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Some Kind of Wonderful
Holiday shop owner Carol Baker infuses her business and her life with peace and good will. But she has secrets from her past that make her all the more determined to someday have a family of her own. She never expects a sweltering July heat wave to bring the gift of a baby girl who needs a mother's love...and a man who needs to heal his wounded soul.
Ex-LAPD copy Jack Reilly's back in town--temporarily--to fill in for the ailing local sheriff. Haunted by the tragedy that made him leave Los Angeles, Jack doesn't believe in "forever." His sassy landlady Carol, with her year-round Chistmas spirit, gorgeous smile, and adorable little foster daughter, Liz, begin to bring him back to life. But the past has a way of coming back again, and the dark places of the heart have a way of staying hidden. Still, good things have a way of happening in Christmas--and if the Reillys have anything to say about it, what develops between Carol and Jack will be some kind of wonderful...
Ex-LAPD copy Jack Reilly's back in town--temporarily--to fill in for the ailing local sheriff. Haunted by the tragedy that made him leave Los Angeles, Jack doesn't believe in "forever." His sassy landlady Carol, with her year-round Chistmas spirit, gorgeous smile, and adorable little foster daughter, Liz, begin to bring him back to life. But the past has a way of coming back again, and the dark places of the heart have a way of staying hidden. Still, good things have a way of happening in Christmas--and if the Reillys have anything to say about it, what develops between Carol and Jack will be some kind of wonderful...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
176 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
About the author
Maureen Child
1,148 books548 followersUSA Today best selling author Maureen Child is the author of more than ninety romance novels and novellas. Maureen is a five time nominee for the prestigious Rita award from Romance Writers of America.
One of her novels, A Pocketful Of Paradise, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector, starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.
Over the years, she’s written under lots of different names and she prefers the term ‘pseudonym’ to ‘alias’. As Ann Carberry, she wrote western historical romances. As Kathleen Kane, she wrote not only Americana romances, but western paranormal romances as well. As Sarah Hart, she wrote one really spectacular western paranormal that is still one of her favorites. And once, Ann Carberry even wrote a Victorian historical which she absolutely loved doing.
Under her own name, Maureen writes short contemporary novels for Silhouette Desire—books she loves to write because of their fast pace and condensed story telling. Maureen is also writing funny, contemporary paranormal romances for NAL and darker paranormal stories for Silhouette Nocturne.
Maureen writes paranormal romance novels under the pesudonym of Regan Hastings
One of her novels, A Pocketful Of Paradise, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector, starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.
Over the years, she’s written under lots of different names and she prefers the term ‘pseudonym’ to ‘alias’. As Ann Carberry, she wrote western historical romances. As Kathleen Kane, she wrote not only Americana romances, but western paranormal romances as well. As Sarah Hart, she wrote one really spectacular western paranormal that is still one of her favorites. And once, Ann Carberry even wrote a Victorian historical which she absolutely loved doing.
Under her own name, Maureen writes short contemporary novels for Silhouette Desire—books she loves to write because of their fast pace and condensed story telling. Maureen is also writing funny, contemporary paranormal romances for NAL and darker paranormal stories for Silhouette Nocturne.
Maureen writes paranormal romance novels under the pesudonym of Regan Hastings
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
February 13, 2016
The absolutely adorable baby on the cover is what made me decide to pick this one up, but it's Jack, Carol, and baby Liz that kept me turning the pages. Some Kind Of Wonderful is all kinds of heartwarming! It's a romantic, steamy, and sometimes even poignant 'believe in the magic of Christmas' story that can be read any time of year. And I have to say, I hope this is part of a series because there are so many incredible people in the small, quirky town of Christmas, California who need to have their stories told, too!
This is book 1 in my Goodreads Challenge of reading 50 Kindle Freebie books in 2016. All books read for this challenge were free at the time of 'purchase.'
Books I've read, so far:
1. Some Kind of Wonderful
2. Duty Bound
3. Neanderthal Seeks Human
January 5, 2016
(3.5 Stars)
First, let me ramble on a bit before I start my review. The book cover in Goodreads for "Some Kind of Wonderful" is not the one downloaded onto my kindle. The cover I received was of a man and woman simultaneously kissing the checks of the cutest blue and wide eyed baby you could ever imagine. Yeah, I know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover; but, I'll freely admit that I am a sucker for a good one.
