Reading, Writing & Pondering

    Twelve Days and Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin is a Christmas novella set in San Diego during World War 2.  World War 2 USO Director Maggie Oliver is in charge of putting on a Christmas show in San Diego for thousands of sailors. She enlists Prescott Duke, a former Hollywood heartthrob who hasn't acted since an accident left him with burn scars. Maggie and Prescott are inspired by Shakespeare's Twelth Night and the Twelve Days of Christmas to put on a show that will lift the sailors Christmas spirits. Can they put it together in time? Also, what about the secret that Maggie discovered? I enjoyed Twelve Days and Twelfth Night . It is a romance and, since it is a historical novella, things happen fairly quickly in the story. I especially liked the history that the author included about the area and Balboa Park. I was in San Diego a couple of years ago and saw some of the areas in the story. I like how the author brought this history and part of the country to life. Her ...

  Have you ever seen The Parent Trap movie? There are a couple of versions out there so you may have seen at least one of them. I saw the older version and remember it pretty well as a fun flick. Matchmaking Christmas by Toni Shiloh is a fun book with a modern take on the Parent Trap movie theme. Regina Parker moves back to her hometown with her daughter to open a candle shop after her husband passed away unexpectedly a few years previously. She has a daughter, Kyleigh. Theo Evers never left his hometown. He has a busy job managing a Christmas Tree Farm and being a single dad to his daughter, Malea.  Malea and Kyleigh are the same age and become best friends at school Both girls want to know what it is like to have time with the opposite parent so one day they decide to switch places. Kyleigh heads to Theo's house on the bus. Malea heads to Regina's house on a different bus. What they don't know is that Theo and Regina have history. How will they handle the switch? Matchma...

  Do you know a perfectionist or someone with OCD? I do. We Wish You a Messy Christmas by Melody Carlson is a Christmas novella with a theme of trying to help someone heal from perfectionism.  Olivia Bradshaw an Malcolm McEntire grew up next door to each other. Then they went their separate ways and saw each other again as Olivia goes to Malcolm's vet clinic with her roommate's cat. Malcolm and Olivia started dating and enjoy time together. However, they have a roadblock to overcome--Olivia's mother doesn't like the McEntire's. She finds them messy and unorganized. For Olivia's mother, Jane, the holidays, and her home on most days, has to be perfect. In We Wish You a Messy Christmas , both families work together to stage an intervention--although nature sort of takes its course and creates its own intervention. I found this to be an interesting book. I have a close family member that is very much like Jane so I found a lot to relate to in this book. . . There w...

  A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen is is "An On Devonshire Shores" novella. It goes along with this series but I read it as a stand alone looking for a historical Christmas novella to read.  Sarah Summers plans a Christmas at Sea View that will exceed her younger sister's expectations. She aimed to make the Christmas fun--even though she has forgotten how to have fun sometimes after taking on so many family responsibilities in the past. She also is thrilled at the prospect of getting reacquainted with a Scottish widower named Callum Henshall. Will she let her sense of responsibility interfere with a prospective romance or will she make time for her new feelings? Georgiana is excited to celebrate a fun Christmas after spending last year doing mainly endless chores with her sister. She is seventeen and has fun with Callum's stepdaughter, Effie. She also has a heart for younger children, which eventually leads to the family adopting another young girl. I found A Se...

  Every year I look forward to Melody Carlson's Christmas novella. Once Upon a Christmas Carol is her latest one and I found it to be another heartwarming book full of Christmas charm. Once Upon a Christmas starts out with Carol Langstrom heading to the Bahamas for the holidays. Carol shares her birthday with Jesus--and so do I, so I could relate to that aspect of the book with Carol's mixed feelings about the holiday and her birthday. Between her birthday and growing up in her dysfunctional family, as the book begins, she feels rather Scroogish about the holidays so she decides to escape on a vacation. However, due to some big storms, Carol gets detoured to Michigan from her home in Seattle. While stuck in Michigan, she meets her Aunt and spends time getting to know her--and some other local folks.  Victor is back at his parents' farm helping his mother take care of his father who has Alzheimer's disease. Victor is a wonderful cook and owned a flourishing restaurant ...

