Daisy and Kate are broke, single and facing another Christmas in their decidedly less-than-luxurious London flat. But at least they have each other. And Nigel, their cheese-stealing resident mouse, although technically nobody invited him.
Then Maximillian Taylor arrives.
Tall, golden-haired, impossibly handsome and working in fashion, Maxi is supposed to be the answer to their financial problems. Unfortunately, he creates a much bigger one.
Because Daisy thinks she might have found The One.
Kate has something rather less romantic in mind.
And Nigel doesn't trust him as far as his tiny mouse paws could throw him.
As Christmas approaches, friendship gives way to jealousy, misunderstandings and one spectacular festive rift. With a meddling landlady, questionable life choices and a philosophical rodent watching the whole disaster unfold, this is one Christmas nobody at Miller Avenue is likely to forget. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
They say you should never let a man come between you and your best friend, but Daisy and Kate never got that memo! And I’m glad they didn’t, because The Christmas Rift was delightfully charming in all the best ways, starting with the lengths the two women will go to, all in an effort to gain the attention of Maxi, their newest roommate.
At first, no one would have ever guessed that Maxi would actually be Maximillian. When their landlord informs them that she’s found the perfect roommate to join their dilapidated flat, the biggest concern they have is whether the newest addition would fit in well enough. But Maxi is a lot more than they can take, and Maxi as a character is just plain narcissistic, but neither Daisy nor Kate can see him for who he really is. I loved that the book gives viewpoints from all three primary characters, because it’s plain obvious just how vastly different each character can be. Daisy leans more on the sweet side, erroring on the side of optimism, while Kate is rough around the edges. Daisy wants an ever-after love story with Maxi, and Kate? Well, how about happiness in the moment, as long as it’s with Maxi between the sheets.
Maxi intends to use all of his slimy charms to get everything he wants, even if it means going behind his roommates’ backs, stealing food and never lifting a finger. An unexpected surprise is the viewpoint from Nigel, a sarcastic mouse who has lived through five cycles of roommates in the flat and has seen it all. At least, he thought he'd seen it all, until Maxi shows up. I’m not usually prone to reading books that have a rodent’s perspective, but his take on things really did add fun to the book. His best friend is Winston the spider, which made me flash back to one of my favorite books of all time, Charlotte’s Web. Who better to give the lay of the land than Nigel? It was cute how in some ways, he seems almost protective of Daisy and Kate, especially when he sees how often they’ve been wronged by Maxi.
Can Daisy and Kate survive Maxi? Can their friendship overcome their newfound obstacle? There were some really touching moments sprinkled in amidst the chaos, providing a cute holiday read to lighten the load this season. And we all need a lighter, brighter season this year! All of the characters were fun, but Nigel is the star. I suggest reading The Christmas Rift just for him!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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K.L. Crear is an author, over-sharer and walking cautionary tale. Think sweary teenager trapped in a menopausal woman’s body, one sneeze away from a wardrobe malfunction. You’re welcome.
After years in banking, the Civil Service and property management (The Beige Trilogy), she found herself broke, baffled and built from biscuit crumbs and unresolved trauma. So she wrote it all down and flogged it in paperback.
A two-time cancer survivor, Karen tackles life’s shitshow with inappropriate laughter, questionable humour and “F*ck off!” for inspirational quotes. She writes jaw-dropping memoirs and hilarious women’s fiction about women who’ve had enough, snapped slightly and are thriving regardless.
She lives in a sleepy Northern town with her long-suffering, partially deaf husband and their permanently unimpressed cat, Pickle. Her hobbies include pastry, shouting at the Real Housewives and threatening to adopt an absurdly cheerful axolotl.
A portion of every book sale goes to Women’s Aid, Great Ormond Street, the Epilepsy Society and Macmillan. The world’s a shitshow, but we can all make a little difference.
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