Review: The Three Day Rule by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees

No phone. No electricity. Snowed in with your family. Welcome to one hell of a Christmas.

When the Thorne family gather for the annual Christmas festivities - the arguments, jealousies and long-held enmities that make every family Christmas so special - they think they've only got to endure each other for three days, and then they can return to normality.

But then the snows come, along with the ninety-mile-an-hour winds and the plunging temperatures, and the Thornes get cut of with only each other for support, or to blame. It promises to be a Christmas like no other...

Get to know the family you're never going to forget. (Arrow, November 2006)

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars (Above Average)

I debated between a 3 and a 3.5 for this book because I did really like the way some characters developed (Kellie and Michael), but others just seemed two-dimensional and over-the-top (mainly Taylor and Elliot). In all honesty, it's a rather forgettable storyline, and not quite as interesting as the synopsis made it out to be. In places it was truly quite depressing - particularly Stephanie's storyline - but I was pleased with the way that certain situations worked out in the end. Sometimes chick-lit novels glorify extra-marital affairs, and I was worried that would happen here, so I was pleased with how human Kellie seemed and how she came to realise the truth of her situation. 

From the books I've read previously by these authors, it seems like they like inserting rebellious, angsty, sexually-active teenagers into their novels, and the same can be said for this book. I did appreciate how Michael grew over the course of the book, even if I wasn't so keen on him at the start, and his sub-plot was a bit of a typical "coming of age" storyline. Taylor, however, just seemed a bit barmy! I really could not figure her out, and at the end of the novel she just seemed completely insane, far beyond the spoilt, rich teenager she was meant to be.

All in all, it was an easy, quick read with some heartfelt moments, but there were a lot of characters to keep track of and, inevitably, a couple that I just couldn't relate to. I did like the setting and the growth that some of the characters made, but I won't be rushing out to read another book by these authors. I think I appreciated them a lot more when I was a teenager!

What I'll be reading in December

As Christmas draws near and my university semester comes to an end, I'm looking forward to curling up on the sofa with some heart-warming novels and some German Lebkuchen (my favourite Christmas treat). Here's what I'll be reading over the next month, so keep your eyes peeled for some reviews! What is everyone else planning on reading this year to get them in the holiday mood?

The Three Day Rule - Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees

‘What’s the three day rule? Well, you know the saying: families are like fish. They go off after three days.’

When the Thorne family gather for the annual Christmas festivities – the arguments, jealousies and long-held enmities that make every family Christmas so special – they think they've only got to endure each other for three days, and then they can return to normality. But then the snows come, along with the ninety-mile-an-hour winds and the plunging temperatures, and the Thornes get cut of with only each other for support, or to blame. It promises to be a Christmas like no other...

Mrs Miracle - Debbie Macomber

Seth Webster's heart never healed after he lost his adored wife. Now, with Christmas approaching, wild twin boys to raise alone, a home in chaos, and the latest in a long line of exasperated housekeepers quitting in disgust, Seth needs more than help to keep his family together...he needs a miracle. 

And then a miracle arrives on his doorstep. Her name is Mrs. Merkle, but the kids call her "Mrs. Miracle"—and from the moment the warm, knowing, and very patient nanny appears, everything is different. Her sassy spirit is infectious, and it gives Seth the courage to approach Reba, a beautiful travel agent who's been hurt and betrayed, and is afraid to ever love again. Through the magic of faith—and with a little help from a children's Christmas pageant and a lot of encouragement from Mrs. Miracle—Seth and Reba might just be able to find a Christmas miracle of their very own: true love.

A Hickory Ridge Christmas - Dana Corbit

A minister's daughter and unwed teen mother: five years ago Hannah Woods had been the talk of Hickory Ridge. Her little girl was the light of her life, though Hannah was unable to forgive the one who'd loved her--and then left.Todd McBride had left town a boy and returned a man with a quest: to find the woman he still adored and ask for a second chance. But Hannah's secret--a child he'd never known about--threw his plans into a tailspin. With Christmas rapidly approaching, it seemed the time for love and forgiveness was at hand...

A Prairie Christmas Collection - Various

 Experience Christmas on the historical American Great Plains as retold by nine different multi-published authors, including Tracie Peterson and Deborah Raney. Follow pioneers, immigrants, and orphans through their adventures, heartaches, challenges, victories, and romances. You are sure to find more than one favorite among the nine holiday romances in this unique collection to warm your heart and inspire your faith.

The Christmas Bus - Melody Carlson

The people of Christmas Valley always celebrate Christmas to the fullest extent. The mayor plays Santa, every business is holiday themed, and there's a nativity for the kids each Christmas Eve. This town knows Christmas. But this year nothing goes according to plan. Shepherd's Inn is full of strangers, Mad Myrtle is causing problems, and a young couple with a baby due any minute rolls in to the middle of town in their Partridge Family-style bus. It's hardly the holiday Christmas Valley wanted - but it may be just what they need. 

Sarah's Christmas Miracle - Mary Ellis

Sarah Beachy has plenty to be joyous about as autumn leaves start to fall. She loves her job at the English bed-and-breakfast where she cooks and refreshes rooms between guests. She has a serious beau, and everyone expects an engagement soon. Why, then, would she jeopardize everything by suddenly deciding to take a trip to Cleveland to track down a brother who left the Order years ago?

Her family’s faith in God is put to the test as the holiest night of the year approaches and Sarah remains far away. Sarah’s mother, Elizabeth, has been missing her son for such a long time…will she lose her daughter to the English world as well? Or will the Beachy family receive an unexpected Christmas miracle?