December is the seasonal setting for many a Hallmark romance movie. In an ambiance of softly falling (not Maine blizzard driven) snow, beautifully decorated trees, candles at windows--the whole Noel nine yards--a couple of unlikely people fall in or back in love in a magical Christmasy grand finale...
...It's gonna take a whole lot of magic to get Juniper and Lyric, narrators of Mariama J. Lockington's I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, to basically understand each other--never mind fall in love. They're as different as you can get down to their feelings about the season.
Juniper is a total fan, especially of the music. Except for the year her moms temporarily separated her memories are merry and bright. But a couple of worries are tempering her joy. Her moms are once again fighting. And she has a plan for a desperately needed gap year neither of them will approve of.
For Lyric Christmas is just another let down in a life full of distress. Her flashbacks are truly heartbreaking. She started life with a mentally ill mother who couldn't even provide her with the basics. When the authorities intervened she spent time in foster care until she was rescued by her grandmother who was able to provide a real home and stability.
Now the caregiving role has changed. Her grandmother has had a stroke and knee replacement. In addition to school and a job, Lyric has a household to run and complex caregiving responsibilities. She's the one who has to deal with the doctors, monitor the meds, etc...
...She's also a fashion influencer, earning money through sponsored posts. That's how she gets involved with Juniper. She asks her to pose for pictures with her. Unexpectedly that post blows up with seriously lucrative offers...
...Both girls can use the money. They agree to fake a romance. It's strictly a business transaction...
...Or is it?
One thing I especially love about I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm is the distinctively different voices of the narrators, facilitated by Lyric speaking in prose and Juniper in free verse. Both come across as complex, highly relatable individuals whom it's easy to care about.
No matter how you feel about the Christmas season--love, hate, or somewhere in between--if romance is your genre of choice you'll find I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm to be a real treat.
On a purrrsonal note, this week, with Clean Sweep wrapped up, I was able to settle into my routine summer commitments. Tuesday was the first day of this year's children's garden, a beloved program of Orono Public Library. I get to be paparazzi, a very fun role appreciated by the librarians and the proud parents of the little gardeners. The kids are so bright and curious. After that I volunteered at the Orono Community Garden where we're harvesting some early crops like asparagus. We've almost finished planting the beds. And there's always weeding and watering. Wednesday I participated in the weekly vigil along Route 2 in downtown Orono. It went well. We got 112 cars honking in solidarity.
With the exception of the weekly vigils which started in 2025, these are long term commitments. I've volunteered with the library almost 17 years, with the garden even longer. I'm big on commitments. Eugene and I will celebrate our 37th anniversary next month, God willing. And this blog will turn 15 in August.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my Galaxy
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