🎄❄️👑💂🏻♂️ “A Nutcracker Christmas” (2021) 💂🏻♂️👑❄️🎄 – Book Review
Suddenly let go from her news anchor position, Aria Roberts heads north to stay at her late Great-Aunt Clara’s house. She has many good memories there and wishes to give Clara’s Christmas Shoppe, which is located on the first floor of the Victorian mansion, one final holiday season. When Aria arrives, she finds the special gift Clara left for her—an antique nutcracker with a poem hidden under the back lever. Aria reads the poem out loud. At sundown that night, those words magically bring the nutcracker to life.
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive a print copy of A NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS or ONCE UPON A PRINCE by Laurie Winter, $25 Amazon gift card, and a nutcracker Christmas ornament (US only)
Ends December 8, 2021
Thank you in advance to Prism Book Tours for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
A a rule, I LOVE most Christmas stories. Then again, I also LOVE Christmas. I love the stories almost any time of the year. I’m that Christmas all year kind of person. Kind of like Clara. To me, there is simply something very magical about the season, which I don’t mind starting in mid-November well before “turkey day”.
Would I have picked this up in a bookstore? Likely not so much. Normally I don’t go in for “cartoony” type characters and book covers. Those, in my opinion, are best left for the 18 and under crowd. However, there was something cutesy and whimsical about this that I just adored! And, if it were at a library, definitely would’ve checked it out. Which goes to show you – you really cannot judge a book by the cover. But, always be cautious.
Anyway ...
The story intrigued me – a man, Kort, trapped as a nutcracker for 340 days a year, only after a poem being read, is allowed (during the evening hours) to come back to life as a human as the result of a curse set hundreds of years earlier.
Sounds about like a Hallmark movie.
It does remind me of a Disney movie some 30+ years ago with Olivia Newton-John. She was a mannequin who became human for about the same time when a little girl wished for a mom for Christmas. We all know how that usually ends – happily ever after with bumps, drama, and some miscommunications along the way.
With that in mind … this seemed like such a cutesy read by a new-to-me author. I definitely had to dive right in.
From the blurb, I pretty much knew about Aria’s character and Kort. And, I thought, given the cover – it was a younger couple. Again, that judging thing.
Kort’s curse aside, that was understandable as to why he looked so young. Yet, the “girl” on the cover (at least to me) appeared as late 20’s/early 30’s.
Aria is 48. While hardly an old lady, definitely not what I thought. Though, I don’t mind an older “young” lady. I could be considered one myself.
That doesn’t exactly make this a bad read, just more of an observation.
As far as the characters went – I really enjoyed Bingo (the puppy), Ella (Aria’s daughter), and Ginger (one of the shop workers) a lot more. That’s not to say Aria and Kort weren’t enjoyable. They were, except when they weren’t. In Aria’s case, she was likeable far more often than Kort was.
Aria is definitely interesting due to her background – divorced, daughter in college, and fired all before age 50. She feels unneeded and unwanted in her life as a news anchor and a mother.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like her. But, I really enjoyed Aria’s character development throughout the story, and her determination to find a way to break Kort’s curse. It was interesting watching her go from someone who didn’t want to fall in love, to doing everything she could to “save” Kort and falling in love with him. There were times she’d wonder if she was doing the right thing which was a tad annoying.
What I loved more was watching how she felt about being fired from the news station to seeing it as more of a gift that allowed her to be where she was. After all, as she points out – there are not many opportunities flowing for someone her age.
At first, I really wanted to like Kort and my heart absolutely broke for his circumstances. In the beginning, I was sympathetic, and I thought he was really just perfect. As the story went on, it seemed he spent more of his “awake” time dwelling on what was lost rather than try to make the best of what he was given. Albeit, it wasn’t very much – 25 days a year only between sunset and sunrise.
Over the years with Clara, he learned so much. Yet, given the life she had – or rather the one he feels she didn’t – he doesn’t want to burden Aria like that. Clara had tried, prior to her passing, to find a way to break the curse. There were times I absolutely adored Kort, then it would go south with something. And, his “goodbye” plan? Gutting.
