Every day is like Christmas for Caroline, a young blond editor at Presents, the shopping magazine. Every day brings more free Guccis and Pradas for her magazine and her closet. But the actual Christmas is a drag: everyone gets presents. And Caroline is feeling the loss of her mysterious father more than ever. Her fabulous designer mother is in dumpy Branson, Missouri, her redheaded assistant Ursula Heep is scheming behind her back, that creepy receptionist Mrs. Defarge won't stop with the knitting, and a 6' 7"" football player named Tiny Tim is obsessed with her.
On Christmas Eve, the ghost of Caroline's dead roommate, Carly, returns to warn that three more spirits are coming. Caroline begins a trip to Christmases past, present, and future, but though she has nine closets, she doesn't have a thing to wear.
Performed by Nanette Savard
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"Fun spoof on Dickens tale - love themed books at Christmas - I also tivo all the lifetime Christmas "made for tv" movies - this was one of my very favorites"
— Natalie (5 out of 5 stars)
“It's Christmas Eve in uptown Manhattan; self-serving fashionista Caroline is a rude and spoiled narcissist who tramples on everyone's feelings…Caroline's comeuppance comes with sprigs of wit and plenty of designer name-dropping.”
— Publishers Weekly“A chick-lit tweak of the Dickens classic.”
— Kirkus Reviews" What I learned from this book was that you should never mess with a classic like the Christmas Carol. This book showed promise I thought, and kept me interested until the last quarter of the book. It then seemed that the author just gave up. I won't be reading this again. "
— Stacey, 2/18/2014" This book was awful. The writing was strange, the characters were the most unlikable characters ever, which I suppose was the point, but I think the author went to far especially with the mother character La. The take on the Christmas carol was a good effort but it didn't fully work and many of the story lines were just random. Like the roommate story on the black box huh was that suppose to be funny? Seriously, it was just bad. I wanted to give up but since I read fast it was really only a waste of a few hours so I just finished. Not worth the time to read it though. "
— Sadie, 2/12/2014" Couldn't even finish it. This book was STU.PID. "
— Marcie, 2/2/2014" For those who love chick literature and the song, "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." "
— Jennifer, 1/9/2014" Really just OK. "
— Carrie, 1/6/2014" I was not very impressed with the author's take on the visit's of the "ghosts of christmas." I was not very enjoyable reading about someone who was so obviously thinking only of herself. Would not recommend this book. "
— Tina, 1/3/2014" An interesting take on the classic Christmas time story by Dickens. Set in a fashion magazine, Caroline is used to gifts from every fashion house and designer. She treats every worker and service person very badly. Caroline is forced to meet her demons on Christmas Eve. "
— Victoria, 12/31/2013" Two words: vapid drivel. Three more words: Waste of time. "
— Ashley, 12/18/2013" This was a cute modern day retelling of a Christmas Carol. It took a little while to get into it, but it redeemed itself in the end. "
— Emily, 11/10/2013" I know this book didn't get the greatest reviews, but I actually enjoyed it for the most part. I found it to be humorous and a fun little twist on the storyline from A Christmas Carol. Maybe it was just that I appreciated the Christmas storyline because of the time of year, but I liked it. "
— Gigi, 11/8/2013" could not get into this book at first...wanted to finish it and by the end it turned out to be an okay book. fun for a girl to read at christmas time. "
— Kasey, 11/6/2013" A quick holiday read. "
— Megan, 8/18/2013" updated scrooge story with minalos. very cute and fast read. "
— Brittney, 8/16/2013" The title character reminds you why certain types of people carry stereotypes, right or wrong. The writing made you want to hate her and the book. Truthfully, the only reason I finished the book is because I was hopeful that Caroline didn't have a happy ending. "
— Chris, 5/22/2013" I didn't really start liking this book till I was at least 1/2 way through. Once I made it to that point it started to get enjoyable. Definitely a different take on the typical Christmas Carol story. "
