Rate this book

To Santa With Love (1977)

by Janet Dailey(Favorite Author)

3.39 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1420120735 (ISBN13: 9781420120738)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Zebra

review 1: Sheltered semi spoiled 21 year old Jaquie Grey decides college isn’t for her and against her parents wishes is going to LA to find a job and grow up, however, little Tombstone Arizona got in her way and so did rancher Choya Barnett, literally as she runs her car into his jeep. Now she finds herself with a lost wallet and no way to pay for repairs.Choya Barnett has no room in his life for a spoiled girl from Dallas especially when she’s captured his small son’s heart and will no doubt break it into millions of pieces. But he’s caught between a rock and a cactus and has to help her when she’s without money and her wallets gone missing. He gives her a job as his housekeeper and just hopes that he’ll get away with his heat intact too.These two very different people... more find themselves wanting the same things in life, but are they the right people for each other.This novel was originally published in 1977 under the name of The Master Fiddler and has been expanded and updated. This talented author has given us many years of great stories and wonderful characters. The story line here is of souls reaching out to each other from different directions and finding each other despite that. The dialogue is as easy going as the lifestyle in this small Arizona town. The characters I expected better of from Ms. Dailey, it might be that the tale doesn’t update well I’m not really sure and although I learned to like these two it took a great deal of the book to do it. And even though I did come to care for Choya and Jaquie is was Choya’s son Robbie and his dad Sam who were the stars in this read. They stole the show with their shining personalities. Although I enjoyed this romance the more I read it I truly expected more from Ms. Dailey especially being acquainted with her work. The main thing to remember is that you will like the story the Christmas background and the characters, you’ll love the scenery and the vastness of the Arizona desert and you’ll get to go back to the very start of Ms. Dailey’s career and see where she came from. It’s a journey worth taking and I’m glad I did.
review 2: Jacquie is running. Running from her family, running from monotony and running from herself. She strikes out to LA, the first city that came to mind, and on the way literally runs into Choya. In the form of a car wreck. Now she is stuck in the tiny town of Tombstone, Arizona with no money, no job and now, no car.Choya really does not want to like the 21 year old Jacquie. She is sheltered, spoiled and asking for trouble with that face and body. having already lost a young wife, Choya isn’t looking to make the same mistakes twice. He needs to think of the welfare of his little boy and the fact that he needs a stable, responsible mother.When Choya offers Jacquie the chance to work in his house, she cautiously accepts knowing no one else is going to give her a job. She needs to move on, get out of Tombstone and on with her life. Fate is a fickle thing though, it is what it is, and this Christmas what it is….is love in the desert.While I appreciated the concept of this book…young girl gets stranded in small desert town and falls for bristly widower with small child….I did not connect with either characters and found both to be extremely flawed.Jacquie is a 21 year old girl who has been living under her fathers thumb her entire life. Her family is wealthy and so she hasn’t ever wanted for anything. Hasn’t ever had a job or worked a day in her life. Her father may have thought that her focusing on education was the smartest way to push her, but only resulted in a selfish, immature woman who had no idea what it was like to live on her own. She decides to quit college and go to LA on a whim. Because that is where 21 yr old women think all dreams come true….when in reality they end up being hookers and drug addicts when they can’t find jobs or places to live that aren’t a fortune in rent. She takes with her, the debit card (which her daddy deposits money into every month heh) and some cash which I’m sure was given to her for extra spending money…and the car (although she points out several times, economy model) that her father bought her. She promptly wrecks this car by not paying attention in Tombstone, Az when she turns without looking and hits Choyas Jeep.I wanted to like Choya, and in small glimpses sometimes I did. However, his personality was that of a rock. He was hard, and a lot of times mean and demanding. Not to mention manipulative when he paid for all the repairs to Jacquies car and then tells her she has to work for him to “earn” it back. Working basically entailed her hanging around his house. He never said what he was feeling and most times wore a blank expression devoid of any emotion. Only every so often did a decent man come through. Sometimes angry is a turn on…I just felt sad and bewildered by him in this book. If any man spoke to me the way he spoke to Jacquie, I’d be long gone.The actual story line lagged a lot. I found myself hoping something, anything would happen. There is only so many spiteful comebacks a girl can take before it gets old….fast. I wanted some heat that was anger infused. Jacquie spends the entire book hating Choya but in love with him at the same time. She slaps him and then makes out with him. Teases him and then is surprised when he retaliates. Her immaturity was way too much for me to handle.When I started this book I was hoping for a sweet and gentle contemporary romance that would jump start my Christmas spirit. I didn’t get anything from it that I wanted and so unfortunately I cannot recommend this book.I give To Santa With Love by Janet Dailey 2 stars less

Download links for: To Santa With Love

Advertising