Review of THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Sarah Morgan

This is a sweet Christmas story set in the exotic wilderness of Lapland in Northern Sweden. Christy has planned a perfect holiday getaway with her family and her best friend Alix. But when marital problems derail her plans, Christy sends Alix along with Holly, Christy’s daughter, to Lapland to get the festivities started. There are two romances being worked out at the same time in this multi-layered book. One is that of Christy and her husband, both of whom sincerely love each other but who have encountered more than a few bumps in their relationship. The second is between Alix and Zac, a man that Alix is attracted to but for whom she also feels a deep enmity because of a prior problem with him. Together, Alix and Zac have to keep Holly entertained and happy without her parents there, so they tackle the challenge in good spirits. The entire book was written with a theme of underlying happiness and unresolved problems that I just knew would work out by the end of the book. The setting was described in such luscious detail that I felt as though I could see the Northern Lights and feel the bitterly cold wind against my cheeks. The relationships between the friends and the family members was well developed and realistic, if a little mysterious at first about what caused a rift between Christy’s mom and her Aunt Robyn, the owner of the snow spa in Lapland. I totally enjoyed delving into this book and getting to know the characters who became like friends to whom I was giving advice. I especially enjoyed the precocious little girl Holly, a darling child who sees everything with wonder and helped me to open my eyes to the beauty around me. A lovely Christmas story with themes of friendship and restoring relationships is a perfect tale to read during the holidays.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”