Book Review and PDF Giveaway Link: Christmas Magic Anthology

This is another lovely, sweet and quick reading Christmas Anthology.

Christmas Magic

by Linda Carroll-Bradd, Terri Rochenski, Lindsay McFerrin

• File Size: 390 KB
• Print Length: 163 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1481191519
• Publisher: Still Moments Publishing (December 2, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Genre: Holiday Romance Anthology
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2012

Wishes Come True by Linda Carroll-Bradd

Will mixing one lonely baker and the town’s prodigal son with spices and laughter make a tasty recipe for love?

Harbor Homecoming by Lindsay McFerrin

Can a gigantic dog named Bear be a matchmaker?

If it’s Christmas in romantic Bar Harbor, Maine, the answer is yes!

Beginning of Forever by Terri Rochenski

A new face in town forces Lillian Davis to choose between living in her past and what is blossoming in her heart.

Review:
I enjoyed all three of these different stories. They are quick, nicely written, sweet romances. This is a nice way to discover new authors and I would be interested to read more from all three of these.

The first title, Wishes Come True, has a light, humorous bend to it.
Tora has operated her family-owned bakery, Sugar ‘n Spice, in the small town of Dorado, Texas for ten years. The small business was started by her grandmother and passed down through her mother. Through the years they have provided lots of sweets and charity support for the community. But Tora has never been away from home, not even for college experience.  Just as she has decided she is ready to sell the business and seek adventure in a big city, the winter wind blows a sweet little girl and her handsome, widowed father, Ryan, into her shop. Ryan initiates a plan to derail the sale of the shop and show Tora she can find a better adventure close to home.

I loved these characters and the sweet, light story.  It was fun how even some of Ms. Carroll-Bradd’s descriptive feelings fit with the baking theme like this phrase: “Her insides felt as quivery as the middle of a jelly doughnut.” (Location 109.)  Individual Rating 4.5.
Author Link

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A big, lovable dog is the added star character, and inspiration, of the second story, Harbor Homecoming. Cat McHugh owns an antique and Celtic specialty shop in Bal Harbor, Maine. She is excited at the possibility of purchasing a home that has come up for estate sale. It is near her downtown shop and although small and older, has a nice fireplace and lots of potential.  When she goes to view the home she discovers the backyard is ruled by a giant malamute named Bear.

Liam, a renowned modern artist, has come into town to handle the estate he was surprised to inherit from a great aunt he never knew. He is set on handling matters with the care and concern he thinks his aunt would want. That includes finding an appropriate, caring home for her dog. When he meets Cat while she is looking over the yard he is intrigued. Maybe his plans to evaluate and liquidate Great Aunt Sarah’s estate will take a different direction and longer than he first expected.

This is another lovely pair of characters - bright and independent. The dog is an armful of warm welcome and a sweet addition to the easy going, direct story. I liked the Irish influences too (holiday tradition included in the story) and would like to see if Ms. McFerrin explores these themes in longer stories. Individual Rating: 4.5.

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The third sweet romance, Beginning Forever, is set in Newburyport in 1955-1962. It is told in first person by Lillian who is called to the hospital when her husband and ‘forever’ love, Ronnie, is injured in a car crash. He reminds her with his dying breath that T.W. made a promise but Lillian doesn’t understand. She struggles with her grief and sorrow and only manages to move forward for the sake of their infant son and with the help of her good friend, Marion.

Seven years later finds Lillian still in a cocoon of grief, mostly just going through the motions of living. Marion introduces Lillian to her new neighbor, Wayne, and interest finally sparks but along with it come feelings of guilt. Can Lillian move beyond her past and will Texas Wayne be able to make her see that she is more than a burden to him?

It may be the sorrow and grief of this story made it less enjoyable for me. Certainly loss is never as light as a new love story.   I liked the portrayal of Wayne from Ronnie’s war memories and in his friendly reactions to Lillian and her son, Steven.  I would have liked his character to have been a little more developed. Although I was not as fully charmed by this story, I particularly liked the wonderful, descriptive imagery by Ms. Rochenski.  Individual Rating 4.25.

My flower beds lay buried. The absence of sound weighed like an omen, quickening my breath. My clothing rustled, mingling with the crunch of my footsteps to drown the silence. Location 1030.

Author Links: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

This eBook was provided for an honest review through Author Blog Tour.

These titles are set in Texas, Maine and Massachusetts for My Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my ARC and New Author challenges.

Thank you to Terri Rochenski who is giving away a PDF copy to celebrate the release.

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