The Perfect Love Song {A Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

Photo Credit: Amazon

Just in time for Christmas, escape with a perfect love song, a perfect love story, and a perfect dose of holiday magic. 

"Patti Callahan Henry is quickly becoming one of my favorites." —Debbie Macomber, New York Times bestselling author 

Can one song change the course of a life?

Brothers Jimmy and Jack Sullivan live a nomadic life doing what they love: touring with their band, The Unknown Souls. But Jack’s recent engagement to Kara has everyone looking forward to a Christmas destination wedding in Ireland.

Unlike his brother, Jimmy never expected to fall in love. But he feels a sense of peace and happiness whenever he’s around Kara’s best friend, Charlotte—which has him wondering what he’s missing. Over Thanksgiving, Jimmy and Charlotte write a song while sitting together on the back porch. When the band sings it at a Christmas concert the next night, Jimmy insists it’s the perfect love song—but a manager for another famous duo is adamant that it’s the perfect Christmas song. Before Jimmy knows what’s happening, he’s on tour with the hottest country band around and suddenly everyone knows his name.

But fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Jimmy finds himself far away from those he loves—especially Charlotte. Only a Christmas miracle—or two—will be able to lead Jimmy back to Ireland, to his brother, and to love.

Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times bestselling author. Patti was a finalist in the Townsend Prize for Fiction, has been an Indie Next Pick, twice an OKRA pick, and a multiple nominee for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Novel of the Year. Her work has also been included in short story collections, anthologies, magazines and blogs. Patti attended Auburn University for her undergraduate work, and Georgia State University for her graduate degree. Once a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she now writes full time. The mother of three children, she lives in both Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Bluffton, South Carolina, with her husband.

I love a good, sweet Christmas romance story so when I read this very Hallmark movie sounding book description and saw that it was not only a holiday story, but one with connections to Ireland, I was excited to check it out! Despite my initial enthusiasm, I must admit it took me a little bit to get into this story. First of all, the point of view was different than any I had read in the past--- it read much like a narrator telling the story whom already knew the outcome, especially very early on. This wasn't bad by any means, but did take me some getting used to. Aside from that, it also felt like I was picking up in the middle of the story. As it turns out, we are. While it certainly is fine as a stand alone, the initial romance between Kara and Jack begins in the novel When Light Breaks. This book did give a good amount of background to catch us up, but I certainly feel that I would have been more invested in the romance had I read that book first.

Like I said, it took me a bit to get there, but once I was caught up, I really enjoyed the story. Much as I had suspected upon reading the description, it did give off that Hallmark Christmas movie type of vibe. While that may not be for everyone, I enjoy these sweet holiday romances myself. I do wish that it perhaps went into a little more depth... as a novella it was rather short and I would have enjoyed longer to really explore the story more... Still, I enjoyed it as it was anyway.

The Perfect Love Song was actually first published back in 2010, but has be republished this year with added content. While I do not have the previous version to compare, I assume this may be the shortbread recipe and garland craft instructions we find at the end. I love books that include recipes featured within the story, and I actually had found myself thinking as they mentioned the shortbread within the stories that I wished I had the recipe, so that was a really nice touch. Especially being a holiday book, as baking is such a huge part of the holiday season for so many of us.

Overall, this was a quick holiday read that those who enjoy overly sweet Christmas romances will enjoy.