Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Looking for a Christmas story to help celebrate the holiday season? Look no further than THE PERFECT LOVE SONG. Two of my favorite things about the holidays include the music and the stories. Well, THE PERFECT LOVE SONG combines both of those favorites.
In THE PERFECT LOVE SONG, we meet brothers Jack and Jimmy. They are members of a relatively unknown country band, Unknown Souls. They are on the road most of the time, but when they have free time, they can be found in Palmetto Pointe, South Carolina. Neither brother thought they would ever call the town home again, after their mother packed them up, leaving their alcoholic father behind. But when a childhood friend comes looking for Jack, life changes for both brothers.
Kara volunteered at a nursing home out of duty. But slowly, as she spends time with an elderly woman, Maeve Mahoney, does the true meaning of love hit her. Kara was engaged to a pro golfer, but after listening to Maeve tell stories of her love, Richard, from Ireland, Kara calls it off and goes looking for Jack.
As Jack and Kara come together, Jimmy glances Kara's best friend, Charlotte. Jimmy is not the romantic type, but he falls for Charlotte. He can't afford to buy her a Christmas present, but what he can give her is a song. When he sings her his love song, no one could guess how their lives would spiral out of control. Jimmy winds up singing his song spontaneously during a concert set, and it's forever dubbed "The Perfect Christmas Song." Jimmy is asked to join a famous country duo for their Christmas tour the following year.
When Jimmy's tour eventually prevents him from attending Jack and Kara's wedding in Ireland in Maeve's honor, Charlotte and Jimmy have to each come to learn what real love means.
The story is one of love and loss, and ultimately redemption and hope. Charlotte could be bitter and angry with Jimmy's seemingly spoiled attitude, but she holds strong and independent. It was a nice change to see a female character remain true to herself in trying times. If I have any complaints about the story, there would only be one: at the beginning it was hard to keep track of who was who. But don't despair. Quickly the characters all come together and the story becomes embedded in your heart.
