Although this novel is classified under romance, it deals more with mother-daughter relationships.

Her financial situation forces divorcee Maddy to go back home to Paradise Point, NJ, with her four-year old daughter Hannah, after her mother Rose's invitation to the bed-and-breakfast Rose so successfully operates. Both Rose and Maddy are headstrong people who have never gotten along in the past.

Although her finances are tight, Maddy places a bid on a samovar on the internet. But then, there's another bidder on the same item, Aiden. Aiden was asked to bid on the samovar by his teenage daughter Kelly, who wants to take it to her great grandmother. Maddy wants it for Hannah for Christmas because the samovar looks like Aladdin's lamp, as Hannah is captivated by the story of Aladdin. Maddy thinks this gift will brighten up Hannah's mood since the child was traumatized by divorce.

Coincidence is, Aiden is also a Paradise Point resident, but since the two have been communicating through their internet names, it takes a while for them to find that out. As both Aiden and Maddy have serious issues with their families, the samovar becomes the prop and symbol that unites them and their families.

To say more on the summary would be shortchanging the complex relationship twists and turns both within the two families and between Rose and Maddy.

There are many positives to this novel, such as: smooth writing, great dialog, a subtle poignancy, wonderfully drawn characters, romance, and intertwined family relationships. The story is uplifting, and is skillfully written.

My only confusion lies in why the author called the teapot a samovar. As samovar is a whole big thing with a small lamp-like teapot on top of it. Aladdin's lamp resembles only to the tiny teapot on top. But then, I enjoyed the story and I can overlook this tiny inconsistency.

learning to delve with insight into family relationships.

that the difficulties of the mother-daughter relationship were eased off through better understanding and love, at the end of the story.

is Barbara Bretton, who is a successful author of numerous volumes and novels in series.

of the insight of the author into the complexity of relationships among all characters.

I read several comments on Amazon by people who didn't understand the complexity of mother-daughter relationships and some were ticked off at the negativity of it in the beginning of the novel, as it must have seemed unreal to them. But I think all the relationships in this book can happen and I certainly could relate to most of them. I think the author showed great insight.

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Created Jul 07, 2014 at 7:53pm • Submit your own review...