I have reviewed A Curmudgeonly Christmas, Curmudgeon Avenue #6, by Samantha Henthorn for Reader’s Favorite.

The sixth and final book in the Curmudgeon Avenue series, A Curmudgeonly Christmas by Samantha Henthorn brings forth a closure for our favorite nincompoops and leaves an opening for another book — a fan can hope & dream — in the future. Ricky and Tanya ‘Wantha’ Rose finally decided on a date for the wedding. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, they had to settle for a Zoom wedding. As soon as Ricky and Wantha shared their vows on the live feed, Harry the Bastard proposed to the owner of the most popular shop, Mrs. Ali. The festivities continued as other couples began contemplating their own dates to tie the knots. All seemed well for a while until Wantha Rose stumbled upon the name of her father. The revelation of this news not only brought trouble in the happy home of Patchouli (Wantha and Toonan’s mom) and her boyfriend, Gil Von Black but also ended Wantha’s booming career. As if the drama of living beings wasn’t enough, the ghosts of Curmudgeon Avenue had their own issues to add to the mix. Ever since Reg’s apparition found Edith, he clung to her with everything he had, suffocating poor Edith. And what is that god-awful smell?

‘I DO. I DO TAKE YOU RICKY RICKETTS… You’re not allowed to interrupt… Thingy (neither Wantha nor Ricky had bothered to get the name of the marriage officiant) I do take you!’ Wantha, behind her bridal face mask, despaired.

‘Wait, do you, my Wantha, Tanya Rose, take me, Ricky Ricketts to be your awfully.’

‘Lawfully,’ whispered Thingy.

‘Lawfully wedded husband.’

– An excerpt from A Curmudgeonly Christmas by Samantha Henthorn

Any reader who has followed each book of the Curmudgeon Avenue series would notice how Samantha Henthorn, the author, introduces new traits in her characters in each book, keeping some of the old eccentricities intact. A Curmudgeonly Christmas is no exception to the rule. While Harold’s bobbing head, Wantha’s clicking sound are some of the consistent attributes, the characters putting fingers on the video in an attempt to shush the speaker and Wantha speaking about herself in the third person are new & effective tricks in the final book of the series. Even though writing humorous fiction involving multiple characters and their idiotic activities keeping COVID-19 restrictions in the plot could not have been an easy feat, the execution of A Curmudgeonly Christmas remained as seamless as the rest of the books in the series. The “longer than necessary” conversations and the house’s unapologetic storytelling produced yet another hilarious plot worth an ear to ear smile.

‘Well, what else did she say? Where did it… you know.. happen?’ Toonan was treading on some dangerous ground here. Who wants to know about their mother’s youthful love life? I certainly don’t (and I’m a house).

– An excerpt from A Curmudgeonly Christmas by Samantha Henthorn

Toward the end, though, the narration seemed a tad rushed. It appeared as if a soothing voice that was telling the story abruptly transformed into a fast-forward tone of an impatient narrator. However, by maintaining the humor-quotient of the series, Samantha Henthorn has made her fans happy again. This book, like the other five in the Curmudgeon Avenue, has a variety of ha-ha moments with the potential of busting the stress of even this terrible year of pandemic. If anybody could turn this awful year into a giggly one, it had to be Samantha Henthorn’s A Curmudgeonly Christmas.

Readers’ Favorite Book Award Contest – Enter Today!

Wish to request a book review/ beta reader? Click here.