Novella Review:: Santa Maybe by Scarlet Bailey

Santa Maybe by Scarlet Bailey
Publisher: Ebury Digital
Pages: 104
Format: Kindle
Review by: Catriona

Amy Tucker is single. So single in fact she hasn’t had a man in her room for three years and her idea of a good time is buying new kitchenware at Ikea. So when she wakes up on Christmas Eve to find a strange man at the end of her bed, she is more than surprised.

Least of all, when the beautiful man claims to be Santa and has sexy stubble to rival George Clooney.

Santa whisks Amy on an exciting and unforgettable journey around the world through time and space. But can he really make Amy's Christmas dreams come true?

Review:
“I’ve never met a woman like you before…not one as funny, and clever, and silly and with such a ridiculous collection of shoes. I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you and I know now that I don’t want to go through the rest of time unless you are by my side. Amy tucker, will you marry me?” How could a story with such a fabulous marriage proposal be bad? Having just finished Scarlett Bailey’s ‘Married by Christmas’ I felt I needed another hit of this fabulously fun author and so I downloaded this novella, again Christmas-themed, and settled back for just a bit more of that magical, festive optimism which is seems is synonymous with this author.

Be warned, this novella is not for the cynical! It is full of fantasy and magic, and those readers with a less than active imagination might struggle to grasp the concept of a woman waking up to find Santa on the end of her bed and willingly going off into the night with him. I found what Scarlett did with the storyline refreshing. I think it is daring to write something so magical, and with such faith in a childhood fantasy for readers who would be more used to the usual romance and real-life formula normally offered by lovely authors like Bailey. I had to fully let my imagination and fantasy take over, something which can be a struggle, but I loved the idea of Santa taking Amy to see all of the places and people that she wanted to see, but also using the Dickensian trick of taking her back in time to revisit past situations and possibly mistakes.

There is humour in this mini-story as well, I absolutely loved the way Santa and Amy interacted, this line in particular, uttered by Santa, made me laugh out loud…“Blah, blah-PMT-chocaholic-biological-clock-make-mine-a-chardonay-blah.” Of course along with the humour and adventure, there is a touch of romance. Santa tells Amy right at the start of the story that she is going to find her one true love and receive the aforementioned marriage proposal, but it is not who Amy or the reader, might expect the proposal to be from. I think that this made for a really refreshing read. It was just a quick dip into the world of festive fun that Scarlett Bailey creates, and if anything, I would love to see what would have happened if this were to be expanded into a full blown novel in its own rights! It a perfect optimistic, whimsical tale to keep you occupied by the Christmas tree on a wintery afternoon…“This years Christmas wish project…I’m trying to teach her how to have a little fun, lighten up, let love in.”

(Look out for Amy and Santa making a cameo in Scarlett’s latest novel ‘Married by Christmas’)