sarah morgan Archives - Diary of Difference

★★★★

I know we’re way past Christmas now, but there’s never a bad time to read a Christmas book. And One More for Christmas is the perfect book to bring the Christmas magic any time of the year. Huge thanks to the author, Sarah Morgan, for sending me a signed copy of this book to read and review! I will forever treasure it!

Synopsis

Gayle is a highly successful and motivated business woman, but her success has come at a price – she hasn’t spoken to her daughters, Ella and Samantha, for years. But when Gayle has an accident at work, she realises she needs to make amends with her family.

And so she invites herself to join Ella and Samantha for their Christmas in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The sisters are none too pleased that their mother has inserted herself into their Christmas plans. They have each other – and don’t need their mother back in their lives. Or so they think…

As they embark on their first family Christmas together in years, will the three women learn that sometimes facing up to a few home truths is all you need to heal your heart?

My Thoughts:

I actually read One More For Christmas during the Christmas holidays, but as you can see, I am still trying to keep up to date with my backlist. This is not your typical Christmas book. It’s a modern story, about complicated relationships and pursuing careers. It’s also about how sometimes changing your perspective in life can bring you true happiness.

Gayle has not been the best mother to her daughters, and that’s why Ella and Samantha have learned to stick together. When they end up having to spend Christmas with their mum, many emotions start to come back. Sarah Morgan has succeeded in portraying their relationship and their point of view, and we can grasp their complexity thanks to her.

“A relationship is like a jigsaw, isn’t it? Whether it’s with a partner, with friends or with your children – it’s made up of hundreds of tiny pieces, some imperfect. Those characteristics unique to each one of us, the genes we inherit, our life experiences, the way we behave. Tony, misshapen little pieces that make us who we are. And when you make a life with someone, you have to somehow find a way to make all those pieces fit. If you’re lucky, they come together into something that makes sense as a whole.”

Even though the relationship between the mother and her daughters seems to drive the story, this book is so much more than that. Modern romance, beautiful Christmassy moments set on a mountain in Scotland and powerful feminist voice!

The perfect modern Christmas book!

I especially loved the scenes that brought the Christmas spirits, especially through the eyes of a little girl. The reindeers, the snow, the food and the family atmosphere, it was all so warm and loving. It was quite unique to also read about how Ella and Samantha feel about Christmas as well, having grown up without celebrating it. And the same goes for Gayle as well – her reasons for not celebrating Christmas with her daughters, and her personal development throughout the book.

Emotional, modern and amazingly written Christmas book that will transport you to the magical Scottish mountains. I love Sarah Morgan’s writing and can’t wait to read her next book. I hope her books become movie adaptations one day as well!

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US

★★★★

A Wedding in December is a book that was long overdue. I was supposed to read it for Christmas, but yet, here we are in February. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience and I am so glad I finally read it.

Sarah Morgan has an extremely good talent in human relations and relationships. She puts these relationships on paper so easily… Do you know that feeling where you can sense people’s mood by just walking into a room? She managed to capture this moment in most of her scenes – and it was a true joy to read that.

The Synopsis

Maggie has two daughters: Katie and Rosie. While Katie has always planned everything in her life and never failed (becoming doctor is her biggest achievement), Rosie is the complete opposite. She changes her mind all the time and never knows what she truly wants.

And one evening, Rosie calls her mum to tell her she is getting married. All of a sudden. Not in her hometown in the UK, but in some snowy mountains in the USA. For Christmas. THIS Christmas. In just a few months.

Everything is happening so fast, and Maggie is afraid for her daughter. But most importantly, Maggie is afraid that she will finally reveal to her girls that she is getting divorced from their dad.

My Thoughts

In a lovely snowy atmosphere, we get to see this family, and their different personalities coming together, in a book where love wins in the end. Reading this book under a warm blanket and with a hot chocolate definitely gave me the true feelings of Christmas again.

I encountered some interesting scenes, a couple of plot twists, a bit of a mystery behind one of the sisters. The importance of mental health as well, and how important is to share our troubles with someone. Anyone.

Some of the relationships, new or current, happened at a very fast pace, which wasn’t too my great pleasure. There was some sense of unnecessary urgency which didn’t feel believable nor relatable to me. But in hindsight, a wonderful book to spend your evenings with.

If you love romance novels and you also love Christmas, A Wedding in December will probably end up being your favourite book. I highly recommend it!