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Reviews for Christmas
Wishes
by Multiple Authors
CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
December 2006
Rating:
Christmas is a magical time and twelve talented authors answer the
question of what happens when CHRISTMAS WISHES come true in this
incredible anthology.
Leanne Burroughs opens up this phenomenal anthology with “Christmas
at Home.” World War II has been tough on Allison Monroe and her five
year old daughter, Becca. She’s lost her husband and is now forced
to live on ration coupons. There’s never enough money for the
extras, like candy and dolls. Things are about to change as Allison
meets injured pilot, Ryan Burgess, and both learn to appreciate
“Christmas at Home.”
Leanne Burroughs weaves an absolutely beautiful story! Her heart
warming tale is sure to resonate with readers as she evokes the true
spirit of Christmas in this poignant story of two broken souls who
heal one another with the miracle of love. Ms. Burroughs has a
talent of crafting charming romances that pull at your emotions and
this gift is never more evident than in “Christmas at Home.”
In “The Christmas Store” by Anne Marie Bradley, Aine Ross makes a
very special wish after seeing her marriage hopes shattered. Aine is
reluctant to trust in love again but Mr. and Mrs. Claus reassure her
that CHRISTMAS WISHES come true at “The Christmas Store” if only she
will believe.
Ann Marie Bradley’s spectacular skill at creating ambiance is fully
demonstrated in “The Christmas Store.” Whether the backdrop is a
wintry scene with Mr. and Mrs. Clause or the warmth of Hawaii, Ms.
Bradley excels at crafting just the right atmosphere to match her
particular characters and storyline. Readers will cherish this
hauntingly sweet tale.
“Love’s Eternal Hope” by Amber Dawn Bell is the deeply emotional
tale of Hope Lacey as she recovers from losing everything in a
bitter divorce. A wish upon a Cherokee Christmas ornament, a
nunne’hi, transports her back to her true love, Wolf. See what
happens in this lyrical tale of “Love’s Eternal Hope.”
Amber Dawn Bell writes a superb time travel demonstrating how the
power of love transcends time. The attraction between Hope and Wolf
is instantaneous as the reader is carried back into a different
time. The intricate details make this tale come alive and the reader
will cheer for Hope as she overcomes the depths of despair caused by
her divorce.
Billie Warren Chai shows what happens when Major Sean Spencer
commences with “Operation Family.” Sean is anxious when he is called
to pick up several of his men who are being held at the Sheriff’s
Office where the lovely Ava Jefferson still works. After all, Ava
broke his heart when she refused to quit her job to marry him. When
Sean spots the very pregnant Ava, he realizes that things will have
to change as “Operation Family” begins.
Billie Warren Chai’s tale is sure to touch the hearts of all who
read it. The dilemma of whether to be a stay-at-home mother or
pursue a career is one so many women face and “Operation Family”
vividly portrays Ava’s struggle over this issue. Billie Warren Chai
has a talent for tackling tough topics and creating beautiful
romances out of these difficult situations.
“The Gift of You” by Kimberly Ivey is the heart-warming tale of
Liliana Brooks and Jake Delacorte. Abused by life after having a
child out of wedlock in the 1970s, Liliana quits her job when her
groping boss makes yet more unwanted and lewd advances. Jake is her
reluctant rescuer from the evils encountered by a single woman out
alone. Will CHRISTMAS WISHES come true for Liliana and Jake?
“The Gift of You” captures the heart of the Christmas spirit.
Liliana’s devotion to her son, Nicky, shines through as a beacon of
hope and provides a startling contrast to the negative attitude of
others towards Liliana. This beautifully crafted tale of love
against all odds is certain to charm readers during any season.
In “The Patient Gift” by Patty Howell, Lea Novak has allowed grief
to numb her heart. Durham North’s fortuitous need for a tow truck
sends him knocking on Lea’s door and a Christmas miracle is about to
occur.
“The Patient Gift” is a powerful testament to love overcoming all
obstacles, including the dark despair grief can cause. Patty Howell
has created a true hero in Durham North as his sensitivity and
patience are exactly what Lea needs. And who doesn’t need a dog like
Basil? Patty Howell is guaranteed to garner some new fans with this
enchanting holiday tale.
Cheryl Alldredge’s “In Time for Christmas” is a stunning time travel
back to when Vikings plundered. Gunnar meets a small boy, Jon, and
feels compelled to say a prayer to the Christian God. His prayer for
good fortune, and the gift of a box to Beth in the present day, send
Beth hurtling back where she and Gunnar find love “In Time for
Christmas.”
