Until Christmas, I will be reviewing the short stories from My True Love Gave To Me. There will be a review every other day. These will be shorter than the usual reviews and will always include the same criteria on which they will be graded.
Find it on bookdepository here.
CHRISTMAS FEELS: ★★★★/5
ROMANCE FEELS: ★★★★★
CHARACTERS: ★★★★★
HUMOUR: ★★★★★
ORIGINALITY: ★★★★★
Who writes a Christmas short story that is called Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus? Apparently Myra McEntire, who created my favourite story of My True Love Gave to Me so far. The characters are amazing, and totally unexpected, the plot is so original and there are plenty elements of Christmas in the story to make this story really perfect for this time a year (and I want to challenge you to read this story without at least cracking a smile).
Vaughn is the Fred/George from the world Myra McEntire created. He loves trouble and pulling pranks on people - pranks that sometimes go too far. For example, he accidentally put the barn next to the church on fire and now the church has nowhere to perform their Nativity play. The judge says that Vaughn can walk free - if he helps the local pastor with the Christmas play. Luckily for him, the pastor has a great looking daughter who is not like she seems at first sight...
So it's a little bit cliché : the bad boy turns out to be a good-ish boy, while the good girl has an edge to her. We've seen it before, but that's completely okay, because it is a cute premise. It just works, especially if you throw in the thought of Christmas. I've never seen a bad boy combined with the idea of Christmas, so I say this story is original. And wait until you read that plot twist at the end - it's really a good one.
Now excuse me, but I just have to go read this story again.....