The author gets the reader right in the “feels” with the story, the dialogue, and the characters. The short chapters really help move the story along.
I love the first line: “after all hope is lost, that’s when the magic begins”.
Aria, after losing her job – decides to re-open her great-aunt’s Christmas shop one last time. At first her plan seems sound – give the shoppers one last chance. After all, she’s going to be alone for Christmas, unless you count Bingo. Sounds like the beginning of a perfect holiday read.
Clara’s beloved nutcracker is a gift to Aria. Clara reminds Aria to keep her heart open to love. Aria remembers her great-aunt talking to it, but Clara did suffer from dementia. Aria wasn’t allowed near it so she doesn’t become sentimental towards it.
Aria does as she is asked, reads the poem, and leaves. Then, Kort appears.
At first, she is wary (as she meets him as a human), and with good reason. As a reporter she wonders what his story is and why he won’t take actual pay.
After hearing about the arrangement he had with her great-aunt Clara; and seeing what a sweet guy he is, Aria eventually gives him the same arrangement after figuring out how to do so “safely”. It also helps when Ginger vouches for him.
Kort only works at night. Not during the day.
I had to laugh when Aria kept finding the nutcracker in different places. And, Kort was rather amusing saying that Clara often lost track of it. See why I wanted to like him?
It isn’t too long into the story when Aria learns about the connection between Kort and the nutcracker. Though it is shocking to Aria. Kort eventually tells her everything about his curse.
It is clear to Aria how much Kort is hurting from missing most of his life. And, she soon learns why her great-aunt kept him out of the public eye. It isn’t long until Aria develops feelings for Kort. She doesn’t want him to just sit around and tries to take him out so he can experience life.
Kort is resigned that the curse cannot be broken. Given what is to happen with the house and store, Kort wonders what Aria plans to do with the nutcracker after Christmas.
As the story goes along, Aria learns that it isn’t just about breaking the curse, but healing Kort’s heart. I loved everything she tried. I was alternately proud of her and yet left wondering if her “schemes” were going to work. I had to admire her tenacity though.
I also like how Ella encouraged her mom to “follow her heart”. I’d like to see a story about Ella and her finding out about Kort.
In what should be an upbeat and festive read, I found I was teary-eyed more often than happy when reading it. Don’t get me wrong – A Nutcracker Christmas is a sweet, clean, whimsical, and magical read. Entertaining and charming as well. Definitely has quite a few positives going for it. In fact, in about two and a half (2½) hours, I’d read through 15 chapters. That was the first sitting. I ended up reading two more by the end of the evening. Over Thanksgiving, I ended up finishing the rest of it.
But, it is very heart-breaking and emotional too. For me, it wasn’t as balanced as I would’ve liked.
The magic of the nutcracker definitely was an endearing part of the story. And, the author does a great job in showing why Kort might’ve not wanted to get excited about the season and Aria.
The story also reminded me of a year-round Christmas store in the mall in the early 1990’s. I went in there once and bought the cutest little bear. It’s head, “hands”, and “feet” were like a normal teddy bear. The bodice was actually fabric like it was wearing an outfit.
I was so enchanted by the store, but wondered how something solely focused on Christmas would do year-round. I never went back to the store as I moved and a few years later, a newer mall came in. I later found out the store only lasted a few years. I felt bad that I never went back.
Reading about Clara’s shop definitely helped me relive that memory. I still have the bear packed away in some stuff. But, I always remember where I got it. I definitely understood the appeal of Clara’s shop and could almost see it in my mind.
There was an unresolved plot issue regarding the people who’d cursed Kort. I would’ve liked to have known their tale and what happened to them how they faired after.
This had a “Hallmark movie” vibe right from the beginning and continued through to the end. And, it definitely made me appreciate nutcrackers more. I definitely feel sorry for one of my mom’s that lose his nose YEARS ago.
For readers who like these kinds of movies or stories, this is definitely for them. Those who enjoy sweet and clean reads might want to check this out.
Overall, I did enjoy the story for the most
part and wouldn’t hesitate to read another book by the author.
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – BookBub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
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