Christmas For One By Amanda Prowse

[amazon_link id=”1781856567″ target=”_blank” ][/amazon_link]’Christmas For one’ is the latest book by Amanda Prowse.

As a child, Meg always dreamed of the perfect Christmas. This year, she can make it come true for her own little boy. There will be turkey and all the trimmings, a glittering tree, and a stocking hung up by a roaring fire. Who cares if there’s no devoted husband in the picture? She and Lucas will be just fine on their own. But then a chance meeting with a stranger in New York unravels everything she’s planned. Will Meg finally get everything she wished for? Or will she be alone this Christmas after all?

This year I’ve read many books that have made me sad and even shed a tear but none of them have effected me in the way that this book has. So much so, that upon finishing it, I went out and bought a bag of toys for a local children’s charity appealing for gifts for Christmas.

This story is about Meg, a young woman who has spent her childhood being moved from pillar to post, as her mother was unable to look after her. She is determined that now she is a mother, that she will always be there for her sweet little boy Lucas and to provide for him so he never goes without like she did. But when she has to go to New York with her work, the last thing she expects is to fall for outspoken architect Edd, who makes her heart sing in a way that no man ever has including Bill, her deceased fiancée and father of Lucas. Caught up in the whirlwind of Christmas and romance, Meg hopes that this is the moment that she will find her happy ever after and finally find someone who won’t let her down.

The story is seen through Meg’s eyes and regularly flashes back to her past at Christmas when she lived with foster parents and constantly felt like an outcast in the bosom of the loving families. I actually found these scenes quite heartbreaking, particularly one flashback to when she went to get a slice of chocolate cake only to discover that it was all gone. Upset at being left out, her foster mother produced the cake box for Meg to sniff and hold. I thought it was horrible to think that at this time of year so many people go without, not only material things but also love which is primarily what Meg craved the most.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Amanda but it is the second book in her ‘No Greater Love’ series and truly is a sweet and poignant introduction to the author. Beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive, the story flows at a lovely pace that is easy to get lost in.

Meg is a lovely character, who wears her heart on her sleeve, always eager to please, she has a childlike innocence about her that makes her see the best in everyone especially her mother who continuously lets her down. She is surrounded by people who love her and understand the hard life she had, they become her family. There are many sweet moments in the story including her relationship with Lucas and her adventure in New York with handsome and charming Edd.

Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, the story is set in Plum’s Patisserie and makes for mouthwatering reading with the vibrant descriptions of the food. This is a story that tells the true meaning of Christmas, about family and love, ‘Christmas For One’ is a lovely modern day love story and perfect to curl up with.

You can buy [amazon_link id=”1781856567″ target=”_blank” ]Christmas for One[/amazon_link] and is available to buy from good bookshops.