A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber

 

A happy, heartfelt holiday romance with all the small town Christmas trimmings!  This is a clean enjoyable story with believable characters. It’s characterized as Christian but it doesn’t have enough Christian content for me to call it that. However, there was nothing objectionable in it either.  I really liked this one! It’s exactly what we would expect in a holiday tale from this author.

Hailey Morgan is a music teacher whose real passion is writing songs, but she doesn’t have a lot of time to do it and doesn’t get any support from her family or her former boyfriend.  Her best friend and fellow teacher, Katherine Stockton, gives her the opportunity to spend the holidays in a rustic, secluded cabin so she can concentrate on her song writing.  Over her family’s protests, Hailey decides to go to the cabin without telling them where it is.  Upon arriving at the cabin she is greeted by an intruder, a very scarey racoon.  The local handyman, Jethro or Jay as he prefers to be called, comes to the rescue. He also happens to be a former member of a rock band and they bond over their interest in music.

Hailey’s solitude is disrupted when her flighty sister, Daisy, shows up and crashes her vacation.  Eventually her family finds out where she is and shows up. Strained family dynamics, and an overbearing and manipulative mother  are combined with all the small town festivities of tree lighting, parade and caroling.

I was given a digital ARC of this book but as soon as I’m able, I’m going to find a hard copy to keep on my bookshelf for future Christmases.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“Hailey Morgan’s life has always revolved around music. She once had big dreams of becoming a professional songwriter, but the reality of life has led her to working as an assistant high school band teacher in Portland. As the holidays approach, Hailey dreads the annual tradition of spending Christmas with her family and dodging her mother’s meddling questions about her love life.

When Hailey’s close friend offers her the use of her family’s empty cabin for a rejuvenating solo holiday retreat, Hailey finally decides to do something to make herself happy. However, her arrival in the small town of Podunk, Oregon, is anything but peaceful when she discovers the cabin has been invaded by several wild animals. Luckily, Jay, the son of the town’s main store proprietor—and an incredibly handsome and charming former musician to boot—is more than willing to help.

Soon Hailey and Jay are nearly inseparable, chopping down and decorating a Christmas tree, sipping hot cocoa in front of a cozy fire, and best of all, playing music together. Jay’s positive feedback and encouragement inspire Hailey to believe she might succeed as a songwriter after all. But even in her snow-dusted oasis, family holiday drama still finds Hailey, interrupting and threatening her newfound peace and confidence. Meanwhile revelations from Jay present complications of their own. Suddenly her Christmas paradise has become a winter storm and Hailey must weather through the challenges to stand up for herself and embrace the holiday spirit.”

I don’t very often give a 5 star rating but this one deserves it! 

Go HERE to read an excerpt 

Go HERE to learn more about Debbie Macomber and her books 

 

 

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

 

A Collection of faithfilled Christian romances~ Courting the County Preacher by Angela K. Couch, Carolyn Miller, Naomi Musch and Kari Trumbo

 

This is a collection of four stories centered around the lives of preachers and their path to love. 

The first, The Mountie’s Rival by Angela Couch, is set in Alberta, Canada in the early 1900’s. Jonathan and his twin brother, David, end up in the same village. Jonathan is there as the new preacher. He doesn’t realize that his Mountie brother, David, is stationed there as well and isn’t happy about it when he finds out.  While they are twins they have opposite personalities.  Jonathan is serious and insecure. Always feeling he is in his brother’s shadow. David , on the other hand is a fun loving, thrill seeking young man.  They both become acquainted with April Harvey, the daughter of the “town drunk”.  She is the housekeeper and laundress for the parsonage and becomes friends with Jonathan.  David meets her when her arrests her father.  April is ill treated by the village residents because of the reputation of her father.  This is a story of acceptance, overcoming prejudice and both physical and spiritual salvation.

Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller, is the second story in the collection. This story is set in Australia in the mid 1800’s. Jonas Hamill is a circuit preacher who accepts a temporary position while the regular preacher is away.  He has lost his wife and child in a fire and is still mourning.  Thea is the eldest daughter of a prominent family. Her father wants her to make an advantageous match. A flood brings Jonas and Thea together as they work to clean up and repair the church building. Her father isn’t pleased with the amount of time they are spending together and sends her away. Thea’s younger sister Eliza is a precocious young girl and brings some levity to the story.  Thea and Jonas learn about trusting and surrendering to God’s will. 

The third story in the collection is The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch. Everette Shepard is a preacher who gets trapped in a barn during a  storm in Minnesota in the early 1900’s. He is traveling to a lumber camp to minister to the men there.  He was once a rough and tumble, drunk womanizer before finding faith in God.  He is burdened to bring the Gospel to the men who are much like he was. The barn is owned by the man who owns the trading post, and his daughter, Angelina. Angelina is searching for spiritual answers and a friendship develops. Everette is trying to overcome his past while Angelina is trying to discover her future and what life holds for her.

