A Perfect Love Song: A Holiday Story by Patti Callahan Henry

I am a big fan of Southern authors, and Patti Callahan Henry ranks right up there as one of the best writers of Southern fiction today. Her latest book, "A Perfect Love Song: A Holiday Story," captures all the charm and romance of Southern living along with a delightful Christmas twist.

About The Book:

Jimmy Sullivan has been living on the road with his brother, Jack, and his band The Unknown Souls. Without a place to call home, Jimmy and Jack lead a nomadic life filled with music and anonymous cities. When they return to a place Jimmy never wants to see again—their old hometown of Seaboro, South Carolina—he falls in love with his childhood friend Charlotte Carrington.

With his soul now filled with hope, Jimmy writes his first love song. When he performs it at a holiday concert to a standing ovation, the lyrics are dubbed the "Perfect Love Song," so much so that Jimmy finds himself going on tour with famous country music stars, catapulted into a world where the trappings of fame and fortune reign supreme.

All too soon, the hope that had once inspired Jimmy to write such beautiful, genuine lyrics is overshadowed by what the song can do for him and his career. In his thirst for recognition, he agrees to miss Jack’s wedding in Ireland to sing at a Christmas Eve concert. And his ties to Charlotte seem to be ever so quickly slipping away. Is it too late to find his way to Ireland, to his brother, and to love?

My Thoughts:

I have enjoyed Patti Callahan Henry’s books for several years, and was delighted to find out she had written a Christmas story this year. A semi-sequel to her previous book, “When Light Breaks,” it was a real treat to revisit the familiar surroundings and warm characters that I enjoyed in that story.

“A Perfect Love Song” incorporates the voice of a narrator, one lively Irish lady named Maeve Mahoney, who although now deceased continues to be interested in the lives of her beloved friends and guides them to the happiness they so richly deserve. Gotta love a pushy Irish ghost!

Henry also captures the behind-the-scenes workings of the music business with accuracy, including all the wheelings and dealings that often go on in spite of what the musicians and performers want. And this story also includes a great look at how true love can overcome overwhelming obstacles.

I found “A Perfect Love Song” to be a perfect Christmas story to start off the season!

About The Author:

Patti Callahan Henry is hailed as a fresh new voice in southern fiction. She has been short-listed for the Townsend Prize for Fiction and has twice been nominated for the Southeastern Independent Booksellers Fiction Novel of the Year. She is a frequent speaker at luncheons, book clubs and women’s groups where she discusses the importance of storytelling and anything else they want to talk about.

After earning her Master’s degree in Child Health, Patti worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist until her first child was born. Patti is a full time writer, wife and mother living with her husband and three children outside Atlanta on the Chattahoochee River where she is working on her next novel.
Check out Patti’s website for more information on her writing and upcoming projects at www.patticallahanhenry.com

This book is from my private collection.

This book is also a selection for the Okra Picks Challenge.