The Nine Lives of Christmas

August 29, 2011
Roberts, renowned for her stocking-stuffer tales (The Snow Globe), doesn’t disappoint with this charming story of Ambrose, a matchmaking cat. After firefighter Zach Stone saves Ambrose from a vicious dog, the cat tries to repay him by moving (uninvited) into his house and fixing his lonely bachelor life. While Zach is buying cat food, he meets Merilee White, a winsome pet store clerk with a fondness for stray cats and big strong men who take them in. Her competition is Zach’s no-strings-attached lover, Blair, a haughty cat-hater who insists Zach evict the cat before Christmas. Roberts manages to make this one-dimensional story pop with witty characterizations, slapstick mishaps, and plenty of holiday cheer.