Love Inspired Inspirational by Ruth Logan Herne "His Mistletoe Family"

                       ~A Christmas Story~

His Mistletoe Family by Ruth Logan Herne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love to read the LI books, this one is by Ruth Logan Herne "His Mistletoe Family"  A Christmas story

Brett is one tough man in his community and when a little slip of a gal comes in with a couple of tiny kids he loses his heart almost instantly to the little needy family.
Haley has just taken her nephews to raise after they have lost both of their parents and she is not sure how to be a mama but if Love can help her she will do right by these little ones.
She has just began a new project at work and is working many hours and not sure what she will do with the kids while working.  She soon finds she can't even get them into school or day care without paperwork.
Brett is a godsend(literally) as he helps her with many things and soon the attraction they feel at the beginning for one another is growing stronger.
Haley feels committed to her work and doesn't want any distractions so she tries to put a damper on the feelings-Brett backs off and lets her know he will be there to help with the kids, giving her space.
This is a wonderful read that you will enjoy of two small boys finding they can trust again that they wont be alone and the grown-ups learn a few things too.  God works in the midst of this tough man who had closed his heart for many years after losing his spouse.  Haley too opens her heart and listens more as she gets things done and begins to feel she needs this man in her life as much as she needs air to breathe and food to eat.
Thanks Ruth for a wonderful Christmas read....

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Courting Cate by Leslie Gould



Courting Cate by Leslie Gould
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Courting Cate by Leslie Gould


A story about sisters Cate and Betsy...
Cate was around 6 yrs old when Betsy was born and her Mother died shortly after, Cate always felt like she should take care of Betsy and even as a young child she took her job seriously helping out much with her Grandmothers help at first and then later taking full responsibility raising and loving this young sister.  Many times the sister's wishes were taken care of before her own and Betsy come to rely on Cate.
Cate so sweet to a sister though, was not known in her community as anything but a shrew-no boyfriend stayed for long and many teased her at school growing up til she decided she was unlovable.
Cate was approaching the spinster life when Pete Treger came to their area looking for work and a wife-so he said.  Cate just knew he would look at Betsy, sweet pretty Betsy.  She was amazed and a little confused when he turned to her with pretty words and ask her to go hiking with him.
Cate just knows the men of the area that always teased her has set her up for a fall so she reluctantly goes with Pete and to her amazement finds she likes this young man and begins to thaw around him.
I enjoyed reading this book given to me by Bethany house for a review and know you will love the characters of Cate&Pete as you watch their courtship and how they come to find one another after much bickering in their love-hate relationship....which will win?

link :


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Jesus Is Born

Merry CHRISTmas to one and all from one in Ga


It is early morn and a fog has settled around our area with wet on the front porch and sidewalk.  I am thinking today of that long ago morn when Mary awakened to a new born babe beside her looking into its eyes -touching the fingers and toes like all new mothers do, thinking of the miracle that brought this tiny baby into her life.  She doesn't know what tomorrow will bring yet she smiles and feels all the Love a Mother can feel at a time like this.  It doesn't matter that she is in a lowly stable with the smells of cows and hay all around, it doesn't matter that the morning is still dark and Joseph still asleep on the other side of the barn area.  Mary feels Love pure and simple and knows in her heart that this baby will somehow make big changes because the angel of the Lord had visited her and told her of the baby coming and how she was to be the Mother -to raise him and let him learn all he could to share with mankind.  Soon Joseph would awaken and they would make decisions together but for now she lay against the hay and pulled the tiny babe to her breast and thanked God for the awesome priviledge that she now has. 
She hears noises and turns to find three wisemen walking towards the stable each holding a gift and talking quitely among themselves.  This is it I see the star above that has led us through the night, look yonder ..a stable for animals yet I feel that HE is there, the one we have came to find. come lets meet our new King...

They stumble forward and kneel when they see Mary holding the baby and they lay their gifts on the ground nearby and praise his Holy Name...Jesus is Born.

A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado California by Keli Gwyn

Keli Gwyn brings old California alive with a story that's filled with faith,hope and Love.  When a willful widow matches wits with a competitive shopkeepker you just know there will be fireworks.  The battle of the sexes has never been so much fun....

