Calling Mrs Christmas

by Carole Matthews

Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.

Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.

When Carter asks Cassie to join them on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go. As much as tries, Cassie can't deny how drawn she is to Carter and everything he has to offer, but she still loves her warm-hearted Jim. Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.

Genres: Christmas, Chick Lit, Romance, Holiday, Fiction, Contemporary, Book Club

403 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Carole Matthews is an international bestselling author of hugely successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense of humour has won her legions of fans and critical acclaim all over the world.

A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.

In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.

Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole Matthews writes a wonderful festive read, perfect for this time of the year, featuring 35 year old Cassie Smith, living in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, who has experienced a particularly tough time since being made redundant from her job as a secretary. She thought she would find another job relatively easily, however, she has now been unemployed for 8 months, and has become increasingly depressed. Luckily for her, she has a terrific supportive and loving boyfriend, Jim Maddison, a man she shares a flat with, an ex-military man, now employed in a challenging position as a prison guard at Bovington Young Offenders Unit. Unfortunately it is not a well paid position, and the couple have found themselves in debt and struggling financially, and Cassie, who loves Christmas and everything that goes with it, is dreading the upcoming festive season, wondering how they will manage.

The future looks bleak, Cassie has put her desperate inner desires to get married and have children on a back burner, but she is not getting any younger. She decides to pick herself up, inspired to set up in business as Mrs Christmas, doing what she loves, helping businesses and people, either short of time or are disinclined, to plan and organise their Christmas festivities, from the smallest tasks, such as writing Christmas cards, buying and wrapping presents to organising parties, and doing the entire festive preparations. Cassie preps up her skills, spending hours learning through YouTube tutorials, and whilst it takes a little time to take off, she is soon inundated with business, and needs the help of her sister, Gaby, and Jim. Jim, a kind and compassionate man, has hard days at work, we are given gritty insights into his troubled days, but he cannot help but try and help his most vulnerable inmates, Rozzer and his particularly fragile friend, Smudge, who has had a particularly difficult background.

Cassie finds herself with a extremely wealthy client, Carter Randall, in the middle of divorce proceedings with his wife, Tamara, both busy running their businesses. He wants Cassie to organise their entire Christmas, including a holiday with his children as he rarely spends time with them. Cassie feels a strong attraction to Carter and, given how difficult her life circumstances have been, she is tempted by his wealth and beautiful home. This very human dilemma forms a strong part of this lovely and engaging festive read, there is a amazing trip to Lapland, I loved Jim, but will Cassie and his relationship survive the tests it faces? I particularly appreciated the indepth look at life in a young offender's unit and the lives of some its inmates. This is for readers looking for a fabulous festive read!

[Tina(why is GR limiting comments?!!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little unsettled about this book. The storyline was good and the writing easy to follow. I loved the Christmas aspect and Cassie's new Christmas business. I liked Jim and his story about the young offender's unit and the boys. I didn't particularly like how it seems that Cassie still has some unresolved feelings about Carter even though she clearly chose to stay with Jim. I like my love stories neatly wrapped up with no lose ends.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Calling Mrs Christmas starts off well, I am interested in the business Cassie is starting and she seems like she would be a wonderful heroine of the book. Joined by her sister and Jim--both characters are likable. Then the story starts to unravel when Cassie starts to get too involved with Carter--this was just soap opera storyline and dialogue gone bad. Every single moment together was sappy drivel and the same dialogue over and over again. I hated Cassie and Carter by the time they returned to London.

The only redeeming part of this book was Jim and the self-less work he does for the two boys and Cassie's sister who is the voice of reason.

Its a shame the heroine had to be this flimsy caricature who didn't have an ounce of business/common sense.

[Love Fool · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could, I would give this 3.5 stars.

Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.

