Sarah’s committed to her stellar modelling career in New York, but there’s an obligation she needs to fulfil. Harold was a Grandpa to her when she needed him most. Now all Harold wants is one last Christmas in his beloved Waratah Bay Homestead. Sarah’s not that so hot on baking and Christmas seems a bit… challenging… but she’s prepared to fly half way round the world to give it a try.
The only problem is, Harold no longer owns Waratah Bay Homestead. Farming tycoon Max Ramsey owns it now and he doesn’t like company, he doesn’t like Christmas and most of all, he doesn’t like Sarah.
When the two clash, enough sparks ensue to light a Christmas tree. How many enemies does it take to cook one Christmas turkey?
Previously titled Christmas at Waratah Bay
My Take:
I'm getting in the Christmas mood! I picked this one up for free from BookBub. It was a sweet and touching story that pulled on many different emotions. Sarah is a wonderful character. She's full of love for Harold, light and goodness for everyone else. She's a hard worker and not afraid to take on things she has no clue about--turkey and Christmas dinner being a good example. I enjoyed the fact that she didn't feel the need to correct Max's wrong idea about her in the beginning. She wasn't there for Max, didn't care what he thought of her, all that mattered was Harold and giving him one last Christmas.
Even when Sarah started liking Max, Harold was her focus. She simply found room in her heart to include Max and his family in her goal to provide a Christmas to remember.
Max's change of heart happened slowly as well. At least as slow as possible for a few days time in the book. I liked this. He didn't immediately fall in love and change who he'd been for years and years. He struggled with letting people in, even though he wanted to let Sarah in. It took Sarah's strongly independent spirit to finally break through his walls. She was strong enough on her own. She didn't need him to fix everything for him. In the end though, they both realize that everything could be wonderfully better and more fulfilling if they were together.
I enjoyed being in a different setting for Christmas--no snow and a day at the beach. It was a refreshing change. This read was also clean. I give Christmas Down Under a 4.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
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