For Christmas Eve, I want to share a wonderful holiday read.  Check out my latest review.

*****

A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O’Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O’Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season.

One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake—Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she’s the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas.

Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expected—a love to last a lifetime.

When I first discovered Susan Wiggs, I went through her “The Lakeshore Chronicles” series like it was candy.  I just couldn’t put them down and went straight from one to another until I ran out of released books.  That was shortly before Marrying Daisy Bellamy came out, which is the story of Logan’s ex … and I just couldn’t do it anymore.  I started the book and I think that it just broke my heart.  I felt so badly for Logan, who wanted to make a family so much, and I just couldn’t see it to the end – not that there is anything wrong with the book, both Julius and Daisy are fantastic.  I just loved Logan so much, all of the difficulties he’d faced and how he wanted to make things work out, that it was hard for me to get through … which is a wordy way of telling you why I was BEYOND THRILLED to see this book come out.

Logan started out as such a messed up kid, a lot of pressure from his dad and a substance abuse problem led him to be a wild child … then he knocked up Daisy Bellamy.  Once he decided to turn his life around, he did it whole-heartedly and he has definitely grown into a fantastic man and a wonderful father.  I love seeing him with Charlie.  They have a relaxed and hilarious relationship but Logan still knows how to be the grown-up.  In Logan, Wiggs has given her readers a man who they can identify with – one who is flawed but strives to do the best he can.  He’ll find a way into your heart and make himself at home.

Darcy is new but she’s just as much fun.  Her love of life got a little crumpled after her divorce but she’s starting to get it back … and spending time with Logan and his family helps even more.  I love these two together – they are fun, funny and I fell in love right along with them.

But the best part of any Wiggs book is that it isn’t just a romance.  It is as much about the people around them, their friends and families, as it is about the couple.  They aren’t perfect but they are definitely appealing and I had a great time getting to know new people and catching up with old friends.  If you’ve never read one of “The Lakeshore Chronicles” books, you can definitely start right here (and those that have already picked up the book so they know what I’m saying).  You’ll meet some of the characters from the previous stories (more than just Logan’s family) but you don’t have to know their history.  At most, you’ll be tempted to start at the beginning and work your way through them all.  I know I’m adding those two books I missed to my To Be Read file, because now that Logan finds his happy ending, I think I’ll be able to make it to the end.

Candlelight Christmas is the perfect choice for a holiday read, or any time of year.  It’s an addictive, feel-good, happy-ending, give-you-the-warm-and-fuzzys story that should not be missed.