Cheryl Alldredge’s heartfelt story brings the time of the Vikings to
vivid life. Her incredible gift at encapsulating details and
emotions will leave readers yearning for more stories by this
talented author. This compelling time travel beautifully juxtaposes
the beliefs of the Vikings with those of the Christians to create a
fascinating and sensitive portrait of Christmas.
“Once Upon a Snowflake” by Shelli Stevens is a magical tale of how
Lilly Rawson’s escape from her past sends her crashing into the arms
of Logan. Lilly and her four year old son, Ben, are headed to a job
Lilly doesn’t truly want when she wrecks her car in the snow. Will
Lilly take a chance on love this Christmas?
Shelli Stevens’ tale of finding hope in an unlikely place is both
heartwarming and charming. Ben is an endearing character as he makes
exactly the sort of remarks one expects from a four year old. Shelli
Stevens has a phenomenal career ahead of her with such beautiful
stories as “Once Upon a Snowflake.”
Gerri Bowen’s regency era tale, “Joy’s Christmas Wishes” is a
delightful tale of an 11 year old girl’s wish for a new mother. Her
dad, Geoffrey, and Lady Emma are attracted to one another. But will
it cause a family rift as Geoffrey’s brother wants Emma’s hand in
marriage as well?
“Joy’s Christmas Wishes” is a sweet tale emphasizing the true heart
of Christmas. Gerri Bowen’s elegant prose brings to vivid life the
sheer joy of Christmas through the eyes of a child. Joy’s unwavering
faith that her CHRISTMAS WISHES will come true shines through while
the sweet romance between Geoffrey and Emma evokes images from a
time long past.
Kimberly Grant’s “Miracles and Mistletoe” is the dramatic tale of
Marla Anders’ fears over her cancer test results as Christmas
approaches. Chance Yardley, urges her to keep the faith as he prays
for a Christmas miracle regarding her health.
“Miracles and Mistletoe” contains all of the sights and sounds of
Christmas in such vivid detail! Kimberly Grant’s wonderful imagery
of Christmas truly showcases her phenomenal writing talent. Her
skill at evoking strong emotions is very apparent as one can feel
Marla’s deep anguish over the potential test results. What a
powerful story!
“The Christmas Wish” by Rebecca Andrews is the poignant story of six
year old Kevin O’Connor’s wish for a mom. His supermodel mom has
died, and his father, Ryan, is stunned when they see Holly St. Nick
and she is the spitting image of Kevin’s mom. Will “The Christmas
Wish” of Kevin come true this year?
Rebecca Andrews has a winner with “The Christmas Wish!” This
beautifully written story is sure to leave readers reaching for the
Kleenex. Kevin’s firm belief in Santa granting his wish makes this
story work as Ms. Andrews does a phenomenal job with character
development. This sweet romance is perfect for the holiday season.
“All I Want for Christmas is a HulaHoop… and a Mother” by
DeborahAnne MacGillivray is the charming tale of Keon Challenger,
his daughter Allison, and her ballet teacher, Leslie Seaforth.
Allison wants a mother for Christmas and she believes Leslie is the
perfect choice for her daddy. Will Leslie and Keon find love in the
midst of the holiday blizzard?
DeborahAnne MacGillivray concludes this superb anthology with a
sweet but sensual tale. “All I Want for Christmas is a HulaHoop… and
a Mother” is a splendid blend of humor and romance set against the
backdrop of the Christmas season. Readers will enjoy the depth of
Ms. MacGillivray’s characters while appreciating her quick wit.
DeborahAnne MacGillivray is definitely an author to keep an eye on
as she writes a fantastic story, no matter what the setting may be!
CHRISTMAS WISHES shows just how phenomenal a themed anthology can
be. Each of these highly skilled authors brings a slightly different
perspective to the Christmas theme to create a book that is sure to
leave readers satisfied. What a joy to read such splendid stories!
This reviewer looks forward to more anthologies by Highland Press as
the quality is simply astonishing.
Reviewed by Debbie
If you were to buy one anthology this year of short Christmas
stories to settle in on a cold winters night than you won’t go wrong
by picking up this entertaining compilation of an even dozen
featuring some bright and fresh new talent. The stories run the
gamut of contemporary to historical and even a bit of time travel –
but more importantly they’re all magical enough to warm the cockles
of your heart!
Christmas At Home / Leanne Burroughs – Prepare to be charmed
completely by Burroughs poignant tale as wounded WWII gunner pilot
Ryan Burgess discovers that a lovely widow and her precocious
daughter Becca are the perfect pair to help him ring in Christmas
with hope for the future. *** Have lots of tissues nearby as
Burroughs tugs your heartstrings with this one.