Carol Baker was forced into the child services system at the age of ten when her parents were killed in a tragic car accident. Since she had no other family, she lived her life in a couple of foster homes but finally settling her older teen years in an orphanage until she was basically emancipated at 18. After working hard and saving her money, Carol moved to Christmas, Ca. where everyday is Christmas filled with tourists bombarding the town each day in preparation for the big event. One night as Carol was walking her dog, Quinn, she heard a baby crying from none other than the town's manger. This is where she discovers a baby girl who has been abandoned. Carroll's experience in the child care system is not a place she wants this beautiful bundle of joy to end up, so she arranges to have herself appointed as a foster parent until the mother can be found.
When temporary sheriff, Jake Reilly goes out to investigate who abandoned a baby in the town manger he had no idea he wound meet his match. For two years now he has been wallowing in pity over an incident while he was on the police force in L.A. He knows he is a crabby mess even without his mother and siblings constantly reminding him but he will only be in Christmas for a month or so and then he will take off for parts unknown. No attachments, no emotions, and certainly no relationships. As we all know things rather happen the way we plan; so, when he noticed Carol Baker has a vacant furnished apartment, he snaps at the chance to get out from under his mother's roof. He knows this single action has the potential to go extremely wrong but he is desperate enough that he doesn't care.
These two shattered souls just might find redemption in the presence of a beautiful baby girl and in each other. The question is whether or not it will be enough to overcome each of their pasts and survive the return of the mother who abandoned her baby?
I enjoyed this read especially because of all of the family interactions. I also enjoyed the resiliency of Carol Baker. I will admit that at times, the character of Jack got on my nerves and I didn't immediately feel a connection between him, the baby or Carol but in the end, he redeemed himself. I also feel that this book would have been a lot more successful if the mood hadn't been so serious and ominous. A little humor goes a long way in making any book better. In the end, I am glad I followed my intuition and decided to read this book all because of the cover (Lol).
First, let me ramble on a bit before I start my review. The book cover in Goodreads for "Some Kind of Wonderful" is not the one downloaded onto my kindle. The cover I received was of a man and woman simultaneously kissing the checks of the cutest blue and wide eyed baby you could ever imagine. Yeah, I know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover; but, I'll freely admit that I am a sucker for a good one.
Carol Baker was forced into the child services system at the age of ten when her parents were killed in a tragic car accident. Since she had no other family, she lived her life in a couple of foster homes but finally settling her older teen years in an orphanage until she was basically emancipated at 18. After working hard and saving her money, Carol moved to Christmas, Ca. where everyday is Christmas filled with tourists bombarding the town each day in preparation for the big event. One night as Carol was walking her dog, Quinn, she heard a baby crying from none other than the town's manger. This is where she discovers a baby girl who has been abandoned. Carroll's experience in the child care system is not a place she wants this beautiful bundle of joy to end up, so she arranges to have herself appointed as a foster parent until the mother can be found.
When temporary sheriff, Jake Reilly goes out to investigate who abandoned a baby in the town manger he had no idea he wound meet his match. For two years now he has been wallowing in pity over an incident while he was on the police force in L.A. He knows he is a crabby mess even without his mother and siblings constantly reminding him but he will only be in Christmas for a month or so and then he will take off for parts unknown. No attachments, no emotions, and certainly no relationships. As we all know things rather happen the way we plan; so, when he noticed Carol Baker has a vacant furnished apartment, he snaps at the chance to get out from under his mother's roof. He knows this single action has the potential to go extremely wrong but he is desperate enough that he doesn't care.
These two shattered souls just might find redemption in the presence of a beautiful baby girl and in each other. The question is whether or not it will be enough to overcome each of their pasts and survive the return of the mother who abandoned her baby?
I enjoyed this read especially because of all of the family interactions. I also enjoyed the resiliency of Carol Baker. I will admit that at times, the character of Jack got on my nerves and I didn't immediately feel a connection between him, the baby or Carol but in the end, he redeemed himself. I also feel that this book would have been a lot more successful if the mood hadn't been so serious and ominous. A little humor goes a long way in making any book better. In the end, I am glad I followed my intuition and decided to read this book all because of the cover (Lol).
