Firstly I would just like to apologise that this blog post is so so late! I finished the book a week ago and the review was due for the weekend but I am only human and life happens but I am very sorry if you have been sat waiting to see my thoughts on The Christmas Party and patiently waiting to see which book is next.
If you are new, welcome! I will give you a little briefing on what is happening here at Essence of Anna. A week ago I decided to start up an online christmas book club which you can join in on social media using the hashtags #ChristmasBookClub and #EssenceofAnna - you can also tag me, my social media tags are at the bottom of the post. For further details (on all the books you'll need etc, just scroll to the post below the Pink Parcel one)
WARNING!!!!! There are spoilers ahead, so if you haven't read the book or finished it yet and don't want it spoiling think carefully about reading any further!
So what did I think about the Christmas Party..... I loved it.
Okay, so the story follows the events that unfold at the Fossil Oil Christmas party. There are four characters in particular that it follows, those characters are Louise, Tyler, Kirsten and Melissa.
There individual plots throughout the Christmas party alternate between small chapters, Louise's are written in first person, everybody else is in third. Now this was something that I didn't really understand but I liked. I liked that the chapters were small and that you never knew who you were going to get next. It all links though, which is great. Tyler is Louise's, hands on, in the literal sense, boss. Kirsten is Tyler's wife and Melissa is the wife of Tyler's boss Lance, but she has actually been having an afair with Tyler!!!!
Okay, so lets talk characters and in particular, the leading ladies.
I loved all three women, in very different ways. I think this was because I could relate/empathize with them all on different levels, mainly Louise though, so let's start with her.
Okay, Louise, I guess you could say, or it least in my opinion, is the focal point of the book.She's new to the company, it's her first Christmas party, she has a young daughter and lives at home with her parents after the father of her child left and also left her in massive debt. She speaks frequently about feeling like she is imposing on her parents and she feels bad that they have to look after her daughter so much but that they have been so great and supportive etc. She's very cautious about moving forward when it comes to love, who isn't? Of course though, there is a man, right there under her nose, Josh Wallace! He is literally perfect ladies, written up as the perfect gentleman, as a reader I instantly fell in love with him and was rooting for the pair --- so I was very happy with the Christmas day ending, them all together! (If only that happened in real life!)
Then, we have Kirsten, I have never felt more sorry for a fictional character in my life. The wife of Tyler (for 10 years it is I think) she has spent most of this marriage being on the sidelines, moving place to place, watching as Tyler climbs the corporate ladder. Due to moving around a lot the poor woman has no friends and she's spent the last year, maybe longer, knowing that Tyler cheats on her. She stayed with him because, as some of you may know, the opposite sex (this applies to ladies too) have a way with words, and diamonds in Tyler's case, when put under pressure. Her life was so sad, she'd given up everything that she wanted so that her husband could do what he wanted - been there done that got the t-shirt (not the husband) - so when she bumps in to her old flame Simon at the christmas party - he's going to be Tyler's new boss- life gets better. After thinking she's seen Tyler getting it on with Louise, she leaves with Simon. And after finding out that Simon never broke up with her, it was actually Tyler that sent those emails, she hops on a plane to enjoy a new life, with someone that dropped everything in the corporate circle to make her happy!
Finally there is Melissa, she's an odd one. In a way I do empathise with her, she has two sons all grown up who she's hardly seen or had time with because, like Kirsten she spent her life, moving place to place so her husband Lance, who is also a drunk, could climb the corporate ladder. She also has no friends and no real life of her own, Lance's little friend has been out of action for quite some time so she's been seeking love and comfort in other places, like Tyler Benson. It was supposed to be something casual but she ended up falling in love with him anyway unfortuneatley for her Tyler didn't feel the same. It was a night of revelations for her, and in the end she finds the courage to pack her bags, leave Lance (and Tyler behind) and move on with her life!!
And Tyler, well let's just say he got what was coming to him!! (I want to leave that bit secret for those that haven't read it yet)
I felt that the book dragged a bit in the Christmas Eve section, however, it was needed because the events from the Christmas party needed concluding and that was done, I felt it could have ended on Christmas Eve, I was more than happy with how all the characters were left, going in to Christmas day just wasn't needed!!!
I didn't find this overly festive if I'm honest.... The love tangles and drama made for a brilliant but on a scale of 1-10 it was a feeble festive five!!
Next stop is Giovanna Fletcher's Dream a Little Christmas Dream....
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