Really more of a 2.5

Carole Mortimer, much like [a:Carol Grace|191815|Carol Grace|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1340296016p2/191815.jpg] or [a:Liz Fielding|117065|Liz Fielding|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1315588961p2/117065.jpg], is one of the few Harlequin contemporary authors I will give a shot to with virtually no research into the book/story. Past experience has proven I will enjoy, if not love, a book by one of those three ladies with an almost 100% certainty.

I picked this up at a book sale, at some point or other, because it had "twins", "secrets" and "Christmas" involved in it. For the most part it didn't let me down. At under 200pgs, and obviously following at least one of the Harlequin Romance Book Formula Outlines, much of what I wanted from it wasn't feasible.

For instance while we know that Meg is at odds with her family, its not til the last third (when she actually ARRIVES at her family's home) that we get a real feel for that tension. For the other two thirds the book was centered squarely around Meg & Jed's mutual (though reluctant) attraction, Jed's reluctance to involve himself (and failing horribly at that) and Jed's own secret. I felt that didn't give us enough time to really build steam with the secrets of Meg's family. This book is MAYBE a week long time wise, but even that's doubtful (I think its more like four days). Not only does Meg & Jed fall into (reluctant) love, but also all the problems of Meg's family are just..laid out in the open and more or less mended.

Reasons for her mother Lydia's aloofness towards Meg & Sonia? Resolved.
Reasons for the estrangement between Meg & Sonia (her twin)? Resolved.
Reasons for Meg's fear about seeing Sonia again? Resolved.
Reasons Jed and Meg shouldn't be together? Resolved.

The last ten pages was literally like a checklist that Mortimer went through--it felt like she suddenly realized she needed to fit in Jed's epiphany for his feelings, Meg's epiphany AND resignation to Jed's leaving forever, Meg & Sonia making up, Meg's real fear coming, Lydia's problems coming out...so as a result who those people were (David, Sonia, Sonia's husband Jeremy, Lydia) got shafted and info-dumps occurred. If it wasn't for the fact Sonia told us that her and her husband were terrifically happy together I would have never know it (she kept flirting with Jed). Meg briefly talks about her father "being different somehow", but doesn't elaborate. Sonia claims she wants Meg to be happy but at least twice mentions she doesn't want her telling Jed the "truth" and is frustrated by how much Meg could have told him (she essentially wants Meg to be happy, but wants her to continue to lie to any future significant other. A secret Sonia is terrified of Jeremy finding out about and leaving her over).

Also the fact that Jed was an author with writer's block felt so...contrived. Or rather his being a best selling author felt contrived and barely necessary to the plot except as a "aha! moment" later on when they meet Meg's family. He could have literally been any other kind of millionaire with pretty much the same effect (was it plot necessary to have him be a best selling household name? Yeah it made for some diverting moments when this or that person asked him about his next book he was having trouble writing, but it meant little in the long run).

So in the end while I was entertained reading this book it didn't necessarily rock my socks off. ( )

It would have gotten 4 stars a Romance instead of a modern romance novel

This book read more like a Romance and less like a presents, but that didn't bother me greatly... and tbh the twins secret that came out was not a surprise the hints were there.. the mother's revelation was, albeit a bit rushed ( )

It would have gotten 4 stars a Romance instead of a modern romance novel

This book read more like a Romance and less like a presents, but that didn't bother me greatly... and tbh the twins secret that came out was not a surprise the hints were there.. the mother's revelation was, albeit a bit rushed ( )