This collection can be broken down into a prologue, 3
novellas, and an epilogue. When I read
these collections, I will write my review for each story after I finish it,
then I evaluate the book as a whole.
So...here we go!
Prologue – Winter Wonderland - Sarah Sundin
Great intro. Just
reading these few pages, I was already in love with this family. It sets up the stories for Pete, Abigail and
Meredith in such a fun, interesting way.
I want to read more about Louise and her grandchildren.
White Christmas – Cara Putnam
Abigail’s heart is sore.
After losing her boyfriend at Pearl Harbor, she’s given up. Loving people is too risky and hurts too much
when they leave. She decides her
schoolwork and her job are enough, she doesn’t need love. Her determination fades a bit after she meets
Jackson, a man who’s dealing with the possible loss of his family home. Abigail offers him help and so much more.
I loved the characters in this one. I sympathized with Abigail’s desire to guard
her heart, sometimes the “safe” way seems tempting even though there’s no such
thing. Grandma Louise imparts her
wisdom, and she’s a neat character. A
well-developed story that I recommend.
4.5 stars
I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Sarah Sundin
The last person Grace wants to see is Pete Turner. He tormented her when she was a child, and
she blames him for an event that was trying for her family. But when Grace’s daughter, Linnie, disappears
(again), Pete comes into their lives.
Linnie thinks she’s found her new father, but Grace only sees the bully
from her past. Can she get past that and
see the changed man in front of her?
This is a great story about forgiveness and trusting those
who have hurt you. There was such a
sweetness to all the interactions between the characters that I found myself
getting a bit choked up at times. That
doesn’t happen to me often, but this story was touching for me. There’s a bit of continuation with Abigail,
so that’s neat and connects the stories in a nice way. Merry (Meredith) also comes home, so she’s
introduced. 5 stars.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Tricia Goyer
Meredith left her joy behind when the man she loved
disappeared. She believes he left to
fight for the Germans, but little does she realize he’s been fighting against
them. Now that she’s stationed in the
same small village, she has a chance to find forgiveness and peace for herself,
and possibly a future.
David regrets the way he left, but he doesn’t doubt his
decision until he hears that Merry is a nurse at the American hospital a short
distance away. David isn’t sure it’s
safe for him to reveal himself, but he doesn’t have much time to decide. Is this the second chance he’s been dreaming
of?
Another great story.
The main characters don’t have much interaction overall, but it feels
like they do since they’re always thinking about each other. 4.5 stars.
I’ve been disappointed in the past when I’ve read this kind
of collection and there’s no closure for after the war. This story ended before the war did, BUT then
there’s the…
Epilogue - Let It Snow, Let it Snow – Cara Putnam
A great ending to the collection. The war is over, there’s updates on all the
family, and everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow. This is the way novella collections should
be. Stories that blend together
comfortably in writing style and character relationships. Loveable characters that I cared about. Enough drama and conflict to keep me coming
back for more. This is probably the best
overall collection I’ve read. There’s
even four recipes for cookies in the back!
Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy this time period. Great Book!
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