Last Chance Christmas by Hope Ramsay

Dear Reader,

I've been wishing for a miracle for my oldest boy, Stone, and this Christmas my prayers might just be answered!

Her name is Lark, and she's here in Last Chance, looking into her father's past-and stirring up a whole mess of trouble without meaning to.  As the chief of police, Stone sure has his hands full trying to keep with her.  Ever since his wife died, Stone's put everything into raising his daughters and dodging the Christ Church Ladies' Auxiliary matchmakers.  And it's clear Lark has been through some trouble and could use a place to finally call home.  I only hope Stone can let go of the past soon enough to keep her. . .

Goodness, I need to stop talking and finish up Jane's highlights so we can make the town tree-lighting.  You come back by because the Cut 'n' Curl's got hot roller, free coffee, fresh-baked Christmas cookies-and the best gossip in town.

See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes


Read Your Writes Review

I must admit, I'm wasn't a huge fan of the Last Chance series.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with the series.  I just didn't really connect with the characters from reading the sample of the second book, Home at Last Chance, thus I didn't go back to reading the series until Last Chance Bride.  I did read the first book, Welcome to Last Chance and the anthology, I'll Be Home for Christmas, which I LOVED.

In my opinion, I think you do need to at least read Welcome to Last Chance in order to understand some of the things that are happening in this book.

Last Chance Christmas is FINALLY Stone's chance at love.  I wasn't much of a Stone fan after I read Welcome to Last Chance.  Reading Last Chance Bride had me liking Stone but Last Chance Christmas has me loving him.  I was finally able to understand Stone and see what makes him tick.

Last Chance Christmas is about more than just Stone.  The book deals with racial issues from forty years ago and today.

The object of Stone's attraction is New Yorker Lark Chaikin.  Lark is a world renowned photographer who specializes in wars and disasters.  She sees her friend get blown up, only to realize that she should have been standing next to him, instead she captured his death with her camera.

Lark Chaikin has arrived in Last Chance, South Carolina to bury her father Abe, who has a notorious reputation in the town, on the eighteenth hole of Golfing for God.  You see, Abe Chaikin use to always say that he "found himself on the eighteenth hole of Golfing for God".

Because of something that happened forty years ago, Lark isn't permitted to scatter her father's ashes as he requested.  Lark sets out to convince the powers that be to allow her to complete her father's last request and find out why everyone in town hates him.  Of course with this being Last Chance, things just aren't that simple at all.  Surprisingly there's murder and a cover-up.  Secrets which have been kept for more than forty years are revealed.

The Sorrowful Angel is one of my favorite characters in the series.  She makes a return appearance in Last Chance Christmas but this time she's speaking and not just to Haley.

Miriam Randall, Last Chance's renowned matchmaker, is around to offer her love advice to Lark and Stone.  Miriam tells Lark that her soulmate is a lost friend who understands her and her demons.  Stone just so happens to resemble Lark's childhood imaginary friend.  Stone's soulmate is a crusader and he is supposed to be her anchor.

Lizzy, Stone's fifteen-year-old daughter, also has a little love interest and the racial divide is tested.

I love reading stories where the characters are forced to face truths that they never acknowledged, where they're forced to look within themselves and discover things about themselves.  Stone has carried around guilt relating to Sharon and her death since he was eighteen years old.  No wonder he feels like he has to watch out and protect those around him and not let anyone get close to him.

I believe in soulmates.  Stone has spent almost his entire life believing that Sharon was his soulmate, to the point of allowing himself to not open up his heart and forgive.  One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "I happen not to believe that God is so mean-spirited that He would give you a soulmate, take her away, and then insist that you spend the rest of your life battling the empty place inside.  Love is God's greatest gift."

I love Christmas romances because you have the magic of the holiday season and Santa can make even the hollowest of hearts full again.  Hope Ramsay did a fantastic job with this book.

My review of this book was made possible by receiving it through NetGalley.

Rating:  4

Check out Hope Ramsay and the Last Chance series here.

You can purchase Last Chance Christmas by clicking one of these links:  Amazon