Review: Christmas on Mimosa Lane, by Anna DeStefano

After a childhood on the streets with her bipolar, alcoholic mother, Mallory Phillips learned never to trust in love. Now she found a community to call home, but she can't settle into the cozy town. When Polly Lombard sneaks into her house late one night, Mallory finds herself connecting to the young girl who just lost her mother to cancer. She's also finding herself bonding to Polly's grieving father, Pete. But can this family and the community give Mallory the one thing she always wished for... A perfect Christmas?

This is my first book by DeStefano, but it will not be my last. This story, written with heart and clever psychological depth, had me weeping one second and smiling the next. Most impressive was that the book was broken into three sections to adapt to phases of healing. This wasn't a rushed love story with a Christmas angle. Nothing felt out of place or unrealistic. And every character jumped off the page. From the secondary characters to the town itself, this was an engrossing read. This is an author to keep your eye out for, and stock up on Kleenex.