Lara Weeks is heading to New York with best friend Susie for the Christmas trip of a lifetime.
A festive break in the snowy Big Apple visiting the tourist hotspots, not to mention the shopping, seems like the perfect way for Lara to get over her ex-boyfriend. Or maybe make him so jealous he begs for a second chance.
Enlisting the help of gorgeous actor, Seth Hunt, doesn't quite go to plan, but there's something about him that has Lara wishing for a different kind of happy ever after...
Many thanks to Ellie Crisp from Ebury publishing for my copy of One New York Christmas to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
I haven't read a Mandy Baggot book in what seems like forever so what better way to reacquaint myself with her writing than with a Christmas book. One New York Christmas takes us from the small town of Appleshaw in Wiltshire to the bright lights of New York City at one of the most wonderful times of the year as the song goes. Our heroine of the story is Lara Weeks and she is not your usual run of the mill character. Yes she does have her problems, and her life mightn't be full of joy and happiness, but whatever her issues may be or how she views the world she really just gets on with things. She faces less personal problems, that don't directly affect her emotional well being, head on but when it comes to issues of the heart she is less reluctant to do so.
From the outset I could see Lara was determined to be a strong person who put up barriers and didn't want them easily broken. She always put others needs before her own and would bend over backwards for them especially when it came to her Dad Gerry and 'almost brother' Aldo. She was the mother figure that was so absent in their lives and I think lacking the presence of her mother really did have a deep affect on her but she tried to cover it up big time.
I don't think the people around Lara took her for granted, well maybe apart from boyfriend Dan whose actions were despicable right from the very beginning. I feel her family, the residents of the village and best friend Susie could see what Lara was trying to do but they knew if they confronted her or offered help before she was ready to accept it than that could have been detrimental and Lara really would have retreated into herself. I thoroughly enjoyed that Lara was a real tomboy in this story and that she didn't follow the normal coventions of a woman's fiction character. Her job as a trucker in her Dad's haulage company was different from the norm and her love and devotion in relation to her truck 'Tina' showed how dedicated and compassionate a character she was. Lara stepped outside the box in terms of characters in chick lit books and this was refreshing to see.
Lara is looking forward to Christmas and all the various traditions she has. It is her favourite time of year but this year things take a surprising turn when Dan announces he wants a break. Now we all know what means but he just tells Lara that he needs time to work out whether he still loves her or not. It seems he didn't need that much time as before we even finish the chapter where this announcement is made Lara discovers Dan is off to Scotland with another girl, although this is with a group of friends.
I felt desperately sorry for Lara. I could see this news came as a huge shock to her and she is left devastated and heartbroken. What follows is Susie hatching up a plan to show Dan just what he is missing, to make him feel jealous and want to run back into Lara's warm embrace. Yes the entire idea might be silly and almost farcical that anyone would do this in real life and I did think I just had to go with the flow and follow the story. Susie was the one, in sharp contrast to Lara, who just went for things never taking heed of the consequences. She really was a spur of the moment person but all the times she has the best of intentions at her heart.That'ss simply because she valued Lara as a friend so much.
Susie on behalf of Lara tweets celebrities in the hopes of attracting Dan's attention and making jealousy rear its ugly head. To be honest I really thought why couldn't Lara see what was right under nose, that Dan was not the man for her and she could do so much better. If she had come to this realisation far earlier on the tweets needn't have been sent and maybe the girls could have simply gone to New York on a girlie weekend away in order to get over such a life changing point in Lara's life. Instead when they see a response from actor Seth who is based in New York they take matters into their own hands and head over there determined to get some photos with him which they can then post on social media. Campaign win Dan back is launched but will it achieve its objective or will the wonder of New York have a little magic and something else in store for Lara?
It was brilliant to see Lara stepping outside of her comfort zone by travelling to New York. She rarely left Appleshaw and certainly had never left the country except for in her imagination when she read travel magazines and books. Clearly this was a young woman who craved new experiences but was afraid to leave behind those who were relying on her. Plus she was in the relationship with Dan and maybe if she had ventured far from her comfort zone and enjoyed new experiences she mightn't have come back. So for Lara it was a brave but a very much needed step. Lara wants to prove to Dan through these photos that she is strong even if inside she mightn't feel that way. In a way it was almost like an obsession – I have to keep Dan - and that was simply because she knew nothing of life apart from Dan and outside of Appleshaw. Now was the time to spread her wings, to find some independence and where better than the Big Apple?
The author certainly nailed all the wonderful descriptions of New York and all the various sights and sounds it had to offer. I could conjure up every image so vividly in my head as we viewed everything through Lara's eyes for the very first time.I felt transported to New York even though I have never been there before. Susie and her boyfriend who lived in New York provided many comedic moments as did Aldo who was a brilliantly written character. His learning difficulties were explained well without the reader feeling pity for him. Aldo was just Aldo, blunt and someone who got straight to the point and this book was all the better for his presence. In fact, I really wish that there could have been so much more of him. I know the focus wasn't on Aldo but in my viewpoint he was under utilised.
Contrasted with the predicament of Lara is the character of Seth, what a relief to have a male character who shows a more vulnerable side. One who is not full of bravado and guff instead he faces his feelings head on and he becomes a character whom the reader wants only positive things to happen to. His friend and fellow actor Trent takes it upon himself to become his agent. Trent wants to boost Seth's social media profile and let's just say we really should take control of our social media accounts as confusion and, in a way, deception arises and if this comes out in the open it could prove to be very hurtful and upsetting to all involved. Lara through her escapades in New York becomes known as Lemur Girl and this is when she comes face to face with Seth which exactly is the entire point of the girls visit. Many funny events ensue but also a more serious side to the story starts to emerge as slowly piece by piece Seth starts to reveal a different side to his character vastly different from the roles he plays on screen. He desperately wants an upcoming role which he feels affects him personally but unless he can confront his past he doesn't stand a chance of making the big move forward in his career that he knows needs to happen.
I thought Seth's story was interesting and in a way Seth and Lara begin helping each other in their own very different personal journeys, they became a support for each other. Yes they may have literally only just met, and perhaps this was fairly rushed, but this is the magic of New York at Christmas and time was of the essence for Lara and as the author did mention love can grow but it can also be instant. Learning more about Seth's heritage and where he came from made me understand him more and the experiences he takes Lara on in New York mean that she steps outside of her comfort zone and maybe begins to put Dan out of her mind. In turn she helps Seth and she gives him the incentive he needs to seek the answers to so many questions that have plagued him. If he can't uncover the answers there is no way for him to move forward. I also loved the storyline involving Seth's mother who works at a homeless shelter with a little twist. It's a timely reminder for this time of year amidst all the hustle and bustle and preparations for Christmas that not everyone is as fortunate as most of us are.
One New York Christmas did what it said on the tin providing the reader with a fun festive, romantic comedy. It's a nice light read but at the same time it is inspiring and you root for Lara from beginning to end. Will a whirlwind of experiences change Lara's opinion on things? Will Seth become the person he so desperately wants to be with regard to his acting career? Will romance blossom or it all just too much for all who are involved as they venture through uncharted territory? To find out you should read this delightful story that is the perfect antidote one needs at such a crazy busy time of year.
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