I reviewed the other three books in the Hartbridge Christmas (read: Hallmark Christmas movie) series and, honestly, there’s just no pleasing me. They were fine. I buy N.R. Walker for fine. It’s what she does. Everyone is lovely. Everything is tidy but, as I said out loud whilst reading (slogging through? sleading?) Christmas Wish List, “it’s just so tepid,”. But that’s not quite the issue. Let me explain.
The Hartbridge Christmas Series:
- Tic-Tac-Mistletoe
- WE ARE HERE: Christmas Wish List
- Merry Christmas Cupid
- Holiday Heart Strings
Chef Jayden has arrived in Hartbridge, Montana for a Christmas contract at a bed and breakfast set to open over the holiday season. Cass has been working on the property after returning to his hometown and restart his life after coming out and ending his marriage. His ex-wife is also in town with their two children. Jayden’s only supposed to be there for 10 days. It ‘s got a veneer of complication, but, worry not, everyone is nice and acts with kindness and equanimity. Jayden and Cass fall fast and they fall hard. There is no real tension or a stumbling block larger than a matchstick. A summary:
- Jayden: Hi.
- Cass: Hi.
- Jayden: You’re cute.
- Cass: You too.
- Jayden: You wanna?
- Cass: I’m not very experienced.
- Jayden: I can fix that.
- Cass: Let us never be apart.
Tra-la-la. The End.
If “Tra-la-la. The End.” is what I read romance for (and it really is), what is the challenge with Walker’s books designed, marketed, and consumed as having this foregone conclusion? Because although the tropes and structure of these kinds of novels are prescribed and often highly artificial, the emotional weight carried by each story determines its success. You can have all of the “tra-la-la” you want, but if no time is spent delving into interpersonal connections goes beyond “because the plot says so”, all impact is lost and that is the problem here.
Because the Hartbridge Christmas books are explicitly superficial, “Hallmark Christmas movie” novels, it’s really not fair that I’m let down because Walker leaned all the way in on the “tra-la-la”. While this series was uninteresting, her other work generally has (just) enough grit and gravitas to counterbalance the low conflict/drama romances she usually delivers. Also? The fact that “Hallmark movie” has become shorthand for certain tropes proves there is a MASSIVE market for these books. If that is your romance preference, these are the books for you!
Speaking of Hallmark movies, I am re-reading Emily Henry’s Book Lovers so I can review a novelized take off on those films done right. I suspect I will be nowhere near the first person to review that absolutely delightful book here.