The Christmas Boquet by Sheryl Woods--A Review

Ho! Ho! Ho!   Only seven more days til the little round guy in red makes his appearance!    My grandkids are getting so excited!   As Christmas has evolved into this big commercial thing, I am grateful for the true meaning of Christmas and truly seek the goodwill between men.

SYNOPSIS:

When it comes to family and Christmas, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods always looks to the O'Briens for a little holiday magic... 

For the very driven medical student Caitlyn Winters, catching the bridal bouquet at a Christmas wedding has set off a chain reaction that she's sure is more curse than blessing. Not only has she fallen in love with family medicine resident Noah McIlroy, but an unexpected pregnancy threatens her well-laid plans for the future. It doesn't help that Noah—with a whole lot of help from her O'Brien relatives—is completely on board with the prospect of marriage and happily-ever-after. 

It takes a whole lot of patience, love and family persuasion to help Caitlyn realize that she can still have everything she ever wanted, including a home in her beloved Chesapeake Shores and a man who understands all of her dreams.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE with Spoiler Alert:

Everyone knows I love a good Christmas story.    Why Else would I be so into writing a Christmas Blog for 25 or 26 days of December?

I was so excited to read Sheryl Woods's The Christmas Boquet.  I thought it would never be released, but finally the day came, and I held the hardback in my hand and I turned to the first page.    Unfortunately, it took me days to read a book that I thought could be read non stop in one.    Why would that happen?    Was I too hyped on anticipation?   Had I built it up in my mind that there was no way it could live up to my expectations?   Well, I don't think that is what happened.    Here's the deal, the female protagonist, Caitlyn Winters, was a character, I just could not connect with.

Now I liked the male protagonist, Noah McIlroy.   He was patient and sweet and really loved Cait.    When she shared her unexpected pregnancy with him, he showed all the signs of true caring and happiness.   Cait on the other hand, did not want to accept this new reality.    Throughout the book, I just wanted Noah or one of her O'Brien relatives to beat some sense into her head.    Yes, she had a well planned future and having a baby didn't really work into her perceived timeline at all.   She wanted to help children in Africa, that was her dream.    But her own little bundle of joy didn't seem to matter til near the end of the book.   It was painful for me to support this line of reasoning from a main character.

Naturally, all's well that ends well, so eventually Cait overcame her doubts and the grip she held on her life plan and she saw the benefits of marriage to Noah, her true love and the birth of their baby in wedlock.  I was glad I had continued to read the story through to the end, but I was never anything but annoyed with Cait Winters.   Noah however, should have been inducted for sainthood!

I rated this book a 3 WINK read.   It just wasn't a slam dunk for me.

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.   I borrowed this book from my mother's personal collection.