I LOVE this plot, it was different and it felt very Christmas. The beginning of the book I loved, Cassie's struggles and her creating the business. I was hooked. Then Carter came in the picture. I liked him at first and understood where Carole Matthews was trying to go with his character but then all of a sudden Carter and Cassie annoyed me. Carter seemed too perfect with his wealth, well behaved and not annoying children, good looks, and love of spending his money on Cassie. How quickly they fell in love seemed too fake. Maybe if they knew each other more than a few weeks it would make sense but I just didn't buy it. I could also have a cold heart and it takes me more than a few weeks to fall helpless in love with someone.

[MoodyReader2.0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, sweet, sweet, soooo painfully sugar sweet! I loved it. Dont really remember the story now but i remember feeling jittry and giddy and overwhelming sweetness

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this time of year because the Christmas themed books start appearing, and Carole Matthews new book was definitely on my Christmas list! The cover is BEAUTIFUL, it immediately helped to get me in the festive mood.

Cassie has been out of work since she was made redundant earlier in the year and she has been struggling as a result. But then she has an idea – as she loves Christmas so much, she can do odd festive jobs, and charging for small things such as wrapping presents or decorating trees, and soon Cassie’s business Calling Mrs Christmas comes to life! Carter Randall wants to make Christmas extra special so he enlists Cassie’s help, and he soon invites her to join his family on a trip to Lapland, but Cassie soon finds herself facing a decision that could change her life…

I thoroughly enjoyed this! It is just so full of Christmas cheer and spirit and after I’d finished reading I desperately wanted to get all the Christmas decorations out of the loft and put them up!

I liked Cassie from the beginning, she is so likeable and I really felt for her as she was struggling after being made redundant. I thought the Calling Mrs Christmas idea was BRILLIANT and I was cheering Cassie on as she started up her business! I loved her excitement and enthusiasm for Christmas and I was smiling as I read. I also liked Jim, Cassie’s partner – I was very touched by his story and it brought some more serious moments to the novel as I read about his work.

This novel is so magical and I was instantly swept up by the atmosphere. Calling Mrs Christmas is a beautifully written festive read that will both touch your heart and have you full of excitement. From visits to Lapland to decorations and wrapping Christmas presents – this is a very special read that everyone must buy this Christmas.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christmas fluff. The reviews I read gave me high hopes for this book but the only part I really liked was the description of the Christmas activities in Lapland. While I was rooting for Cassie Christmas at the beginning of the book, I soon didn't think much of her as she came across as selfish. How else to describe her leaving others to carry out her business responsibilities while she was off having a good time, all in the name of ensuring all her client's needs were met. Thank goodness in the end, common sense prevailed.

[Verity Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just screams Christmas. From the cover to the description, it instantly gets you in the Christmas spirit.

I loved the concept of this book. Cassie has been unable to find a job, so she creates her perfect job. She loves Christmas, and is great at organising, so she combines the two.

The trip to lapland sounded just magical, I just wanted to plan my own trip!

I loved the inclusion of Rozzer and Smudge, two boys just needing someone to take a chance on them, and what better time of year than Christmas to bring the Christmas spirit of hope and joy.

Sadly, I couldn't give the book five stars! Carter is tall, dark and handsome, and rich to boot! You can't help but fall in love with him. But he knew quite well Cassie was in a relationship and yet still went after her! That for me was a big no no!

I loved the book. A few twists along the way, some I was on board with, others not. A perfect book to curl up with on a cold winters day.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. All at once, it was everything I expected and much, much more.

This is a truly heart-warming story and I really can't put into words how good it was. I loved the characters and the conflict between pretty much all of them.

And the two boys just released from a juvenile detention unit? That was genius. It really made me think.

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. Recommended.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling Mrs Christmas is a beautiful, festive story, full of warmth and joy and everything that Christmas entails! From the moment you open the book and turn to the first page, you are dropped into the ultimate Christmas story, and you will not want to leave, I can assure you.

I'm not going to lie to you. The cover for Calling Mrs Christmas was what caught my eye. I didn't even read the blurb until it came to reviewing the book. That's naughty of me, I know, but sometimes you just can't help it, and when a cover is this gorgeous it doesn't even matter. It's festive, it's emotive, drawing from you every feeling associated with the Christmas season! Absolutely fabulous!

