Review: A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Lauren Richmond isn’t a fan of Christmas.

Which is why she rarely makes the trip home to the Midwest for the holidays. After all, she has plenty to keep her busy—namely, her duties as a set decorator on a TV sitcom.

But this December, Lauren‘s brother and his wife are expecting a baby, so her brother arranges a ride home for her with his good friend, Will.

Unfortunately for Lauren, she’s been trying to forget college baseball coach and childhood crush Will Sinclair for more than ten years.

Now, thanks to her fear of flying, she’s stuck in a car with him from California to Illinois.

She’s circumspect and organized. He’s flirty and spontaneous.

She’s convinced that people don’t change. He’s trying to prove to her (and himself) that he has.

On this cross-country road trip, they’ll both discover that history doesn’t exactly repeat itself. . . but like any good Christmas carol, it does have a second verse.

My Review

Boy, this story is packed full of character development! The author hit the perfect balance of humor, angst, and romance as the time Lauren and Will spend together forces them to face hard things from their pasts and see it from a more mature and informed perspective. I loved the theme of forgiveness and seeing Lauren progress from bitterness to grace. Will's redemption made him an admirable character, the way he changed and left behind destructive habits, and acts as a positive role model as he provides support to others caught in the same chains. As Lauren and Will begin to understand each other, the trust and rapport grows as well as undeniable chemistry. I love road trips, especially off the beaten path, so this story was just so fun to read! Courtney Walsh never fails to bring a tear to my eye with the compelling emotion in her stories. Highly recommend!!!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.