A Hope Springs Christmas / A Snowglobe Christmas / His Holiday Family

Three Christmas romances for your holiday enjoyment.

Title: A HOPE SPRINGS CHRISTMAS

Author: Patricia Davids

Publisher: Love Inspired

November 2012

ISBN:  978-0-373-87781-2

Genre: Amish/romance

Sarah Wyse’s husband has died five years ago. She is insistent she’ll never marry again. She still is part owner of her husband’s buggy shop, but she lets Jonas’ business partner, Levi, handle the business while she works at a fabric shop. When her boss goes south for awhile and closes the shop, Sarah wonders what she’ll do for income, what she’ll do to give herself a reason to keep living through another holiday alone.

Levi Beachy is shy. He admires Sarah, always has, even though he believes she was instrumental in getting other Amish kids to laugh at him. When his sister leaves to visit their grandmother and think about her relationship with Henry Zook, Sarah marches into the shop and takes over, turning his sanctuary into a place of torment. The good thing is, Sarah can handle the customers and doesn’t turn into a stuttering idiot when they come in.

Unfortunately, Sarah is on a mission—to marry Levi off as soon as possible so that his sister can marry Henry. To retaliate, Levi starts sending eligible bachelors to see Sarah, equally determined to find her a husband. On their quest to find love for the other, will they mend each other’s broken hearts?

A HOPE SPRINGS CHRISTMAS is the newest book in Ms. Davids’ ongoing Brides of Amish Country series. This one features both hero and heroine as Amish, and both of them healing from tragic loss. It had some funny moments in it that made me laugh, but most of the book had a more sober feel.

Levi is quiet and shy, but he does have a quick temper when pushed too far. Sarah is a pushy little thing, wanting her way, and quick to step in and speak up to get what she wants. Completely Levi’s opposite. Still, I couldn’t help but care for Levi. Sarah took a bit more time for me, as like the hero I am quiet and shy, and I don’t like it when people try to take over for me and run my life. The story got interesting when Levi and Sarah started trying to match each other up with others. Fun! If you like Amish stories, then you should consider A HOPE SPRINGS CHRISTMAS. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $5.75. 224 pages.

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Title: A SNOWGLOBE CHRISTMAS

Authors: Linda Goodnight and Lissa Manley

Publisher: Love Inspired

November 2012

ISBN: 978-0-373-87777-5

Genre: Contemporary romance

Two different Christmas stories set in the fictional town of Snowglobe, Montana to start the holiday reading with.

Yuletide Homecoming by Linda Goodnight – Amy Caldwell left Snowglobe five years ago when her boyfriend, Rafe Westfield broke her heart by joining the Marines. Now she’s returned to Snowglobe to take over her mom’s business, but she never expected Rafe to be back in town. Amy is a bit cautious around Rafe, but with her anxious to get involved in the holiday spirit she is around Rafe a lot. Can their romance be rekindled after the painful breakup five years prior?

A Family’s Christmas Wish by Lissa Manley – Owen Larson is looking for a fresh start after the death of his beloved wife. He has one last job to do in Snowglobe, then he is taking his three year old daughter and fleeing Montana for good. Sara Kincaid was abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with her daughter. When Owen has to bring his daughter along while he works on Sara’s bed and breakfast, Sara is quick to offer to babysit. The two little girls become fast friends, forcing Owen and Sara to spend more time together. Will either Sara or Owen be able to get past their own hurts to embrace a new love?

A SNOWGLOBE CHRISTMAS is a delightful collection of two Christmas reads. I wondered at first if Snowglobe was a real town or not (it’d be a fun Christmassy name for a town) but it is a make-believe town.  I enjoyed reading both stories, but especially Yuletine Homecoming.  I would kind of like to read another story about Rafe’s younger brother, Jake. He seems like he’d be a great hero in a romance.

Both stories are short, easily able to read one in a day, or both, I read them on a Sunday afternoon while relaxing. Discussion questions are included for both stories as well as a recipe for a holiday cheese spread. $5.75. 220 pages.

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Title: HIS HOLIDAY FAMILY
Author: Margaret Daley
Publisher: Love Inspired
November 2011
ISBN: 978-0-373-87711-9
Genre: Contemporary romance

Nurse Kathleen Hart has just got off duty at the hospital. When she arrives home, she finds her apartment engulfed in flames. She grabs a firefighter insisting that her boys and her cousin are inside on the second floor.

Gideon O'Brien loves his job. He and his co-worker, Pete, go into the blaze to rescue the boys and the babysitter, but they can't find anyone in the apartment. Then they learn the boys had been outside all along. But the building collapses on the way down, leaving Gideon injured and unconscious. Kathleen goes to the hospital to see him and finds him an uncooperative patient.

A hurricane is barring down on the town in Mississippi, Gideon and Kathleen become tentative friends and he helps them "rebuild" their home as Christmas approaches. But will a string of disasters destroy their love?

HIS HOLIDAY FAMILY is a book I won in a contest last year and hadn't had time to read. I am in the mood for holiday books so thought this would be a good time. As romances go, it's pretty predictable. Boy meets girl, you know the formula. The characters could've been better developed, they were rather flat. I didn't feel I got to know them very well. But it was a sweet romance, a cute holiday story. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $5.75. 217 pages.