Together by Christmas by Karen Swan

Synopsis
When Lee first came to Amsterdam, it was with a newborn baby and a secret. Five years later, her life is approaching normal: her career as a celebrity photographer is flourishing, her son Jasper is growing up, and they are enjoying the run-up to Christmas with their tight circle of close friends.

But all this changes one morning when Lee finds a book in the basket of her bicycle – and scrawled inside it, a desperate message. Who left it for her, and why? Lee feels compelled to help and tracks down the book’s author, Sam. With an instant, undeniable connection it seems they might have a shot at a real future together.

Until her past comes calling. As the snow falls and ice thickens on the city’s canals, the secret Lee has never told resurfaces. Suddenly everything she holds dear hangs in the balance. Christmas is a time for being together – but what if the truth means she ends up alone?

Review
Every year I always read Karen Swan’s festive book, and this years offering is one of her best yet. Lee Fitchett is lving in Amsterdam with her five year old son, a long way from her former life as Pulitzer Prize winning war photographer. Trying to lead a more normal life, taking photographs for exhibitions and for magazines, Lee has closed her self off from love to concentrate on being a mother to five year old Jasper. Her life takes a different turn when a book is left in her bicycle basket with the message ‘Help Me’ written inside. After meeting the books author, Sam, she finds she may have to open her heart and her life to love, until her past catches up with her. Wonderful characters and a powerful plot, this is the perfect Christmas read.

Together by Christmas is a bit different than Karen Swan’s pervious books as it has more depth and deals with some very serious issues. Having said that there are plenty of laugh out loud moments and of course some romance. The story is told from Lee’s point of view in the month leading up to Christmas, but there are flashbacks to her time in Syria as a war photographer on her last mission. These are difficult reading at times, and they lead up to an event that saw her end her career and never speak to her journlistic partner in Syria Harry Cunningham again in these five years. The tension builds through these flashbacks as we see a very different Lee to the one now living in Amsterdam. Karen Swan has obviously done a lot of research into the life of a journalist and war phorographer and it shines through in her writting and attention to detail. I will admit that I didn’t expect to reading about Islamic State and Syria in a Christmas book, but it really works and gives a wonderful contrast to the two different worlds we live in, the things we take for granted like hot running water and beds, and the perils of being in a country constantly at war over our peaceful existence. It is certianly thought provoking.

Lee is a complex character making her the perfect central character of the book. She is a devoted mother to her son, and although the father is not around, she has a wonderful support system in her close friends Harry, Liam and Mila. She has put her love life on hold, and is a ‘love them and leave them’ kind of girl who only has one night stands, all to save her son getting hurt if a relationship failed. It is through her son, Jasper, that we learn Lee is suffering from PTSD, with her nightmares and fear when a firecracker goes off. As a character I really admired her, she is successful, strong, has high principles, is friendly and most of all an amazing mother; she juggles her life perfectly. I really wanted her to find love so she could share her life with someone else, have more support and be loved back. Sam is the contender for her and Jaspers heart, and who coud be more perfect than a man who dresses as Sinter Claus for a local children’s hospital. Sam is handsome and fun but he wants more than a one night stand, which is all Lee wants to offer. There relationship is set with obsticals in the way, Lee’s past, the PTSD, her lack of trust and many misunderstandings along the way including a gorgous actor. Jasper will melt your heart, a gorgeous boy whose childhood innocence and love of Christmas make this a magical festive read.

Together by Christmas is a warm, heartfelt and thought provoking read. This is a book about family, and how it doesn’t have to mean blood relatives, motherhood, the joys of childhood and and how the past can never really go away. There is definitely a Christmas message in this book, of it not being just about presents but also those around us. Beautifully written and with skillfull storytelling,this book reminded me why Karen Swan is the only author whose books I read every Christmas. Another amazing festive read, and definitely her best yet.