January 9, 2016
This was an Amazon freebie and a solid 4 star read for me. What made the story for me was our heroine, Carol. Although she has a tragic back story, she evolved past it into a quirky, independent and successful 28 year old woman. Our H is tall, dark, handsome and CRANKY. Although he also has a tragic backstory, he is firmly stuck in his misery. The romance unfolds as these two work together to take care of an abandoned newborn in their very small town, the story is rounded out with some interesting small town characters and the mystery behind the baby's birth Mother. I was in the mood for a mature heroine who works at her HEA, and enjoyed both a good laugh here and there as well as a good cry or two during this sweet, sexy and emotional story.
April 25, 2012
Some Kind of Wonderful is full of interesting characters, people you'd want to be friends with in real life. Carol Baker moved to Christmas, California, two years ago, and has a successful shop selling candles and keepsakes and Christmas themed decorations. She has carved out a happy life for herself in this weird little tourist town.
I say weird because I'm not sure I would want to live there myself. The entire town stays decorated for Christmas all year round. There is a permanent Nativity scene set up in the town square, the local businesses include the Reindeer Cafe, the Ho-Ho-Hotel, Elve's Hardware and Christmas Carol's (the heroine's store), and the streets have names such as North Pole and Jingle Bell Way.
Jack Reilly grew up in Christmas, and is back in town, temporarily, to fill in for the local sheriff who has been ill. Jack used to be an LAPD cop, but left the force, and he took this temporary position very grudgingly. He's anxious for the sheriff to come back to work so he can get back out of town. He's surly and always scowling, with shadows in his eyes.
One night Carol is walking her dog through the town square, and finds a baby lying in the Nativity scene's manger. A real, live baby, only a few hours old. She takes the baby to her friend Phoebe's clinic, and that's when she meets Jack, who is of course called to investigate. Jack's sister, Maggie, is the local county welfare officer, and when Carol volunteers to be the baby's temporary emergency foster mother, Maggie agrees.
Having grown up in the foster care system, Carol has always longed for home and family. She doesn't expect to keep baby Liz forever, she is just determined that the baby not wind up at a group home, where row upon row of babies lie in cribs waiting for someone to pay attention to them.
Carol and Jack are of course attracted to each other, but Jack keeps her at a distance, while moping around and glaring at everyone. Honestly, what is it about a man like Jack that is so appealing? I've not actually known one in real life, but I do love a moody angtsy hero in a romance novel.
I was swept up in this story pretty quickly, and really enjoyed the author's voice. Lots of humor. While the identity of the biological mother of the baby isn't revealed until the last quarter of the book, it was pretty obvious early one who she was, at least to the reader, though not to the other characters. But I think the author intended for us to figure it out, as she slowly fleshed that character out and made us sympathize with her. The ending was predictable and a little sappy, but then I would have been upset if it had ended any differently.
Well, actually, that's not quite accurate. SPOILER ALERT: In my mind, I pictured Carol taking both mother and baby under her wing, letting them both live with her and taking care of baby while mom went to college, but not actually adopting the baby as her own child. But then, I kind of forgot about Jack becoming a part of Carol's life also, because my mind left him out of that scenario. So obviously the author knew better than me how to end the story.
This is the first book I've read by Maureen Child, and when I looked at her back list on her website I realized that she has written a lot of books. Many of them are of the Harlequin/Silhouette variety, but I'm more eager to find her other contemporary novels first.
(I purchased this book at a library book sale – based on the cover which caught my eye.)
I say weird because I'm not sure I would want to live there myself. The entire town stays decorated for Christmas all year round. There is a permanent Nativity scene set up in the town square, the local businesses include the Reindeer Cafe, the Ho-Ho-Hotel, Elve's Hardware and Christmas Carol's (the heroine's store), and the streets have names such as North Pole and Jingle Bell Way.
Jack Reilly grew up in Christmas, and is back in town, temporarily, to fill in for the local sheriff who has been ill. Jack used to be an LAPD cop, but left the force, and he took this temporary position very grudgingly. He's anxious for the sheriff to come back to work so he can get back out of town. He's surly and always scowling, with shadows in his eyes.
One night Carol is walking her dog through the town square, and finds a baby lying in the Nativity scene's manger. A real, live baby, only a few hours old. She takes the baby to her friend Phoebe's clinic, and that's when she meets Jack, who is of course called to investigate. Jack's sister, Maggie, is the local county welfare officer, and when Carol volunteers to be the baby's temporary emergency foster mother, Maggie agrees.
