Book Review: Christmas in Chamonix

By Sara Steven

When life goes downhill... head to the snow-capped Alps for roaring fires, apres-ski and festive romance.

Lily Jackson loves Christmas. She also loves her childhood friend Jamie, but when her plan to kick-start their romance goes drastically wrong and her job gets her down, Lily decides it’s time to make changes. A job opens up in snowy Chamonix and egged on by her best friend Imogen, Lily decides to go for it.

As Lily settles in with the eccentric Devereux family at their gorgeous boutique ski hotel, she starts to confront her past. But when she meets handsome ski instructor Luc, who hates Christmas, Lily might have taken on more than she can handle.

Can Lily make a new life – with or without skis? And can she get Luc to see how truly romantic Christmas can be? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

There’s nothing better than a classic Christmas love triangle, and you get that in spades with Christmas in Chamonix!

There are two clear-cut scenarios where Lily has to make a really tough call in matters of the heart, and both involve her friend, Jamie. I could fully appreciate the relationship she has with Jamie, the kind that centers completely on their friendship and trying to maintain it, no matter what. Along with that are the blinders she’s had when it comes to him, only adding to the confusion. It makes it difficult, and that was thoroughly portrayed to perfection. So much so, it propels Lily in finding a means of escape by way of a new job, in a new town, gaining a new life and hopefully, a new perspective.

As is the case with so many of us, Lily has deep-seated issues that become a catalyst for many of her behaviors and the interactions she has with others. I thought this was an interesting backstory and an important one, adding a relatable factor to the protagonist. It answered some of the questions I’d had regarding her fears and her need to stay within her familiar comfort zones, and the type of reaction she has initially in meeting Luc. There is the belief that he would never be interested in someone like her, that in some respects, she isn’t good enough for him. Yet, she is drawn to him. I liked the back and forth that played out for the both of them, particularly with Jamie thrown in for good measure.

The snow-capped mountains and hills of Chamonix felt like a gorgeous fairy tale, the kind you want to get lost in. I couldn’t help but wish to be another employee at the Boutique Hotel Devereaux, to bunk in with Lily and her best friend, Imogen. An escape from the ordinary, and while it was obvious there was a lot of hard work to be had, it was well worth it. I always appreciate good scenery in the stories I read, and that was front and center here for Chamonix.

Even with Lily’s blissful retreat into the unknown, there are plenty of uncertainties for her and those love triangles that cut a little too close to home in some respects. Along with that are moments of intrigue and suspense, fun, and emotionally charged scenes that really rounded out Lily’s story. While I would have preferred to see some of the romance happen a little faster for her, I still enjoyed the chase, a full-packaged rom com that was well worth the read!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Sasha Wagstaff learned foreign languages, and imagined she might eventually get a glamorous job speaking French. After climbing her way up the banking ladder, Sasha started idly mapping out the beginnings of a novel on an old laptop. When she realized her characters were more real to her than dividends and corporate actions ever could be, she left her job to become a writer. She also writes under the pseudonym of Ella Harper.

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