The Christmas Cuckoo by Mary Jo Putney-a review

The Christmas Cuckoo
by Mary Jo Putney
Release Date: October 2013
Genre: Historical Romance

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 2013

ebook only .99cents: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

Major Jack Howard, a weary veteran of the Peninsular Wars, has just returned to England and intends to return to an unwelcoming family home for Christmas. But when a pompous secretary gives him too many orders, Jack hops on the next stagecoach leaving London inn, not caring where it’s going. Too much whisky to stave off freezing leaves him sleeping it off in a different inn, and when an attractive young woman asks if he’s Jack Howard he happily goes home with her.

Despite vile weather, Meg Lambert drives to the local inn to collect her brother’s friend Jack Howard, but since she’s never met the man, she doesn’t realize that she’s brought home the wrong Jack Howard. Jack realizes her mistake when he awakes the next morning with an aching head—but he finds a warmth and welcome with Meg and her family that he’s yearned for all his life. He can’t bring himself to admit that he’s a cuckoo in her nest—but what will happen when Meg’s brother and the right Jack Howard turn up for Christmas???

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Tis the season to be jolly! The jolliness of this story is truly contagious. When the most unlikely people come together anything can happen. So what happens when tight-knit family, the Lamberts and loner war veteran, Jack Howard get together during the holidays?

Tired and weary from endless travel Jack Howard rebels against the countess’s wishes, boards a random stagecoach, gets drunk with a fellow passenger on the stagecoach, and passes out in a tavern in Chippenham. Meg Lambert hopes to find a husband for her little sister, Phoebe and goes out to pick up her brother’s friend whose name just also happens to be Jack Howard with hopes that the two will click. What happens is Meg picks up the wrong Jack Howard. In a whirlwind of doing regular chores, baking and singing in the spirit of the holidays, and prepping for the holidays Jack Howard starts to yearn for many of the things the Lambert Family has to offer that he hasn’t felt in a long time such as warmth, comfort, and the overall feeling of acceptance and belonging. In the midst of all that, there is a blossoming romance between Jack Howard and Meg Lambert. So what happens when the big brother Jeremy who is due to be home for Christmas comes in with the intended Jack Howard in tow with him? Will the mix up change the feelings Jack and Meg have for each other?

Throughout the story I always wondered why the story the story was called “The Christmas Cuckoo” when it seemed like a family love story. The reason why this story is called “The Christmas Cuckoo” is an interesting concept of the cuckoo birds and their habits of laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, therefore leaving the burden of raising the offspring to the nest of the bird the cuckoo laid their eggs in. The concept sounds familiar about the cuckoo bird laying their eggs in the wrong nest *ahem* Jack Howard. Jack Howard is the cuckoo bird who ended up in the wrong nest. Also there is a cuckoo bird clock that is significant in the story as well. The cuckoo bird is actually quite symbolic in this story.

I really enjoyed the focus on family and love through I felt like the story could’ve focused on the budding romance between Jack and Meg a little more. I kind of felt like there I was something missing or more to be desired from their romance. I did enjoy the significance of the cuckoo bird, I found it to be quite interesting. Everything worked in the end and it was a pretty good book, but it wasn’t my favorite. Honestly, I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed by Xtina