Having grown up in the foster care system, Carol has always longed for home and family. She doesn't expect to keep baby Liz forever, she is just determined that the baby not wind up at a group home, where row upon row of babies lie in cribs waiting for someone to pay attention to them.
Carol and Jack are of course attracted to each other, but Jack keeps her at a distance, while moping around and glaring at everyone. Honestly, what is it about a man like Jack that is so appealing? I've not actually known one in real life, but I do love a moody angtsy hero in a romance novel.
I was swept up in this story pretty quickly, and really enjoyed the author's voice. Lots of humor. While the identity of the biological mother of the baby isn't revealed until the last quarter of the book, it was pretty obvious early one who she was, at least to the reader, though not to the other characters. But I think the author intended for us to figure it out, as she slowly fleshed that character out and made us sympathize with her. The ending was predictable and a little sappy, but then I would have been upset if it had ended any differently.
Well, actually, that's not quite accurate. SPOILER ALERT: In my mind, I pictured Carol taking both mother and baby under her wing, letting them both live with her and taking care of baby while mom went to college, but not actually adopting the baby as her own child. But then, I kind of forgot about Jack becoming a part of Carol's life also, because my mind left him out of that scenario. So obviously the author knew better than me how to end the story.
This is the first book I've read by Maureen Child, and when I looked at her back list on her website I realized that she has written a lot of books. Many of them are of the Harlequin/Silhouette variety, but I'm more eager to find her other contemporary novels first.
(I purchased this book at a library book sale – based on the cover which caught my eye.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2016
This was a short novella that I really liked. I liked the small town of Christmas, the adorable giant dog, Quinn and the brief glimpse of the close knit Reilly family.
What I loved about Some Kind Of Wonderful was Carol Baker. She was so funny and open and just an all around genuine person. The author does a good job of vividly drawing the reader a detailed picture of who Carol is and although it drags out the mystery as to her past it was well paced. But Jack really describes her best as having a smart ass mouth but a good heart. I laughed and cried through this one and 95% of the time it was for Carol.
The male MC, Jack, was a good character (not great, he was too crabby/grouchy for my taste) and I definitely felt for him once his past was revealed but I thought his resolution to his issues were too rushed. But thats usually my main complaint while reading novellas - they're never long enough!
Also the baby momma issue, I felt there was too much unnecessary drama. Other than that this was a short sweet read.
What I loved about Some Kind Of Wonderful was Carol Baker. She was so funny and open and just an all around genuine person. The author does a good job of vividly drawing the reader a detailed picture of who Carol is and although it drags out the mystery as to her past it was well paced. But Jack really describes her best as having a smart ass mouth but a good heart. I laughed and cried through this one and 95% of the time it was for Carol.
The male MC, Jack, was a good character (not great, he was too crabby/grouchy for my taste) and I definitely felt for him once his past was revealed but I thought his resolution to his issues were too rushed. But thats usually my main complaint while reading novellas - they're never long enough!
Also the baby momma issue, I felt there was too much unnecessary drama. Other than that this was a short sweet read.
January 4, 2016
Every romantic should read this book every Christmas . Start a new tradition.
This is a truly heart-warming love story with real people, real problems. The town of Christmas, California is the most clever setting imaginable for a Christmas story. You will fall in love with the baby fount abandoned in a manager, with the lonely woman who finds the infant and takes her in. And when a handsome man enters the picture, you just know they would be the perfect family.
But you won't believe the sad circumstances that keep them apart....
Why is the man so troubled? Why is the woman fighting so hard to keep from loving the baby and the man too much? What happens when the birth mother steps forward to claim the baby? Will true love triumph?
This best-selling author leads her readers on a twisting path to a very satisfactory ending. Five-star, exciting read from start to finish. I look forward to more of her books.
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, January 4, 2016
This is a truly heart-warming love story with real people, real problems. The town of Christmas, California is the most clever setting imaginable for a Christmas story. You will fall in love with the baby fount abandoned in a manager, with the lonely woman who finds the infant and takes her in. And when a handsome man enters the picture, you just know they would be the perfect family.
But you won't believe the sad circumstances that keep them apart....
Why is the man so troubled? Why is the woman fighting so hard to keep from loving the baby and the man too much? What happens when the birth mother steps forward to claim the baby? Will true love triumph?
