| Title | : | Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0307458997 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780307458995 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 226 |
| Publication | : | First published September 29, 2010 |
In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.
Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they ve decided to bring together.
This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?"
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball Reviews
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I was expecting this to be a cute light read. I mean it has its cute moments, in the aww category. But there's moments where you're like, huh, didn't expect it to go in that direction but okay. Kind of surprised me a little bit so that was nice.
Anyway the book had me at booksellers matchmaking and masquerade ball. Oh and that cozy looking cover.
Yeah, reading this had me smiling. Cora and Simon are adorable and awkward together. And of course a mysterious bookstore, which I'm okay with thank you.
The characters you do like and or there's some have potential in a way, which made me want this to be a little longer and want of a sequel.
I mean a mysterious bookstore and its book sellers matchmaking unlikely couples or something like that. I would read a series like that.
Anyway, this was a cute light kind of read. -
A cute and charming Christmas romance! I loved reading about the mysterious and magical Sage Street, and there was such an enjoyable cast of characters. This was a perfect read for the holiday season.
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Probably my all-time favorite Christmas story, I've read this a dozen times or more. Donita K. Paul knocked it out of the park with this one. I really wish she'd tell more stories from Sage Street. I can imagine all kinds of delightful ones.
When visitors to a bookstore receive tickets to a Christmas Ball they can't find any information about, it throws them into each others' paths and intertwines two very different families.
With sweet lessons about the love of God and the good gifts He gives His children, a wonderful young lady with Down syndrome, and a not-so-wonderful sister who tries to wreck it all, this book is just infused with the fairy dust of Christmas.
Recommended for lovers of whimsy and a bit of magic. Not recommended for curmudgeons and Scrooges. -
Struck out again with a Christmas book ;(
What I didn't like about this book I am sure some others would love. This book was about magic,fantasy and mystical. I know these are hugely popular genres but just not what I like to read! One thing I really did like about this book is a young woman aged 25 who has downs syndrome. Her older brother treats her superbly well never making her feel less or small. This was a wonderful thing to see. In fact he may have indulged her too much. But really you can never show too much true kindness and compassion! -
It seems that from the very first page, this book has been slightly magical and delightful with the Christmas spirit. I know that publishers and marketing get the Christmas season started at the beginning of October and at first it was difficult for me, but now I’m starting to hear sleigh bells and smell the snow through the pages of the book.
I have fallen in love with the writing of Donita K. Paul through her DragonKeeper Chronicles and when I found that she was writing a Christmas contemporary romance novel, I was ecstatic to get my hands on this different genre from her. My goodness was I impressed and shocked to find that she has actually quite a few romances under her sleeves through the nom de plume Kathleen Paul! Now I have a whole host of other books to look into!
***Special thanks to Ashley Boyer and Staci Carmichael of Waterbrook Multnomah for sending me a review copy through FIRST Wild Card Tours.***
Originally reviewed with FIRST chapter posted:
http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2... -
Did you read the synopsis? Assuming that you did, let me give you fair warning that the "enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball" is actually termed a "Wizard's Christmas Ball" in the book. Which doesn't bother me a bit. In fact with all the fantasy I enjoy reading, some that involve wizards, I thought it was a fun bit of genius. But not every reader feels the same way about magic and wizards, so just be aware this book has some of both. As for me the addition of the magical street that's only there sometimes along with the the special Christmas Ball with only the vaguest information on how to attend or where to find it really made Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball shine.
It's funny how a decidedly magical book also has a decidedly Christian flavor. The magical elements were so much fun! I loved the old booksellers and the costume sellers who were working so hard at bringing Cora and Simon together. The mysterious element of Sage Street where sometimes it's there and other times, POOF, it's gone. The Wizard's Ball and all of the elements that come together to get Simon and Cora to attend. Even the dress Cora purchased to wear that literally disintegrated off someone else who was not intended to wear it. It was all so magical! Like reading a mellower version of Harry Potter.
And then you have Christian faith. Every character in this book except for Cora's family is a Christian. Cora's family ostracized her for getting uppity when she became a Christian so now she's trying to find her way, make her own traditions, celebrate Christmas the way Christ would have her celebrate it. That's all well and good, but I know many unsaved people who know how to love their families and celebrate Christmas. Being a Christian does not necessarily make one nice, just as not being a Christian doesn't make one underhanded and mean. The typecasting in Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball did bother me, as did the excessive amount of preaching. I don't like too much preaching in my Christian novels anymore because you're literally preaching to the choir, and so this was too much.
