October 15, 2011
Small-town settings are all the rage, especially at Christmas, and in this funny, heartwarming collection of short stories, three popular authors take readers home for the holidays to very different but equally enjoyable communities that are linked to each author's continuing series. A champion NASCAR driver returns to Lucky Harbor, WA, in hopes of claiming the one woman he can't get out of his mind in Shalvis's lively, laughter-laced "Kissing Santa Claus." In her sweetly poignant "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Hope Ramsay showcases a bit of matchmaking magic (in the form of a bedraggled calico cat) when an ex-soldier arrives in Last Chance, SC, to deliver a gift from a fallen comrade and finds a woman to love and a place to call home. The "love light" dawns for quiet farmer Ethan Miller when his childhood best friend returns to Bramble, TX—seven years older and all grown up—in Katie Lane's funny and charming "O Little Town of Bramble." VERDICT Although fans of the various series are sure to enjoy these brief holiday forays, the stories will appeal to new readers as well and may just tempt them to make return visits. This e-only title might also entice print-only series fans into trying something new.
Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.