Miriam Smith
What a beautiful collection of Christmastime stories. Each is a standalone taking place in the same town at the same time of year but with heartwarming, endearing, evocative endings that are guaranteed to make you smile because, well, love. The stories aren't one right after the other, but are woven together with the jump from character to character clearly distinguished so there's no confusion as to who the reader is reading about. Each couple-Griffin and Sunlan, Jaxon and Mallory, and Wyatt and Jamie-shines in their love story. The hurdles they jump over, the ditches they crawl through, and the discovery of something new and unexpected but completely welcome made for engaging and intriguing stories. The end result might be the same, happily ever after, but their journey to it are as unique as the characters themselves. Christmas, to me, is becoming more and more the one time in the year when we emphasize beliefs, feelings, and emotions that seem to have been forgotten in the chaos of the other eleven months. Which, truthfully, is kind of disheartening. Glad tidings, cheer, family, love, wishes for peace and happiness, are necessary throughout the year, not just one time. This book is a holiday keeper but can, and probably will, be read at various times throughout the year now that I have it. It's a beautiful reminder of the goodwill, compassion, and unconditional love we humans are capable of even in the most dire of situations. Received from publisher for an honest review