A Christmas Novel by Melissa John
“I used to think that fairy tales were only for children and that happy endings were just a myth. But now, geriatric or not, I know for certain that we are never too old for fairy tales; we never know what could be just around the corner to make our dreams come true.”
Cally Jackson is not happy. In therapy, on the brink of divorce, with her journalistic career also in jeopardy after quitting her job over a travel review that didn’t go down well with her editor. If this wasn’t enough already, she cannot stop thinking about the handsome Jisung, whom she met during her summer holidays (yes, romance blossomed between the two). When everything is on the line, things need shaking up.
Determined to resume her career as a freelance journalist, Cally leaves for a Christmas holiday to a far-away Winter Wonderland with her daughter Lexi, with the plan to write a new travel review and attempt to rekindle her romance with Jisung. Will he still be thinking about her? Will returning to the Palace Hotel for a fabulous winter holiday turn out to be as magical as the summer just past? But most importantly: will Cally finally find her happily ever after? Spoiler alert: she will, but will also have to overcome numerous hurdles – misunderstandings, sticky situations, and most importantly her own self-sabotaging skills.
For full disclosure: I am not a fan of romance novels and do not read them regularly. Having said that, I do recognise a good romance novel when I read one.
Four things Melissa John did really well: firstly, this is a romance novel through and through. The evolving relationship between the main characters is the red thread that holds the book together from beginning to end. It is not the sole focus, as the author skilfully manages to also deal with the topics of being a newly single mother, having to manage several relationships in addition to a romantic one and working hard to reinvent oneself and building a career out of a great passion. Let’s be honest though: readers approach a romance novel with the expectation that two characters that want to be together will be able to get there in the end, after facing adversity. Romance is by nature escapist, so accuracy/truthfulness are not the point: you do not ask yourself if certain situations really happen in real life, all you look for is a feel-good story, something on which Melissa John certainly delivers.
Secondly, the perfect depiction of a Winter Extravaganza: Melissa John takes the ‘Christmas Winter Wonderland’ theme and rolls with it from beginning to end, creating a Disney-like backdrop to our characters’ actions that shows impressive imagination. Thirdly, the relatability and familiarity of some aspects of the story: while not having experienced them directly, I did recognise some of the patterns and behaviours people over forty especially might go through when dealing with new relationships, such as teenage-like insecurities that have no need to exist, irrational behaviour and soul-crushing self-doubt. Finally, the author’s attention to secondary characters within the story, to create the caring, solid support system Cally needs to finally break through and achieve happiness. Diane’s story in particular is very touching (you’ll have to read the book yourself to find out more!).
There are a few elements, however, that perhaps could have done with a little more attention. While the main character Cally does get what she wants in the end – a breakthrough in her career, the man of her dreams and more – I would have liked to see this positive progress matched by a personal growth also, and a more ‘feminist’ approach to character development. It’s not that Cally does not change at all, but it would have been great to see her really taking charge of her destiny and become a stronger person because of the obstacles she has overcome, evolving from a woman at the mercy of her own misadventures to one that does not have to rely on the validation of others to be happy. As a reader, there is so much fragility and insecurity you can take from a main character before it becomes too much to bear. You would think that after all this romantic ordeal she does find the strength in herself to hold on to what really matters. Her accomplishments, however, are too often wiped away by a holiday romance that might not turn into anything else (except it will, being the genre it is).
All in all, a well-written (closed door) romance novel with a language that is direct and easy to understand, the right amount of steam and enough twists and turns to make it intriguing, leading up to the happy final we all expected from the very beginning.
‘Happily Ever After’ is the standalone sequel to ‘Never Too Old for Fairy Tales’, published in the summer of 2023. Get both books here: https://amzn.to/47VlgOo
