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Magnolia, North Carolina – Present Day Lauren Maxwell couldn’t wait to leave Magnolia after she became an adult because of her difficult childhood living with her father. But now she is a single mother of a belligerent teenage girl and is back in town to help plan her brother’s wedding to a woman she’s never met. Lauren made reservations online at the only place that held joy for her in Magnolia, a cabin resort. But when she arrives, she learns that the place is shut down and in much disrepair. And she comes face to face with her first love, Ben Donnelly, who also happens to be her ex-husband. Ben and Lauren married at eighteen, mainly because she wanted to get out of her domineering (and filthy rich) father’s home. But while she wanted to leave Magnolia behind, Ben felt obligated to stay because his alcoholic father nearly died, and the man decided he was ready to get sober. Lauren later sent Ben the divorce papers. He has purchased the cabin resort from his mentor, but what Lauren doesn’t know is that he is in a partnership with her father to tear it down and build McMansions along the beach shore. Shortly after Lauren’s arrival, her stepsister, Kayla, who was adopted by their father, contacts her. However, Lauren dislikes Kayla because she feels the woman is a goody two shoes who is their father’s favorite. All Kayla wants is for Lauren to like her. She hates what their father does in demeaning people and wishes that she could push back at him. Right now, he is demanding that she work her wiles on next-door neighbor Scott about acquiring his land next to the cabin resort. Kayla contacts Scott and agrees to go on a date with him. Both know that she will be pitching a deal for the land, but they soon grow attracted to each other. In THE CHRISTMAS CABIN, the relationship between Lauren and Kayla is fraught with tension as Lauren makes it clear that she doesn’t like her. Meanwhile, Lauren’s daughter Hannah pushes her to meet the grandfather she’s never met. The meeting is just as Lauren expected: her father puts her down by telling her that she is a failure. However, Hannah decides that she likes her grandfather’s mansion and wants to stay there. Lauren can’t get her daughter to change her mind so finally agrees. Despite Lauren’s hatred of Kayla, the woman promises to keep an eye on Hannah. With Hannah no longer staying with Lauren at the cabin resort, it gives time in this tale for her to get reacquainted with Ben. She needs his help fixing up the rec room at the cabin resort because that is where the wedding will be held. Speaking of the wedding, Lauren meets the bride and alarms immediately sound. Is she just being overly protective of her baby brother Brody? As readers probably can figure out, there is a lot going on in THE CHRISTMAS CABIN. Ben didn’t know how to tell Lauren about what will happen to the cabin resort, especially about his partnership with her father. As a last hurrah, she decides to throw a Christmas bazaar with fun activities at the cabin resort. Soon, everyone is pitching in to help. Her father continues to berate everyone around him. He loves no one except himself. In this tale, Kayla and Lauren slowly repair their relationship, mostly due to their mutual disdain for their father and their love for Brody. Ben and Lauren get reacquainted, but she will be leaving right after Christmas when the wedding is over. Will Lauren end up staying in Magnolia? Will the McMansions be built, or will Ben figure out another way to save the cabin resort? Can Kayla and Lauren find love and happiness? It’s Christmas time and readers will enjoy a feel-good tale in THE CHRISTMAS CABIN. An enjoyable tale you won’t want to miss. Patti Fischer |
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THE CHRISTMAS CABIN – Michelle Major