Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler (Review by Frieda Venechuk)

Rating: 4.5/5

I am not the world’s biggest fan of Christmas. In fact, I have not put up a tree for the last two years or decorated. However, Finding Christmas inspired me to dust out the Christmas decorations and head to my local garden center. Written by the same person as the movie A Christmas Prince (released on Netflix in 2017), Finding Christmas is an exceptional reminder of Christmas spirit and how holidays pack tradition, family, and love.

The story revolves around a young woman whose “one true love” is Christmas and struggles to understand how the holiday does not bring joy to everyone. Her boyfriend, Grant, is one of these people and does not share the same dedication to the holiday. When Emmie is out buying just one more Christmas wreath, she meets Sam Riley, an author who shares her same love. Unbeknownst to Emmie, Sam is suffering from writer’s block and deep sadness to celebrate the first holiday without his equally Christmas-adoring sister. In attempt to get Grant into the Christmas spirit, Emmie devises a Christmas scavenger hunt leading to a quaint town in the mountains. Leaving the clues with the doorman of Grant’s apartment, Emmie heads off to the vacation ahead of him. In a fortunate mix-up, Sam receives the scavenger hunt clues and, thinking they are from his agent, takes off on the Christmas adventure meant for Grant.

Finding Christmas has many more layers than your classic rom-com. Having both suffered losses, Sam and Emmie are on personal journeys to truly understand what Christmas means to them. The added personal journeys allow for substantial character development and a richer story. Emmie’s struggle between the vacation she planned and the vacation she got is relatable to anyone that has had something not go how they thought. Finally, there is raw honesty that some people are more compatible than others. Finding Christmas is a must-read this holiday season.