Title: How to Bake a Perfect Christmas Cake, Home for the Holidays series
Author: Gina Henning
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
Story Setting: Maryland, Texas, Christmas Season
Pages: 304
Publisher: Carina
Published Date: December 3, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
ASIN: B00P1G6JTO

Listening Length: 7 hours, 3 minutes
Narrator: Hollie Jackson
Published By: Gina Henning
Release Date: December 30, 2014
ASIN: B00S5ASCFW

Home for the Holidays Series:

Book 1 – How to Bake the Perfect Pecan Pie
Book 2 – How to Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake
Book 3 – Coming just in time for the 4th of July!

About the Story: A delicious cake. A guy who is late. Merry Christmas to all.

After the best Thanksgiving of her life, Lauren Hauser can’t wait to see Jack-the-pecan-hoarder so they can finally be in the same place at the same time. Long distance really doesn’t work when you’re head over heels!

But when Jack doesn’t turn up at the airport Lauren is left wondering if their relationship is really as great as she thought? Sure Jack’s kisses were delicious and when he looked at her, her knees felt weak, but what did they really know about each other?

A big Hauser family Christmas is just what is needed for this situation. Not only will her mom be decking the halls with boughs of monstrous-Christmas-decorations, but Lauren is baking a Christmas cake to once again claim dessert queen of the family! Will Jack fit in with the Hauser clan? Or will Lauren have to face the music…and accept that not every holiday romance was made for a happily ever after…

My Thoughts: This is a light Christmas listen. No angst, very little conflict, just full of Christmas trauma when families get together for the holiday with scenes often evoking a chuckle. I believe you’ll enjoy your own family after you hear the antics of the Hauser’s. Jack’s aunt, Aunt Minnie is a piece of cake. Ha! How appropriately said… She turned out to be a charmer, although George, her cat, could take some pointers on how to be charming!

I’m so used to reading something where disaster strikes so I waited for the other shoe to drop on this story. It didn’t come. There wasn’t any real angst to experience, only fun, poking-fun at family and their antics – a perfect Christmas read laced with falling in love. Jack seems to have it all together, however, my suspicious nature felt he was hiding something. He seemed way too smooth to me. Are guys this perfect? I’m a bit like Morgan, Lauren’s sister on this one.

Narrator Hollie Jackson does a great job telling the story. I’ve listened to other of her narrations and she’s very talented. One comment here, small as it was, I noticed. In several places in the telling the editing was not flawless. However, that being said, she does her magic when telling a story. She captures Lauren’s inner sarcastic dialog and uneasiness making some big decisions in her life, not knowing where these decision will take her. She also sparkles sharing Gina Henning’s version of Christmas with grown up siblings and their offspring. It had me stepping back looking at my own family, more fondly then I used to.

Young people have a difficult time of it when both partners of a relationship have budding careers. Who has to give up their dreams and their work career? Does anyone? Can a win-win situation happen? Love and marriage are very much emotional decisions. Lauren is swept off her feet by Jack, but can all the details be worked out? The answer lies in book 3 soon-to-be released in July.

A most enjoyable listen or read. Take on book 1 closer to Thanksgiving, getting into the swing of the holidays and then this one following, although both are stand-alone reads. You’ll be amused AND have a peek into the world where professional career-minded people think on love.

About the Author: Gina Henning currently resides where bluebonnets line the highways in the spring, but she prefers the rock flower anemone from under the sea. Above the ocean’s surface Gina likes to dance with her three boys and travel to exotic places like the grocery store with her husband. Her pooch Schatzi is a mix between German Shepherd and possibly pig. One of Gina’s favorite pastimes is running. She recently completed her one-and-done marathon. At the end of the day her glass of wine is always half-full.

Website: http://www.ginahenning.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ginahenningauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/henningland

About the Narrator:  Hollie Jackson, H. R. Jackson Taking her own love of storytelling, not just for her own work, but that of others, Hollie (aka Narratrix) found her true calling in the vocal booth. With a range that goes from the innocent to the risqué, across all genres, Hollie’s voice brings characters of all types to vibrant, compelling life, letting you sit back and allow the words to wrap around you.

She grew up getting lost in the world of poetry and prose, and truly enjoys sharing that with others through spoken word. Stories are, after all, meant to be spread by any means necessary, right? Everyone has a story to tell…and Hollie loves to bring those stories to life, one word at a time.

You can find her online at http://www.hrjackson.com, on Twitter @hrjacksontnc, and on facebook at /authorhrjackson