Jane Green, Jennifer Coburn & Liz Ireland This Christmas

This Christmas

Jane Green, Jennifer Coburn & Liz Ireland

Zebra, Nov 2005, $6.99, 480 pp.

ISBN: 0821778064

"Vacation" by Jane Green. Manhattan Realtor Sarah feels her spouse Eddie is a stranger, even after eight years together and two children. She rarely remembers the happy moments that they shared, as she believes their two children, who she loves, have nuked their relationship. At the same time, Eddie finds his self-esteem on empty. Deciding to separate, this looks like the last Christmas that Sarah and Eddie will remain married, barring a Yuletide miracle.

"The Second Wife of Reilly" by Jennifer Coburn. When Prudence went to Ann Arbor for a reunion, she had a weekend fling with her college lover and ended her marriage to Reilly, but feeling guilty, as her husband did nothing wrong, she searches for a new spouse for him. Six months later, second wife Sarah decides to insure wacky Prudence stays out of their lives by turning the tables and searching for a husband for the first wife.

"Mistletoe and Holly" by Liz Ireland. Holly loves spending Christmas with her family, but afterward feels lonely, as her two sisters and brother always have someone with them before, during, and after. This year Holly takes Jason with her, but as the days go by she has doubts, as he fits in very nicely with her picture perfect family, while she does not, and even under the mistletoe her mind wanders back to work.

These are three well written comedic family dramas, that are fun frolics for sub-genre readers; however any vacation time could have been the setting, as the Christmas holiday gala is not essential to these three fine novellas.

Harriet Klausner