Over the course of this year I have come to discover that reading a Kayley Lorring novel will result in abdominal pain. That’s from the laughter. I’ve also discovered that I have a bad habit of reading Ms. Lorring’s novels while the rest of my family watches epic adventure movies or tear rendering drama. Thus leaving me laughing uproariously at exactly the wrong moment. I understand that this is a “me” problem, however I find that it adds to my reading pleasure. If you are a new reader to Ms. Lorring, I would highly recommend this novel as your first read. All of Ms. Lorring’s works have lovable characters, witty and fast dialogue, well developed plot along with amusing and engaging side characters, however I feel A Very Bossy Christmas is the best she’s written to date. Declan Cannavale and Maddie Cooper are our couple de jour in A Very Bossy Christmas. Declan is a slick New York real estate lawyer trembling in fear of his mother’s wrath and falling from “favorite brother” status on his sister’s list. Maddie Cooper is a Satan Island and downtown NYC girl who is taking names and keeping Declan in control. As Ms. Lorring describes Maddie through Declan’s eyes: The woman who keeps my schedule running smoothly and handles me with the sleek, unruffled grace of a highly skilled assassin. Declan is trying to avoid going home for the holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas. At any and all cost. There is a back story regarding his brother getting married, however Ms. Lorring dishes that amazing dish out slowly. When Declan realizes that he can’t wriggle out from under his mother’s highly skilled Irish mammy guilt, he then comes up with a fool proof plan. One that includes Maddie. Some legal papers. And a LOT of booze. Declan drafts an agreement asking Maddie for the following: You are asking me to acknowledge this discreet, temporary, simulated consensual romantic relationship during nonworking hours will not interfere with Sentinel’s company policy of teamwork That’s right - Declan presents Maddie with a legal agreement to become his fake girlfriend. The lure he holds over her head - allowing her the time off over Christmas that she had requested. Maddie, signs on the dotted line. Crazy - right? What then ensures is a non stop slide into outrageous family situations featuring Maddie’s sister, a teen niece who starts writing a fan fiction story about Declan and Maddie (#TeamMaclan) when not stealing Maddie’s phone to text Declan, a Staten Island aunt and that’s just Maddie’s family!! Declan’s family takes us on a booze filled joy ride of the Boston cousins and the Irish cousins culminating in all of the cousins losing many many days, Declan sending nearly incoherent texts to Maddie, and a wedding. Right. THAT wedding. The wedding of Declan’s brother to..... a woman that I refuse to name. (Yeah. I’d blow a raspberry at me too) In between all of this, there are sweet moments such as Declan looking out for Maddie’s widowed landlord, an office Christmas party from the great beyond, sexy times that always start with “we are NOT having sexy times” dialogue, and Declan falling in love with Maddie. Or the other way around. By the end of the story they wind up married. One of the biggest things that made me laugh were all the spot on accents. From the different New York ones, to Boston’s Southie, to the Irish. The tempo, tone, slang and dialogue were absolutely on point! I’ve grown up sandwiched between “the city” and Boston. I could clearly hear those accents as I read. Now that I’ve gone on too long, I am recommending this book as THE Christmas book for 2020. It is the book your heart and soul need. Just, don’t read it while watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” You may find yourself in a room of family bent over cry laughing while George is out being all maudlin and soul crushing.