The Art of Christmas (Choc Lit)

It’s that time of year when I like to delve into some Christmas reading and get into the Christmas spirit. The Art of Christmas is an excellent short read perfect for a warm afternoon here in Australia with an iced tea on hand or if you are in the Northern Hemisphere curl up with The Art of Christmas and a nice hot toddy.

This novella was a pleasant, humorous, heartbreaking and heart-warming read. The reader gets to know Harriet and feel empathy for her. I liked the parallels that were drawn between Harriet’s life and that of magna character Corinthia.
The story has a huge twist and just when you think you’ve worked it all out there is another twist.
You can’t help but fall for Kell, with a slobbering dog in tow and holes in his socks he is an unlikely hero.

What’s even better, for small change you can grab it now on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B016IPP492?keywords=the%20art%20of%20christmas%20jane%20lovering&qid=1447405517&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016IPP492?keywords=the%20art%20of%20christmas&qid=1447405112&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

With my thanks to Choc Lit via Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

I have to admit, I started reading this and all of the sudden I got super busy and it took me a bit longer than expected to finish it. Otherwise this is a book that you can finish in one sitting, given the fact that it has like 70 pages.

I love the writing in this short story and it makes me really want to read some more stuff from the author. The dialogs in the story were brilliant and had me laughing quite a lot. I just love how when things got a bit sad, you could just count on one of the characters to lighten up the mood. I enjoyed that a lot.

I also really liked the story. Giving the shortness of the book we couldn't really see that much of Harriet's healing after her husbands death. But given how she thought about her life after his death and how she acted now, you could totally see a big difference.
The revelation of her husband's secret made me feel so relieved. Cause that could have gone in a completely different direction, that would have been much more frustrating and painful.

Overall I just love this story and will totally read it again closer to christmas.

I enjoyed this short holiday tale about a widow who is feeling kind of bah-humbug about Christmas. When Harriet finds a stash of graphic novels in the attic, she decides to sell them. She calls a man she had dealt with before and discovers that they are worth a lot of money. Kell, the book dealer becomes Harriet's friend and also tells her he remembers her husband and someone who had come in with him. This information could ruin Harriet's memories of her husband.

What I liked about this book is how it showed the different types of love people have for each other. Not only does Harriet discover the possibility of new love, she learns how her old love really felt about her and how he wanted to express his feelings.

I was accepted to review an ARC by Choc Lit via NetGalley and I confess that I didn't even read the blurb before starting this Christmas novella from Jane. I've read all Jane's books and had been looking forward to this one!

This is an absolutely charming story of Harriet still trying to get over her husband's death and Kell, a graphic bookseller. Oh - and Frodo the dog! It has all the usual Jane Lovering ingredients - great humour, a lovely romance, some sadness and an unexpected twist to two.

There is always at least one line that makes me howl with laughter and this novella was no exception: "a bus load of trainee removal men had come round to gain their BTEC in ‘shoving stuff up against the walls’."

Frodo was the funniest dog I've come across in a long time - wait til you read the bit about the phone call; I was crying with laughter!

A real Christmas treat! Thank you Jane!

I read a couple of Jane Lovering's books earlier this year and really loved them both. She is just brilliant at capturing the emotions of her characters. So I was really pleased to see that a Christmas novella is due to be published on Friday this week, and with such a beautiful cover. And I am delighted to say it is just as good as her previous books!

I thought The Art of Christmas was just lovely – in fact I’d love to have seen it as a full length novel. Harriet’s husband Jonno died almost two years ago and she is just starting to move on with her life. She decides to sell his collection of graphic novels and meets Kell Foxton, a sci-fi nut and shop owner. He was a brilliant character – funny and caring and with a daft dog, Frodo. The descriptions throughout the book were excellent: ‘the attic was powdered with dust and mascara-ed with webs’ was just one phrase on the first page that jumped out. There is a unexpected secret at the heart of this book which is sensitively revealed.

The Art of Christmas was a totally believable story, very well written with lots of humour and emotion. My only criticism is that I would love it to have been longer! A lovely novella to put you in the mood for Christmas and give you a warm, happy feeling inside.

Harriet used to love Christmas until her husband Jonno dropped down dead from a heart attack at 35. Deciding that she needs to try and move on she goes into the loft to get the Christmas tree when she discovers a load of graphic books.

She calls Kell the owner of a shop that has previously sold some of the books and although she feels attracted to him he opens up a can of worms that makes her feel that she didn't know Jonno at all.

A lovely warm Christmas novella there were lovely characters. .....especially Frodo the dog!

After losing her husband Harriet finally feels ready to celebrate Christmas again. Whilst collecting the tree from the loft she finds some of her husbands old graphic novels and gets in touch with the store owner to sell them. He turns up with his dog in tow and they get on quite well. They are going to be a great windfall for her- but she is worried by Kell's recollection of her husband.

Lots of lovely romantic touches, humour and a lovely festive read. I will definately look for more by this author.

With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If it not often that I will come away from a novella utterly speechless, but yet that is the position I'm finding myself in after reading The Art of Christmas.

