Amazon UK
Title: The Mince Pie Mix-Up
Author: Jennifer Joyce
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Carina
Publication Date: 6th November 2015
Rating: 4.5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
‘I wish I could live your life. I’d happily swap lives with you.’
’Tis the season to be jolly but for Calvin and Judy the usual festive bickering has already begun! Judy’s convinced that her husband has it easy – no glittery wrapping paper, no playground gossip and absolutely no Christmas baking.
Calvin wishes he could trade in his obnoxious boss and dull nine-to-five job to spend more time kicking back with his kids – how hard can Judy’s life really be?
But after a magical mince pie mix-up, one thing’s for certain – by Christmas Day, life for Judy and Calvin will never be the same again. Perhaps the grass isn’t always greener after all…
’Tis the season to be jolly but for Calvin and Judy the usual festive bickering has already begun! Judy’s convinced that her husband has it easy – no glittery wrapping paper, no playground gossip and absolutely no Christmas baking.
Calvin wishes he could trade in his obnoxious boss and dull nine-to-five job to spend more time kicking back with his kids – how hard can Judy’s life really be?
But after a magical mince pie mix-up, one thing’s for certain – by Christmas Day, life for Judy and Calvin will never be the same again. Perhaps the grass isn’t always greener after all…
I couldn't stop laughing and smiling my way through The Mince Pie Mix-Up. If you are familiar with films such as Freaky Friday, or 13 Going on 30, you will be familiar with the basics of body switching, and the sometimes hilarious consequences of it.
In this books case, Calvin and Judy, both think the other has the easier life, and no longer appreciate each other. They continually bicker, and Calvin is convinced that Judy's life, doing the majority of the child care, as well her "little baking job" can't be a time consuming or exhausting as his work load in the office each day, and rush hour commute.
One morning they wake up and both have had the same weird dream, and find they really are going to have to live each others lives for a fortnight in the run up to Christmas. Based on the chapter headings they go through the stages of grief, in coming to terms with this new situation for two weeks.
Calvin needs to learn how to bake, look after his children, do the school run, and all those other things women, mums, single carers of children take for granted as part of their day, as well as doing Judy's job, and not letting on to anyone what has happened. Not to mention Christmas shopping, and making Nativity costumes!
Whereas Judy has to come to terms with dealing with Calvins nightmare boss, who swears a lot. In fact the boss swears so much that Calvin has a mind game, and replaces the swears with festive words beginning with the same letters, which makes it funnier to read, and far less offensive! She also has to endure football and pool playing with the lads, and seeing just what he does all day.
And then there are the children, and some of their very perceptive comments really hits home certain things to Judy and Calvin. Scott and Charlie are lovely children but I feel they are naturally a bit confused by the body switch. Charlie especially who can't work out why the terms of endearment her parents use are coming from the wrong person at the moment.
At the start of the body switch I did find it a bit confusing, at least until I realised that in the writing, the character is referred to by the name of the mind in the body, and not based on the sex of the body!
The Mince Pie Mix-Up is a fun look at the gender balance within a relationship, and just how roles should be dealt with. It's also a fairly realistic look at the run up to Christmas within a family of school age children, if you ignore the body switching element!
Incredibly fun story, perfect for this time of year, and I'm sure if I was married with kids, I may be after reading this treating my other half a bit better, after reading this!
Thanks so much to Carina and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
In this books case, Calvin and Judy, both think the other has the easier life, and no longer appreciate each other. They continually bicker, and Calvin is convinced that Judy's life, doing the majority of the child care, as well her "little baking job" can't be a time consuming or exhausting as his work load in the office each day, and rush hour commute.
One morning they wake up and both have had the same weird dream, and find they really are going to have to live each others lives for a fortnight in the run up to Christmas. Based on the chapter headings they go through the stages of grief, in coming to terms with this new situation for two weeks.
Calvin needs to learn how to bake, look after his children, do the school run, and all those other things women, mums, single carers of children take for granted as part of their day, as well as doing Judy's job, and not letting on to anyone what has happened. Not to mention Christmas shopping, and making Nativity costumes!
Whereas Judy has to come to terms with dealing with Calvins nightmare boss, who swears a lot. In fact the boss swears so much that Calvin has a mind game, and replaces the swears with festive words beginning with the same letters, which makes it funnier to read, and far less offensive! She also has to endure football and pool playing with the lads, and seeing just what he does all day.
And then there are the children, and some of their very perceptive comments really hits home certain things to Judy and Calvin. Scott and Charlie are lovely children but I feel they are naturally a bit confused by the body switch. Charlie especially who can't work out why the terms of endearment her parents use are coming from the wrong person at the moment.
At the start of the body switch I did find it a bit confusing, at least until I realised that in the writing, the character is referred to by the name of the mind in the body, and not based on the sex of the body!
The Mince Pie Mix-Up is a fun look at the gender balance within a relationship, and just how roles should be dealt with. It's also a fairly realistic look at the run up to Christmas within a family of school age children, if you ignore the body switching element!
Incredibly fun story, perfect for this time of year, and I'm sure if I was married with kids, I may be after reading this treating my other half a bit better, after reading this!
Thanks so much to Carina and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
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Sounds wonderful, a bit of magic to spice up the mince pies I guess. Definitely on my reading list. Thanks for sharing Rachel.
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