I found Calling Mrs Christmas rather like a big, Christmas adventure. You're alongside Cassie as she starts her business up, and you get to join her as she visits her clients and gets her jobs done, with a flair for Christmas creativity. She decorates trees, wraps presents, writes cards and even puts together Christmas events for local businesses and companies. It really is the ULTIMATE Christmas story, bringing together all the excitement and merriment that's included with this time of year. It's impossible to not get the Christmas bug after reading this book.

The characters that you get to meet in Calling Mrs Christmas are all wonderful fictional creations. Cassie Smith is the main character, and you meet her first! Cassie was made redundant from her previous job, and since then she's became a bit of a slob. Lying around on the sofa whilst her boyfriend Jim works full time at Bovingdale Young Offenders Unit. Cassie lives for Jim's phone calls during the day, it gives her something to look forward to, and is basically the highlight of her long, repetitive days spent at home in front of the TV. When her idea for Calling Mrs Christmas pops into her head, she suddenly realises that this is her perfect job. An avid lover of all things Christmassy, Cassie gets right to it. She's creative, she's enthusiastic and she is perfect for the founder of Calling Mrs Christmas. She hopes that thinking up her dream job is going to end her and Jim's days of worrying about and struggling with money.

What I really loved about Cassie was her flair for Calling Mrs Christmas. Turns out she is a dab hand and making things look beautiful and magical and extremely festive. She even learns to write in calligraphy, to give her customers who want her to write out their Christmas cards the ultimate professional look.She ends up watching tons of YouTube videos and learning how to wrap up presents like Santa's elves. It's wonderful watching her get into her new job role and you suddenly feel the urge to get your presents wrapped, write out Christmas cards and swing around the tops of your Christmas trees! (If they're big enough of course! Mine would crumble underneath me unfortunately. But it sounds like a fantastic idea!)

Jim, Cassie's partner, is an absolute sweetheart. There are many moments in the story where you will want to cuddle him up and just give him some snuggles. He's a very hard-working man, working full-time with "lads" who are took to the Young Offenders Unit because they've stole, attacked someone or are just plain pains in the arses. Day in, day out, he puts up with fights, cleaning out cells and doing routine checks to make sure there are no sharp objects hidden in pillows and mattresses. He goes home each night to Cassie, but never speaks about what his day involved. He likes to keep this to himself as his job also entails rather dirty work and it's not exactly the perfect conversation starter. Jim is so, soo lovely! I know lovely isn't a great word to use in a review but it describes this guy perfectly. He's loyal, he does everything to make Cassie happy, and he wants to put a ring on her finger and start a family as soon as they are financially able to. That's his ultimate dream. He's Cassie's biggest supporter, always behind her, and completely in awe of her when Calling Mrs Christmas really begins to get going. He helps her with wrapping presents, writing cards out and even dresses up as Father Christmas himself on a few occasions just to make sure everything goes smoothly for her. He is the ultimate gentleman, one of those nice guys who you know you can always depend on.

From reading the blurb, you may have also noticed that a millionaire is involved in this story too. That's right. Carter Randall is an affluent, swanky attractive man who happens to bump into Cassie at one of her functions and manages to get covered in a drink by her. After finding out that the function has actually been put together by Cassie herself, and that she is the one and only Calling Mrs Christmas, he decides to put her in charge of turning his home into a Christmas palace. With his no-limit budget, Cassie can hardly contain her excitement in getting started on his huge, million pound mansion and acre long gardens. Carter himself is an okay guy. He is drenched with money and nothing is beyond his reach. He is in the middle of a separation with his ex-wife, Tamara, and his two children, Max and Eve are caught up in the middle of it all. After Carter is allowed to have his two children for the Christmas period, he puts Cassie in charge of arranging a once in a lifetime holiday for him and his children. He's got money coming from everywhere, and he doesn't care about going over the top. In fact, the house on the front cover is meant to depict Carter's abode. Pretty nice eh? ;) Carter holds more in store for Cassie than just a fat paycheck.