It is a very well crafted, very short story, but yet it felt like so much more. I was hooked from the first to the last page, and devoured it in under an hour. It's an incredibly well written book, and a heart warming story, that I don't really want to say much about, for fear of giving away anything key.

For there are a few shocks and surprises for Harriet to overcome during this book, and she is such a lovely characters, and Kell is clearly lonely and has Frodo the dog for company, and their is a kinship between Kell and Harriet that grows as the novella progresses.

I can't believe how much information is packed into this book, and its short, sweet but perfectly formed. I had been excited about this title since it had been announced, and I was definitely not disappointed. A heartwarming, fantastic novella, about the coming together of two people who clearly meet at the right times in their lives. There is more depth to the story than you generally get in books this short, and for that I can only proclaim Jane Lovering very talented, and very good at selecting the relevant words she needed to craft this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Choc Lit for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.

The Art of Christmas is a tender and emotional story of loss, discovery and acceptance. As Harriet faces another Christmas without her beloved husband, Jonno she is struggling with more than just the stubborn Christmas tree in the corner of the attic. Last Christmas passed with no celebrations and as her grief has not passed but at least settled a bit Harriet is making an effort to celebrate this year. In her effort to wrestle the slightly bedraggled tree out of its corner she stumbles over plastic bags full of the graphic novels that Jonno had loved and collected. She had never truly shared his love of these graphic novels, but today she picks up a copy to take downstairs and begins to glance through it. Harriet has already sold off some of Jonno’s collection, and was quite surprised at the amount that she was offered for them. Apparently graphic novels are quite popular to a certain group of readers. In an effort to somehow be in touch with her husband through his love of these novels, Harriet actually begins to read the one she’s brought down from the attic. What she discovered is a fascinating story with a woman who is facing difficulties much like her own. Oh, not the exact same but she can identify with this story.

Eventually she makes the phone call to Kell, the owner of a shop that had bought the last bundle of Jonno’s collection to see if he had any interest in more. Funds were extremely tight now and any financial windfall from her husband’s obsession with these novels would be helpful in keeping their home for another year. Kell is a young man who has also known loss. And if he is a bit of a geek, immersed in a universe that Harriet has little knowledge of, he is still a man who gets what she is going through right now. His tentative offer of friendship is as welcome to Harriet as a cool drink on a steaming hot day.

When it’s discovered that the graphic novels that Harriet is willing to sell are actually collector items and worth quite a bit of money, to say Harriet was a bit stunnid is an understatement. While casually talking at Harriet’s home, Kell makes a comment that will shake Harriet’s world to its core. Now Harriet and Kell are looking for answers to Jonno’s secret life and what they discover will change everything.

The Art of Christmas is a story that needs to be on your Christmas reading list this year and beyond. It is sad on several levels, but it is also empowering as a once strong woman discovers how to get her strength back once again. And it’s a story of two people who might not appear to belong together on the surface find that they have an attraction that may work for them. A roller coaster of emotions, The Art of Christmas will capture your attention and your heart.

*I received an e-ARC of The Art of Christmas from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

If one needs to get in the spirit of Christmas, this book is the answer. What a delightful, "feel good" read.

What if your whole marriage is suddenly called into question by an offhanded observation shared by a stranger? The Art of Christmas opens approximately 18 months following the untimely death of Harriet’s husband. She believes they had a love for the ages, a strong relationship that sustained them even when they suffered a late term miscarriage and the inability to have other children. This Christmas, while still devastated, she is determined to make attempts at finally acknowledge the holiday. While wrestling her holiday paraphernalia in the attic, she finds a collection of graphic novels belonging to her husband. She has no idea of their value and calls a graphic novel dealer – Kell Foxton – with whom she had worked to sell some of her late husband’s other graphic novels. She reads through the books and is drawn to the character and the story line in a way no other graphic novel had ever intrigued her – previously she could not understand her husband’s fascination with the genre. She even sees some parallels between the story and her life. Quirky but sweet Kell (and his charming dog) enter her house and her life, turning things a bit topsy-turvy. She learns that the books are extraordinarily valuable. However, she also learns that Kell may inadvertently know secrets about her husband … secrets that may shatter what she understood as the reality of her marriage. She and Kell are drawn to one another and Harriet feels an unexpected desire for Kell but cannot take their surprising romance to the next level without knowing the truth about her husband and their marriage. With Kell’s help, she tracks down the answers that allow her to embrace her future and more fully understand her past.

How wonderfully gorgeous, romantic and festive. The perfect evening read as the nights get darker and colder, ‘The Art of Christmas’ will give you that feel-good, snuggly feeling.

Jane Lovering always delivers, no matter the story, always giving a story brimming with tension, romance, and fun. ‘The Art of Christmas’ is no exception, and I fell straight into Harriet’s world, feeling her loneliess as if it were my own, and understanding so well the desperation to escape into a fictional world, and use the characters as inspiration for how to continue in your own life. I loved seeing her grow throughout this novella, and watching her become stronger, more stable and more accepting of the idea of a future.