Overall, I'm combining my rating, which would be a 3, with my mother's rating, which would be a 5. Mom read this book and absolutely loved it. She'd never read anything like it before, found it unique and utterly enchanting, and I think wants to own it. Really, it comes down to a matter of taste. I think Ms. Paul could have done slightly more with the magical element of the story and less with the Christian preaching, and my mom thought it perfect the way it was written. Two different opinions, neither of them wrong. What I will say is that you won't find a more unique Christmas book out there. It is enthralling and engaging, and if you enjoy fantasy and magic and don't mind being overdosed on Christian preaching, then you're pretty much guaranteed to love it!
For other Christmas book reviews, go
HERE. -
Title: TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL
Author: Donita K. Paul
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
October 2010
ISBN: 978-0-307-45899-5
Genre: Inspirational/fantasy/romance/Christmas
Mischievous matchmakers,
Two special tickets,
One unlikely couple,
An evening for romance at the annual Christmas Ball
Cora Crowder is busy trying to prepare for a holiday season. She is sending gifts to her estranged family, but doesn’t want to be with them. As she searches for a gift for her uncle she visits Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s bookstore where she meets up with her boss’ boss, Simon Derrick. And both of them are given tickets to a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas ball.
Every year the matchmakers on Sage Street host an enchanting, old-fashioned ball for the romantic matches they decide to bring together.
This year, Simon and Cora are their targets. But will the matchmakers’ plans be ruined by a conniving woman this holiday?
TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL is a Christmas fantasy that I’ve wanted to read since I heard about it and it didn’t disappoint. Cora is a new Christian, struggling to let go of her family issues and move on, and Simon is truly an amazing hero, kind, considerate, and focused.
I totally loved TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL and it read it through in one sitting. If you are looking for a great Christmas read for the holiday season, then pick up your copy of TWO TICKETS TO THE CHRISTMAS BALL today. 230 pages. $14.99 hardcover. -
No matter how much I tried, I could not get into this story. I didn't see the chemistry between the two love interests and there was not enough background about the main character to make the reader care much about them.
The magical street concept was interesting but a little bit too much science fiction thrown into what should have been a Christmas romance. -
Sweet and charming Christmas romance with a touch of fantasy. Meant for Christians.
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I discovered this book through a Goodreads Deal email. The book cover is pretty and the blurb sounded interesting, so I thought, "Why not? It's December. Read a holiday romance." From the reviews, I knew it would include elements of faith, but I enjoy Janette Oke's novels, so I decided to give this book a read.
Saying this book is PREACHY would be an understatement. I've read many inspirational romance books with less proselytizing. Each chapter has paragraphs that read like a Sunday School lesson. There's a discussion of courting vs dating. Simon has a little sister who appears to chaperone Simon and Cora's dates. That was a little too Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar for me! Simon prays before they eat their pizza. There's quite a bit of Bible quoting too. The most ridiculous scene is the one during which Cora can't stop sobbing over her cat that just gave birth to a litter of kittens. She laments about not knowing how the cat could have possibly gotten pregnant. An adult woman is crying because her cat reminds her of her sister who became a teen mom. Girl, please! This too shall pass!
I'm a preacher's kid, so I grew up surrounded by people like this. They are great neighbors and perfectly lovely acquaintances, but they don't make the best main characters for a romance novel. They're a little too vanilla to draw an avid romance reader into the story, and they certainly failed to grab and hold my attention. With a little more character development and a few more obstacles to their HEA, Simon and Cora would have been rather interesting. I expected the Wizard's Christmas Ball to be the climatic event in the story, bringing these two lonely hearts to the realization of their true affection for one another. It wasn't. They began courting before the ball. In fact, they go dress shopping together for the ball- first for his little sister's gown and, later, for Cora's gown. The fact that Simon was her boss's boss would have certainly made Cora's coworkers suspect she'd gotten her temporary promotion as a favor from her beau.
Every great story needs conflict and a villain to help move the action along. I suppose Cora's sister was supposed to fill this role, but she needed more edginess to do this successfully.
