Merry Ex-Mas Book Review

The second book in the Icicle Falls series was next in my pile.  I started Merry Ex-Mas (Life in Icicle Falls)
by Sheila Roberts when I was finished with the first book in the series.  I was excited to meet more of the town residents and get to find what was going on in their lives.  Can't wait to read this fun series start to finish!!

Christmas is the best time of year in Icicle Falls, Washington. But this year it's not so merry—for three of its residents, anyway…. Cass Wilkes has been looking forward to her daughter Danielle's Christmas wedding—until Dani announces that she wants her father, Cass's ex, to walk her down the aisle. Seriously? Even worse, it seems that he, his trophy wife and their yappy little dog will be staying with Cass….

Her friend Charlene Albach arrives at their weekly chick-flick night in shock. She's just seen the ghost of Christmas past: her ex-husband, Richard, who left a year ago when he ran off with the hostess from her restaurant. Now the hostess is history and he wants to kiss and make up. Hide the mistletoe!

And bring out the hot buttered rum, because the holidays aren't easy for Ella O'Brien either. Ella, newly divorced, is still sharing the house with her ex while they wait for the place to sell. The love is gone. Or is it? Watch as Christmas brings all kinds of surprises!

I enjoyed this holiday story with lots of families sharing their stories in this small town.  There was a little bit of confusion for me when I put the book down and picked it back up to see which of the three characters we were following. Cass and Charley both start with C so I was often confusing the two of them and having to wait to see which one it was when I started reading again.  Normally these shorter books cover only one person through the story or maybe two but I think switching back and forth between three was a little much to fit into one book for me because there were many overlapping relationship problems.  I understand that is why they were put in the same book but it made it a little harder to relate directly to one character.  That being said, I liked the book and enjoyed the holiday setting for selling a house, having a wedding, splitting up and getting together.  It was lots of stress and lots of family but the small town was a great back drop to learn all about these three characters.  I hope that you check out this book and the others in the series at your local library or bookstore soon.  Add them to your reading list and pick up the series the next time you are interested in learning about another small town.