Kringle All the Way

Changing from a Grinch to a Kringle with a second chance at love

Judy Kentrus has written a delightful book about a later-in-life second chance at love in this one with several characters finding answers to past issues, forgiveness and love of a family they never dreamed of having. It all takes place in the small town of Dickens and centers around Freja Sorensen who co-owns 2 Sisters Kringle and Fudge Shop with her sister Karla Nielsen. It’s getting close to the Christmas holiday rush time and Karla has been advised to take maternity leave from the shop and even though they have hired very dependable help and are very well covered, Freja feels overwhelmed and much like the Grinch this holiday season. The feeling is made even stronger by an invitation to compete in the National Kringle Competition which she gets every year but refuses to enter because she says she doesn’t need to validate how good their Kringle is but it also has to do with her past of coming in second so often. One in particular second sits heavy on her heart some twenty years later. Karla invites her to dinner that night and Freja is taken by surprise by the guest Karla and her husband Sebastian have also invited. Axel Frost owner of Trains, Planes, & Automobiles and guardian to his two young granddaughters has decided to make his home in Dickens because of how highly his friend Sebastian Nielsen always speaks of the town. Axel has traveled all over the world as guest conductor for symphony orchestras and shares a love of music with Sebastian but he has a dream of opening a train museum in Dickens and feels it’s the perfect place to raise his small family. Axel and his granddaughters have been asked to dine with the Nielsens and as he enters their home he comes face to face with a woman he knew from college. They not only knew each other but had dated for several months before Freja had abruptly broken it off. Now they both will get some answers but can they get their second chance?
The story behind why Axel has guardianship over his granddaughters will break your heart as well as other news that comes to light but as the characters work through the issues life throws at them, the reader can feel their pain, their fears and finally their joy. This is a story about life. It’s not always peaches and cream, people don’t always do what we want them to do, sometimes we read into a situation the wrong way and often we just have to remember the saying Freja uses “ there’s no use in crying over spilled milk”, because we can’t have everything the way we want it, we can’t fix everything perfectly and unfortunately life does have it’s tragic moments. We just clean up the mess the best we can and keep going while trying to make the best of every day. This book is a great read for any one who enjoys small town antics which includes busy-body gossips causing trouble as well as friends and co-workers willing to help out when needed. It’s also great for those readers who love second chances, the giving of forgiveness for past mistakes, and the bonding of family. If you are a lover of nostalgia like old barns, trains, past down recipes, or old letters and pictures this book offers all these for you to enjoy. Oh, did I mention it also offers plenty of Christmas delights and snowy adventures ending with many nights cuddled up in front of a cozy fireplace. Yes, you want to Kringle All the Way!
I received a free Advanced Readers’ Copy of this book but was given no monetary compensation. I read for the enjoyment and voluntarily review so that others may know what to expect and authors may be helped by critique and encouragement.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.