The Christmas Store / Anne Marie Bradley – After finding her fiancé
in bed with another woman Aine is spending Christmas up north with
best friend Holly who takes her to The Christmas Store with a Mr. &
Mrs. Claus looking remarkably like the real deal! Who knows what
Christmas wishes would come true when she and a cute orphan named
Joey write their wishes on golden stars to hang on Santa’s tree! ***
Bradley’s sweetly touching tale will make you believe in Santa
again!
Love’s Eternal Hope / Amber Dawn Bell – Bell serves up every older
(mature) woman’s fantasy with this gem of a story. When Hope Lacey
felt all had been lost a magical journey sent her back to her
Cherokee roots giving her back not only her self-esteem but a very
surprising gift on Christmas Eve. *** Oh, so very satisfying.
Operation Family / Billie Warren Chai – Major Sean Spencer wanted to
be in control and wanted a stay at home wife. Ava’s career meant
just as much to her as Sean’s so heartbreakingly, they split. Some
months later when Sean arrived to bail his crew out of jail he ran
into a very pregnant Ava and knew he was going to be a daddy. Sean,
a special ops specialist knew changes were called for and put
Operation Family into overdrive in order to convince the woman of
his dreams that marriage would be the best Christmas gift ever. ***
You gotta love take charge guys who know how to make Christmas
special!
The Gift of You / Kimberly Ivie – After suffering groping attempts
and abuse from her slime ball boss Liliana Brooks quit her job
knowing the worse would come later when telling her parents. Little
did she know the worst would come sooner than that. Jake Dellatore
wasn’t looking to be a hero but after saving Liliana from being
raped he felt more alive than he had since losing his wife and child
five years before. Perhaps this Christmas would bring Liliana and
Jake a gift both had lost all hope of ever receiving. *** Ivie
offers up a lovely spun sugar Christmas romance served up sweetly
sensual.
The Patient Gift / Patty Howell – Patty Howell delivers a delightful
and emotionally moving tale of love when she brings together Lea and
Durham during a winter storm. With a little bit of coaching from a
very smart canine called Basil they would discover that hearts could
be mended with a little bit of help from a furry friend. *** A
tissue nearby would not go to waste while reading this beautifully
moving and magically inspirational tale.
In Time For Christmas / Cheryl Alldredge – When Beth Markham made a
wish upon a very old and ancient box sent to her after being handed
down through many generations, she’d never guessed that her wish for
a family would bring such a delightful turn of events. ***
Alldredge’s time travel will take you back to medieval Norway and
one very sexy Norseman. Oh my, the sensuality is sure to keep you
warm on a cold winter’s night!
Once Upon a Snowflake / Shelli Stevens – Stevens tells a light
hearted tale featuring a young woman and her son who find the
perfect home for Christmas – and strong arms to keep her safe and
warm all winter long. *** Lovely imagery, very nicely done – sweet!
Joy’s Christmas Wishes / Gerri Bowen – Gerri Bowen will delight you
with a blast from the past – Regency style – complete with darling
children, friends and relatives as eleven year old Joy makes a
couple of Christmas wishes that ultimately come true for Lady Emily
and her papa. *** Absolutely darling, the characters and the wish
come true theme. Loved it.
Miracles and Mistletoe / Kimberly Grant – Marla wanted more than
anything a future with the most thrilling man she’d ever met, Chance
Yardley. Would a raging blizzard keep the results of Marla’s latest
medical test results keep them from truly enjoying a very special
Christmas and life together. *** Ms. Grant packs a terrific punch in
this powerfully moving story. Very nice.
The Christmas Wish / Rebecca Andrews – Rebecca Andrews will delight
readers with young Kevin’s Christmas Wish to bring him a new mom and
someone nice for his dad. Holly St. Nick turned out to be just
perfect in all ways, for him and for his dad. *** Sweetly sensual –
a delightful treat!
All I Want for Christmas is a HulaHoop…and a Mother / DeborahAnne
MacGillivray – Take one precocious five year old angel, a
devastatingly handsome dad, a sexy ballet teacher, one fat cat, a
pony, and a blizzard – tuck them away in a snug cabin in the country
and you’ll have all the ingredients needed to make one magical
Christmas where everyone’s wish comes true. *** MacGillivray once
again proves whether writing a long Medieval or Contemporary she is
entirely up to the challenge of packing a wallop of entertainment
into a short story! This is one very talented wordsmith!
Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization
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