ReviewsByErin

What if you could get to know a family whose December 23rd tradition will touch your heart and bring romance to the lives of their daughters? The Sinclair family is crazy about Christmas, and each Dec. 23rd finds them at a Christmas tree farm in northern New Mexico to enjoy the festivities and bring home a tree. How will their tradition impact Clari, CJ, and Cindy? You'll have to read the novellas to find out!

While these stories are fun and full of Christmas spirit, they also gently and realistically touch on difficult subjects like betrayal and emotional abuse. Is there healing to be found, even in silly traditions? There's definitely healing to be found in the reason we celebrate Christmas, which is Jesus Christ coming to earth to bring hope and salvation to a troubled world.

If you love Christmas traditions or think you'd like to know more about music teacher Clair, chef CJ, or hotel manager Cindy, find yourself a copy of this delightful Christmas trilogy and settle in for a good read. Make sure to have some hot chocolate on hand!

 


Rose Sinclair is determined to take care of her father after his bad choices led him to debtor's prison. She approaches Lord Norcliffe with fear and trembling to ask for a position within his household in order to work of her father's personal debt to him. He gruffly allows her to take the position of undermaid.

Henry, Lord Norcliffe, has had too many people take advantage of him. He's lived as a decided recluse for the past few years. But something about Rose draws him, even with the ways her father wronged him.

This is a short retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I've heard a lot of good things about Joanna Barker so I hoped to really enjoy this story, but I felt like it was sadly underdeveloped and the interaction between the characters was not natural. Also, if I hadn't known about the Beauty and the Beast connection, I'm not sure I would have caught it, as that's not my favorite fairy tale or one I'm super familiar with.

Overall, a quick read that readers of Regency fiction and fairy tale retellings might enjoy.

Vlogger Alexis is returning to her hometown of Icicle Creek, WA, after a breakup with her boyfriend and video partner. She isn't sure what the future holds, but she needs time to get back on her feet. Her grandmother needs her, too. Oma has recently been contemplating purchasing and renovating a local camp, and Alexis is sure this is not a project Oma needs to be undertaking at her age.

Justin is tired of life in D.C. and has started a successful realtor practice back in Icicle Creek. He's got several big sales on the horizon, including the camp. But when his high school friend Alexis pushes back against her grandmother buying the property, will it throw things off course?

Meanwhile, Justin's love for Icicle Creek has prompted him to put the town into the running for America's Favorite Christmastown. Can he convince the residents to go along with the plan? How could they ever get the professional quality of video needed for the entry? Perhaps Alexis could help. And perhaps working together would give them the chance to get reacquainted on a personal level.

I thought this book had great potential to be charming and full of good conflict. It didn't quite deliver for me, as it took so long to set up the main premise of the story, and the narrative seemed to jump around a little too much. I was confused a few times about what was going on. I didn't develop a connection with either main character, and was disappointed the contest didn't feature more prominently in the storyline. However, the romance is sweet and clean, and everyone loves a good hometown narrative. I'd recommend this book for those wanting something light and uplifting this holiday season. 

I received my copy of the book from JustReads Publicity. All thoughts in this review are my own. If you'd like to purchase a copy of the book, click the image below.

Noah Johansson's dream died in Afghanistan with his best friend. Or so he thought. Now, in Maple Valley with his newly discovered half-siblings and a pretty landlord, visions of the life he once envisioned for himself are coming back to him.

Paige Parker moved to Maple Valley to prove to herself—and her father—that she could be independent. He's given up his life to raise her, and she wants him to find a life on his own. Plus, renovating her over-the-garage apartment was a fun project, and combined with her job at the newspaper, she has a happy and fulfilled life.

But when her dad shows up to visit, it seems like he expects more. Like a boyfriend. Enter Noah...

The impulsive idea to announce they were dating soon becomes a plague to both Noah's and Paige's consciences. But if it helps her dad, and doesn't hurt anyone else, can't they fake it for a while?