This best-selling author leads her readers on a twisting path to a very satisfactory ending. Five-star, exciting read from start to finish. I look forward to more of her books.
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, January 4, 2016
January 4, 2016
This was more of a story than I had anticipated. In the very beginning the triteness of a town called Christmas disappointed me, but I read on, and now except for the everyone knows everything part, I want to live there.
A story about a woman who had nothing and no one, and bad things in her past who meets a man who had everything and couldn't see it. Add in a baby, a live baby in the Christmas creche, and you are left with a great story.
I had almost no problems with the editing, although in one spot, near the end I believe-I did go back to look-there was a missing word. Not bad, as a trained proofreader and an experienced copy-editor I see these things.
All in all, a delightful read.
A story about a woman who had nothing and no one, and bad things in her past who meets a man who had everything and couldn't see it. Add in a baby, a live baby in the Christmas creche, and you are left with a great story.
I had almost no problems with the editing, although in one spot, near the end I believe-I did go back to look-there was a missing word. Not bad, as a trained proofreader and an experienced copy-editor I see these things.
All in all, a delightful read.
January 8, 2016
I liked it. The characters kept my interest. I was actually surprised that this was not part of a series, since a few of the secondary characters seemed to be set up for it.
However, I was a little annoyed that the heroine was claiming that she'd never been told she was loved and that she had never experienced a Christmas morning with gifts, etc. She was 10 years old when her parents died, and we are led to believe that she had a happy childhood with them. She was definitely old enough to remember.
However, I was a little annoyed that the heroine was claiming that she'd never been told she was loved and that she had never experienced a Christmas morning with gifts, etc. She was 10 years old when her parents died, and we are led to believe that she had a happy childhood with them. She was definitely old enough to remember.
December 31, 2014
It was a nice story, but it rates only two stars due to all of the profanity. It was on every single page, even from the priest and the 17 year old girl. Absolutely no reason for it.
January 12, 2016
How do you sleep when this book is too good to put down.
Having never read anything by Child I was not sure of this book the cover settled it and so I went into the night with these fabulous characters. I used a half a box of tissues and finished the book at 4:30 in the morning. I could have been quoted by someone at 1 am that I hated books that were so good that I could not put them down. There is a baby found in s Nativity set in a town named Christmas. The baby's birth mother was not a surprise to me but this book has more layers than an onion. I highly recommend this to everyone but be for warned tissues and nothing pressing to do. Now I am off to Amazon to find more books by Child. Happy Reading..
Having never read anything by Child I was not sure of this book the cover settled it and so I went into the night with these fabulous characters. I used a half a box of tissues and finished the book at 4:30 in the morning. I could have been quoted by someone at 1 am that I hated books that were so good that I could not put them down. There is a baby found in s Nativity set in a town named Christmas. The baby's birth mother was not a surprise to me but this book has more layers than an onion. I highly recommend this to everyone but be for warned tissues and nothing pressing to do. Now I am off to Amazon to find more books by Child. Happy Reading..
January 24, 2016
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL 1/21 COMPT/RO 4*stars
ANGST SO THICK YOU COULD CUT IT WITH A BUTTER KNIFE. COMBINED THIS WITH A CUTE BABY, ALL THIS IN THE OFF HOOK CRAZY LITTLE TOWN OF CHRISTMAS. I DON’T THINK LIVING IN CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY, IT WOULD GET OLD LIKE THE MOVIE GROUND HOG DAY. THIS WAS A LITTLE DRAWN OUT (make you want to scream) AND PREDICTABLE BUT VERY ENJOYABLE LOVE THE COVER. ;D
ANGST SO THICK YOU COULD CUT IT WITH A BUTTER KNIFE. COMBINED THIS WITH A CUTE BABY, ALL THIS IN THE OFF HOOK CRAZY LITTLE TOWN OF CHRISTMAS. I DON’T THINK LIVING IN CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY, IT WOULD GET OLD LIKE THE MOVIE GROUND HOG DAY. THIS WAS A LITTLE DRAWN OUT (make you want to scream) AND PREDICTABLE BUT VERY ENJOYABLE LOVE THE COVER. ;D
January 4, 2016
Some kind of wonderful
I loved this book.
Carol just wanted to love and be loved, sounds simple.. but is love ever simple?
Jack was running from his past. Can you ever leave your past behind?
Add an abandoned baby (loved her name) and you have a story to read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end!!