What really threw me as I read this Christian novella was the presence of magic and wizardry. Yes, I'm going there! I've had conservative Christian doctrine shoved down my throat enough years to know magic and mysticism aren't part of the mix. Unexplainable miracles are permitted. The youth at my old church were discouraged from reading Harry Potter books because he's a wizard, and, according to the powers that be, wizardry is witchcraft and abominable. I cannot fathom why this Christian story includes stores that can only be seen my certain people, things that appear and disappear without warning, landline phones that work without being plugged into the wall, and shop owners who act like wizards and fairy godmothers . . . seems to be a contradiction in my opinion. -
What a disappointment. I though this book would be fun and magical (The ball had it's moments but it was not nearly long enough.). Instead it was hokey and preachy. Oh and let's not forget sexist. Apparently men have an innate ability to change tires, women have moments. Oh and we should definitely apologize for speaking harshly to one another but not for believing someone about an untrustworthy family member they tried to warn you about. Cora should have ran as fast and as far from Simon as she possibly could. What a creep and what a waste of paper this was.
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I'm so glad for the library. I didn't realize quite how much this book blurred the real world and magical stuff. It was just plain weird.
People seeing another person reflected in their computer screen? Ummm.. creepy.
A ticket that refuses to be lost? a little weird.
A street and shops that disappear?
Are we sure this is a Christmas story and not Halloween? -
I enjoyed this Christian fiction Christmas tale with a bit of magic thrown in for fun! It was a delightful read!
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Cute little story. Not the most well written. Basically, a Hallmark movie in book form.
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I was thrilled to receive a review copy of such a fun and enchanting book. The preparations and events leading up to the ball reminded me of the movie Ever After with Drew Barrymore. There was so much excitement, mystery and fun just thinking about the Christmas ball. I loved every minute of this book.
Cora Crowder is in search of just the right Christmas gifts this year. She thought it would help her get into the Christmas spirit. “Cora had been trying to catch the spirit for four years. Somewhere, sometime, she’d get a hold of how to celebrate Christmas.” And, catch Christmas spirit in her heart.
Cora has an unexpected encounter with a co-worker Simon Derrick. They both find themselves in the most unusual bookstore, trying to find just the perfect gift. Inside their bags they discover tickets to a one-of-a-kind Christmas ball. The tickets read, “Admit one to the Wizards’ Christmas ball, costumes required, dinner and dancing and your destiny.”
Cora and Simon are curious. They’d never heard of this before. Simon is thrilled to take his younger sister to the ball, she’d love it. Cora has second thoughts about going, “...smart girls trusted their instincts and didn’t hang around places that oozed mystery. She didn’t feel threatened, just intrigued…”. There was quite a mystery surrounding this book shop and she didn’t know if it was wise to entertain going to a ball that they sponsored.
Simon’s sister, Sandy, has Downs Syndrome. Sandy is elated at the fact that she gets to go pick out a gown for a ball. She loved dressing up like a princess. Sandy insists that Simon ask Cora to go to the ball with them. He hesitates. He doesn’t really know Cora. He finally gets up his courage to ask and Cora says she’ll pray about it. What’s there to pray about? Is God concerned with Christmas balls?
“What right did he have to mock Cora’s desire to ask God for direction? Praying was something he did, but he didn’t talk about it. And if he prayed about going to a dance, it would be one of these quick ‘this is what’s going on’ prayers!”
Donita K. Paul pens a fairy-tale that will get you in the Christmas spirit and then some. Donita masterfully weaves golden spiritual nuggets and other lessons through her fun, mysterious and intriguing novella. I enjoyed all of her characters, especially Sandy. She had such child-like faith and spoke about the deeper matters of the heart with the confidence of youth. There were ‘aha’ moments in this journey too. This encouraged me and made me laugh and smile. This author had surprises along the way also. The story didn’t turn out the way I had suspected - I liked that. I adored this novel and its message. It defiantly warmed my heart and brought a big grin to my face. I like when a story stays with you long after you read the last page!
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog
www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine
www.bookfunmagazine.com -
If you’re looking for a charming, whimsical holiday read to get you in the Christmas spirit, look no further than Donita K. Paul’s delightful contemporary novella, Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball. When long-time co-workers Cora and Simon meet unexpectedly at the delightfully named Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s bookshop, they never expected to receive invitations to a ball that could change the course of their lives forever. But in order for the master matchmaking plan of the Wizards of Sage Street to work, Cora and Simon must each lay aside their preconceived ideas about faith, family, and each other, and risk everything on the possibility of love found in a most unconventional way.
