Ramblings of a Daydreamer: Review: Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper by Debbie Johnson

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper by Debbie Johnson
Series: Standalone
Published: November 5th, 2015
Publisher: HarperImpulse
210 pages (ebook)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Acquired this book: Bought
Warning: May contain spoilers
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You’ve seen Mark Darcy in the reindeer jumper his mother gave him, now meet Marco Cavelli in this season’s Christmas knit!

For single mum Maggie, Christmas has always been a family occasion – her daughter Ellen filling the house with her bubbly warmth and mistletoe, her dad Paddy having one too many festive tipples, and the traditional family Christmas tree looking like a drunken elf vomited a rainbow all over it.

But this year, with both Ellen and Paddy away for the holidays, Maggie’s facing a truly blue Christmas – alone with nothing but a bottle of Baileys and an M&S turkey dinner.

Until walking the snowy streets of Oxford, Marco Cavelli quite literally crashes into her life – and, complete with broken leg, becomes her unexpected houseguest. All dreamy brown eyes and 6’5” of gorgeousness, the man is hotter and more delicious than a freshly baked mince pie.

Though Maggie always thought it’s a truth universally acknowledged that you never kiss a man in a Christmas jumper?

I love Christmas novels and novellas, even though they tend to be hit or miss for me. I download as many freebies and 99 cent stories as I can find in November and December, and hope for the best. I was intrigued by Never Kiss a Man in Christmas Jumper because a) the cover is adorable, and b) it instantly brought to mind Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary, which is one of my favourite movies. Within a few pages, I was pretty sure this story would fall into the ‘hit’ category for me, and I was right. I loved this book from beginning to end, whether I was giggling, swooning, frustrated with the characters, or tearing up.

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper is a sweet romance that fills you with warm, fuzzy feelings. It’s the perfect mix of light and funny, with serious real-life issues that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to. Maggie is a young woman, but because she had her daughter in her teens, she’s become old before her time in a way. She’s settled into a comfortable life, and while she’s content and has everything she needs, she’s shut herself away and prevented herself from having a full life without even truly realizing it...until Marco comes along.

I loved Maggie and Marco, individually and together. Maggie was a really relatable character - smart, funny, and the type of woman I’d love to be friends with. The secondary characters were great too, and added so much to the story. I loved how each character had a purpose and helped to move the story along. The plot was fun and had some unique elements that I appreciated, and that made it different from other holiday-theme stories. Plus talk about a unique and hilarious meet-cute!

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper has earned a high spot on my list of favourite holiday books. It had everything I love about Christmas stories - heart, humour, great characters, swoony moments, and a happily ever after. It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a cold afternoon or evening, and allow yourself to get swept away to a beautiful town in England where a hot guy in a silly sweater will keep you warm.

Have you read Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you have any favourite Christmas/holiday/winter books?