Meanwhile, Noah starts pursuing his dreams, but nothing comes easily. Can he overcome the past, the reopened wounds, and the current day obstacles to see it to fruition?

This is a sweet novella in the Maple Valley series. It's a standalone, but if you've read other the other books you'll have fun spotting beloved characters. 

It's time to talk about my favorite books from this year! 2020 has been no one's favorite revolution around the sun, but it still produced some stellar reads to help distract us along the way. 📚

Click on any title to read my original review, or click on the cover if you're interested in purchasing these books for yourself.

The Kissing Tree novella collection by Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese
I enjoyed each of these four stories! One tree and the romances which blossomed under its branches over the span of 150 years.

"An Archer Family Christmas" by Karen Witemeyer
This one isn't actually a 2020 release, but I read it in 2020 and loved it. If you're familiar with Karen's Archer brothers, you won't want to miss this sweet addition to their saga.

"Hoping for Hawthorne" by Tara Grace Ericson
This contemporary story kicks off the Bloom Sisters series, and I loved the depth of emotion and topics covered while still being a fun and entertaining read.

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This novella collection features four lovely authors and their beautiful stories all centered around a live oak tree in Oak Springs, Texas. The first story is set in 1868, and we follow on through the years in 1891, 1945, and modern day. I really enjoyed each and every one of these novellas. Two of them made me cry! I would highly recommend this to readers everywhere.

Here's a breakdown of each novella:

Broken Limbs, Mended Fences—by Regina Jennings: Passing tests never came easily for Bella Eden, but when  and the schoolteacher left town and an injury forced Bella to give up her seamstress dreams, she inherited a teaching role. Now Adam Fisher has returned to Oak Springs, bringing back all the embarrassment of the worst day of Bella's life. Local farmers don't want to put faith in Adam's new threshing machine, so he proposes a contest. But things go sideways when Bella's teaching job hinges on the outcome. Can she rise to the challenge and pass the teacher's exam, or will he be a part of more of her ruined hopes?

Inn For a Surprise—by Karen Witemeyer: Barnabas Ackerly has a pocketful of protests when his employer sends him to Oak Springs to help his daughter open the Kissing Tree Inn. Phoebe Woodward's tastes tend toward the extreme end of Victorian romantic notions, and Barnabas's practical sensibilities are overloaded. Yet as the two are forced to work together, they find out balance between the practical and romantic might be the best place to build a business—and a relationship.

From Roots to Sky—by Amanda Dykes: Luke Hampstead should have died when his plane was shot down over Belgium on Christmas Eve of 1944. The only thing that kept him alive was writing a letter to his penpal, the sister of a fallen soldier. When Luke miraculously survives, he desires to deliver his letter to Hannah in person, so after his recovery he travels to Oak Springs. Hannah Garland is more than he ever imagined, and as he helps her with a project in her brother's honor, his own heart begins to heal and take flight in new directions.

Heartwood—by Nicole Deese: Arborist Griffin Malone returns to Oak Springs when his cousin hires him to check on the health of the famous Kissing Tree. That's not the only thing on Griffin's plan, however. He wants to find closure with Abby Brookshire, groundskeeper at the Kissing Tree Inn, and the woman he once thought he'd spend the rest of his life with. This novella deals with loss and hope for the future, and brings a fine conclusion to this wonderful collection.

I received my copy of the book from one of the authors. All thoughts in this review are my own.

 

Tara Grace Ericson's new Bloom Sisters Series starts with a prequel novella—about their brother! Hawthorne Bloom grew up in a family with six sisters, and he's watched each of them come into their own and contribute to the family business in some way. He wanted more—his own company, his own ventures. But when life knocks him down and sends him back to the farm, Hawthorne isn't sure where his worth comes from anymore.

