macomber so this year I decided to spend the holidays with some of her Christmas stories. I'll be reviewing most of them this week and just started her 2017 Christmas release, Merry and Bright. If you're looking for a clean holiday romance with plenty of cheer, laughter, and a bit of a Pride and Prejudice vibe, I'd suggest picking up The Perfect Christmas.

Cassie Beaumont is longing for the perfect Christmas. She wants it all - the husband, the kids, the dog, and the gorgeously decorated home that screams holiday perfection. While more and more of the people she graduated with are starting families, Cassie hasn't even had a nibble worth considering. It seems that there is no eligible bachelor in the Seattle area for a 30 something scientist who is ready to be a wife and mother. Cassie laments to her best friend and older brother which leads to a romantic comedy that is less than perfect yet completely fitting.

Cassie finds herself in the office of Dr. Simon Dodson, a psychologist who makes his living by being a matchmaker. His hefty price tag of $30,000 is a lot, but one Cassie is willing to pay if it leads her to her perfect match. Along the way, Cassie and Simon will examine their own hearts and minds as they try to determine is there truly a perfect match out there for us all.

I won't spoil anything for you with this one, but I enjoyed my time with the story, but I had to admit that I wasn't totally wowed by the romance in this one. I have come to expect a leading man who makes me swoon when I read a holiday romance from Macomber, but this one just didn't do it for me. I did enjoy the banter and the humor in this one. Flying elf, anyone?

This would make a fun Hallmark holiday film. I even imagined Candace Cameron Bure in the role of Cassie while I was reading.

One Last Gripe: Cassie was a bit whiny for my tastes.

Favorite Thing About This Book: The sibling bond between Cassie and her brother

First Sentence: "Who mails out Christmas cards before Thanksgiving?" Cassie Beaumont lamented to her best friend.

Favorite Character: Angie

Least Favorite Character: Simon

Summary:

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS PERFECT?

For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.

What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.

Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all --- and she's finally ready to meet her match.

But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!