Dear Santa, was on my Wishlist for a long time and I am happy that I finally had the chance to read and review it. Good, I would have wished for the English cover to be shown as the one for the German edition, and the title is very unfortunate in my opinion, but in the end, it's the story between the two book covers that counts, isn't it? And it's as magical as a story can be. I am as thrilled as one can be about this novel. Debbie Macomber wrote with Dear Santa a heart-warming story; set in a landscape you dream of around this time of year. Good, besides the snow shuffling I loved how the author takes her readers into a story you want to happen in real life. Yes, I know, Santa won´t be there as he is in the book, but wouldn´t it be nice to have magic like this happen for real these days?
Süßer Die Herzen Nie Klingen*
by Debbie MacomberTranslation Nina Bader
Original Title Dear Santa
Publisher Blanvalet on September 21, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 237
Format Paperback
Source Blanvalet
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶
The magic of the most beautiful time of the year and a new chance at love...Lindy's Christmas spirit is lacking as she heads home to her family for the holiday season. Her boyfriend has cheated on her, and she lacks any creativity in her job as a graphic designer. But then Lindy's mother shows her a stack of old letters. They are Lindy's long-forgotten childhood wishes for Santa Claus. Lindy decides to write him a new letter to put her hopes for the future on paper. When Lindy meets her attractive former classmate Billy a short time later, she has no idea that this time her wishes might miraculously come true...
Story
Lindy is frustrated, disappointed, and hurt. The moment she discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend she wanted nothing more but to leave. And over the Christmas holidays, she visits her family to think about her life, her career, and what she wants to do next. But when she meets Billy again, the boy who showed her his love during school in a very awkward way, she knows that her life is about to change magically.
Style
In her own inimitable way, the author has created a Christmas story that couldn't be more magical. Because everything Lindy writes in her letters to Santa seems to come true. Well, maybe not always in the way Lindy had hoped, but things are changing in one way or another. The scenes between Lindy and Santa alone are beautifully written. I've had a big grin on my face while reading, sometimes laughed tears, and then shook my head again when Lindy was talking to her friend Peggy.
Characters
Debbie Macomber has hit the jackpot in creating all the characters in this novel. The dialogues between Lindy and Peggy alone are awesome! Quick-witted, sometimes dripping with irony, sometimes wonderfully funny. There was something of everything there.
Lindy herself has had a terrible disappointment. Emotionally not yet processed, but what she left behind in San Francisco was probably unsurpassed in terms of drama. That's why it was all the nicer to experience how she literally blossoms again at home, interacts with her family, and takes the time to experience things that she often can't do in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Conclusion
What a fantastic, magical novel. Emotions are capitalized here. In every way imaginable. I am absolutely thrilled and can only recommend everyone to read this story. Debbie Macomber has conjured up a love story that I would love to see made into a movie. Pure romance and Christmas spirit.
Happy reading
*This book was kindly provided to me by Blanvalet in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.
Deutsche Rezension
Stil
Auf ihre unnachahmliche Weise hat die Autorin eine Weihnachtsgeschichte erschaffen, die magischer nicht sein könnte. Denn alles, was Lindy in ihren Briefen an Santa schreibt, scheint sich zu erfüllen. Schön, vielleicht nicht immer so, wie Lindy es sich erhofft hat, aber die Dinge verändern sich auf die eine oder andere Weise. Allein die Szenen zwischen Lindy und Santa sind herrlich geschrieben. Ich hab während des Lesens mal ein breites Grinsen im Gesicht gehabt, mal Tränen gelacht und dann wieder den Kopf geschüttelt, wenn Lindy sich mit ihrer Freundin Peggy unterhalten hat.
Charaktere
Mit der Erschaffung all der Figuren in diesem Roman hat Debbie Macomber diesmal einen wahren Glücksgriff gehabt. Allein die Dialoge zwischen Lindy und Peggy sind der Hammer! Schlagfertig, mal triefend vor Ironie, mal herrlich lustig. Da war von allem, was dabei.
Lindy selbst hat eine furchtbare Enttäuschung hinter sich. Emotional noch nicht verarbeitet, aber was sie in San Francisco zurückgelassen hat, das war an Dramatik für sie wohl nicht zu überbieten. Darum war es umso schöner mitzuerleben, wie sie daheim buchstäblich wieder aufblüht, mit ihrer Familie agiert und sich die Zeit nimmt, Dinge zu erleben, die sie in der Alltagshektik oft gar nicht tun kann.
Resultat
Was für ein fantastischer, magischer Roman. Emotionen werden hier großgeschrieben. Auf jede nur erdenkliche Weise. Ich bin absolut begeistert und kann nur jedem empfehlen, diese Geschichte zu lesen. Debbie Macomber hat hier eine Liebesgeschichte auf das Papier gezaubert, die ich liebend gerne mal als Film sehen würde. Romantik und weihnachtliche Stimmung pur.
*This book was published in the English language by Ballantine Books on October 19, 2021
Debbie Macomber
Debbie Macomber is the owner of the Victorian Tea Room and the yarn shop A Good Yarn, which was named after the store in her successful book Blossom Street. She is the author of Sweet Tomorrows, among many other books, and a leading voice in women´s fiction. Ten of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber´s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber´s Cedar Cove books. She has more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Debbie Macomber, who likes to be a grandmother, lives with her husband Wayne in Port Orchard, Washington, where her novels play, and spends the winter in Florida.
Follow