Avery Chase is excited to be back in her hometown. Her hope of reconnecting with old friends is snuffed when she sees Hawthorne Bloom—her old crush—hanging around some really questionable acquaintances and harassing their waitress. When she speaks up, it's clear Hawthorne doesn't remember her. Maybe that's for the best, even if his younger sisters were her best friends once upon a time.

Challenged by the set down from a woman who clearly knew him even if he couldn't recall her, Hawthorne begins taking stock of his life. Is he really contributing to the world? Could he ever find a place where he could use his strengths, just like his sisters have, without letting other people down? 

This story delves into deep issues while bringing hope to the reader. The romance is sweet, and you can see the beginning threads of future books in this series as we get to know Hawthorne's sisters. I can't wait to read more about the Bloom family!

 


Sage Matthews is running away from her grief—and running straight to the zoo. In desperate need to rekindle the Christmas magic she shared with her mom, all Sage wants is to ride the zoo train on Christmas Eve. Can running away end up bringing healing to her hurting heart?

After growing up in foster care, Luke Tennison has a heart to minister to kids in a similar situation. As the director of the zoo, he's planned a special Christmas morning surprise for some local kids, and plans to stay all night on Christmas Eve getting things set up. When he runs into his childhood friend Sage, utterly distraught over her first holiday without her mom, he invites her to share in his preparations.

One magical Christmas Eve night, a zoo full of animals who want to steal the show, and two hearts reconnecting on a deeper level than ever before—there's a lot to enjoy about this novella! The theme of grief—both fresh and further along in the healing process—makes this also kind of heavy for a holiday story. However, that's the way it can be for many, many people. And this story offers hope and joy, showing that they can come even when hearts are burdened.

I loved the zoo setting, and the interaction with the animals gave it a unique twist. I look forward to reading more from this author!

This story is currently available free of charge for anyone who signs up for the author's newsletter. Click here to find out more.

 


This novella collection features young women who worked at various Harvey Houses across the country, giving readers the chance to see glimpses of history in several different locations. The job of a Harvey Girl was not one I was especially familiar with, so I learned a lot as I read the different stories.

Each novella brought the tone of its author. I especially enjoyed the two from the authors I'm most familiar with, Karen Witemeyer and Regina Jennings. Karen's story More Than A Pretty Face featured a heroine we'd already met in her Patchwork Family series, while Regina's Intrigue a la Mode sets the stage for her new series to be released in 2020. I am unaware if Tracie's or Jen's stories tie into their other works, but each of the four can also be read as a standalone.

If you like historical fiction or learning about Harvey Girls, you would enjoy this collection. More information about each of the stories can be found here. 

I received my copy of the book from one of the authors. All opinions in this review are my own.

 


There's a new young adult medieval series coming from Jody Hedlund, beginning with this prequel novella. The story opens on a dark day, as the land of Mercia is about the be overthrown by an evil neighboring ruler, the king has been mortally injured, and the queen has undergone a difficult delivery of twin daughters. The queen presses Lady Felicia to vow to protect the infant princesses and their 3-year-old sister, setting our tale in motion.

With almost his last breath, King Francis charges Lance, one of his brave knights, to take care of the queen and his daughters. When Lance rushes to the queen's chambers and finds Lady Felicia about to whisk away with the newborn twins, there's no time to argue about whose vow holds more merit, and the two join forces to try to escape the castle even as it is being overrun by enemy forces.

With the cruel King Ethelwulf intent on murdering the young princesses, Lance and Felicia must race across the country to find those loyal to King Francis who can help protect the girls. Facing many dangers and their own growing attraction to each other, these two are willing to give their lives if necessary to preserve the rightful heirs to Mercia's throne.

To me, this read more like a fairy tale than medieval fiction, and a large suspension of disbelief is needed to think about this much traveling with the needs of one small child and two newborn babies. However, it sets the stage nicely for the upcoming books about the lost princesses and their quest to take back the throne. Adventure awaits both readers and characters in these pages and the series to follow.

Set to release Aug. 13, you can preorder Always here.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All opinions in this review are my own.

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