On the scale of romance novels from “slow burn” to “fast-moving forest fire,” K.L. Gilchrist’s A CHRISTMAS KISS: A Novel is on the speedier side (emotionally, at least). Physically—well, this is a Christian romance with a devout main couple and a strong religious thread running through it, so there’s no sex here before marriage (and none graphically described at all). Undoubtedly that will be a welcome relief to some and a disappointment to others, but that of course depends on the reader’s own inclinations. The romantic feelings, however, are immediate and the relationship swift, with only a few obstacles in the way—most of which are either resolved in a few pages or never felt all that severe to begin with.
The hero, Thomas Fields Barber, is a Navy SEAL whose “training had taught him to push past all boundaries to reach a definite goal.” His actions (while remaining gentlemanly and respectful at all times) reflect that; almost as soon as he and Natasha reconnect, he’s imagining her as his future wife and working towards that goal with all his energy. She’s a bit more hesitant, partly because of her romantic past and partly because of her desire to focus on establishing her new business, but her feelings are also quick to develop and it’s fairly obvious that any obstacles that persist between them will not last long. Some of them, in fact, feel a bit fake from the beginning. For instance, there’s no obvious reason why Natasha initially takes the mayor’s side over an anti-fracking ordinance rather than staying neutral until persuaded one way or another. Even the biggest obstacle, which actually breaks them up for a time, is quite obviously only a temporary setback.
Gilchrist’s writing style itself adds to the sense of haste and energy. The author has a tendency for short, choppy, incomplete sentences that create a sense of urgency and speed even at quieter moments: “Near the stairs she peered around. Fir trees. Snow-dusted bushes. Winding a brick walkway.” This at times makes the story feel a bit hasty and too quick to develop, but at the same time it adds to the feeling of inevitability about their romance—which some readers may find a comforting bit of wish-fulfillment. The secondary stories, woven through the main romance, add additional warmth and tenderness, especially Thomas’s relationship with his stepmother—as he goes from resentment of a woman he sees as stepping in too soon to take his mother’s place to acceptance of the love and affection she offers him and his father. If what you are looking for in a romance is “warm, cozy, and Christian,” this is a book that will satisfy.
A CHRISTMAS KISS: A Novel by K.L. Gilchrist is the literary equivalent of comfort food: cozy, relatively safe, homey, and more inclined to warmth and generosity of spirit than any deep complexity or emotionally intense drama.
~Catherine Birzer for IndieReader
