Title: Miracle on 5th Avenue
Author: Sarah Morgan
Series: From Manhattan With Love #3
Format: E-book
Format: E-book
Source: Copy received from publisher for an honest review
Pages: 384
Rating: 5 stars
Rating: 5 stars
Blurb: Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she’s given an opportunity to housesit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn’t expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous–and mysterious–owner.
Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife’s death looming, he’s isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn’t appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?
It can be so hard sometimes to review a book that I wholeheartedly loved. I'm trying so hard here to be rational but mostly - I just want to experience this book all over again. Sarah Morgan is one of my favourite contemporary authors so I was very excited to receive an e-arc via Netgalley and it definitely did not disappoint.
This is the third book in the From Manhattan with Love series and whilst they can be read as stand-alones I definitely recommend reading the previous two first. Partly because they are just great reads in themselves and partly because you get some backstory for Eva, which really adds a lot of depth to her character. Eva has been my favourite character since the first book - she captured my heart with her positivity and kindness so by the time this book rolled around I was fully invested in her happy ever after.
Which is where Lucas comes in. If you've read the first two book you'll have heard him mentioned by his grandmother (Eva's friend) a few times and you'll be pretty well aware how shamelessly she intends to match-make. Lucas's grandmother is an absolute delight and I was so glad Eva had someone like her in her life, especially after losing her own grandmother. Lucas is not a delight - at least not to start with. He is very grumpy, definitely lacking in the spirit of Christmas and not inclined to be welcoming towards Eva. However he has his reasons for this and I loved him from the his first snarky conversation with Eva.
The character growth and relationship development in this novel were very well done. It never felt like insta-love and the characters were allowed to grow outside of their romantic relationship as well as helping each other to grow. Lucas had much farther to go than Eva did and really struggled with getting out of the rut he was in, but I was rooting for him the whole way through. The last chapter was such a joy to read - I almost cried I felt so happy and festive.
The thing I love the most about Morgan's books is actually the close friendship. Eva has her best friends Paige and Frankie (as well as Jake and Matt) and they are excellent at supporting, uplifting and comforting each other - as well as mixing some humour in there! The friendships really felt real and I always love the time they spend together. The fourth book in the series will be following characters outside of their friend-group but I am really hoping they make some cameos because otherwise I am going to miss these characters a lot!
This was such an amazing Christmas read, and just a great story in general and I am so glad I had the chance to read it. If you've read Sarah Morgan's books before I am sure you don't need me to tell you that you need to read this book - and if you haven't then what are you waiting for? I can't wait for more.
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