Kat Martin

Vanguard Press, 2009

My Rating: B

Kat Martin has written over forty novels – historicals, contemporaries, and romantic suspense. I’ve read her romantic suspense and loved them. When I had the chance to preview her new Christmas novel I was happy to say yes.

Ms. Martin has put together a nice little community of individual adults in a small town in Michigan. They are all going their separate ways until they become aware of the needs of a small eight-year old boy named Teddy.

Teddy has only his grandmother, Lottie. He doesn’t quite know it yet, but he’s losing her to Alzheimer’s. At eight, Teddy is already a plucky little guy. He talks Joe Dixon into letting him do odd jobs at his car repair shop so he can save enough money to buy his grandmother an antique clock for Christmas.

For Teddy, working at the car repair shop is about more than the money. Teddy loves everything about engines and lives for the day when he can use the grease gun. He develops a very good friendship with his boss, Joe.

Others in Teddy’s world include his neighbors, Floyd and Doris Culver. Doris is the one (other than the doctor) who first notices Lottie’s problem. She worries about what will happen with Lottie and Teddy. Lottie shares her concerns with Syl, a nurse at the doctor’s office, who is also renting an apartment over her garage. It just so happens that Syl and Joe used to be in love. She broke his heart eight years earlier when she mysteriously left town.

I haven’t divulged any spoilers here that aren’t already on the book jacket or in the first chapter. I think you can see where this story is headed because that’s the kind of story it is. It’s meant to be a holiday, Hallmark-style story. During the holidays, I like this kind of light, feel good tale. It worked for me. I shed a few tears and even fell in love with little Teddy. I’ll bet you will too.

The Christmas Clock is available at Amazon.

I have two review copies of this book. One is slightly used. I’m happy to ship anywhere. For the GIVEAWAY sign-up, go HERE.