There are many more characters for you to feast your imagination on, all full of surprises and fantastic personalities. The characters and the settings definitely made the story what it is. With the point of view switching between Cassie and her partner Jim, it makes for a very entertaining read. There's also a sort of contrast between each character's part in the story. I found Cassie's viewpoints are always upbeat and full of excitement, whereas Jim's are more grey, constantly working and slogging away. The two of them make the perfect Christmas fictional couple, and I loved every single little bit!

It's emotional, full of ups and downs, but with the ultimate message hidden within. That Christmas is just about the presents under the tree or the money that's been spent. It's about being with your loved ones, sitting around the dinner table, and just basking in the glow of love that radiates between everyone, because that's all that really matters.

Overall, I'm giving Calling Mrs Christmas a well deserved rating of five out of five stars!
Giving this book anything less than that would be rather silly.
If you haven't found a book that throws you into the Christmas spirit, then read this.
You will NOT be disappointed, I promise you!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect love triangle with much more to it than just a love story.

Cassie has been unemployed for a while now and thinks of a great way to make a new business near Christmas. Her loving partner Jim is a prisoner officer and I love his relationship with two of the inmates. He is so good with them and helps them improve so well without judging. He has such a rewarding job but puts a strain on their finances.

Meanwhile Cassie in her Calling Mrs Christmas job meets a millionaire. Who might be lucky with his finances but is not lucky with his ex or maybe not so ex wife. I could not believe how quickly Cassie was sucked in by the money. Her Jim may not be a millionaire but he has a heart of gold. I would want him as my partner not Carter. Carter does redemn himself a little for me at the end.

I loved Jim. He is my favourite character in the story. I am so happy with the way the story ended. If Cassie had chosen Carter I would not be giving five stars.

[Barbara Elsborg]

Well, I am beginning to wonder if I read a different book to everyone else. Millions of 5 stars on Amazon and a close to perfection on here. I don't get it, I really don't. It was much too sweet for me. The conflict actually upset me rather than made the book more interesting. Did it make it okay because she wasn't actually married? I know 'nothing' happened but even so.... I wasn't taken by the theme, the characters or the Christmas aspect. I'll know better next time. I love the idea of Christmas stories but I've not read many that strike the balance between the holiday spirit and an actual good read. This story stretched my ability to 'go with the flow'. The business with the 'boys' seemed so unlikely I struggled to accept it. So sorry, not for me but I can see it strikes the right note for many others. If you want sweet, undemanding and happy - then go for it.

[Elizabeth Sofia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Calling Mrs. Christmas by Carole Matthews was a total disappointment and difficult to finish. It was my first book by Ms. Matthews, and I can't see my knowingly selecting another. This book was a December 2024 group read, and I loved the cover.
The romance, if you can call it that is set in England during the Christmas Holiday season. The main female character is 35, lives with her boyfriend, and has been out of work for about five or six months. She doesn't like where they live, and wants a tropical destination wedding or nothing...even though they have no money.

I started out rooting for her, but that quickly turned to frustration. I just finished the book and can't even remember her name, which sums up how well I cared and related to a shallow, self centered girl.

In all fairness, I am 65, and have never married. I was considered an old maid at 18, mostly because those who don't really know me think I have no sense of humor...I do but it is quite odd and different. The life I chose to live is so different, the decisions so opposite to the characters that I just wanted to tell them to grow up.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all: I think the title of this book is just so gorgeous, loved it and the cover is so beautiful as well. I didn’t even read the blurb, I just bought it and I am so glad I did.

Cassie is such a lovely heroine and Carole describes her and her feelings perfectly. Cassie is in a bad place when the book starts: no money, no job…
But then she has a great idea for a business and her light instantly came on again. A business for Christmas preparations, called Calling Mrs Christmas. Such a great idea and I loved her passion for it, really the perfect job for Cassie.
Jim is Cassie’s boyfriend and he is such a sweetheart. Such a great character and so caring, he seemed so perfect for Cassie, until Carter came along.

