INTRODUCTION

Fairly recently I received an advanced review copy of “Engaging Father Christmas” from Wynn-Wynn Media. I knew immediately that I would have to wait a while to read it though, as I had a regular copy of “Finding Father Christmas” that I hadn’t gotten a chance to read yet.

I must admit, I did have a hard time getting into the mood for a Christmas story when it’s still September and we’re having days that hit 80-90 degrees. However, once I really got into the story I was able to journey to cold and snowy Europe to follow the tale and not feel out of sorts.

Miranda’s life hasn’t been like most people’s lives. Her mother was a stage actress, and as a young girl Miranda moved around much like a nomad, but rather than following the heard she was following her mother’s performances. That all changed when her mother died in a tragic accident, and at the age of 11 Miranda went to live with a friend of her mother’s.

Miranda never knew her father, and the only information her mother ever gave her was a fairy-tale story. The only clue Miranda ever found was a birth certificate and an old photograph. The name of the father, Jay Ames, never panned out—it was an obvious fake. That left only the photograph.

Miranda, on the spur of the moment, makes a Christmastime trip to England to try to find the photo studio where the picture was taken and see if that might lead to some clue as to who her father was. The photo studio was gone, but the memory of it was not. In a small English hamlet where people stay for generations, there are clues to be found that Miranda never expected.

As soon as I opened up “Finding Father Christmas” I knew I was going to enjoy the story. Robin Jones Gunn starts off with vivid descriptions of what is going on, enough so that you feel like you are walking down the street of Carlton Heath and stepping into the Tea Cosy along with Miranda.

I really enjoyed the way Robin Jones Gunn wrote the story to intermingle the past and present, making it easy to understand and helping to story to flow in a logical manner. The pacing was perfect. This isn’t a high action story, it’s a relationship story, and the tale unfolds slowly and methodically to create a sense of natural discovery. Bits and pieces of the story come to the reader in such a way that you start to understand the mystery and formulate your own opinions as to what they mean.

One added touch to “Finding Father Christmas” that I found rather nice was the fact that it isn’t printed in the more common and traditional black ink. The pages of the story are printed in a deep green ink that is as easy on the eyes as black, but adds the feel of Christmas. The first page of each chapter also had a lamppost graphic that harkens images of Narnia, for those of us who are fans.

CONCLUSION

“Finding Father Christmas” is a short novella that isn’t going to take readers too long to finish. At just over 150 pages, it is something that can fit nicely into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and fill those precious few free moments with some much-needed relaxation.

I really can’t think of anyone that enjoys a good Christmas story who wouldn’t enjoy “Finding Father Christmas.” It’s a sweet and tender journey of a young woman searching for a father and acceptance.