I loved this book.
Carol just wanted to love and be loved, sounds simple.. but is love ever simple?
Jack was running from his past. Can you ever leave your past behind?
Add an abandoned baby (loved her name) and you have a story to read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end!!
January 7, 2016
I don't usually read romance books but the discription of the book hooked me read it in one shot I cried I yelled at the characters so good i am keeping this in my kindle library
January 8, 2016
All the feels! So understandable and relatable.
September 7, 2019
I've read it before
Child is a good writer, but the book is not my favorite. Jack is a throw away character. He might do things that make Carol love him, but the subplot of the baby's mother takes up that important likeability building exercise. So all the reader is left with is Jack the not nice guy. Jack the not nice guy deserves to suffer because Carol is awesome. Carol deserves someone besides Jack, but it seems like he's it in Christmas unless she wants to defrock a priest.
Child is a good writer, but the book is not my favorite. Jack is a throw away character. He might do things that make Carol love him, but the subplot of the baby's mother takes up that important likeability building exercise. So all the reader is left with is Jack the not nice guy. Jack the not nice guy deserves to suffer because Carol is awesome. Carol deserves someone besides Jack, but it seems like he's it in Christmas unless she wants to defrock a priest.
June 19, 2017
Can a place called 'Christmas' really exist?
Pleasant romance hindered by fear that what she wanted could be taken away. He had been convinced that a shootout that killed his partner was partly his fault. She had always wanted a family and home where she was loved and had people who cared about. For both, fear of having their desires taken away led them to not try to take what they want.
Pleasant with a number of subplots and a lot of small town life.
Pleasant romance hindered by fear that what she wanted could be taken away. He had been convinced that a shootout that killed his partner was partly his fault. She had always wanted a family and home where she was loved and had people who cared about. For both, fear of having their desires taken away led them to not try to take what they want.
Pleasant with a number of subplots and a lot of small town life.
October 27, 2021
Some Kind of Wonderful
The story revolves around two lonely people who found a baby in a nativity cradle. Both broken by their own separate pasts. But willing to help find the baby's mother. This story was a journey of healing for all those involved. And of the budding love that will make it past the miracle of the holidays.
The story revolves around two lonely people who found a baby in a nativity cradle. Both broken by their own separate pasts. But willing to help find the baby's mother. This story was a journey of healing for all those involved. And of the budding love that will make it past the miracle of the holidays.
June 1, 2019
A fun read!
I had a good time reading this book. Funny, sad and hard to get through emotions, I kept reading through it until I came to the end. Very positive ending! A fun story to read.
I had a good time reading this book. Funny, sad and hard to get through emotions, I kept reading through it until I came to the end. Very positive ending! A fun story to read.
February 2, 2019
Sweet and interesting... night t the typical plot.
June 11, 2019
A good read
I really liked this book. An abandoned baby causes excitement as town people try to figure out who the mother was. Meanwhile she finds a temporary home and love.
I really liked this book. An abandoned baby causes excitement as town people try to figure out who the mother was. Meanwhile she finds a temporary home and love.
June 27, 2020
Loved it!
I am a “happily ever after” kind of girl and this story filled the niche beautifully. I was sad to have the story end.
I am a “happily ever after” kind of girl and this story filled the niche beautifully. I was sad to have the story end.
September 6, 2022
too slow
November 7, 2012
In Christmas, California , the winter Holiday is in full-swing 365 days a year, even though there's never any snow. Christmas is a small town that makes its living from the tourists who flock to the Reindeer Cafe and shops on North Pole Lane and Jingle Bell Lane .
It's just the type of town that Carol Baker has always wished for, in that she's made a life for herself among the town's inhabitants. After her parents died when she was ten, she was shuffled to one foster home to the next, eventually remaining in a group home until she turned eighteen. With no family ties, the shop she opened in Christmas, along with her greyhound, Quinn, and her friends, is enough of a life.
Until one night, during her daily midnight walk with the dog, Carol finds an abandoned newborn baby girl in the life-size Nativity in the town square, taking the place of the baby Jesus statue that usually resides in the manger. When the baby needs a temporary home, Carol volunteers--professing to one and all that she won't fall in love with the baby, whom she names Liz, because she knows it's only a temporary solution.
