When you think of a Christmas story or novel, what comes to mind? For many, it’s the type of fun, cheesy romance story seen in Hallmark movies around the holiday season: a lonely or heartbroken woman giving up on love meets a new man over Christmas. They fall in love and get their happy ever after. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these types of stories. Around Christmas time, who doesn’t want to read a sweet romance story with a happy ending? But that’s not the type of story Oh, Christmas Tea is.

Not a Genre Romance Story

Let’s get the inevitable confusion out of the way: Oh, Christmas Tea is not a genre romance story. It’s a prequel story in the Love on Belmont  series that helps set up where readers find Pauline in Tea Shop for Two.

For those who have yet to read the book, in Tea Shop for Two, Pauline’s job as Perry, the mascot of the Toronto Peregrines, is one of the most important aspects of her life. She loves being a mascot and seeing the ways she can help children when she's in costume.

In Oh, Christmas Tea, taking place years before Tea Shop for Two, Pauline still does mascot work, but the confidence we know her for is missing. When Pauline comes home for the holidays, Claire, her mother, finds out that Pauline is going to turn down a big audition in Toronto that could jump start her career all because of an incident Pauline had with her ex-boyfriend that shook her confidence in herself.

Oh, Christmas Tea is not a Christmas romance book. Even though it is Christmas, Pauline is not yet at the point where she is looking for romance. In this prequel story, the focus is on Pauline and overcoming her past so that she can move forward with her life. It’s about finding closure on a chapter in her life, accepting it, and moving forward with the support of her family.

What Is Oh, Christmas Tea? A Story about Family

Oh, Christmas Tea is a prequel to Tea Shop for Two. It establishes some of Pauline’s past that led her to be where she is in the full-length romance novel. But more than that, it’s a short story about the importance of family. And what is more Christmas-like than family?

The Christmas holidays are all about family and spending time with your loved ones. Pauline coming home for Christmas is what allows her to go on her personal journey of forgiveness and acceptance, something which would not be possible without feeling her family’s support and love.

Oh, Christmas Tea is a story that is all about a family support network, both for Pauline and others. While it may not be the Christmas romance story you expect, it fully embraces the holiday values of accepting and loving your family.

Introducing the Strong Woman at the Heart of Tea Shop for Two

Overall, Oh, Christmas Tea is a story of a strong woman who is ready to let go of her past and move forward with her life with the help of her family. You don't have to read it before Tea Shop for Two, but it delves into how Pauline overcame her past to become the powerful and inspiring woman Tea Shop for Two is all about.

If you haven’t read this short story yet, you can receive it for free as a subscriber to Lori Wolf-Heffner’s monthly newsletter and (receive the other two short story prequels, as well, all as ebooks), or you can buy your own copy, either as an ebook or hard copy.