Kell was the kind of hero that I fell for on first description. Doctor Who t-shirt and owner of a graphic novels store? “Please,” I begged my kindle, “Please be amazing and wonderful!” And boy was he! With a good heart which he wears on his sleeve, a swoonworthy devotion to his pawed pet ‘Frodo’ and a geeky obsession with all things comic books, he made for a brilliant character who came in and restarted Harriet’s life in a flash.

With hidden secrets, and treasured memories at risk, and Christmas just around the corner, it is down to Kell to help Harriet accept the past, live in the present, and wish for the future.

5 Stars!

*Review copy kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Lovely warm and funny Christmas novella. Great characters plus one very funny dog! Just wish it had been longer!

A truly wonderful Christmas read. I laughed, I pondered and I thoroughly enjoyed pounding the streets of London. Dogs and books make me happy so when Kells bundle of chaotic joy arrived, you could say I was in my elliment.

I loved this... a little bit christmas, a little bit science fiction, a little bit love story and a whole lot of humour. Every page has something to grasp the reader and there is not one spot of boredom anywhere in sight. The characters come alive as the story unfolds and the description of London as it is and London in the books are amazing. Spent my day reading it and loved every second.

A short fun read for your holiday breaks. Curl up with a cup of tea and enjoy this one. Perfect for both chocolate fans as well as fans of "Snowmance" stories

Jane Lovering is an author who previous last two books I really enjoyed. The Art of Christmas (Choc Lit) was no different. This story is more than just what you read on the surface. As it progresses you as the reader begin to get glimpses of what is at the heart of this story until it is finally revealed. Then the author has a way of turning a phrase to make the reading of the story a reader’s delight.

Ms. Lovering has a way of creating the most unusual characters, then weave their lives together. Harriet and Kell with his dog Frodo fit in ways that I did not think would work but as usual, they did beautifully with what seemed at time with help from Jonno. Perhaps that was the bit of Christmas magic at work.

The Art of Christmas by Jane Lovering is a unique heartwarming Christmas novella. The most original, clever and artistic story that I have read this holiday season.

I haven't read anything by Jane Lovering in absolutely ages. I'm not sure why - I enjoyed Please Don't Stop The Music well enough (way before the blog), and although it wasn't really my kind of thing I thought Vampire State Of Mind was really different, original and ever so well done. Jane even wrote a great guest post for me when How I Wonder What You Are was released, comparing writing a book to decorating the living room (you can read it here) - and still I didn't read another of her books. But I've finally put that right. I've just finished The Art Of Christmas, Jane's Christmas-themed novella published by Choc Lit on 13th November... and thought it was quite wonderful.

It's a scant 77 pages long, but it seems far longer. And I don't mean that rudely, I mean that it's 100% fleshed out, totally absorbing and engaging, with a really original story line and perfectly rounded and developed characters. First, there's Harriet - contemplating the wonky tree she's forced herself to put up for Christmas, still hurting desperately following the sudden death of her husband Jonno, the love of her life. I so loved her, and ached for her loss. After finding piles of comic books in her loft, she calls Kell, the dealer her husband used to buy from - and I think it's fair to say that Harriet's life is never quite the same again. A lot of that is because of Kell's dog Frodo - this is no ordinary dog, and everyone who reads this wonderful story is going to fall in love with him, even if you'd perhaps prefer he didn't wee in your hall, whimper under your desk or slobber over your cooking. But you might just fall for Kell too (I did), with his holey socks and grungy unmentionables, watching his marathon sessions of Breaking Bad - and his very sad back story. Then something happens that raises questions about Harriet's whole marriage to Jonno, an unusual situation, very sensitively handled.

This whole story is so wonderfully written - such vivid descriptions (the illustrations of Corinthia and the Bear were so clear in my mind, but I had an equally clear image of Harriet's burnt mince pies), words perfectly chosen, crackling dialogue, and it's also very, very funny. But it's also excruciatingly sad - so much so that it almost hurts. So original, so different, really enjoyable - a real thing of beauty, small and perfectly formed. Remember that name - Jane Lovering. It might have taken me a while to get back to her, but you'll be seeing a lot more of her on Being Anne in the future... she can really write.

(My thanks to netgalley and publishers Choc Lit for my review e-copy).

Jane Lovering took me on a unique journey in The Art of Christmas, and it was one I enjoyed.

I liked the wide range of emotions that Jane wove into the plot, and it was easy to feel what Harriet was feeling as I read. The Art of Christmas is a well written novella about the struggle Harriet is having, and the difficulties she faces trying to move forward.

I liked the gradual build up of a relationship between Kell and Harriet. It wasn't rushed, and I just liked how he was with her.

I felt a lot of hope for Harriet as I read The Art of Christmas, and I really wanted to see her begin to enjoy not only Christmas, but life again. Reading The Art of Christmas is also a reminder that a lot of people struggle during the holiday season, and I felt that the plot was realistic.

I really enjoyed the unexpected turns that work their way into the plot, this added a lot more emotion and uncertainty!

Well written and easily flowing, The Art of Christmas is a poignant novella that I'd recommend.

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