Christmas Candy

By: Samantha Jacobey

Narrated by: Vanessa Hensley-Mayes

Life isn't always sweet, even for girls called Candy.

Candice Parker's life has never been easy. Plagued by losses and setbacks, each day is a struggle for the petite brunette and her young son. When fireman Gary enters her world, he is one mistake she refuses to make; but after tragedy strikes, she may not have a choice.

Gerald Ford has never been what anyone would call settled. Always keeping things simple, he lived a fast and furious lifestyle, with no intentions of slowing down. However, when he inherits his family's ancestral mansion on his thirtieth birthday, he considers the possibility that it's time for a change. Could this complicated young woman be his Christmas Candy?

©2015 Lavish Publishing, LLC (P)2016 Lavish Publishing, LLC

Cute story!

What a cute story! I enjoyed the storyline but the narrator's voice was very 'pitchy' and wasn't fit for the variety of voices needed for the story so it took away from the book. Enjoyable read to listen to next to the pool relaxing!

Lovely Christmas Story

What made the experience of listening to Christmas Candy the most enjoyable?

I liked being able to listen to a book while doing something else at the same time. I was free to move about my home but still hear what was going on.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Christmas Candy?

That Candice is a mother who is focused on her son who is handicapped, her mother as well as her job. When a fireman tires to date her, she turns him down.

Have you listened to any of Vanessa Hensley-Mayes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't. She was hard to listen to for me...her voice was too monotone.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Candice needs Gary the most he is there for her at a drop of a hat so to speak.

4 heartwarming stars

Christmas Candy is a sweet story about second chances and starting over. Candy is a single mom to a special needs son, Dakota. She is living with her mom who is a huge help but also a financial burden for Candy. They have a hard time making ends meet. Candy works at a gas station and that's where she met Gerald. He's a firefighter who comes in almost every night. He has begged Candy to give him a chance, even just as a friend for a while but Candy has no time for a relationship of any kind. Then things go from bad to worse for Candy and her family. And of course who is there to help her out, no questions asked? You guessed it... Gerald. Gerald was really a great guy. He was handsome, sweet, caring, and genuinely cared about Candy and her family. Would Candy learn to not be so cynical about life and give Gerald a chance?

This was a sweet story with many ups and downs and all the feelings that go with them. I felt so sorry for Candy and wondered how much one person could take. Her life was far from easy and that made her personality very tough. This was a very well written story and I loved the narration. The narrator really brought this story to life. It was a great quick listen. I look forward to listening to more novels by Ms. Jacobey.

Terrible narrator.

It’s painful to listen to with such terrible narration. Over dramatic and whiny Please use someone different in the future

Christmas Comes Early For The Listener/Reader

What made the experience of listening to Christmas Candy the most enjoyable?

I don't know if the author planned it but I fell in love with Candy's son Dax. He doesn't have much of an appearance but he is the one that helps to bring Candace and Gary together. The story had me wishing that Dax was sitting next to me the next time I listened to this story.

What did you like best about this story?

There were times that I got frustrated with Candace because she kept finding ways to put up barriers that made it hard for Gary. But I loved the fact that Gary didn't give up.

What about Vanessa Hensley-Mayes’s performance did you like?

She brought Candy's character to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I loved this author's story and definitely wanted to listen to this in one sitting. And once it was over I wanted to listen to it again.

Any additional comments?

The only issue I had with Ms. Hensley-Mayes's performance was when she did the character of Gary. She doesn't have the type of voice that lends well to a male character. Candace is a good example of someone who needs to stop making assumptions about people. If not for the author, I could see Gary giving up on Candy and finding someone who has no issue excepting him for who he is. This is one of those books where it would be great to have a copy of the book and the audio version.