Read Time:1 Minute, 55 Second
Pages: 29
Goes Well With: A warm turkey sandwich and a mug of hot chocolate (with marshmallows)
With the temperatures dropping and the snow falling outside your office window, it’s the perfect time of year to stay in for lunch and read a cozy holiday romance—like Karen Hall’s The Zebra in the Manger.
Ever since they met years ago, at a friend’s holiday party, Eleanor Hamilton and her husband, Drew, have spent the holidays together. But now the British government has sent their best spy overseas on an important matter of national security, and it’s been weeks since Eleanor last heard from her husband. As her three young children decorate their home for the holidays, Eleanor looks back on the night that she and Drew first met, praying that he’ll be home for Christmas.
Meanwhile, miles away, Drew misses his family—his wife most of all—as he, too, recalls the night when he first fell in love with Eleanor.
The Zebra in the Manger is a charming Victorian romance about the magic of the season—and the magic of love at first sight. It’s a simple story—no action-packed spy scenes or spicy love scenes here. But it’s as warm and sweet (and as cozy) as a big, comforting mug of hot chocolate.
Hall’s writing style pulls readers into the story’s Victorian setting. Whether you’re reading about the children decorating the crèche (with six-year-old Edward’s creative addition of a small plaster zebra) or about the party where Drew and Eleanor first met, you’ll be able to feel the flickering glow of the candlelight and hear the church bells ringing in the background.
Since the story is so short, it does have its limitations—so it leaves a few questions unanswered. You’ll never really know why it was so important for Drew to go on another mission after years of retirement—and the details of the mission are a bit fuzzy. While I would have enjoyed a bit more intrigue, though, this isn’t a James Bond story; it’s a romance. And the romance is warm and cozy, making it just the thing for a quick, quiet lunchtime break in the middle of the hectic holiday season.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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