Review of A Christmas by the Sea

Title:  A Christmas by the Sea

Author: Melody Carlson

Chapters: 14

Pages: 169

Genre: Christmas

Rating: 3.5 stars

A Christmas by the Sea is the new Christmas Story by Melody Carlson.  Widowed single mom Wendy Harper finds out that she has inherited a beach cottage in Maine. Her plan is to move to Maine temporarily with her son Jackson in order to get the house ready to be sold. Jackson has other plans he wants to make Maine their new home.   He starts by in rolling himself in the local school.  And in some ways he gets help from Caleb Colton in trying to get his mom to stay.   

What's a single mom and a local craftsman supposed to do when you’re dealing with a 12-year-old matchmaker? Well what follows is a sweet Christmas story about finding where you belong and that sometimes the plans you made aren't the ones that end up following.  That sometimes you go looking for something, but end up finding something so much better.    

Melody Carlson's Christmas stories tend to be lite on the romance, but heavy on the sweet. And more often than not there's always some kind of pet.  And in this book it was a loveable stray dog. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Alaskan Holiday

Title:  Alaskan Holiday

Author: Debbie Macomber

Chapters: 16 Plus Epilogue

Pages:  256

Genre: Christmas Chick lit

Rating:  3.5 stars

Alaskan Holiday is the new Christmas book by Debbie Macomber.  One of the things that you can count on is that Debbie Macomber almost always has a new Christmas book out every year. It's just something that she does, and this year is no different. Alaskan Holiday is at least her second Christmas book set in Alaska.  The first being Starry Night. 

In Alaskan Holiday Josie Avery having missed the last ferry leaving the remote Alaskan town of Ponder believes that she's going to be stuck in Alaska through the winter.  Which will lead to her losing her dream job in Seattle.  Though she loves the community and the people especially Palmer Saxon a quiet swordsmith and Jack Corcoran a wilderness guide who has an uncle like quality.  

Palmer who has fallen in love with Josie during the summer and loves his small Alaskan town can't understand why anyone would want to leave.  But when Josie finds a way out he lets her go.  But once in Seattle working at the restaurant she realizes her dreams aren't what she thought they were.  That maybe what she is looking for is somewhere else. 

I enjoy Debbie's Christmas books and Alaskan Holiday is no different.  I enjoy these Hallmark movies like books. That read just like a Hallmark movie.  Her books are great for people who like Christmas romances and Hallmark movies. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Mini Christmas Reviews

Title: The Navy’s Night Before Christmas

                     

Author: Christine Ford, Trish Holland

Pages: 32

Genre: Children’s Christmas book

Rating: 4 stars

The Navy’s Night Before Christmas is a retelling of  The Night Before Christmas. On Board a Navy Ship, and it is a really cute and sweet read. To remind us to remember our military at Christmas and every day o f the year.  I wish this book was out when I was a kid an my dad was deployed during Christmas.  

Title: Mr. Miracle

          

Author: Debbie Macomber

Series: Angelic Intervention book 10

Pages: 256

Genre: Christmas

Rating: 4 stars

Mr. Miracle is another Christmas novella from Debbie Macomber. Who is another author that I read her Christmas novels every year. 

Title: The Christmas Light

Author: Donna VanLiere

Pages: 224

Genre: Christmas

Rating: 4

The Christmas Light by Donna VanLiere is another sweet Christmas read by Donna VanLiere the same author who wrote The Christmas Shoes.  I always try to read one of Donna’s books at Christmas every year. 

Title: Ho Ho Homicide

Author: Kaitlyn Dunnett

 

Chapters: 15

Pages: 294

Genre: cozy mysteries

Rating: 4 stars

Liss and Dan Runkin

Five years after Vampire bones and treacle scones

A Christmas mystery sort of. It also happened to be my least favorite of the series but it is still a cute winter read. 

Title: Finding Father Christmas

 

Author: Robin Jones Gunn

Series: Father Christmas Book 1

 

Pages: 176

Genre: Christmas

Rating: 3 stars

Even though I love Robin Jones Gunn’s books I didn’t really like this one but it was still a cute Christmas read. 

Review of Yuletide Baby

Title: Yuletide Baby

Author: Deb Kastner

Series: Cowboy Country

Chapters: 10 plus

Pages: 216

Genre: Christian Romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

In Yuletide Baby a baby is left at Church on Christmas Eve, and Pastor Shawn O’Riley can’t help but wonder if God wants him take care of baby Noelle but he can’t help before feel hopeless like he can’t take care of an infant. He’s never thought of himself as a father. He turns to single foster mother Heather Lewis for help.  Though Heather wants to do with man especially someone who’s a pastor.

What  neither know is that baby Noelle might be the Christmas miracle that they both need. 

Review of Once Upon a Christmas

Title: Once Upon a Christmas

Author: Tracy Pamela

Series: Love Inspired

 

Genre: Christian Romance

Rating: 4 ½ stars

    

     Once Upon a Christmas is a cute Christmas story that focuses on forgiveness and the real meaning of Christmas. The Reason for the Season, God’s Grace. 

Review of the Gift of Family

Title: The Gift of Family

Author: Linda Ford and Karen Kirst

Series: Love Inspired Historical

 

Pages: 282

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars

Title: Merry Christmas, Cowboy

Author: Linda Ford

Chapters: 9 plus epilogue

 Colt Johnson is a half Native American cowboy who has two orphans in his care. Becca is a storekeeper’s daughter who sees past Colt and the children’s skin color to see who they are on the inside.

Becca wants to give them a Christmas to remember. But ends up giving them so much more.  I enjoyed reading a Christmas story that allowed the reader to see past the differences of skin tone and race to see the person within.

Title: Smoky Mountain Christmas

Author: Karen Kirst

Chapters: 11 plus epilogue

     Smoky Mountain Christmas is a Christmas story set in one of my favorite places the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. When Cole Prescott left his wife Rachael he didn’t know that he was also leaving behind a daughter Abby.

     Is Cole’s coming back a Christmas Miracle or will he let Rachael down again. Smoky Mountain Christmas is a Christmas story about second chances.