All I Want from Santa

by Lisa Jackson

A much-loved early classic from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson, this heartwarming holiday tale is set in small-town Oregon, where a little girl’s letter to Santa ends up bringing the gift of romance to a widowed mom and a single dad.
 

Christmas wishes do come true…
 
Dear Readers,
 
The type of novels I write may have changed since I was first published, but even an early story like this one still has familiar traits. There’s the location, for one: All I Want from Santa (originally published as New Year’s Daddy) is set in Oregon, a place I truly love and have made the backdrop for many of my other novels…
 
The small town of Cascadia is home to Veronica Walsh and her young daughter, Amy. If Ronni still believed in Santa, she’d ask for a chance to buy the rundown old lodge next door and turn it into a B&B. Amy’s Christmas wish list, on the other hand, includes one item that catches Ronni off-guard: a new daddy.  But four years after losing her husband in a tragic accident, Ronni doesn’t plan to get involved with anyone—least of all the lodge’s new owner.
 
Travis Keegan has moved from Seattle to get his wayward teenaged son back on track. Yet the moment he meets Ronni, he wonders if this could be the fresh start they all need. Healing from loss and melding their two families won’t be easy, but Christmas in Cascadia has a magic that may just prove irresistible…
 
All I Want from Santa is a heartwarming holiday romance—the kind that never goes out of style, and the kind I still love to read. I hope you do too.
 
Happy Holidays!
 
Lisa Jackson
 

• ISBN10: 1496732928
• ISBN13: 9781496732927
• Publish Date: 28 September 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Kensington
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781496732927

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

ll I Want From Santa introduced Veronica aka Ronnie and her four-year-old daughter Amy. Ronnie dreams of owning the lodge next door to operate as a bed-and-breakfast. If only she still believed in Christmas miracles. Amy, on the other hand, who firmly believes in Santa, wishes for a puppy and, most of all, a daddy. Getting the puppy for her daughter would be easier than getting the daddy. Ronnie is not looking to get involved with anyone, as she is still mourning the loss of her husband. While carrying out her duties as a Ski Patroller, she meets Travis Keegan.

Recently divorced Travis Keegan moved to Cascadia to escape the corporate world and keep his son, Bryan, away from bad company. However, Bryan’s dissatisfaction with the move manifested in his belligerent behaviour. The property Travis bought happened to the one Ronnie dreamed of one day owning. Travis’s focus was on building a relationship with his son and had no room for intimate relations. However, meeting Ronnie had him reconsidering his priorities.

The gorgeous cover influenced my decision to pick up ︎All I Want from Santa. The story between the pages of this heartwarming story elicited feelings of nostalgia. Of all the characters featured, Amy stole the show. Precocious, outspoken and just plain adorable. She will steal your heart. Brian’s behaviour was typical of what one would expect from a teenager who resented changes which came with divorce, relocation and loss of friends.

The romance proved to be a disappointment. The timeline between their initial meeting and the development of their relationship developed in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, marriage was being proposed. All of this took place with little time spent getting to know each other. Also, there were other sections of the story, which could have benefited from further development.

Narration

This is my second experience with Susan Bennett narration. She did a great job capturing the voices and the emotions of the characters. She brought life to the story and her pace and tone were spot on. 

Conclusion/Recommendation

Overall, All I Want From Santa was a charming read, with wonderful characters and suitable for readers who enjoy Christmas themed romance.