A Coventry Christmas

by Becky Cochrane

Escaping to Coventry, Texas, for the holidays, Keelie is in for a Christmas that's as unpredictable as it is merry. When the local vet starts making house calls to check on Keelie's under-the-weather hamster, Keelie wonders if this Christmas might bring what she's always wanted: true love. Original.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821780425
• ISBN13: 9780821780428
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Length: 380 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful read in any season!

This book is wonderful! I adored the characters, the plot line and the humor that is sprinkled throughout this book in such a joyful manner. Keelie (the main character in A COVENTRY CHRISTMAS) is a character that is so real, and so HUMAN in her attributes that you'll wish that Keelie existed - if only so that you could have her as a friend in your life. Ms. Cochrane has a writer's gift (and an artist's soul) which is impressively displayed in her weaving of a very enjoyable storyline, the names of her characters, their quirky personalities, the naming of pets found in the story (that Ms. Cochrane even INCLUDED pets in her storyline is unique and fun!) and her naming of towns (and the shops within those towns) make this such a marvelous reading experience that one just can't help smiling. In fact - several times within this book - I found myself laughing out loud... Oh, that Coventry - and the inhabitants of such a friendly place really existed! Anytime I find myself wishing for some lightness in life - I will happily return to Coventry. During any season of the year this is a fresh and well-written approach which makes the world seem just a bit brighter and certainly more carefree. Keelie's romance - as well as the friendships which lovingly surround her - make this book and the characters within it a believable and truly enjoyable read. This book has been added to my permanent collection. I plan on re-visiting Coventry, often. Purchase a copy of this book for yourself, one for a friend - You'll be glad that you did!

Warms you from head to toe!

Christmas is supposed to invoke feelings of goodwill to all men, and cause a person to break out into song and dance in the middle of store aisles as harried Christmas shoppers hustle and bustle around them. To make people carry a sprig of mistletoe in their pocket to use on unsuspecting victims. But for twenty-eight-year-old Keelie Cannon, the only thing Christmas brings her is a splitting headache. Originally a Georgia peach, Keelie fled to Texas with an old boyfriend and took up a position at Buy the Book, hoping to use it as a transition job before she could locate a more stable position where she could actually put her English degree to good use. Now, years later, the boyfriend is no longer in her life, but Buy the Book still is. Unfortunately, ever since an obnoxious manager named Rodney took over the store, Keelie finds that she doesn't enjoy the position nearly as much as she once did, and the holidays are only working to make her mood even worse. Keelie finds herself craving for a change, and when an unexpected accident, in which she breaks her foot gets her put on workers comp, she realizes that now is the time to seize the day, and make a change. Hobbling around on crutches, and popping Vicodin, Keelie decides to step out of her Texas misery, and head to a quaint little town called Coventry with her best friends Ivy and Evan. Accompanying the three friends is Ted, a bigwig from Buy the Book's corporate office who has slowly wiggled his way into Keelie's good graces. Coventry is everything that Keelie needed. The people all know her name, and couldn't be friendlier; and, thanks to Granny's blog, nothing about Keelie or her friends is a secret. But, somehow, that's okay with her. But when Keelie's hamster, Hamlet, starts behaving strangely, she knows that something is wrong and has to rush Hamlet to the local veterinarian, who happens to be the handsome Dr. Boone. Dr. Boone makes Keelie's teeth sweat, and his presence makes her believe that Christmas miracles do come true, and that she has finally met the man of her dreams. Until she learns something about Dr. Boone that would make any woman with a conscience run for the hills. While A COVENTRY CHRISTMAS is labeled a holiday story, only the first 150 pages are truly Christmas-related, leaving the rest of the book to take place during the rest of the year. Ordinarily, this would annoy me, and instantly make me put the book down; however, in this case, Becky Cochrane did such a wonderful job, that I couldn't help but stick around - even after the Christmas parts were over. Keelie is such a fun protagonist. She is bitter and negative, laced with a sweet heart, and a peculiar sense of humor. The interactions she engages in with her friends - Evan, Holly, and Ivy - are very SEX AND THE CITY-esque, and leave you laughing out loud; while Granny and her crazy "Sex" night, and blog, present a wacky addition to the tale that make her irresistible. Of course, I can't forget Hamlet, the feisty

The only thing better than the love in this book is the real thing

It isn't too often a book replicates to near-exact precision the feeling of being in love. Love can make you giddy. Love can make you feel safe. Love can make you relax. Love can drive you insane, but I'm talking about true love, and "A Coventry Christmas" provides an uncanny love-like sensation. Giddiness is supplied by the at times nearly hysterical humor. When I wasn't laughing, I was definitely smiling, reading this. As for safety, this book is cozy. It's cozier than wearing your boyfriend's hoodie at the big game. But the realistic presentation of the characters is what made it all work for me. They weren't stereotypes, but living breathing funny cozy characters. People with heart and mind, people I feared for and identified with and cheered for without hesitation. A great book.

Charming, Fun, Sweet

I loved A COVENTRY CHRISTMAS! I cared about each character, and while the ending wasn't a surprise, it was a wonderful journey getting there. Becky Cochrane writes a fun, fast read but the story has stayed with me. I hope there is a sequel and more books coming from this talented author. A COVENTRY CHRISTMAS is the perfect book to warm your heart as you prepare for this holiday season.

Great new friends

This book is wonderful. A story of friends and love. You know these people, the town and Houston because the writer draws you in and makes you a part of their world. A good book to give to friends and family.