Though Two Tickets is set in the present day, the charm and almost courtly appeal of the Christmas Ball made me feel like I was reading a story set at the turn of the 20th century. And with the rather reserved manner of the main characters and the magical aspect of the storyline this tale would fit comfortably in that time period. Since Paul is primarily known for her fantasy novels, she brings a unique and refreshing spin to this modern-day story of love and new beginnings to be found at Christmas, the most magical time of year in my opinion. The faith element may feel rather overt to some readers, but I found it flowed well within the context of the story and the characters’ personalities. And though brief, Paul’s treatment of Cora’s family troubles really shines in this novel – her struggle to reconcile her faith and her difficult, often outright hostile family felt absolutely genuine and authentic.
This little book begs to be made into a Christmas movie (Hallmark Channel please take note!). Its blend of faith, charm, and a dash of holiday magic would be the perfect addition to my Christmas movie collection. My only qualm with Two Tickets is that given the novella format, readers aren’t given enough time to see Simon and Cora’s relationship develop, and to further explore the delightful, magical Sage Street shopping district Paul has created. While I do feel that overall the faith and magical elements of the novella were integrated well within the confines of Paul’s contemporary setting, the manners and quirks of the setting and characters make me wish just a bit that this Christmas Ball was set in the early 1900’s. That setting would ideally fit the mood of this story. That qualm aside, Two Tickets is a fun diversion for fantasy and romance lovers looking to add a dash of whimsy to their Christmas reading. -
Cora and Simon had worked together for five years, yet it takes a bit of magic to bring them together. They both have tickets to attend the Christmas Ball, but families and trust always seem to stand in the way. Can Christmas be saved for both of them and their families?
This author usually writes in the Christian Fantasy genre but had previously written romance novels until she learned the dark side had cookies. This book is a combination of romance and a bit of fantasy, but loaded with a whole lot of Christian value. A very quick read, it's is marketed as a novella, but packs a big punch. I really enjoyed this quirky little book. It made me smile and laugh out loud in places. While not believable in all spots, I was okay with that because it made for a very quaint story. Being a shorter novel, it didn't have great character buildup but enough to see the growth in certain characters. The ending was not so neatly wrapped up....left me with a few cliffhangers that I really would have liked to see answered. I know...use my imagination or hope for a sequel next year?
An adult book but a teen would probably like it. I wouldn't recommend as a family Christmas read unless your children can determine the difference between fantasy, fiction and real life.
Ms. Paul is more well known for her Dragon Keeper Chronicles series. She likes to fellowship with fellow writers and has won numerous awards. You can find her at her website.
I give it a 5 out of 7 thumbs up....maybe not rush out and buy it right now, but if you are looking for something a little out of the normal CF genre....pick it up from the library for a nice holiday smile!
I was given a copy of this book from Blogging for Books program. All thoughts contained here are mine and I was in no other way compensated for a positive review! -
Well, this story was strange, but what else would I expect from an author who writes fantasy, right? The way the story was written made me think of the movie Ella Enchanted, and I could almost see a comedy of errors running through my head as I read the story. I didn't really get the extreme emotion of the characters (like Cora crying because her cat got pregnant) unless that was supposed to be part of the charm of the novel. I didn't sense any sparks flying between Cora and Simon...ever. I felt like I never really got to know the characters that well, and the sister Zee seemed very one dimensional, though ironically I had written a similar character into one of my early stories, LOL! There was some good stuff in the book (spiritually speaking,) but it came off sounding a bit stilted at times.
I have a bit of a pet peeve about people with disabilities being portrayed as children even though are are adults (Sandy was 24 in this story) but that wasn't so bad, it's just a peeve of mine. I work with people who have disabilities and everyone with Down Syndrome doesn't act the way Sandy was portrayed, but every book I've read this year has the same stereotype in it. Now it sounds like I am dissing the author, but I don't mean to. I know there are people who act the way Sandy does in this book. I guess I just didn't get the point of the story, but maybe that is part of the charm for fantasy lovers. Figuring out stuff that doesn't otherwise make sense. I must have missed the point somewhere. But the book cover is stunningly beautiful and the idea is very charming. Plus, it didn't help that I was sick in bed as I read this novella. Maybe it was just me, but I did finish the story, so I'm giving it three stars for the kudos I'm sure I missed. -
Basic plot summery:
This book tells the story of two lonely-ish people. Cora Crowden comes from a horrible dysfunctional family, and found God and religion when she escaped and went to college. Christmas is difficult for her - more of a chore she feels she should do because she is a Christian. Simon Derrick comes from a strong Christian background, with a true love of family. He's been searching for years for someone who believes in the same core values he was raised with.
