Last Chance Christmas

Last Chance Christmas

About the Book:

Dear Reader,

I've been wishing for a miracle for my oldest boy, Stone, and this Christmas my prayers might just be answered! 

Her name is Lark, and she's here in Last Chance, looking into her father's past-and stirring up a whole mess of trouble without meaning to. As the chief of police, Stone sure has his hands full trying to keep up with her. Ever since his wife died, Stone's put everything into raising his daughters and dodging the Christ Church Ladies' Auxiliary matchmakers. And it's clear Lark has been through some trouble and could use a place to finally call home. I only hope Stone can let go of the past soon enough to keep her . . . 

Goodness, I need to stop talking and finish up Jane's highlights so we can make the town tree-lighting. You come back by because the Cut 'n' Curl's got hot rollers, free coffee, fresh-baked Christmas cookies-and the best gossip in town.

See you real soon, 

Ruby Rhodes

My Comments:

Those raised in the South, particularly in small towns in the South will see familiar places in this book--Jefferson Davis High School, the gossip-filled local beauty salon and the block with all the churches on it.  Like the other books in this series, Last Chance Christmas is a romance set in a small South Carolina town.    The hero is Stone, the widowed son of Ruby and Elbert.  He is Chief of Police and dad to two daughters.  The heroine is Lark, a photojournalist who just saw a friend get blown up.  She is in town because her father wanted his ashes spread there.  Both are lonely, both are afraid to get involved. Both get a little help from the  angels who have made appearances in other stories in the series.  Like the other books in the series, this one has the characters in church, and in bed.  

With a subplot that combines the civil rights battle of the 1960's with today's prejudices Hope Ramsey shows that prejudice ends not town by town but person by person.  

I found the climax to be very unrealistic, even before the angels got involved, but other than that, I enjoyed the book.  Grade:  B.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  I was not obligated to write a positive review.