Carter is Cassie’s biggest client; he is rich and drop dead gorgeous. That client is taking up most of Cassie’s time and it’s really hard to cope with that for Jim.
Then Carter wants to take Cassie on the trip to Lapland she organised for him and his kids. She agrees. The night before she leaves, Jim and Cassie have a row. I felt so sad, her leaving for Lapland without having talked to Jim again.

And then there is Lapland, beautiful Lapland. They way Carole described the landscapes, the sights and all the activities was just amazing. I instantly fell in love with this country. It made me wanna go there and see the Northern Lights. I hope one day I can. The Icehotel, the huskeys and everything, it’s sounds so awesome.
It was great to see how much fun Carter’s kids had and also Carter and Cassie. And: they got closer to each other and to me they seemed so wonderful together. The attraction was definitely there. But what about Jim?
I was really looking forward to reading more, just because I wanted to know whether it’s Jim or Carter for Cassie and I can tell you, Carole didn’t make it easy, but she made the story more interesting and attractive like that.
I seriously had no idea who Cassie was going to pick, because both man had their spark. Well, I guess in the end she really saw what’s important in life and I believe that’s a fantastic thing to end a story with.

In this case the quote “Reading is dreaming with open eyes” totally describes how I felt through out the story. I could imagine this life and world so easily and I am so glad Carole introduced us to the lovely Lapland. This story is really fascinating, vivid and full of extraordinary moments. LOVED IT!!! <3 <3 <3

[Aoife · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: Suicide attempt (chapter 29 - can be skipped over, no need to read), mild fatphobia

When Cassie Smith comes upon the perfect idea to make money at Christmas time, she accidentally stumbles into her dream job - a Christmas organiser. With her diary filling up, and Christmas coming closer, Cassie might be able to make this one a year to remember for herself and her beloved boyfriend Jim. However when Cassie is invited to a trip of a lifetime to Lapland with her wealthy client Carter and his children, she finds lines becoming blurred and suddenly the potential of a very different life lies ahead.

This book ended up being much more of a pleasant read for me than I imagined. The book is well written and plotted out, and really nicely paced. I think the writing just flowed well, I got wrapped up in the story as well as Cassie and Jim's lovely, if somewhat enviable, relationship and I was eager to see what happened. One of my favourite parts of the book were actually Jim's POV as he worked at a young offenders institution, and was helping to rehabilitate two young men who needed help - the contrast between some of Jim's chapters with the boys and Cassie's chapters with over the top extravagant Christmas moments for wealthy people was done really well.

The only problem I had in this book was the moment that Cassie seemed to just lose her mind a little bit and suddenly think she could have a life with Carter. Everything with him was just odd - it didn't feel like she really knew him that well when he invited her on a trip with his children, which meant he was basically allowing a stranger to take care of his children which included sleeping in a room with his daughter - I don't know about anyone else but I wouldn't want someone I didn't know well kissing my children goodnight. There was also some jibes made against Carter's wife about her constantly putting her image and work ahead of her children as if it was terrible for a woman to work - plus moments we saw of her with her kids showed she loved them very much and they her. Could have done without those moments of patriarchal judgements!

[Sarah Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading Calling Mrs Christmas last night. It is a lovely Christmas story, set in a contemporary time. It tells the story of Cassie who has been out of work for a while and can’t find a job. She creates the concept of Mrs Christmas, through her own love of Christmas, and begins to charge for card writing, tree decorating etc. She meets a wealthy business man called Carter, who hires Cassie to create a magical Christmas for him and his two children. They travel to Lapland and visit Santa and see the Northern Lights. Cassie falls for Carter and he falls for her. Sounds ideal… but Cassie has a loving partner Jim, who has stuck by her while she has been out of work and supported her and helped with her new business. I won’t tell you what happens but Cassie has some difficult decisions to make.
I love Carole Matthews’s books and this one is really lovely. The true star of the book for me was Lapland and Carole’s descriptions of the whole experience there, are wonderful. I would love to visit there one day. A really good read and one for the Christmas period.