Mail-Order Minster by Kari Trumbo is the last story of the collection. Finch Presly has come to Baker’s Nook, South Dakota to minister to a church which has just been through a split.  Olive’s father is the only elder left in the church and hires Finch with the hopes that he will marry Olive. Olive’s friend, Belta and her family are members of the congregation that left the original church.  They are also looking for a new pastor. When their new prospect falls through, they approach Finch to lead both branches, separately.  Finch has started to develop feelings for Olive but also feels a strong desire to reunite the church. The offer from Belta’s church is contingent on him being married and specifically, to Belta.  Finch is torn between what his heart is telling him and what his sense of duty is telling him. He struggles to know and accept God’s will.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“Every Preacher Needs a Wife, Right?

Being a preacher in the countryside is not for the faint of heart nor faith. Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of “helpful” congregants and be true to their hearts?
 
Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller
Australia, 1863 — As soon as Dorothea Maclean saw the country preacher, she knew Mr. Hammill was the man of her dreams. Now she just needs to convince her wealthy parents—and Mr. Hammill.
 
Mail Order Minister by Kari Trumbo
South Dakota, 1889 — Olive’s parents mail-ordered a preacher and prayed he’d be a husband for their daughter. The rest of the town—and Olive—have other ideas.
 
The Mountie’s Rival by Angela K. Couch
Canada, 1907 — Tired of living in his twin’s shadow, Jonathan Burton is frustrated to find himself serving as a still wet-behind-the-ears preacher in the same community as his Mountie brother. How is he to find a wife when all the eligible women of the community seem enamored by his dashing brother in scarlet uniform?
 
The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch
Minnesota, 1910 — A preacher with a checkered past sets off to win souls in the lumber camps like the “sky pilots” before him. But can he earn the respect of hard-living men—and still respect himself—after a local trader’s daughter joins the all-male congregation?”

Go HERE to read an excerpt

These stories are heartwarming, spiritually uplifting Christian romances. There is a strong faith element with believable characters.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

Mistletoe Season, Three Christmas Stories by Kathleen Fuller, Pepper Basham and Sheila Roberts

This is a collection of three novellas all involving mistletoe.  They are heartwarming and uplifting stories that are easy to read and bring holiday joy.

The first is Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller. This story is about a single mom, Emmy and her adopted daughter, Carina.  They own an antique shop called Mistletoe Antiques in a town named Mistletoe.  Emmy and her former boyfriend, opened the store together but shortly after receiving a business loan, he left taking all the money with him.  She is left trying to keep the store going.   She is surprised when her high school crush, Kieran, returns after living in Ireland for over 20 years. He is also her best friend’s brother.  As they renew their friendship they both realize that the developing relationship is more than a friendship.  They have some obstacles to overcome, the biggest one being that Kieran returns to Ireland.  What will become of their renewed relationship?

A Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is the second story.  Arran is royalty, a prince, with a bad-boy reputation. His family sends him to live with his sister in America and to work for her husband, Luke, who owns a construction company. Another stipulation is that Arran must help with the annual Christmas charity event, the Mistletoe Wish.  Luke’s cousin, Charlotte, or Charlie, as they call her, is in charge of the charity and also works for the construction company.  They have a rather comical and unfortunate first meeting. Charlie reluctantly decides she needs his help.  Arran’s sister, Ellie, enlists Arran’s help in giving Charlie, a self proclaimed tom-boy, a makeover.  Will Arran change his bad-boy ways and what will he and Charlie discover about themselves along the way?

The third story in this collection is Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts. In this story, Hailey Fairchild, a romance writer, has had bad experiences with dates and mistletoe kisses. The author gives us an accounting of Hailey’s last three disastrous relationships all beginning with a kiss under the mistletoe. Hailey has vowed she will never kiss under the mistletoe again.  When she returns home to spend Christmas with her family, she discovers her brother’s new girlfriend is the mean girl from high school.  She is a hairdresser and convinces Hailey to let her color her hair.  She purposely colors it bright green, and this is how Hailey looks when she sees her high school crush, Carwyn, for the first time in years.  Hailey is convinced that in order for her to have a relationship with Carwyn, she must stay away from any mistletoe kisses.  Their relationship seems to be progressing but problems arise when she realizes that their relationship would have to be a long distance one. He lives in her hometown and she lives in New York City, where her publisher is. After several months, Hailey knows she must make a decision.  Will Hailey get over her fears?  Will their relationship survive?

These three stories are lighthearted, clean romances filled with fun holiday spirit.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts

Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild’s kryptonite. Every time she’s kissed someone under the mistletoe it’s led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams), kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn’t a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she’s never forgotten, and now she’s about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller

Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O’Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother’s seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister’s close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay in Mistletoe, and she will never leave?

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham

Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month “punishment” in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn’t recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.”

 

Go HERE to read an excerpt 

#MistletoeSeason

#NetGalley

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the Thomas Nelson, Harper Collins via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.