Title: Catching Christmas
Author: Terri Blackstock
Published By: Thomas Nelson (2018)
Synopsis: As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.
The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.
When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure that she’s never needed help finding a date. Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.(Taken from Goodreads)
My Review:
| **I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.** |
First Thoughts: Aaaack this book could not have been any sweeter! Seriously, I made my way through the book with a huge smile on my face. It warmed my heart and sent sweet tears to my eyes. Terri Blackstock has done it again! I also have to comment this is probably the first book of hers I’ve read where there is no murder mystery. It was light humored, with important themes, and full fantastic, relatable characters that drove the story. I loved every word.
Loves:
Okay, Finn was fantastic. I absolutely loved his character. He was hilarious, but also incredibly real. I was rooting for him the entire time; every time he tried to convince himself not to be kind, I had to smile at the inevitable inability to follow through. His interactions with the other characters were so well done.
Sydney was just as amazingly well-rounded, but significantly different. It was easy to see her point of view even when it wasn’t one we as the reader agreed with; it was easy to empathize with her situation. I especially loved getting to see both her and Finn’s perspectives on the situations, and how they intertwined and how they conflicted.
And of course, Callie. She was the best!
I loved the gentle themes surrounding the story without overpowering it; I loved the bittersweet ending; I loved the messages and the setting and the characters and pretty much absolutely everything!
Dislikes:
There’s honestly nothing I really disliked.
Analyzation:
The story moved at a good pace—something was always happening and character development never stopped progressing. Every new scene provided new ways to get to know characters without much fluff. It allowed time for the reader to reach conclusions on their own before a message was actually spelled out, which, in my opinion, is always more powerful.
I absolutely loved the thematics surrounding Sydney. The idea that you don’t have to stay at a job just for the money, that you shouldn’t compromise your beliefs for your job, that family is always more important—I loved it, and delivered via Sydney, the sweet, but determined, character, made it all the more powerful.
Themes: Doing the right thing; kindness; not judging a book by its cover; standing up for yourself and things you believe in; not being afraid of the world; strength and courage in the face of evil; faith and trust in God.
Overall:
Catching Christmas held my attention from page one, presented some valuable themes through the eyes of very much imperfect but also incredibly lovable characters, and provided good laughs while gently tugging on the readers’ heartstrings. All while against a backdrop of Christmastime! I loved it so, so much.
5.0 / 5.0