[Lorna Gilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this 5 stars because it is the best Christmas book I've ever read! Not cheesy and predictable. The characters are realistic and likeable, there is lots of substance to the plot lines and it keeps you interested from start to finish. Emotional at times, the writer covers it all. I really loved this and will definitely put this as my number 1 Christmas book!

[Lauren Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I work in the Social Work sector so some of the plot was very close to home, and it worked so well! Laughed so much as well, and honestly just a gorgeous feel good story. Really want to take my niece and nephew to Swedish Lapland now!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book loved the story line i was left wanting to read more when it finished

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

mixed feelings

Honestly I was expecting a Hallmark type of read….what I got instead was a Lifetime type of read. There is a love triangle that I got pretty frustrated with the heroine about her wishy washy-ness. But I was glad she made the right decision in the end. Jim was an incredible hero and his love, patience and devotion to Cassie was incredible. I also enjoyed the storyline with the 2 youth offenders. There is some strong language sprinkled in, which surprised me. I was very happy with the ending….but this is definitely not a light read.

[Sophie Acton · Rating 4 out of 5]

URGH WHO DO I LOVE MORE? JIM OR CARTER? I did not envy Cassie once throughout this entire book.
Super fun and easy cozy Christmas book. I thoroughly enjoyed every second.

[Millie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable Christmassy read

[Emma Thingsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much 🥹🥹

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After enjoying my first Carole Matthews books A Cottage by the Sea this summer I was eager to read more from this author. Thanks to the snippet shared at the back of A Cottage by the Sea I got to read a sneak peak of Calling Mrs Christmas the latest festive offering from Carole – I loved the sound of it and was looking forward to snuggling up with a copy during the build up to Christmas. I’m going to say straight off the bat that this is one of the best Christmas books that I’ve ever read. I read the whole thing straight through in a day because I was so caught up in this story!

Calling Mrs Christmas is brimming with festivity and is perfect for getting excited for Christmas. The book follows Cassie – unemployed and struggling to stay afloat Cassie is not looking forward to Christmas this year (a time that she usually loves) because of the expense that comes along with it. Then Cassie gets the wonderful idea of turning her love for Christmas into a business and so Calling Mrs Christmas is born. Tree decorating; gift buying, organising Christmas parties, baking - it’s all in a day’s work for Cassie. As Cassie starts to really enjoy herself you can’t help but get caught up in the Christmas excitement along with her!

Unexpectedly my favourite thing about this book was Cassie’s partner Jim’s chapters. Jim is a kind and gentle soul whose meagre wage as a prison officer at a young offenders unit stretches to support both him and Cassie. Although their financial situation means that they live in a small flat and haven’t been able to get married or have children yet Jim would do anything in his power for Cassie and you see that time and time again through his actions. Jim was such a lovely bloke and he quickly became my favourite character.

Jim’s warmth and kindness also extends to two of the teenage boys in his care Rozzer and Smudge. The boys haven’t had the best start in life and Jim provides them with the chance to prove themselves as well as being a role model for the lads to look up to. Whilst Cassie’s chapters deal with the food and decorations and gifts, Jim’s chapters deal with the true meaning of Christmas tackling themes of taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves and appreciating our lot in life.

The only thing that stopped this book from being a perfect five star read for me was Cassie! She really started to annoy me towards the middle of the book, I felt like she became very selfish and ungrateful. It all went towards her character development though and so although at times I wanted to shake some sense into her I did make my peace with her by the end of the book.

I closed Calling Mrs Christmas with a big smile on my face, a tear in my eye, and that lovely heart-warming Christmassy feeling. Although everything was wrapped up nicely by the end of the book I feel like there is definitely room for a sequel – I’d love more from these characters and to find out what happens to them next! This year I have fast become a new Carole Matthews fan and I absolutely cannot wait for her next novel A Place to Call Home to be released next year!