They get thrown together down a mysterious side street when they meet at a bookshop that may or may not exist. Of course they end up being thrown together again and again, begin to fall in love, end up with a snafu that throws the relationship into jeopardy, just to have it all work out beautifully in the end.
My thoughts:
Like pretty much every Christian novel I've read, this one was slightly cheesy. A touch preachy at times, it maintained a good message, was a quick fun clean read, and all in all a decent book. I appreciated how refreshingly light hearted the overall scope was. Combined with the uplifting feel, I'm not disappointed to add this one to my library.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the entrance of real magic. The street the characters meet on was in fact closed years ago. Only some people can see the street at all. The helpers in the shops know everything, and can make anything happen. The magic and allure, which is only fully appreciated by Simon's downs syndrome sister, was a definite entertaining twist.
I would not mind reading more from this author - especially if she comes up with a follow up story about Zee. I'd love to see if the Booterbaw sisters can actually work their magic on her. -
I found this to be a delightful little story. It was sweet: a sweet premise, a sweet shop, sweet characters and a sweet, charming bookstore. Love it! I will admit to not loving the sentence fragment style of writing, but the story itself was a bit enchanting. I liked Cora and Simon and I loved Sandy. What a sweetheart. Cora grew up in a very dysfunctional, non-Christian home and she struggles with integrating the worldly Christmas traditions with her Christian beliefs. I think this is something that many people struggle with: how to blend the materialistic Christmas trappings with the celebration of Christ's birth.
I've seen reviews where people thought the magical and Christian elements didn't mix. I had no problems with it. Christmas itself is a magical time for me. It's a time of miracles, and celebrating our Savior's miraculous birth is the reason for the holiday itself. The Christmas season is a time when many people are focused on others and give of themselves and their time, talents, energy and money. You don't get much more Christian than that. Christmas is a time when children's eyes sparkle, people are a bit kinder, and yes, everything is magical.
I loved the magical, wizard characters. Nothing about them took away the spirit of Christmas, or the Spirit of God itself from the story or the characters. They were funny and everything they did was to help other people find each other.
I have other, more favorite Christmas stories. But, this is a sweet story, just like Christmas stories should be. It's a short, easy read and perfect for a cozy afternoon by the fire. -
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul is a beautiful, romantic Christmas story. Cora Crowder, “trying to catch Christmas” enters the bookshop of Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a rather unusual bookshop on an rather unusual street) searching for a gift for a relative. While there she runs into her boss’s boss, Simon Derrick. Later after leaving the store, both Cora and Simon are surprised to discover they have been given a ticket The Wizard’s Christmas Ball. The shop owners on Sage Street lea by the bookshop proprietors, host an annual Christmas ball for special couples they have decided to bring together.
Cora is a Christian struggling to do the right thing and have the right attitude. Simon is a Christian concerned with taking care of his widowed mother, younger special needs sister, great aunt and grandfather. Though they have worked in the same office for the last five years, before their trip to the bookstore, they barely noticed each other. But after their visit to the bookstore, the magic begins.
I loved this book. Perhaps it is easy to foretell the ending, but it’s a happy ending, one very appropriate for the Christmas season. I loved the sweet, romantic, spiritual nature of this book. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. Paul has created loveable, delightful characters with great depth. It’s easy to like Cora, Simon and Simons’ sister Sandy. I love the way she has woven magic into a truly spiritual story. After all, wizards are not like witches. In this beautiful book, the definition of wizard follows the original origin – wise one.
If you need a feel good read, this is the book for you. -
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It wasn't very long, only 226 pages with relatively large print. The main plot was your basic love story. Cora and Simon had worked together in the same office for several years but had never really noticed each other. Then, they unexpectedly run into each other at an out of the way bookstore and circumstances seem to keep throwing them together.
I found the little magical touches that the author added really made the story more enjoyable. She doesn't create a whole new fanciful world for her characters, but she does toss in just enough magic to help combat the predictability of her plot.
The characters of Cora and Simon were very well constructed. They were written to be characters that you know from work or from church or the community. Cora is that woman who is always struggling to find true happiness and overcome a tough past. Simon is that guy who is so focused on his work that he forgets about the people that come in and out of his life. I think that everyone can relate to these characters, whether they are like Simon and Cora or just know someone like the characters. This aspect of the book was really what kept me interested. Since it was so easy to get invested in the characters, I was eager to see how their story would unfold.
