The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
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Description:
Widow Maddie McLendon has uprooted her life to move to Rustlers Gulch with her son and grandson. But as a brutal Montana winter looms on the horizon, contractors have yet to break ground on their new house, leaving them to live in a makeshift camp of trailers, tents, and sheds….
Since his wife died six years earlier, millionaire rancher Sam Conacher has been content to wallow in his grief alone, while keeping a tight rein on his twenty-six-year-old daughter. But now the girl has gone and fallen in love with his foolish new neighbor’s no-good son….
Maddie and Sam will never see eye to eye on anything, until a near-tragedy gives them a true glimpse into each other’s souls. And as the first snowflakes begin to fall, they’ll discover that an open heart is the biggest gift of all….
Review:
The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson was a heartwarming story about two families that will find a chance to love again. Maddie McLendon, is a famous mystery writer, who moves with her son, Cam and grandson Caleb to Bitterroot Valley, Montana. They are currently living in a trailer, while their new home is in the process of being built. Maddie is also undergoing chemo therapy, which neither her son nor grandson are aware of; especially since it’s only been two years since the death of her husband to Cancer.
Cam has been working on selling properties, and one evening on the way home, he stops at the local bar. He meets Kirstin, whom he immediately feels an attraction to. When he learns that she is the daughter of Sam Conacher, a known mean embittered millionaire rancher, who will destroy the reputation of anyone who comes near his daughter. Cam not living long in Bitterroot, apologizes and walks away, afraid to hurt his new career. But the attraction between him and Kirstin was strong, and despite his worry, they will soon begin a sweet romance.
Sam Conacher, after the death of his wife to cancer 6 years before, became an embittered, angry and lonely man, who not only had a nasty temper but also drank; which cost him to lose his friends and ranch hands.
The main focus of this story switches to Maddie, who equally stands up to Sam’s nastiness and he knows he has met his match in Maddie. At first they become enemies, but when a horrible accident occurs, where Cam is badly injured saving Kirstin’s life, things will change. The McLendon’s will move to Sam’s ranch while Cam recuperates, and in a short time, Sam’s temperament lightens, as he begins to enjoy Maddie’s company. Very slowly, a sweet heartfelt romance also begins between Maddie and Sam, who have come to rely on each other and enjoy their talks. Neither of them consider anything more than friendship, since they both were devoted to their deceased spouses.
In the beginning, it seemed like a basic romance that starts with Cam and Kirstin. But once the battles between Sam and Maddie begin, the story caught my attention and did not let go. I really liked all the characters, Maddie, Cam, Kirsten, Caleb and eventually Sam. This was a wonderful emotional storyline that had a bit of everything; love, anger, grief, laughter, sickness, heartwarming, and a sweet family. The Christmas Room title is based on how Caleb creates a Christmas decorated room to perk up his grandmother.
Catherine Anderson does an amazing job of giving us two wonderful couples; one young and the one older. If you love pure romances, with a family background, I suggest you read The Christmas Room.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Publisher
“Kirstin caught a flash of movement off in the woods, and she fixed her gaze on something large and such a dark brown that it was nearly black. She stared as it moved toward them and its outline took on a distinct shape. Her heart started to pound. “Cam,” she said softly.
“You do understand that I’m uncomfortable with all this sneaking around,” he said.
“Cam,” she said with more urgency while not raising her voice. “There’s a bull moose coming in our direction.”
He followed her gaze with his own. “Wow. I’ve seen them along the roads while driving, but never up close like this.”
“Keep your voice down!” she said in a stage whisper. “Seeing it up close is not good. Look around you for the biggest tree and run for it. I’ll go the opposite direction. Moose are stupid. We might gain a few precious seconds if we confuse it.”
Cam finally seemed to register that she was frightened. “You’re going to climb a tree? Is it really that dangerous? I never studied moose.”
“I haven’t either, but I’ve grown up with them.” Kirstin shifted her hips to get her feet under her. “You don’t need to climb the tree. Just do an earthbound version of pole dancing. If he lunges at you, keep the tree in front of you as a barrier.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Cam work his way into a crouch.
“One, two, three!” She sprang forward, moving to her left. Cam lurched into a run, going the opposite direction. “Zigzag!” she yelled. “Big zigzags! Don’t run in a straight line!”
As Kirstin ran, she saw the animal start after Cam, but then it changed its mind and lunged after her. Good, she thought. By running in two different directions, we got a slight edge. She reached her chosen tree, a medium-size ponderosa, and planted the flats of her hands against its red bark. The moose was right behind her. She circled to put the massive trunk between her and Bullwinkle. The moose, broad head lowered, rammed into the conifer with its antlers, which her dad called paddles because of their shape. To her horror, she felt the tree shudder under the impact.
“Kirstin?” Cam cried. Then she heard him yell, “Oh, shit!”
She was too focused on the bull to even glance toward Cam. She heard the animal grunting. If she made one wrong move, circling right when she needed to go left, or vice versa, she could end up dead. The next instant, she felt hard bands clamp around her hips. Then her weight was lifted upward with such speed that she thought the moose’s paddles had caught her and thrown her upward.
“Grab the limb!” Cam yelled. “Fast! Hold on and swing a leg over it.”
Kirstin had no time to consider the wisdom of these directives. Cam was on the ground and presently holding her up. He’d be injured or killed if she didn’t move quickly. She threw her arms around a limb and hooked a knee over it. As she sat up to scoot closer to the conifer’s trunk, she saw Cam leap up to grab another limb across from hers. He swung forward, then back, and then forward again as he lifted his weight. The bull rammed his lower legs with its paddles, and she thought Cam might be jerked to the ground. But with a show of incredible strength, he muscled himself up to safety with only one arm.
He inched toward her to hug the trunk just as she was. Just then she felt the pine shudder again. Cam, heaving for breath, tipped his head to one side and met her gaze. “We need a bigger tree.” ”
Catherine’s publisher, Berkley, is offering a paper copy of THE CHRISTMAS ROOM and a paper copy of the first Mystic Creek novel, SILVER THAW to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe
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