The parties, the glamour, a whirlwind romance - Amber loves every second of her new life. But there's more to this world than its glossy exterior suggests, and when a face from Amber's past reappears, she finds herself in real trouble. With Christmas fast approaching, Amber is drifting further and further away from her family and friends. Can she get her life back on track before it's too late for a merry Christmas?"
Rating: 3/5
I will be honest and say I am not a fan of celebrity books. I read a few of Katie Price's novels many years ago, but they weren't really my cup of tea. I also tend not to watch reality TV, so didn't really know much about who Vicky Pattison was before I read this (sorry). I obviously have since googled her and found out more, and decided to go into this with open eyes, hopefully being as unjudgmental as I could be. However, while elements of this story were enjoyable, it falls into the category of books which annoys me most - those which have a Christmassy cover and title, and pretty much have no relevance to the season at all apart from near the end. Nothing annoys me more. Oh, and a very cringeworthy cameo. Just why?!
Amber is working in fashion and really loves her job, even in the designer she currently works for is a bit of a dragon, with a reputation to match. So when she is offered the chance of a lifetime thanks to a chance meeting at London Fashion Week, Amber decides to take a chance on it and have a go! Soon, her career is looking up, and with a famous man showing interest, Amber thinks her life can't get any better. But as her relationship progresses, Amber finds herself being pulled away from her friends and family, and isn't quite sure how to get back to them. Will she be able to celebrate a merry Christmas after all?
The story sounded like it could be a good one, and it was for the most part. I don't know a lot about fashion or designers, and while this book is based in that world, I don't feel that I learnt a lot about it when reading this book. I couldn't really feel Amber's passion for her work - there just wasn't enough description of the clothes she loves, her own designs - it all just fell a little bit flat for me. However, Amber herself was likeable enough, even if she did need to grow a bit of a backbone when it came to certain men in the book.
As Amber became involved in a relationship with a former pop star, things obviously start to change for her life, and she's swept up with everything, to the detriment of those around her which is a shame, but I couldn't deny that I saw it coming. In fact, most of the story is quite predictable, not in a bad way but in that there was nothing to surprise me in here. I lie. There was one thing that shocked me, and actually left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. For some inexplicable reason the author has chosen to put a cameo in this book towards the end. Who is it, I hear you ask? Well, it's herself. Yes, Vicky Pattison has chosen to include herself in the book. I actually couldn't quite believe what I was reading. I'm not sure who told her that was a good idea because it really wasn't!
I was also a bit annoyed by the fact that the majority of the book isn't at all festive, that part is simply crammed in to the end to give a nod to the title and the cover! I was really hoping for a happy ending, that Amber would open her eyes and dedicate more time to her career, friends and family than she did her hopeless boyfriend, because she did seem talented and seemed to be throwing a great career opportunity. The book was an easy way to pass a few hours, with a few laughs and an easy story to read but there were a few things that let it down for me. A good story, and as long as you don't go into expecting anything festive, you'll probably enjoy it!
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