During her transition into temporary instant motherhood comes Jack Reilly, a local boy who left Christmas long ago to become a policeman in Los Angeles . But tragedy struck this good-looking man and forever changed his life on Christmas Eve nearly two years ago. Unable to let go of the past, being Carol Baker's new tenant isn't turning out the way he'd planned. He's way too attracted to his new landlord, and the Lizardbaby she loves is way too darn cute.
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL is an uplifting romance, a book that will make you feel good reading it. The extended Reilly clan are interesting characters, and Carol, Liz, Quinn, and Reilly are a great family in the making.
**The only thing that irritated me about this book was the numerous references to the heroine as Carol Foster, even though the first sentence of the book refers to her as Carol Baker. No doubt an editing oversight, it made me want to get out my red pen every time I saw it!!
It's just the type of town that Carol Baker has always wished for, in that she's made a life for herself among the town's inhabitants. After her parents died when she was ten, she was shuffled to one foster home to the next, eventually remaining in a group home until she turned eighteen. With no family ties, the shop she opened in Christmas, along with her greyhound, Quinn, and her friends, is enough of a life.
Until one night, during her daily midnight walk with the dog, Carol finds an abandoned newborn baby girl in the life-size Nativity in the town square, taking the place of the baby Jesus statue that usually resides in the manger. When the baby needs a temporary home, Carol volunteers--professing to one and all that she won't fall in love with the baby, whom she names Liz, because she knows it's only a temporary solution.
During her transition into temporary instant motherhood comes Jack Reilly, a local boy who left Christmas long ago to become a policeman in Los Angeles . But tragedy struck this good-looking man and forever changed his life on Christmas Eve nearly two years ago. Unable to let go of the past, being Carol Baker's new tenant isn't turning out the way he'd planned. He's way too attracted to his new landlord, and the Lizardbaby she loves is way too darn cute.
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL is an uplifting romance, a book that will make you feel good reading it. The extended Reilly clan are interesting characters, and Carol, Liz, Quinn, and Reilly are a great family in the making.
**The only thing that irritated me about this book was the numerous references to the heroine as Carol Foster, even though the first sentence of the book refers to her as Carol Baker. No doubt an editing oversight, it made me want to get out my red pen every time I saw it!!
January 7, 2015
Omg I want to go hide under a rock. Book started GREAT until the little perfect town of Christmas got to me. How can someone seriously love Christmas year round?! It took me a week to read this ebook and I even cheated on this book with another book because I wasn't able to withstand the plot of the story and the characters. Very cliché but hey it's a small town novel, of course, that's bound to happen. Our H has Issues that he tried to ditch in another area but still followed him to the town of Christmas. His issue affects his mentality to make decisions but when he's out being the sheriff of Christmas, he puts his game face on. Opposite of that, when he's out of uniform he's a grouchy guy. A very confused man I suppose would best describe the guy. H was fine but the h was a major disappointment. She may have a sweet sweet heart to take in a child temporarily due to her past but her pushing herself onto Mr. Sheriff was so outa character. She wasnt completely traumatized but some of the things she did were so irrational that I had to reconsider what her childhood was like again and again.
I am a fan of Maureen Child. Her Marconi Sisters were my fav and I always seem to measure her other works to that series but this book fell short of what I thought Child would be able to deliver. I really tried to focus on the plot but there were moments where time just stood still for too long.
2
I am a fan of Maureen Child. Her Marconi Sisters were my fav and I always seem to measure her other works to that series but this book fell short of what I thought Child would be able to deliver. I really tried to focus on the plot but there were moments where time just stood still for too long.
2
January 1, 2017
It's a Wonderful Christmas Life! 3.5 *****
This story dealt with our foster system's shortcomings and failings, child abandonment, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, PTSD in a L.A cop post-shooting, and the quaint town of Christmas. The main characters, Carol, ex foster care child/orphan, ward of the state, and owner of the novelty store, 'Christmas Carol', and Jack Reilly, acting as temporary sheriff, met as Carol located an abandoned baby in the town's nativity scene. From here on Carol fell for both Liz (Lizardbaby) and Jack, knowing that her heart will be broken. Jack once confronted with his folly and Carol's bravery admitted his love for her and Liz. It was kismet from here on.
I loved the writing style in the third person POV, interwoven with the journal entries (1st person POV), as the technique bolstered the plot and added an air of mystery to the entire novel. The characters were well developed in such a manner that the readers found them worthy of their support and love. Well done and kudos Ms. Child.