A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California by Keli Gwyn


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado California by Keli Gwyn


I loved the characters of Elnora and Miles, they shone like stars throughout this story-you are in for a treat with this story.

Widow Elnora Watkins was an independent type woman and had helped her father in his shop but when he took his step-son on as partner and she thought she would have had that privilege all these years of working for him-it was the last straw and she started looking for another store and another place to live.
Miles Rutledge is a tall strong handsome man who lives and owns a shop in El Dorado where he is looking for a partner, He received letters from E Watkins and knew the credentials were good ones and offered the position sight unseen. Elnora and child Matilda who is effectionately called "Tildy" arrive and it throws Miles for a loop. He cannot have a woman for a partner and they get off on the wrong foot from the beginning.
Being an independent woman and knowing that she has to make a living for she and her child, she opens a shop across the street from Miles store. it may be smaller but it has charm and genteelity with a woman owning it. Soon the two are in competition and though she likes Miles and his mother there is friction daily between the two.
Tildy is the buffer between them as Miles loves Children and they get along great....
As the story unfolds Miles and Elnora, whom Miles calls "Elle" find they have much in comon besides their stores. they both can play the fiddle.
Miles had heartache in his first marriage and is not about to have another, Elnora did not have a happy marriage either and her father always dominated her so she is not wanting to get close to "Any" man.
You will love this story as theses two strong characters listen to their hearts and God  gives Love a chance to grow between them, slowly....




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Mail-Order Holiday Brides by Jillian Hart&Janet Tronstad

Mail-Order Holiday Brides: Home for Christmas\Snowflakes for Dry Creek by Jillian Hart


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Two of my favorite authors in one book LIH "Mail-Oder Holiday Brides" by Jillian Hart&Janet Tronstad

Jillians story is "Home for Christmas"
Christina Eberlee needs a new start in life, she needs a home and is looking for Love because there has been little of that in her life, so she answers several ads from the paper and soon "Tom" sends monies and proposes expecting her to be his bride when she arrives. Tom tells Christina that he is a farmer and has a nice place that he needs help with.
While on the train Christina meets A sheriff by the name of Elijah, he is tall and strong and so nice and friendly, it seems he is there helping whenever she needs it on the trip and then when they arrive and Tom is not there to meet her as the station is closed for the night and the cold and darkness surrounds her -Elijah appears again and takes her to the hotel to wait.
On the way to hotel a boy runs pell-mell into street so fast that he is hit by wagon drawn by horses when he runs right in front of them. Elijah runs to help and soon they meet "Toby" a very young runnaway from an orphange who is skinny and bedraggled. The Hearts of these two people, Elijah and Christina are such that they must help him. They both know how hard life can be at times.
Three lives become entangled in just a few minutes and will never be the same....
When Tom finally shows up to meet Christina she realizes he is not the man she had hoped for but she did promise so she tries to make the best of it and talks him into a few days to get to know one another and plans to marry on Christmas eve. He takes her to boarding house where he has asked Mildred to keep and eye on her for him but he doesn't even ask about her finances and how she will eat while she waits for him.
The small town of Angel Falls is a community of caring folks and Christina falls in love with the little town and its people.
you will want to read this story and see what happens between Tom&Christina, Elijah&Christina and the little boy Toby. I knew that Christina had big decisions to make and her heart was in great danger being around Elijah so much and seeing his goodness.

Janet Tronstad writes "Snowflakes for Dry Creek"




Gabe's brother writes for a mail-order bride and then gets cold feet and leaves town and his children with Gabe telling him to take care of things for awhile...

So Gabe finds himself waiting on a cold windy station platform looking for a young woman who is looking for his brother to meet her. The children had been told Annabelle would be their new mother and they were anxious to meet her. Gabe loved the children and wanted to take care of them the best he could but was not sure how he would handle this situation now. He wanted to send her right back to where she came from but knew with Christmas so near the Christian thing to do would be bring her home for the children.

Annabell is shaken to learn her betrothed is not there but the children make up with their eagerness as she travels with the brother to his home.

