Once Upon a December by Amy Reichert

 

Do you like to read books that are set locally?

I was delighted to discover that Once Upon a Christmas is set in Milwaukee.   Astra Noel Snow is a librarian at a branch of the Milwaukee Public Library.  She loves her yearly tradition of joining her best friends at the Milwaukee Christmas Market.  Julemarked is a special street with many wonderful Christmas shops including a bakery that specializes in Kringles.  The Clausen brothers run the shop.  Jack Clausen loves watching Astra come to visit the shop every year.  Jack wants to ask Astra out, but he has a problem.  Julemarked is a magical place that moves around the world through the year, never guaranteed to be back in the same spot.  Every four weeks it’s a new December somewhere else in the world and Julemarked is there.  Once it leaves a location, the people there magically forget about it until it returns.  Will Jack and Astra be able to find a happily ever after?

I liked that Once Upon a December had a very unique premise.  Julemarked was a magical alley.  It all seems wonderful, especially that you are basically immortal, until you realize that to have someone from the outside join that life, you would have to give up everything that you love about your normal life.  Or if you leave Julemarked, you are also leaving the world that you love and immortality.  This makes it an interesting conundrum for dating.

I loved that Astra was a librarian and thought it was interesting learning about her job.  I also, loved all of the Wisconsin and Milwaukee references.  I have lived in Milwaukee in the past and currently live in Northeast Wisconsin.  It was fun to visualize where they were talking about in Milwaukee.  It was also fun that they bake different flavored kringles, which are a Wisconsin traditional pastry.  Does anyone outside of Wisconsin know what they are?

The only part of the book that annoyed me was how much of a door mat Astra was for her ex-husband Trent.  She was still doing his mending and basically allowing him to barge into her home at any time.  I don’t understand why she didn’t change her locks.  I was glad when she finally stood up for herself.

Overall, Once Upon a December was a fun, unique, and delightful Christmas romance. 

Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.