A King for Christmas (2020, 2022): My Review + a Giveaway

About the Book

Book: A King for Christmas

Series: Bank Street Stories #3.5

Author: Brooke St. James

Release Date: December 2020, September 2022 (reprint)

Genre: Historical Romance, Christmas Lit

Get cozy with the crew from Bank Street in this short and sweet Christmas romance!

Laney King had been in a relationship with Michael Elliot since they were in high school. Everyone in Galveston assumed they were destined to be together. Michael wasn’t true to her, but he never thought she’d find out he had been unfaithful while he was out of town.

Things didn’t turn out like Michael planned. Laney had an unexpected hero looking out for her. Though James barely knew her, he felt compelled to set things straight. He just couldn’t sit back and watch Michael mistreat her.

Laney knew she was thankful to him. She knew she owed him a debt of gratitude. But she had no idea that she was about to fall in love.

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My Thoughts

I am relatively new to Brooke St. James and her books. I’ve heard of her as an author, but I’ve not really read any of her stories, so I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I agreed to read and review this novella. A King for Christmas is a super short novella, coming in at under 90 pages, so it can easily be read in one sitting. The story itself takes place in the 1970s over the course of four years. I appreciate this timeframe because it gives legitimacy to the relationship that builds between Laney and James. There is nothing instant about their romance. Yes, there is immediate attraction when they see each other for the first time, but nothing romantic happens for over a year after meeting. Instead, Laney and James build a deep friendship through long-distant phone calls. I will admit that my nostalgia for long-night telephone calls with friends and crushes was stoked by this sweet little romance. What a fun time in my life! I really enjoyed this aspect to the story: watching Laney and James grow as a couple simply by talking, learning what makes each other tick. They would talk about serious things, non-serious things, life things, etc. This leads to a true, deep relationship. It’s pretty impressive that St. James accomplishes such a genuine relationship in less than 90 pages. Another aspect I loved in this story is James’s character. What a hero! I love that he immediately feels a need to protect Laney, and I really love his attention to detail. James is a watcher. And because he is a watcher, he sees things. He sees that Laney is being disrespected by her current boyfriend. He sees Michael’s true colors. And after he sees, James is then able to act. But he is also a respectful gentleman. He doesn’t take away Laney’s agency. In this, Laney has the power to make her own decisions when Michael’s bad actions come to light, and this opens up the possibility for a positive, good, healthy relationship with James.

Wow! For a novella, A King for Christmas really packs a punch. I admit that I struggled a little with St. James’s writing style, but I really LOVED the meat of her story. There is deep substance in this brief romance and I really liked it. If you are a fan of romances that have substance then A King for Christmas is a novella I highly recommend you read this Christmas season.

I received a review copy of this novel in PDF form from the publisher, Harper Collins Publishing, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the re-release of her novella, Brooke St. James is giving away to THREE (3) lucky winners an autographed paperback copy of her novella, A King for Christmas. The giveaway begins today, 10-8-2022 at 5:00 AM PST and ends on 10-14-2022 at 12:00 PM PST. Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway. Good luck!

Giveaway Winners are … Tina L., Sherri, and DS Owen!!!

Congratulations Tina, Sherri, and Darlene! I have submitted your email info to the publisher so that Brooke can send you an autographed copy of her novella! Thank you for participating in this giveaway.