Book Review: Christmas On Mimosa Lane

Author: Anna DeStefano
Publication Date: October 2012
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Anna DeStefano presents a touching Christmas story about love, loss, and healing—and the joys of coming home.

A childhood spent on the streets leaves Mallory Phillips longing for a normal life and a perfect Christmas. Now an elementary school nurse in Chandlerville, Georgia, Mallory’s dream to blend into the picturesque community isn’t working out. She’s once more living a loner’s existence. Then an emotionally fragile seven-year-old appears in her living room in the middle of the night, and Mallory’s isolated world is turned upside down.

This is Polly Lombard’s first Christmas without her mother, and she won’t utter a word to anyone—except Mallory. She believes Mallory holds the key to helping her father overcome his sadness. Despite Pete Lombard’s lingering grief over his wife’s death and concern for his daughter, his resistance to their mysterious neighbor crumbles as he spends more time with Mallory and falls for her amazing heart. But when her past returns haunt her, is Mallory strong enough to keep the Lombard family in her life? And can the spirit of Christmas heal these broken souls and bring them all the joyous, loving holiday they deserve?

“But I do know a lost soul when I find one standing beneath my Christmas tree.”

 

“You can’t fix everyone, her supervisor had said at her last appointment as a social worker. And if you don’t stop over identifying with your cases, you’re going to eventually wreck more than your career.”

 

What I would like to share next is not really a quote, but is in fact a note in the beginning of the book from our author:

 

“The opening poem in Christmas on Mimosa Lane and the snippets at the beginning of each of its chapters come from the collective works of Emily Dickinson.

 

Her poems enchanted me as a little girl. The feelings, the honest emotion, and the internal journeys you take as you explore her world continue to change me as an adult. The richness of her language and philosophy speaks to healing and hope through event the toughest journey-an endearing message from the past to guide us through our now.

 

I’ve left mere glimpses of Emily Dickinson’s imagination and the beauty that explodes from her words. If you enjoy these quotes, I encourage you to dive into the rest. Simple, challenging, surprising, may her poems inspire you to dream, as they always have me.”

 

I am a huge fan of Emily Dickinson; hence the title of my URL, Dwell In Possibility!

 

This is the third or maybe fourth book I have read this holiday season that surrounds Christmas and I am certainly not complaining. I am sure that I will be reading many more! I was very drawn in by the cover of this book simply because who wouldn’t want to wake up to this on Christmas morning? It looks almost like the sun is breaking through the clouds on the cover as well. This book also surrounds the feeling of Christmas and truly captures that loving and giving spirit that most people experience throughout the holiday season.

 

This story follows a few different families that are living on Mimosa Lane, what a quaint street name! Each of them is feeling lonely or missing someone or some feeling this Christmas season. They are all trying to enjoy a Merry Christmas, but certain circumstances in their lives have left them empty in some way, shape, or form. I loved the way that Anna DeStefano connects each of the families on the lane and allows their stories to intertwine as well. I felt like I had moved onto Mimosa Lane myself and was part of this tight knit neighborhood.

 

My favorite story on the lane was the story of Pete, Mallory, and Polly. Pete and Polly have just lost their wife and mother recently and Polly, still in Elementary School, is having an extremely hard time coping. Just the thought of a small girl without her mother made me tear up while reading because I could never imagine life without my own mother, and I am a grown woman. Polly was such a loving and sweet little girl who was drawn to Mallory, their new next door neighbor, and her beautifully lit Christmas tree. Polly would often sneak out of their house and Mallory would find her lurking around her backyard or right in her living room! I thought it was the sweetest relationship and story that was developed between Polly and Mallory and it really put me in the mood to do something nice for someone in need.

 

All of the mini stories that make up life on Mimosa Lane are equally heart wrenching and a beautiful Christmas light shines through them all. Anyone who could use a touching pick me up should pick up this book! Sometimes we all need to have a good cry, especially when it is a fabulous book!

 

***Thank you to Anna DeStefano and her publicist, Susan, at Montlake Romance for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***