The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus

This book was great- I read it on a long flight to CA and it carried me all the way through, cover to cover quickly. It was cute, loved the characters, the description of the hustle and bustle of the season was fun too.

Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Carly Alexander brings together three different women, each wishing for different things in their lives. In the first story, ex-Rockette Olivia, recuperating from an ankle injury, comes home to Baltimore. Her ex-boyfriend shows up in the same town, making a TV show about her, sort of. She auditions for Christmas hire at Rossman's, the new department store. Someone in personnel feels she would make a great Mrs. Claus. Santa asks all the Christmas help to place their wishes in the stockings. Olivia's wish: a do-over. And, boy does she get it. In the second story, Cassie, a single mother, window decorator for San Francisco's Rossman's (which is on the verge of failing), has her own wish. A Chicago head honcho for the department store comes to the store and tells the employees to help save costs, each employee has to pull double duty. Cassie is hesitant but the personnel manager says she has the perfect job for her. Cassie tries the Mrs. Claus suit on and it fits perfectly. In the pocket of the jacket is a note left by Mrs. C. The note reads "This suit brings luck. Go with it. Mrs. C." Cassie's wish is simple, a father who is involved with her son's life. Will the suit bring luck? Does Cassie get her wish? Magic will lead her down the path of trying to get her son's father involved in his life. In the third story, Meredith, the Rossman's heiress, is challenged by her uncle for a spot on the board. Simple. Just increase toy sales 50% from the previous year and the spot on the board is hers. Not so simple for Meredith, who is not very big on Christmas-time business because she lost her parents on Christmas day two years prior--and so has lost her Christmas spirit and belief in magic. She inherits the job of wearing the Mrs. Claus suit and be a part of Santaland during the Christmas season, where she works on upping sales. Meredith finds romance and something else she lost over the years: Christmas magic. Armchair Interviews says: The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus gives one a lot to think about relative to what Christmas means to each of us.

"Prologue". Sales at Rossman's Department Stores are down. At the flagship store in Chicago, family members debate how to improve sales for the key holiday season. Over the objection of Daniel, the Rossman brood pushed by Meredith decide to reuse Mrs. Claus as part of their Christmas display for the rug rats. "A Little White Trim". In Baltimore, Olivia feels depressed as her broken ankle devastated her dream of becoming a dancer and her boyfriend Bobby ended their six-year relationship once he made it as a California producer of a TV show starring an evil Olivia. She accepts the gig as Mrs. Claus at Rossman's; soon she is offered a New York opportunity and Bobby wants her back while her pal, architect Woody seems so handsome. "A Tight Leather Belt". The Mrs. Claus suit has moved on to the San Francisco store where the frazzled single mom of Tyler, Cassie accepts the position to insure she does not lose her job at Rossman's. She is attracted to Buchman, but fears this will harm her five year old son. She learns the meaning of the holiday when Tyler vanishes and Buchman with Mistletoe the mouse comes to the rescue. "This Christmas, You Are What You Wear. The suit moves on to Chicago where family member Meredith darns the costume. The only jingle she cares about is the noise from credit and debit cards, checks, and paper money. She needs to increase sales by fifty percent or Daniel becomes the CEO instead of her. She relearns the magic of Christmas from Nick, the store's Santa. These three lighthearted holiday romantic romps are fun tales starring likable protagonists who seem so right together especially under the mistletoe. Harriet Klausner