 Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to become a part of this feel good Christmas love story!  Synopsis: My Christmas Number One There’s nothing quite like a Christmas love story, to get you in the mood for celebrating…Cara doesn’t do sexy and she only does ‘Happy Christmas’ under duress. She is, after all, a serious musician, and her stubborn streak is born from her struggle to recover from a serious injury. Javi lives for escapist fun - in his music, and in his life - especially since he’s always failed at life’s more serious challenges, including marriage and fatherhood. Javi and Cara are forced to record a Christmas single together, but neither of them have plans to spend any more time with each other than they absolutely have to. With Christmas traditions that couldn’t be more different, and outlooks on life that are worlds apart, the chemistry just shouldn’t work. But the magic of Christmas can bring even opposites together… From the snowy beauty of London at Christmas, to the candle-lit magic of Javi’s traditional family celebrations, let Leonie Mack whisk you away on a memorable festive adventure. Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Mandy Baggot and Holly Martin. Purchase  My thoughts: My first Christmas story this year and it turned out to be quite an unusual one but with all the right feels! Cara Poignton is a rising rock star from Bristol. She is a trained musician with a degree in music from a prestigious university. Ten years ago, when Cara was just eighteen, she lost her mother and her brother in a car accident which left her with a physical disability and a severe anxiety disorder. She is a serious person, determined not to let her traumatic past rob her of her present and future, but she accepts that there are some things that are more difficult for her than for other people. Music is her salvation and she takes it extremely seriously. When her record company asks her to colloborate on a Christmas song with a Latin music pop star, Cara does her best to add her unique musical vision to the project. Cara and Javi, the Colombian-American songwriter, make a beautiful dance video to go with the song, and although it is recorded on the Trafalgar Square in London in August, it has all the sparkles and Christmas spirit. The song becomes a hit and Cara gets involved with the usual promotion activities. The more time she spends with Javi, the more it becomes clear that there is more to him than what his reputation of a Latin playboy/irresponsible musician would suggest. He poured all his soul in the song which is quite a departure from his usual style. Cara gets to see his vulnerable side and tries to understand what exactly javi meant by the mysterious lyrics. She also meets Bea, javi's twelve year old daughter, Susi, his ex-wife, and even embarks on a journey to Javi's home town in Colombia, all of this with a clear intent to stay away from a romantic relationship, but can she do it or rather should she stay in her own safe bubble and leave the excitement of love and adventure for other people? The story has a very simple plotline- it is basically the promotion of Javi and Cara's song and the push-pull of a romantic attraction beween two very different protagonists, both of which have traumatic past. Music is what makes it stand out from other Christmas stories. I was amazed how well Leonie Mack could describe the way a professional musician's mind sees the world. For me the best scenes in the book are Cara's performances- they are so vivid and full of adrenaline and energy! Cara goes through a lot of growth and experiences many things she has been denying herself. I really appreciate the the fact that the author was very methodical in her research of the disorder Cara has and very sensitive in how she described Cara's thoughts and feelings. I loved the settings and the contrast and newly-created harmony between the different cultures and traditions Javi and Cara come from. I didn't know much about Colombia before reading this book and had to look up the places and customs the author describes, and I must say this virtual journey was just wonderful. I got into the story really quickly, but then the pace slowed down, as the characters were going through their development. The inclusion of the secondary characters of Bea, Javi's daughter, and Gordon, Cara's father, was very welcome as I believe the story would have been a but too intense otherwise. It also added a bit more realism in showing the role of family relationships, our children and parents are in determining our priorities and the way we live our life. You have to be ready and open in your heart for a new stage of your life, whether it is a professional opportunity or a romantic relationship. If you love music or just looking for a Christmas read which doesn't follow the familiar formula, try this debut story with a beautiful cover and unique protagonists. Thank you to Rachel for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy. All opinions are my own and weren't influenced in any way.  About the author: Leonie Mack is a debut romantic novelist. Having lived in London for many years her home is now in Germany with her husband and three children. Leonie loves train travel, medieval towns, hiking and happy endings! Social Media Links – Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leoniejmack Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/LeonieMAuthor Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LeonieJMack Mailing list sign up - https://bit.ly/LeonieMackNewsletter  Thank you for stopping by and reading the post! Wishing you a very happy Monday and a wonderful new week!
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