CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE

Author: Debbie Macomber ISBN:9780778328193 10/2010 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: MIRA

This Christmas, Emily Merkle (call her Mrs. Miracle!) is working in the toy department of Finlcy's, the last family-owned department store in New York City. And her boss is none other than... Jake Finley, the owner's son. For Jake, holiday memories of brightly wrapped gifts, decorated trees and family were destroyed in a Christmas Eve tragedy years before. Now Christmas means just one thing to him—and to his father. Profit. Because they need a Christmas miracle to keep the business afloat. Holly Larson needs a miracle, too. She wants to give her eight-year-old nephew, Gabe, the holiday he deserves. Holly's widowed brother is in the army and won't be home for Christmas, but at least she can get Gabe that toy robot from Finley's, the one gift he desperately wants. If she can figure out how to afford it...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Debbie Macomber sets her contemporary Christmas romance CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE in New York City, ala "Miracle on 34th St." Holly Larson has had a rough year. She's a single gal working for the despotic editor of a fashion magazine, and she's struggling to provide a normal life for her nephew Gabe while his dad is deployed to the Middle East. Finances are tight, but she hopes to provide him with a special Christmas—until she finds out that Gabe only wants a $250 robot.

Jake Finley runs the toy department in his father's department store, and he's counting on that expensive robot to save the store's budget for the year. For him, Christmas is just the profit-making season, especially since the tragic car accident when he was a boy that took the lives of his mother and sister. His father has eliminated all traces of the holiday from their personal lives over the years. Enter Emily Merkle (Mrs. Miracle). She's one of the special angels charged with bringing folks together romantically at Christmas, and she does her job well.

Macomber has a tradition of writing Christmas angel romances that are candy cane sweet, and CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE doesn't disappoint. The sparks between Jake and Holly twinkle like the Christmas star and help point the way to their Christmas miracle. Jake has kept his nose to the grindstone and he's never let a woman get too close, but he just can't help reaching out to Holly and wanting to protect her. Gabe knows his aunt is trying her best to keep his life normal, but he's having a hard time without his dad and keeps getting in trouble, which throws Holly's life into turmoil with her boss. Holly just needs to catch a break. She's tired, frustrated, and needs a little bit of holiday magic to get her smile back.

Even though I expected the Christmas miracle that brings Jake and Holly the love and joy they deserve, it is well presented and includes a couple of extra goodies. Every year I look forward to a festive feel-good from Macomber, and this one was as satisfying as turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE is a perfect holiday romance. When faced with an afternoon of tedious Christmas errands, curl up with some Christmas tree cookies and hot cocoa, and read this book instead. It will put you back in the holiday spirit in no time.

Susan Barton