A review by nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading
All I Want from Santa by Lisa Jackson, Lisa Jackson

lighthearted medium-paced

3.25

 All I Want from Santa is my first read for the HoHoHo Readathon hosted by Kimberly over at Caffeinated Reviewer. Originally published in 1995, ︎All I Want From Santa delivered a heartwarming Christmas romance. 

All I Want From Santa introduced Veronica aka Ronnie and her four-year-old daughter Amy. Ronnie dreams of owning the lodge next door to operate as a bed-and-breakfast. If only she still believed in Christmas miracles. Amy, on the other hand, who firmly believes in Santa, wishes for a puppy and, most of all, a daddy. Getting the puppy for her daughter would be easier than getting the daddy. Ronnie is not looking to get involved with anyone, as she is still mourning the loss of her husband. While carrying out her duties as a Ski Patroller, she meets Travis Keegan.

Recently divorced Travis Keegan moved to Cascadia to escape the corporate world and keep his son, Bryan, away from bad company. However, Bryan’s dissatisfaction with the move manifested in his belligerent behaviour. The property Travis bought happened to the one Ronnie dreamed of one day owning. Travis’s focus was on building a relationship with his son and had no room for intimate relations. However, meeting Ronnie had him reconsidering his priorities.

The gorgeous cover influenced my decision to pick up ︎All I Want from Santa. The story between the pages of this heartwarming story elicited feelings of nostalgia. Of all the characters featured, Amy stole the show. Precocious, outspoken and just plain adorable. She will steal your heart. Brian’s behaviour was typical of what one would expect from a teenager who resented changes which came with divorce, relocation and loss of friends.

The romance proved to be a disappointment. The timeline between their initial meeting and the development of their relationship developed in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, marriage was being proposed. All of this took place with little time spent getting to know each other. Also, there were other sections of the story, which could have benefited from further development.

Narration
This is my second experience with Susan Bennett narration. She did a great job capturing the voices and the emotions of the characters. She brought life to the story and her pace and tone were spot on. 

Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, All I Want From Santa was a charming read, with wonderful characters and suitable for readers who enjoy Christmas themed romance.