The Christmas Boutique

The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini   304 pages 

This is actually Book 21 in the Elm Creek Quilts Series!   The story read as a stand alone book so there was no real problem with it but gee whiz!  Starting with #21 in the series sounds like I have missed an awful lot!   The charactes are likeable, some are cantankerous enemies and sad for them they also happen to be next door neighbors.   That would have to be awful having such a terrible relationship filled with literal hate for one another and then live next door to each other and have to run into each other potentially every day and maybe even several times a day.   You would be under scrutiny for every little thing constantly like living under a microscope.   And it has gone on for years according to the story.  But that is just one aspect of the story.  The two ladies do have some duzies of encounters, though.   It seems in this story someone's good Samaritanism goes awry and accidentally burns down the church hall just before the Christmas fundraiser for the local food pantry so two of the volunteers stop by elm Creek Manor to ask permission from Sylvia to hold the fundraiser there so the local food pantry can still benefit from the proceeds.   Naturally Sylvia Bergstrom Compson says yes then the excitement mounts to get the manor decorated and volunteers offer talents from their many areas of expertise be it crafting, cooking, decorating or advertising/marketing the event at its new location.   The two feuding neighbors add humor to the story and there are many love relationships blossoming and here and there time comes to move on from one that just isn't working but Christmas time and snow and cold is the main theme throughout with lots of lovely quilts described as well.   Procrastinators have decorative quilt tops to display though no finished pieces there are also conspiracy theories going on that blend well with the procrastinators.    A fun book and definetly a pleasure to read for those who love Christmas any time of year.   I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy book to curl up with on a cold night with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate, anyone who loves quilts and/or quilting.