Christmas at Whisper Beach: A Whisper Beach Novella

Not having read the Whisper Beach series, this was a new story to me, with new characters all preparing for the Christmas Holiday. Vanessa Moran has returned to Whisper Beach after a long absence, and finally, sorta-kinda committed to her relationship with Joe Enthorpe. Or we are meant to see she’s committed: living in an small 2 room suite in his parent’s house, starting a branch of her “organizing” business in town, working with the Enthorpe’s new vineyard venture. But for me, NOTHING about Vanessa seemed settled or even remotely connected to any desire to ‘build’ a new life: she’s always running from emotions and difficult situations, she’s not sharing her concerns, her worries or her questions, and her need to have everything neat, organized and without surprises was frustrating. Joe was a man who obviously loved her (as do his family) and although he may have some moments that are bone-headed, this is one of the good guys. But – for me, the whole story (and enjoyment from it) came from his mother and his grandfather - these two have seen much, don’t get rattled, and are affectionate and observant: not tiptoeing around Van and her rather mercurial moods and reactions. It’s obvious that Vanesa has some major issues that she refuses to deal with – issues that come up in her uncertainty about stating her mind, making a move and even making decisions about her own life. If the story had kept revisiting her own dithering – I would have stopped reading: she passed the point of empathy for me early on – in her refusal to meet and tackle her issues as they popped up, rather than just run away. Fortunately, the Enthorpes stepped in, from the mother’s openness and quiet support to their opening their home (and celebrations) to 3 young children while their mother was in hospital – providing Christmas traditions (baking cookies, trimming trees, shopping for gifts) to the solidity of a family and the gentle (and forthright) correction of young Owen’s misbehavior, while allowing him the company of men doing “man things”. In just over one hundred pages, I came to appreciate the Enthorpe family and the traditions they hold dear at Christmas – opening their home and hearts to those who needed a bit of gingerbread and holiday cheer. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.