All is Calm originally came out November 2014, but is now
being released with another novella called All is Bright, which appears to be a
new novella. These are Christmas themed
and just the right length for the busy Christmas season.
All is Calm is a Lonestar novella, set in Texas at the
Bluebird Ranch. Lauren has been under
suspicion for a murder and has run away with the horse that was going to be put
down. She’s run to the ranch where she
was a foster child, hoping for a sense of peace. Brendan is on medical leave from Special Ops,
and is wondering if it’s time to settle down.
While he’s initially wary of Lauren, he believes in her innocence and
wants to help her.
This was a nice little story with mentions of Rick and Allie
from Lonestar Sanctuary. The balance of
this novella is good. I’m more critical
of novellas, because I think it takes a really talented writer to tell a good,
balanced story in that short period of time.
In this case, you’ve got a complete story that’s perfect for a snowy
afternoon in front of the fire.
All is Bright is a Hope Beach novella, set in Virginia at
Hope Island. Delilah has spent years
taking care of everyone else without letting anyone close enough to get to know
her. Her past isn’t something she’s
proud of, and she’s beginning to think she’ll never have a family. When her life is in danger, the sheriff, Tom,
vows to protect her. He’s had his eye on
Delilah for some time, but he feels like she’s out of his league. He’s been protecting himself for so long, but
Delilah needs him.
This novella touches base with characters from the series
including Curtis, Amy, Vanessa, Libby, Alec, Marc and Elin. Delilah is preparing the Tidewater Inn for
Marc and Elin’s wedding, so you get to see a lot of them and also Libby, the
owner of the inn.
These stories are both well balanced and I highly recommend
them. They’d be a great break from a
busy Christmas season, but you’ll be able to enjoy them at any time of
year. You don’t need to be familiar with
any of the books that came before (the Lonestar or Hope Beach series), but the
check-ins with the characters from those books are an added bonus for those
that have read them. Good Novellas!
*I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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