I never used to read on Saturdays. The kids had baseball games, ballet lessons, Girl Scout campouts. There were date nights and weeds in the garden. Who had time to read???

With the pandemic still keeping me in lockdown and children grown and tending their own gardens, I find Saturdays allow more reading time.

This little holiday gem, GLORIA by Jessica Lynch, came to me via romance writers’ fundraiser for the Georgia elections, Romancing the Runoff.

I’ll admit I chose the book for its cover. Pretty, isn’t it? Besides, it was just what I wanted for lazy winter reading, a sweet romance set at the holidays.

I got what I wanted. Gloria inherits a winter cabin in an out of the way place. But the will stipulates she has to live in the cabin for a year before it is hers. So she moves in, gets comfy in her new surroundings and begins work on her ultimate goal, to run her own ice cream shop. The only problem she sees is the grumpy next door neighbor. A man who doesn’t even like Christmas. Nice premise, huh?

It’s adorable, predictable and a sweet read. Jessica Lynch has an easy, casual style with smart dialogue and dreamy descriptions of men and mountains. And, guess what? There’s even a second book to the Holiday in Hamlet series, HOLLY. Something to look forward to.