Adam had stretched the truth some when he wrote to Annabell about his ranch and the life he lived. would he return -she stayed thinking he would and that everything would be ok.

Gabe didn't want a wife or softness in his life but was beginning to have feelings for Annabell as he watched her with his neice and nephew.

He left to hunt for his brother the next day and went to nearby fort where he was sure his brother would be with the men there gambling and having food to eat with them, but soon found that he was out hunting with the men and it would be anyones guess where they would be so he headed home again.

Annabell helped the children to have a nice Christmas, Gabe invited many neighbors for a party and several from town came out and the people gathered and made do with primitive things and foods to have fellowship at "Christmastime" folks did not get together much and it seemed everyone was so happy that Gabe had opened his home to them. Adam showed up but had been drinking and Annabelle did not get to see him at his best.

Annabelle knew she would not be able to marry this man and knew he didn't want a wife either so she talked with him about being nanny for the children and he was elated about that, he soon was gone again and that left Gabe and Annabell to talk about the feelings that had been growing between them.

I was happy to read that all were happy by the end of the book and felt that Gabe and Annabell would find happiness themselves from a situation that had looked so dire in the beginning...

Thanks Janet and Jillian for some good Christmas reading.


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Series A Hickory Ridge Romance book #3 "Every Perfect Gift" by Dorothy Love

Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Series A Hickory Ridge Romance book 3"Every Perfect Gift" by Dorothy Love


Sophie has spent a lifetime guarding her heart and a long-held secret. It will take all of her courage to speak the truth and embrace the future God has planned for her.

The year is 1886, and Sophie Robillard returns to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, after living in Texas for 15 years as the ward of Ada and Wyatt Caldwell.

Sophie from the time she was a little girl felt like an outsider, others didnt include her and she missed the bond of a Mother-Daughter when her mother left her with a family member and she was put into orphanage at early age. The Caldwell's raised her and she was deeply grateful and loved them but still missed and wanted her Mother. Sophie had a strength that helped her as she became determined to come back to Tennessee and start up a newspaper...

Sophie met Ethan soon after she was back and his childhood too had brokenness and the two seemed to become friends. From the first time she interviewed him because of his work at "Blue Smoke" a development run by a wealthy man who thought more of himself then others and wanted the develpment to be a place where wealthy folks would come and play, He hired men at low wages and the area where they lived while working for him was below grade. Ethan did all he could to make the mens lives better. Sophie saw the goodness in this man and he in her..

Both Sophie and Ethan carry secrets from childhood and it is interesting story to read and learn that from mistakes we make in life or things gone awry, still we can be forgiven and forgive others making our own lives richer for it. I enjoyed these characters and the others that touched their lives and am sure you will too.

The beautiful cover may make you pick the book up to read but the story woven inside will hold your interest and keep you turing the pages to find out what will happen next.




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"A Merry Little Christmas" by Anita Higman

A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"A Merry Little Christmas" by Anita Higman

Fall in love with this cozy story about two people from different worlds. Franny Martin is an Oklahoma farm girl who's preparing to spend the holidays alone...again. Then Charlie Landau shows up one day, all wealth and polish, and offers to buy Franny's farm. Franny has no money to speak of, but she is clever and spirited, and she's more than happy to sell the farm and move to the big city. A dream...


Franny is a wonderful honest young woman who stayed on the farm after her parents died suddenly and comes to love the animals so much that she talked to them-even sang to them. She danced through her chores each day and before she knew it many years had slipped away...

Charles Landau came from a prominent wealthy family where he grew up with nannys and schools for boys after his mother died early in life. His father just never seemed able to show Love...in fact he was a strict man wanting his sons to live their lives HIS way, causing much problems in the lives of the boys.

Charlie's dream is to be a farmer and one day he comes to Oklahoma and buys the farm from Franny making her dream come true to move to the city. She agrees to stay a short while and teach Charlie how to be a farmer and it is in this time two lives collide and Love just might get a toe-hold between these two who so desperately need someone to love them...I enjoyed the honesty of these two characters and the simplicity of the book.
Come read a wonderful Christmas story of Hope-forgivness and Love mixed in with a little manure under the fingernails....




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