This story dealt with our foster system's shortcomings and failings, child abandonment, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, PTSD in a L.A cop post-shooting, and the quaint town of Christmas. The main characters, Carol, ex foster care child/orphan, ward of the state, and owner of the novelty store, 'Christmas Carol', and Jack Reilly, acting as temporary sheriff, met as Carol located an abandoned baby in the town's nativity scene. From here on Carol fell for both Liz (Lizardbaby) and Jack, knowing that her heart will be broken. Jack once confronted with his folly and Carol's bravery admitted his love for her and Liz. It was kismet from here on.
I loved the writing style in the third person POV, interwoven with the journal entries (1st person POV), as the technique bolstered the plot and added an air of mystery to the entire novel. The characters were well developed in such a manner that the readers found them worthy of their support and love. Well done and kudos Ms. Child.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2017
This is a great heartwarming story. I loved Carol and how she has totally risen above her past to embrace her life. She is so warm and giving and has the strength and determination to beat down the wall that Jack has built around his heart. This one will tug on your heartstrings and have you turning the pages with bated breath to see how things will turn out.
January 3, 2016
An ex LAPD cop returns home to help out the local sheriff, bringing with him is past demons. Jack Reilly just cannot let anyone in. Carol and her dog walk the quiet streets of Christmas and discover a live baby in the town Nativity Scene. Carol wants what she lost a family, her parents died and Carol became a child in the system. Never adoptive, Liz's is abandon, Carol refuses time let the newborn go to the state home. Jack investigates the abandon baby case and becomes Carol 'so tenant. Neither one can resist the strong attraction for one another. Can Jack ever forgive himself for the past? Is he willing to stay in his hometown? Can Carol survive if Liz's mother is found? Will she breakdown Jack's wall?
January 28, 2016
3 Could've been more wonderful stars.
I started, then stopped, then started back up Some Kind of Wonderful three different times. I kept putting it aside to read other books. That should've been an indication to mark it as DNF and move on. However, by the time I gotten to that point where I usually make that decision (typically around the 30% mark) I had been dragged into the 'who done it' aspect of the book, so I soldiered on and continued reading. The book seemed to drag on for me and I found myself confused by the ever changing POV on more than one occasion. All in all, Some Kind of Wonderful was a sweet, heartwarming tale, I just think it could do with a little editing on some of the more verbose parts & delineate the change in POV's.
I started, then stopped, then started back up Some Kind of Wonderful three different times. I kept putting it aside to read other books. That should've been an indication to mark it as DNF and move on. However, by the time I gotten to that point where I usually make that decision (typically around the 30% mark) I had been dragged into the 'who done it' aspect of the book, so I soldiered on and continued reading. The book seemed to drag on for me and I found myself confused by the ever changing POV on more than one occasion. All in all, Some Kind of Wonderful was a sweet, heartwarming tale, I just think it could do with a little editing on some of the more verbose parts & delineate the change in POV's.
January 11, 2016
Some Kind of Wonderful
My first love in reading belongs to the genres of mystery and time travel but this storyline knocked my socks off. It does have mystery but it also has secret pasts that are ever present in the minds and lives of our main characters. And, it has love and romance. The love is not just the romantic kind but includes parent/ child and friendships. Great storyline that makes this a hard read to put down to do unimportant things like housework, shopping, even talking on the phone or checking social media. I look forward to reading more from this author. Two thumbs up.
My first love in reading belongs to the genres of mystery and time travel but this storyline knocked my socks off. It does have mystery but it also has secret pasts that are ever present in the minds and lives of our main characters. And, it has love and romance. The love is not just the romantic kind but includes parent/ child and friendships. Great storyline that makes this a hard read to put down to do unimportant things like housework, shopping, even talking on the phone or checking social media. I look forward to reading more from this author. Two thumbs up.
January 29, 2016
When I grabbed this book off Amazon I can honestly say that my expectations for this being any good were rather low, yet I very much enjoyed this. It was a cute, fast paced novel; with a witty main character and a brooding love interest. What more could you ask for? The writing was good, nothing overwhelmingly spectacular, but still made for a very enjoyable read. What I feel this story lacked in some areas was made up by the character of Carol. A smart ass, independent hold nothing back character; with a big heart and enough sass to carry out the novel. I can thoroughly say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, and that it's definitely worth the chance.
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