Sybil’s review of A Western Winter Wonderland by Cheryl St.John, Jenna Kernan, Pam Crooks
Western Historical Romance released 01 Oct 07 from Harlequin Historical
First posted 10/19/07
A Western Winter Wonderland is a delightful holiday anthology. Cheryl St.John, Jenna Kernan and Pam Crooks are three of Harlequin Historical’s top authors for the line today. Each of them often take common Harlequin plots and themes and create angst-filled western tales that are wholly their own and highly enjoyable.
CHRISTMAS DAY FAMILY by Cheryl St.John
Marvel Anne Henley’s days are spent running her boarding house and taking in sewing. She knows there could be something better out there but we learn in the first scene she isn’t willing to trade her current life for the title ‘WIFE’ just for the sake of the title, nor is she expecting anything more of her life then being a spinster. And she is fine with it, content even. Marvel wasn’t expecting anything or anyone like Seth Paxton and his children to walk into her life. Nor would she have ever dreamed a younger, handsome, exciting doctor would not only want her to have a happily-ever-after but found her vital to his finding one.
I adore Cheryl St.John’s storytelling. She has a gift for creating wonderful characters with true-to-life charm and can tug on your heartstrings without the need of a large sign that says ‘Pull Here’. Since the setting is a boarding house we meet a few different people but they don’t take away from Marvel and Seth’s screen time. It is always nice to see the man chasing after the woman, when it can be done without demeaning either character. Seth is a man and, although he is only 26, he had to put away childish toys and take on the responsibilities of family and being a doctor. Experiences gained from these jobs give him the tools to understand, appreciate, and cherish Marvel.
Marvel having sacrificed her youth to care for her ailing father, taken on the demands of turning their home into a boarding house and make ends meet, knows all about the ‘workings’ of life and family. She doesn’t have the understanding of the love and support that comes with being a wife and mother. It is a joy to watch these two discover what can come next in life if you take the chance. This would be an A+ but Cheryl St.John or her editor must have decided to change the hero and his first wife’s name. Where as Seth (who in the summary was Nate-his son’s name) was correct in the book, his first wife was Sarah and later became Laura.
Grade: A-
FALLEN ANGEL by Jenna Kernan
Abby March is in the process of trying to keep her small family of two together, fed, clothed, sheltered and still give her young son something of a Christmas. She is bound and determined Daniel will have the Christmas tree he has been begging for and is close to accomplishing it. But her problems only get worse when she is shot by Ford Statler.
Ford is after yet another bounty. He has been chasing death since his wife and child were needlessly taken from him. He blames himself or not being there to protect the two most important people in his life and vows to never be in that position again.
Jenna Kernan does a great job of taking some very well used themes and creating interesting characters. I loved Abby. She has been knocked down repeatedly and keeps getting back up. Ford is easy to understand but you still want to slap him and tell him to wake up and see what is in front of his face.
It is somewhat unbelievable in places as I am not sure Abby’s reputation could have overcome her staying with him in the hotel, even sick. I don’t know if her job or her small room would have been there after a long absence. And at one point Ford asks Abby if there is anyone he could ‘call’ for her. Of course this is a time for Christmas miracles and it is still a lovely story.
Grade: C
ONE MAGIC EVE by Pam Crooks
Sonja Kaplan has a very important and very secret job with the army, one that has sadly left her reputation in tatters. So when Chet Lattimer’s son Beau shows up asking the Bird Lady to doctor the pup he found, she is torn between wanting to help him and wanting to send him away.
Chet is intrigued by Sonja but tries not to pay attention to his thoughts or the gossip about her and those men from the army that keep showing up at her home. Learning from the nasty, mean-spirited gossip (who watches his son during the day) that his son is with Sonja causes more emotion in him then he knows what to do with. He has a job, a ranch, a family to deal with and doesn’t have time for the details of Christmas or love.
Pam Crooks story suffers from the page count being almost a good 20 pages less than the other two stories. We are left wanting to know more about these characters. Chet and Sonja are so richly drawn but there is so much left we want to know. I was left with such a longing to know what is next.
There is still an ending and a believable HEA but I would have so loved to have those extra pages. I never know if that is a good or bad thing in a novella. Again, we have a great woman in her time, struggling to do the best she can and somehow handle the loneliness that comes with her position in the world and her secrets.
Grade: B
Each of the novella’s in A Western Winter Wonderland have three things in common: heroines who are independent, who are trying, with varying degrees of success, to take care of themselves, and who have a secret or two. The stories are quietly passionate and the door does close for the most part, but it leaves no question of a HEA and does completely give a view of the romance. And it looks like there are some pretty great cookies to be had.
This is an enjoyable read and one I would highly recommend if you are looking for a sweet novella filled with the joys of Christmas. In fact each author has more than a few stories I would highly recommend as well, so this is a great chance to try them out and see if they meet your taste too. I can’t speak for the cookies *g*. Do tell me if you try them.
Overall Grade: B
[summary and excerpts are linked below each review above]
I might have to read this one. IN MY SPARE TIME! ::sigh::
I have this one on my wishlist. I’d like to make a dent in my current reads before I get a new book though 😀
Thank you, Sybil! Would you believe I had no idea my story was shorter than the other two? Of course, you would notice.
As always, I appreciate you!