  One of my favorite Lynn Austin novels is All My Secrets . If it is one of yours too, then you will be glad to know the story of Adelaide and Howard continues in this Christmas novella, Waiting for Christmas . If you haven't read All My Secrets , I think you would still enjoy Waiting for Christmas . Waiting for Christmas features a young orphan boy named Jack who comes into Howard and Adelaide's life suddenly. Adelaide has a heart for the orphans in the city. When they get to know Jack, they learn that he has been separated from his younger sister. He also has a father who is at sea and doesn't know that Jack's mother passed away and the children have no place to go. Adelaide and Howard are trying to help Jack. I enjoyed this uplifting story set during the Christmas season and featuring the season of Advent with an emphasis on hope. I like how Howard and Adelaide learn to work out some of the kinks in their early marriage as they get to know each other. I also liked t...

The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh is described on the cover as "a sweet holiday novella." I have to admit every year, I look forward to the latest Christmas novellas as they are usually quick and uplifting reads. This one is exactly that. NFL Wide Receiver Jahleel "Jay" Walker injures his knee at a big football game and returns to his hometown to heal. Bebe Gordon is back in her hometown with her daughter, Hope, following a divorce. At one time, Jay and Bebe were an item but Jay left town to follow his football dream. Can they heal from past hurts and forge a new relationship? It is fun to watch Jay and Bebe renew their relationship in The Christmas Catch . At the same time, both characters have some challenges. Bebe has an ex-husband who wants nothing to do with his daughter and has a new wife. Jay is struggling with a relationship with his father and healing old wounds with his dad. He also has a knee to heal and is wondering if he will heal enough to be able to...

  Isn't the cover of You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh a gorgeous cover? I was drawn to the cover and I also am drawn because I enjoy books by this author. This sweet novella did not disappoint me--I enjoyed this "feel good" read. Starr Lewis is back home for the holidays--Thanksgiving and Christmas. She isn't very excited about it though. Her sister is getting married--to her former boyfriend. Starr has just been laid off from her job in New York City and is unsure what to do next. Life is up in the air for her. Waylon is struggling to feel the holiday spirit since his mom passed away and his sister is overseas with her military husband and children. Waylon's good friend, is Starr's brother so he invites Waylon to join in the Lewis holiday celebrations. What he doesn't count on is seeing Starr all grown up. Starr and Waylon hit it off. . .but is it just a holiday fling? Or do they have something longer lasting? I enjoyed You Make It Feel Lik...

  Every year I look forward to Melody Carlson's Christmas novella. Her newest novella, A Royal Christmas , is quite a bit different than her last few novellas. This book is centered around American law school student Adelaide Smith. Adelaide received a certified letter in the mail inviting her to a small country called Montovia to visit her real father, King Maximillian V, who rules the country. At first Adelaide thinks it is all a joke. Then she discovers it is all real and is soon on to a new adventure to meet her father in a country she has never visited before. For the most part, I really enjoyed A Royal Christmas . It is a happy feel-good story in many ways. There is some spiritual talk in the book, but it didn't have a faith-filled story-line. I especially enjoyed seeing the relationship with Adelaide and King Max develop. There is a bit of a mystery in the story as to the whereabouts of Max's brother, which added some intrigue.  There is a possible love interest for ...

  Have you started reading Christmas books yet this year? A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson is my first one. I enjoyed this novella and the guaranteed happy ending that I was looking forward to. Sometimes you just need a book that is a sure thing in the "happy ending" department. A Quilt for Christmas starts out with Vera Swanson moving to a new town to be near her daughter and her family--only to have them unexpectedly move away elsewhere after he got there. Vera now feels along and is dreading the holidays. Then she meets her condo neighbors--starting with little Fiona when Fiona's mother turns ill and Fiona looks for help for her mom. Fiona stay with Vera for a bit and likes Vera's quilt. She would like Vera to make one for her mom for Christmas. . .and Vera agrees to try but she needs help to finish it in time. She puts up a sign to form a quilting group--and not only ends up with a quilt for Fiona's family but several new friends too. For the most par...