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball is a quick read. Its light, feel-good message is one that everyone should hear, especially during the stressful time of Christmas. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys whimsical fairy tale-type stories.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. -
Cora Crowder is a hard working young woman who needs order in her life. She grew up in an abusive family. While she was at college she became a Christian and got a job far away from her family. She tries to like Christmas but seems to miss its true meaning.
Simon Derrick is Cora’s bosses boss. He is a hard worker and love his family. He is the bread winner and lives with his Granddad, Grandma, Mom and younger sister. He has always felt like a loser when it came to dating and also worried someone he dated would not love and except his family. One snowy night both Cora and Simon end up at this used bookstore that has a interesting feel to it. Both receive a ticket to a Christmas ball but very few people have ever heard of it! Some magical things begin to happen(the virgin cat anyone?) that work to bring these two people together. Can Cora over come her past to move forward with her future?
This book was okay. The magical quality of the book was fun but I felt there where so many questions about how this was happening that I had trouble focusing on the story. I enjoyed the story though. I thought Simon’s sister Sandy was a great character and she made me smile many times. I loved how Simon loved his family. I will say the ending was a little of a let down for me. It again left me with more questions than answers. Over all it was a fun read.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers, to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. -
An absolutely adorable story, Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball is perfect Christmastime reading. While some of the plot points toward the end of the tale are somewhat predictable (for example, Zee's antics), it doesn't take away from the magic of the story. Is Sage Street real? Is there magic in this bookstore, costume shop, and quaint section of the city? Is there magic weaving the lives of these two characters together? I don't know, but it's clear that whatever it is has God's blessing. Cora and Simon are seeking God's will in their lives, and it's fun to see His hand in bringing two people together.
I love what is said about the real Christmas spirit, and what Cora comes to see about the whole gift-giving thing. It's not about buying something, it's about giving what you have. Yes, we buy gifts, but we do that to give our love to our friends and family. This is done in the same way that God gave His Son to us out of love for us. To me, this was a fresh, wonderful way to view Christmas and the gift-giving tradition that surrounds it.
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball is a fun, magical, sweet Christmas story. (And I just LOVE that this is a CHRISTMAS story, rather than a HOLIDAY story!) It also is quite the quick read, which is perfect for the busy days leading up to Christmas. I can see myself making time to read this every year to help usher in the Christmas spirit as the holiday approaches. -
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball was a sweet romantic story that I enjoyed very much. Donita K. Paul combines romance, magic, Christmas, family and Christianity into a quick read that is perfect for the holidays.
Cora is a young Christian woman who is estranged from her family and lives alone with her cat. She works at the same company as Simon who is a single Christian man who lives with his family and is very committed to them. They meet unexpectedly while looking for Christmas presents at the Warner, Werner and Wizbotterdad's bookshop on mysterious Sage Street. They both end up buying the same book, each with a ticket to the Wizard's Christmas Ball tucked inside.
Cora and Simon find themselves spending more and more time together. Will they be able to become friends despite their different personalities and the fact that they are manager and subordinate at work? Will they find romance even though they are not looking for it? I generally don't read many romances because I find them predictable. This one was lighthearted and the magical element kept it from being so predictable. The characters were real and likable. I would love to read a sequel that continues Simon and Cora's story.
To comply with regulations by the Federal Trade Commission, please note that Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. -
One of the things I have enjoyed about Donita Paul's dragon novels is her ability to create beautifully, colorful fantasy worlds. I didn't think it was possible to create such a world in a story that takes place in an average city in an average time. But, she did. Now, there were no dragons in this story, but there was plenty of magic and plenty of the fun and imagination that I really enjoy in Donita's stories.
I was pulled into this story very quickly because I liked Cora right from the start. She is a very nice and likable character. She is a character that I felt an instant connection with and one that I felt deserved happiness - and deserved to go to a magical ball. It also didn't take long for me to like Simon, and of course, his sister Sandy stole the show many times.
I would say the only part of the book that I didn't love was the end. It was the happy ending I was hoping for, but the book just sort of ended and it felt a little flat. After finishing the book though, I did not find that the ending took away from my overall enjoyment of the story. This book is full of the Christmas spirit, romance and magic. I highly recommend adding it to your Christmas reading list.