— Aprillee, 5/24/2012" Devil Meets Prada meets Dicken's classic 'Christmas Carol', it was alright. "
— Cheryl, 5/3/2012" This book was cute and easy to read. It's a chick lit take on A Christmas Carol "
— Gaurett, 2/20/2012" The description says the magazine the main character works for is GIMMEE, but on the CD set I have it's called PRESENTS. Also, that description forgot the "e" on plane and it's driving me nuts. "
— Kristan, 11/6/2011" Modern retelling of Dickens classic, with enough twists and updates to make it not completely predictable. A whole lot of modern day Christmas-isms as well as references to other Dickens' stories. "
— Shauna, 6/16/2011" Painful, couldn't get past the first 75 pages. "
— Kelly, 6/7/2011" A modern day take on A Christmas Carol. Predictable and silly. The main character is over-the-top phoney. I wouldn't recommend. Red Bird Christmas by Fannie Flagg is a much better Christmas read. "
— Kelly, 6/2/2011" hilariously awesome!! i recommend it to anyone (: its great xxD i liike romantic comedies a loot <3 "
— Caroline, 2/26/2011" It was a bit slow for me in the beginning. I think her attitude was a bit over done. But I liked how the ending came together. It was a pretty quick read was I got past the beginning. "
— Karen, 2/24/2011" Dickensian chick lit. Fun Christmas reading! "
— Frankieharley, 1/12/2011" An interesting take on the classic Christmas time story by Dickens. Set in a fashion magazine, Caroline is used to gifts from every fashion house and designer. She treats every worker and service person very badly. Caroline is forced to meet her demons on Christmas Eve. "
— Victoria, 12/29/2010" This was a cute modern day retelling of a Christmas Carol. It took a little while to get into it, but it redeemed itself in the end. "
— Emily, 12/15/2010" It's been done a million times over...a modern day (and female) Scrooge...I lost interest halfway through. Too familiar to hold my attention. "
— Dawn, 12/12/2010" hilariously awesome!! i recommend it to anyone (: its great xxD i liike romantic comedies a loot <3 "
— Caroline, 12/8/2010" For those who love chick literature and the song, "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." "
— Jennifer, 12/2/2010" It was a bit slow for me in the beginning. I think her attitude was a bit over done. But I liked how the ending came together. It was a pretty quick read was I got past the beginning. "
— Karen, 9/6/2010" Painful, couldn't get past the first 75 pages. "
— Kelly, 2/9/2010" I didn't really start liking this book till I was at least 1/2 way through. Once I made it to that point it started to get enjoyable. Definitely a different take on the typical Christmas Carol story. "
— Aprillee, 7/16/2009" updated scrooge story with minalos. very cute and fast read. "
— Brittney, 12/30/2008" What I learned from this book was that you should never mess with a classic like the Christmas Carol. This book showed promise I thought, and kept me interested until the last quarter of the book. It then seemed that the author just gave up. I won't be reading this again. "
— Stacey, 12/18/2008" The description says the magazine the main character works for is GIMMEE, but on the CD set I have it's called PRESENTS. Also, that description forgot the "e" on plane and it's driving me nuts. "
— Kristan, 11/20/2008" This book was cute and easy to read. It's a chick lit take on A Christmas Carol "
— Gaurett, 11/15/2008" Couldn't even finish it. This book was STU.PID. "
— Marcie, 8/8/2008" A quick holiday read. "
— Megan, 3/9/2008" could not get into this book at first...wanted to finish it and by the end it turned out to be an okay book. fun for a girl to read at christmas time. "
— Kasey, 1/18/2008" Modern retelling of Dickens classic, with enough twists and updates to make it not completely predictable. A whole lot of modern day Christmas-isms as well as references to other Dickens' stories. <br/> "
— Shauna, 1/17/2008Kyle Smith is the author of Love Monkey, the hit novel that was adapted into a CBS television series starring Tom Cavanagh and Jason Priestley. He is also a movie critic for the New York Post, which posts his reviews online each week at nypost.com. He lives in New York City.