Olivia Waite is by far my favorite historical romance author, so when I originally discovered Hen Fever, I was tempted to read it immediately, regardless of the time of year. But I exercised restraint, imagining the cozy idyll of me reading it snuggled under a blanket on Christmas Eve, and saved it.

This novella was surprising to me. It does deliver some coziness, centered around a small town poultry show and the various rivalries among the competitors. However, it packs more emotional weight than I expected. The heroines have both been shaped by war and loss, and the themes of grief and trauma are not what I've come to expect from Christmas romances. Waite does it well, though, and it's satisfying to watch her characters find their commonalities and help one another.

Any gripes I have about this are my usual novella pacing complaints. The first half was perfection, while the second half felt a bit rushed, having to wrap up not only the main romantic plot, but also tie up all the other threads relating to the chicken show competitors and their squabbles, and resolve what happens with the competition itself.

But I still really enjoyed Hen Fever, and I'm glad I managed to read something Christmassy this year.