Melody Carlson “The Christmas Shoppe”

I have my wife hooked on these things, these little novels around this time of year. Melody Carlson is beginning to become a tradition here at Casa de Gelati. My wife reads the story and then tells me to read it. I know I will enjoy it so I do and did, then my daughters form a line and the book goes from one to the other till they have all read it. Pretty good mileage on this novel.

What is not to like? The cover just rocks, the content is just as good if not better which is a true compliment because the cover is so strong. Melody Carlson has the feeling of the season down cold, and that is no pun. She strikes the right cords, and puts the reader in that right frame of mind, that safe place for this time of year. The message is strong and resonates well; the plotline is simple yet hard hitting. I don’t know what more a reader could ask for. I for one am totally satisfied.

Here is the synopsis:

“The small town of Parrish Springs is not ready for Matilda Honeycutt. A strange older woman with scraggly gray hair and jewelry that jangles as she walks, Matilda is certainly not the most likely person to buy the old Barton Building on the town's quaint main street. When it becomes apparent that her new shop doesn't fit the expectations of Parrish Springs residents, a brouhaha erupts. After all, Christmas is approaching, and the last thing the town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life and healing.

Once again, Melody Carlson delivers a Christmas story that will touch hearts and delight the senses. Sure to be a classic, The Christmas Shoppe is filled with the special magic the best Christmas stories share--that intangible mixture of nostalgia, joy, and a little bit of magic.”