Over The Holidays
By: Sandra Harper
Published: October 6, 2009
Format: Trade Paperback, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1439158703
ISBN-13: 9781439158708
Publisher: Pocket Books
California resident Vanessa Clayton is having difficulty getting into the holiday spirit, and dreads having to prepare any seasonal meals and parties. Her sister in law, New England dwelling Patience Channing adores the holidays, and makes elaborate preparations for the season. When Vanessa and her family are unable to afford the trip East, Patience and her family arrive in Los Angeles for the holidays. Family difficulties, including Vanessa's lack of family support from her absent and ill husband, her artistic sister Thea, and her mother Carol, cause Vanessa to be under severe stress for the holiday season. How the family matters are resolved, and the holidays end, provide a humorous and sensitive slice of seasonal life in the delightful novel Over The Holidays by Sandra Harper.
The strain of preparing meals, taking care of the family, and helping a brooding playwright polish his play for the theater, cause Vanessa to temporarily lose her bearings. The arrival of Patience, who tends to take over the holiday preparations, adds to Vanessa's already rising level of stress. The change of scenery, and a bit of holiday magic, work wonders for Patience, and her daughter Liberty. The seasonal spirit has some intriguing effects on Vanessa, and on her sister Thea, as they examine their lives in new and different ways. The effect is handled by Sandra Harper with a light, breezy comedic touch, as the characters rediscover the meaning and importance of family, and of making decisions that can change a lifetime.
Sandra Harper (photo left) understands that much of what causes holiday stress is the expectation that the season can work magic. While the novel is about the magic of family, the characters often arrive at their conclusions only after learning some difficult lessons. The characters suffer, as many families do, from not communicating with one another. Instead of sharing their feelings and personal needs, they assume the other family members will understand. Instead, the lack of conversation between in laws and siblings creates chasms of misunderstanding that cause pain for all concerned. At the same time, the novel is about the importance of family, and of the power and strength of family bonds, that can withstand even the toughest of tests.
I highly recommend the wonderful seasonal read Over The Holidays by Sandra Harper, to anyone seeking a story about family and the expectations and challenges of the holiday season. Patience and Vanessa may have different ideas about what creates a perfect holiday event, but their hopes are tied to their personal ideals of what a family gathering should be, and not necessarily the reality of the desires of their relatives.
Read the engaging and life affirming novel Over The Holidays by Sandra Harper, and let the spirit of the holiday season flow through the pages. The joys and sorrows of the characters will ring true for many readers, as they see themselves and their families within the pages of the novel. In the end, the reader will rediscover the power and joy of sharing and communicating with others, and renew their love for their family members.
