Yarde Reviews & Book Promotion: Book Review: Twelfth Cake House (Heartwarming Christmas) by Heidi Eljarbo

Twelfth Cake House
(Heartwarming Christmas)
By Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: 15th December 2023

Publisher: Independently Published

Page Length: 114

Genre: Historical Romance

Even a clever matchmaker may need a push in the right direction if she’s to find true love. When she’s asked to find a match for herself, it proves to be the most difficult task she’s ever undertaken.

Mid-December 1796.

Sixty-year-old spinster Miss Jemima Thurgood has three weeks to finish the preparations for her annual Twelfth Night party. In her position as a matchmaker, for over forty years she has assumed a grave responsibility. Luckily, she’s a shrewd observer of people, and many happy reunions have come about due to her exceptional talent for nudging kindred hearts in the right direction.

Every year, Jemima invites twelve carefully selected men and women to her festivity, and each guest is assigned a dinner partner. The days before the merrymaking are constantly disrupted by one unforeseen event after another. Jemima must work hard to be ready in time, and more importantly, to provide the kind of celebration her chosen guests deserve.

But this year, what Jemima doesn’t know is that her life is about to take a sudden change of course—one she could not have predicted or planned for. As the days pass, several gentlemen indicate they are interested in becoming better acquainted with her, but only a very special man can charm a matchmaker.

A sweet romance novella set during a witty and enchanting Georgian-Era Christmas, Twelfth Cake House is a story about traditions, goodwill, and finding hope and the courage to change and take a chance on finding true love.

A renowned Twelfth Night party annually brings couples together and matches individuals who might never have met. For over forty years, Jemima Thurgood has dedicated herself to watching, listening, and carefully choosing pairings based on common interests and compatibility.

This year, however, things are different. Pushed forward by her niece, Jemima has an extra challenge. The matchmaking isn’t just reserved for others. This year, Jemima has been issued the task of finding a match for herself as well.

“Twelfth Cake House (Heartwarming Christmas)” by Heidi Eljarbo is a delightful historical novella that captures the magic of Christmas and first love.

Jemima plans her annual Twelfth Night party meticulously, carefully ensuring that every detail is perfect and that guests are paired up for compatibility and possible romance. Her parties, while infamous, have always had an element of secrecy. They’re widely known, yet with such an exclusive guest list, only a select few are fortunate enough to be invited to Twelfth Cake House. The power of tradition holds Jemima captive, for she has held these parties every year for so long that she can’t possibly give up or let her high standards slip now. But with more obstacles than in previous years, she begins to find herself consumed with anxieties over whether this year’s party will be a success or not. Jemima has always managed to plan and set up the party by herself, but delays and setbacks put her behind schedule with her planning. Planning such an elaborate party and trying to keep everything running smoothly is what propels the story forward.

Jemima is a character to be admired for her resilience and commitment to bringing people together, ensuring her Twelfth Night party is a success year after year. Renowned in the village and surrounding areas for her expertise in matchmaking, she has always focused on others—until now. Her niece, Eliza, happy in her own match for several years, has watched her aunt pour effort into the happiness of others. Noticing Jemima is already a couple short of her usual guest list, Eliza presents a new challenge: Jemima must include herself among those seeking a match this year. As Jemima balances her joy in helping others find love with her own uncertainty about finding love herself, anticipation grows. After years alone, Jemima now faces the prospect of meeting and possibly partnering with someone, with the hope that their love will be timeless. The reader is drawn along on her heartfelt journey, wishing for her happiness and a bright new beginning as the New Year unfolds.

Woven amongst the planning and match-making, there is an element of incredibly light-hearted humour woven amongst the pages of this book. Jemima is a most agreeable individual, but her patience is certainly tested, especially when the neighbours’ goats find their way into her kitchen! The addition of the animals around Jemima, with her cat and three hens, provides a constant source of entertainment as she bakes her way forward into her preparations. The smell of freshly baked goods permeates the paragraphs, and the warmth of Jemima’s home, both due to the crackling fire and the welcoming aromas of friendship and love, invites the reader to delve deeper into the novel. Eljarbo has succeeded in creating a short and sweet novella that captures hearts and makes you want to read it again and again, just to feel the warmth that the magic of winter romances can bring.

The joy of first love holds a special kind of magic, an almost tangible feeling of nervous excitement and bubbling anticipation. This novella evokes a similar feeling; the entire story gives a wholesome and light-hearted commentary within a heart-warming narrative that’s easily read in one sitting. You’ll feel fuzzy and warm after reading Heidi Eljarbo’s “Twelfth Cake House (Heartwarming Christmas)” because it is full of Christmas magic and the sweetness of a budding romance.

Review by Ellie Yarde
Yarde Book Reviews & Book Promotion

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Heidi Eljarbo

Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have fifteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

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