The Christmas Swap: A Christmas Novella

Melody Carlson

Sep 2020 · Revell

About this ebook

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year.

West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house's caretaker. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things
get . . . messy.

Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another delightful Christmas tale to warm your heart on those cold winter evenings.

Ratings and reviews

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson is a lighthearted Christmas romance novella. I look forward to reading Melody Carlson’s Christmas novella each year. There have been some that are just magical (The Christmas Bus, Christmas at Harrington’s, The Christmas Shoppe). The Christmas Swap is easy to read with steady pacing. I liked the premise of swapping houses for Christmas. Unfortunately, there are some terrible characters in the story. The griping, backbiting, and the manipulating did not make this an entertaining Christmas story. I liked Emma Daley and West Prescott. West’s mother was a sweet woman who loves her family and is supportive of West. Mr. Landers was a nice man who has a terrible family. Gillian is pushy, annoying, and scheming. Mrs. Landers was irritating with her constant litany of complaints. I wanted Emma to stand up for herself. I can understand being grateful for being included in the families Christmas plans and wanting to be helpful. However, there comes a time when you need to quit being a doormat. If I were Emma, I would need a vacation to unwind from the trip with the Landers family. I enjoyed the descriptions of Breckenridge, West’s home, the mountains, and the beauty of snow. I could imagine Emma staring in wonder when she sees the clean, fresh snow for the very first time. I missed the feeling of Christmas and humor that is normally present in Ms. Carlson’s Christmas novellas. The romance was minimal. Just when I was starting to smile and enjoy what was occurring, the story was over. The Christmas Swap needed an epilogue. I hope that Melody Carlson gets her mojo back in time for next years Christmas tale.

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over 200 books with sales of more than 7 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at www.melodycarlson.com.