[JoLene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read some really good books this year and unfortunately this was not one of them. Because I needed a break after reading some heavier stuff, I thought I’d use a lighter “chick lit” book for my December Flurry read. This had been on my Kindle for a while so I decided to give it a go. Cassie was let go earlier in the year and was having problems finding another job. She gets the bright idea to combine her organizational skills with her love of Christmas to start a job doing Christmas errands for people.....everything from decorating, to buying/wrapping present to organizing holiday parties. She recruits her sister and live-in boyfriend to help. Along the way she develops relationships with a few of her clients including a wealthy soon to be divorced dad who need help making a nice Christmas for his kids.

Oh where to start.....I don’t mind plots where you have to suspend a bit of belief (after all it is a Christmas story), but this was a bit ridiculous. First, she watches U-tube videos/pinterest to figure out how to wrap presents, write calligraphy and decorate well enough to create business AND to teach others like her boyfriend. Then, she meets a wealthy handsome guy who trusts her enough on 2nd meeting to organize a trip for him and his kids AND invites her to go along. Of course, he then falls in love with her and wants her to leave her boyfriend after spending 2 days together, despite having almost nothing in common except that she likes/gets along with his kids Cassie's boyfriend, Jim and her sister rolled up their sleeves to pitch in and end of doing a lot of the work while Cassie is off with the client.

So.....the plot was not believable, Cassie was too much of a Mary Sue, but what really brought it down was the writing. Apparently, you can never TELL the reader too many times how depressed Cassie was without a job or how poor Jim and Cassie were so they couldn't get married and start a family. This book weighed in at over 400 pages (which is a bit long for the genre) because there was a lot of repetition. Most of the story was told in first person from Cassie's POV, but interspersed were chapters about Jim told in the 3rd person. Doesn't that break some writers rule??? Even if it doesn't, it was annoying. I really do not understand how this book got so many 4 and 5 star ratings, but maybe I'm just extra grinchy this holiday season.

[Lynda Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first discovered Carole Matthews books a few years ago and read every one of them one after the other. I loved them....she had such insight into what it is like to be an ordinary person with families, problems, financial difficulties, ups and downs, joys and sorrows. I would recommend them all but the last two, this being one of them, have lost something. I am not quite sure what it is but this one, although it had a great sub-plot in the guise of the prison warder husband and his young offenders, was horribly let down but the main storyline which was, on completion of the story, not just completely predictable but too sickly sweet and sickly sweet is just not what Carole Matthews usually does.

I have to give it three stars because I still think Ms Matthews is a great story teller and there were certainly some touching moments and some wonderful descriptions of a winter wonderland but I finished it with the feeling that it had been churned out a bit and that was disappointing.

It won't put me off reading the next one but yes...rather disappointed this time round. Thank goodness for Jim and the two boys....they made the book for me.

[Emily Lister · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish this it was terrible. I don’t mind a bit of chick lit every now and again especially a Christmas one but this was awful. I usually go to Heidi Swain whose books I always enjoy but this was my first and last book by Carole Matthews. I know this genre always has a dose of “that would never happen in real life” but this was ridiculously unbelievable. And the main character was quite frankly a selfish horrible woman. I gave up half way because I couldn’t bare to waste another moment reading about this spoilt selfish and thoroughly unlikable character.
She sets up a Christmas business and it’s pretty much an instant success, I thought the story would be more about her building up the business but it wasn’t it was more centred around this woman selfishly ditching her long term partner for no reason whatsoever other than a rich good looking man asked her to go on holiday with him and she expected her family and partner to do her work for her while she was away with him!!! I hated this character so much!!! If you’re looking for a pleasant festive read to get you in the mood for Christmas don’t read this.

[Calliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edit: Worth a 2nd read

A nice christmas story.

Well rounded characters and nice developement. I would love a follow up about Cassie and the business, the boys etc.

Only thing I werent crazy about was how fast the Carter story went, also the ending seems to be missing just a little...

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Her books get better & better. If this doesn't get you feeling Christmassy nothing will!