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Reviewed by Desere
This was a Christmas read unlike any other. The story had lots of twists and turns taking me as reader on a journey of how people's lives are affected when they defend the ones they love and how those their actions can brand them for the rest of their lives.
The main characters were Tilly, a spirited young woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to having lost her home, her job and her boyfriend all on the same day and not just any day but Christmas eve. Stranded at the station, with her only possessions packed into a suitcase and a broken shoe she is more than ready to just give up.
But by the grace of a Christmas even wonder she bumps into her one and only true love,Dean once best friend to her brother, but also the one man that never wanted her. And a really miraculous tale unfolded. One of two people clearly meant to be together yet kept apart by a promise and Dean being branded as a murderer.
Yes you read that right murderer! Tilly and Dean go through the motions of hot and cold for each other as Dean fights with all his being to not let his passion for Tilly get the better of him, after all he promised. Tilly however wants Dean with a fire as blazing hot as her once red hair colour,and she tries her hardest to let him know, only he keeps pushing her away.That is until they both get so consumed with their passions for each other and both let go.
Right here is where I thought oh joy finally! But then a unexpected turn of events and a lot of meddling from Phil,Tilly's brother let it all crumble,and that my dear friends really made the book! It was so unexpected and the truth being revealed by the author kept me glued to my seat!
The characters where both stunning,secondary characters brought the book into more perspective for me and the twist of a visitors book made the plot oh so much more compelling.
The author did a brilliant job of taking a happy event and turning it into mystery, intrigue and suspense,combined with romance, truth being revealed and a decade long secret finally setting a torn man free by the one woman that has always held his heart in her hands.
Christmas tale with a twist ~~ excellent work Aurelia!
5/5 star review
Reviewed by Maria
I met Aurelia B. Rowl
in an online writers’ group over a year
ago, when she’d just taken up writing.
She was an eager newcomer, brimming with enthusiasm and absolutely made
for the kind of camaraderie writing bloggers share. I also remember her announcing to the
group.that she’d put a piece of short fiction up on her blog and asking the
group members to come over, have a look and share their thoughts. I remember going over and reading the
story. An intriguing story which flowed well.
In fact, Harlequin Mills & Boon author Abby Green paid a visit too
and remarked on Aurelia’s ‘engaging voice’.
There was something about the story that didn’t sit too well with me, I
just couldn’t figure exactly what it was back then. I’d recently suffered a spate of writing
rejections for what I’d considered to be
some of my best work and like the seasoned campaigner I was, I remember not
being too complimentary about the story.
It was probably cynicism born of disappointment.
Now I’ve just read
Aurelia’s first published novel. And all
I can say is ‘wow, Aurelia!’.
Now I know what the
problem with that story was. It was too
big a story for a double page spread.
Aurelia needed a bigger canvas. She’s
a born novelist. CHRSTMAS IS CANCELLED
is an emotional, insightful, sexy and extremely moving read. Yes, Abby was right, the engaging voice is
certainly there. And it’s not only the
voice which is engaging. The characters
are engaging. The story is
engaging. You’ll be drawn in from start
to finish.
As a storyteller,
Aurelia is extremely skilful. You don’t
get a bit of backstory until you’ve begun to care about the characters. The book opens with Tilly, jobless, homeless
and without a friend in the world, trying to get a train to Southampton to
spend Christmas with her brother. She’s
unable to get that train so Christmas is effectively cancelled. Then she bumps into Dean, her brother’s old friend. She has nowhere else to go, so Dean takes her
home for Christmas. We gradually come to
know that this couple actually has a history. The rest of the novel is about
removing the darkness from their perceptions and bringing the two together into
the light and into love.
CHRITMAS IS CANCELLED
can be described as a Christmas story because Christmas is about dispelling the
darkness in the world and bringing light and hope. Something similar happens to the characters
in this story.
The love scenes are
powerfully written. The story will keep
you enthralled until the very end. Both Dean and Tilly are memorable
characters. As a romance novel, I give it 5/5 for delivering the goods.
Great work,
Aurelia. Well done.
5/5
