The Christmas Bridge by Elyse Douglas

You know, based on the snowy, idyllic scene and hugging lovers on the cover I figured this book would be like a cheesy Hallmark Christmas special. Sadly, it was more along the lines of a depressing Lifetime movie.

What’s it About? 

A First Love. A Second Chance. A young widow travels to New York on business a few days before Christmas. She has reluctantly made a date with a lover she hasn’t seen in 20 years, and she is nervous and apprehensive. Twenty years before, she made a difficult decision that has both troubled and haunted her ever since. She knows she’s about to come face-to-face with her past and she’s hoping for some redemption and resolution. She also wonders if she can somehow pick up where she left off 20 years ago and start again.

An exciting chance encounter changes everything. Now, not only will she face the past with hope to rekindle an old romance, but there is the possibility that this chance meeting will bring her love and happiness she never thought possible. Once again, she will have to choose. She will have to make the right decision. She will have to believe that Christmas miracles can still happen.

First Impressions

Yeah, I know, I judged the book by its cover! But can you really blame me? Just look at that thing! However, I couldn’t believe how heavy the eventual subject matter was for a novel set around Christmas time. The entire book focuses on the moment, or in this case moments, when you are presented with two different paths in life, and you can only choose one to travel down. Will you be making a huge mistake so that you live the rest of your life in regret, or will all of your dreams come true? It’s not the most awful or depressing book I’ve ever come across, but it just didn’t create that warm and fuzzy feeling I was expecting.

Decisions, Decisions

So back in the day Olivia had a whirlwind affair in New York with a man named Andrew, but she left him to marry someone else and start a family. Fast-forward 20 years, her husband is dead, and she’s now wondering about the one that got away. Did she make a mistake all those years ago leaving Andrew behind? Did she ever really love her husband Carl? Was her daughter conceived in guilt? Gah! Too many intense questions for the holidays.

Olivia decides to reach out to Andrew and see if she can finally find answers to all these questions. She travels to New York to meet him, and while waiting on her favorite Christmas bridge she meets another man named Brett who falls in love with and proposes to her in the span of 2 days. No exaggeration there. Literally 2 days! Now Olivia is faced with yet another life-altering decision. Should she rekindle her long-remembered romance with Andrew, or embark on something new with the free-spirited Brett? F*ck me, I can’t handle this much drama around Christmas!!

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Nope. I can’t even imagine how much more drama could be created for a sequel.

Should you read it? Believe it or not, this book actually ends on a high note! Still not exactly the kind of thing I want to cozy up with in front of a fireplace, but if you like a high amount of drama mixed in with your Christmas miracles, then by all means grab a cup of hot cocoa and have at it!

Smut Level: Olivia and one of the numerous men presented in this book manage to go at it like rabbits,  although it isn’t too descriptive.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. 183 Pages. Amazon Digial Services, Inc.