I had a bit of a stretch on my bookshelf, meandering away from the chick lit genre and diving into some different categories. I wasn’t too excited to read Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber. The cover didn’t look too exciting, like the promises some chick lit covers hold, and I wasn’t sure about a lovey Christmas story. But I have to be proved wrong sometimes, don’t I? I loved this story! It was so cute and delightful, filled with inspirational characters, the most inspiring of all being (of course) Mrs. Miracle.
The story centers around Jake Finley, manger and boss’s son of the last family-owned toy story in New York City. While preparing for the Christmas rush and trying to prove to his father that he is capable of running the store on his own one day, Jake meets Emily Merkle, an employee who appears out of thin air to help customers. One customer in particular catches Jake’s eye- Holly Larson. Holly is struggling financially after taking on the duty of being guardian of her 8 year old nephew, Gabe, once his father gets deployed. She desperately wants to give Gabe a special Christmas, but isn’t sure she can pull it off. With the help of Mrs. Miracle, Jake and Holly both get the Christmas they deserve.
Even though I could guess how the story would end, I still loved the anticipation and build-up along the way. It was a light read, no major complications or mystery surrounding the characters, and the romance was pitch perfect. I think some inspirational lessons will be taken away from readers who enjoy this novel, but the writer doesn’t dump an overload of inspirational stories throughout the way. There is a subtle guidance woven with the plot and the character’s stories, and I would highly recommend Call Me Mrs. Miracle, even if this may not be your first genre choice.
Rating: 4/5
