Review: Keeping a Christmas Promise

Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Three friends travel to Iceland at Christmas to fulfil their friend's bucket wish to see the Northern LIghts.

Freya is a London chef, working in a Michelin starred restaurant, only her love for their lost friend would have persuaded her to go on holiday just before their new restaurant opens in the run-up to Christmas (which honestly I can't believe would ever happen).

Meg is about to get married for the second time, if her friends and ex-in-laws don't driver her crazy first.

Joanna married well and her Christmas is delivered (like Margot Ledbetter in the Good Life). Fancy cars, houses, holidays, food and wine, she has it all.

But when a last minute attempt to see the Northern Lights leaves the trio stuck on the wrong side of an avalanche the women may need to celebrate a simpler Christmas with the Icelandic villagers of this remote village.

I enjoyed reading this but about two-thirds of the way through I found it hard going. The endings were signalled and it felt like we were limping towards the end. And of course the problem with a book dragging is that you start to see faults, like the Icelandic artist Pétur who seems happy to see his village atrophy rather than embrace change. Also the slow pace meant I felt I was being preached at about the villagers way of life.

I enjoy Jo Thomas books, but they seem to be very idealistic and a bit naive at times.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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