The Miracle of Christmas
A Hopeful Christmas by Krista Jensen, Carla Kelly, Sian Ann Bessey, and Anneka Walker is a lovely anthology of romantic and spiritual Christmas stories.
Our thanks to Covenant and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.
Book Details
Print Length: 376 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications (October 1, 2020)
Language: English
ASIN: B08BJGG3JN
Book Description
Kindle the spirit of the season as four of your favorite storytellers weave tales of love and hope in this charming yuletide collection.
- LORD BLAKELY’S GIFT When Miss Ivy Hunt and Lord Curtis Blakely establish a secret acquaintance, neither can deny that their feelings extend beyond friendship. But as the children of bitter rivals, it will take a Christmas miracle for this star-crossed pair to reach their happily ever after.
- A SEASON OF HOPE Following the death of her father, Amelia knows Christmas will be lean. But when circumstances become dire, it is the unexpected arrival of a childhood friend that renews Amelia’s hope—both for the future and for love.
- CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA After two years at sea with the Royal Navy, surgeon Will Crenshaw longs for a quiet Christmas with his family. But when unrest at home threatens to ruin the holidays, it takes the kindly intervention of a mysterious house sitter to remind them of the true meaning of the season.
- EXPECTATIONS AT CANTERWOOD Marina Rowley is a spinster, Richard Stanhope a war-weary military man. A case of mistaken identity throws them together, but the unexpected stirrings of their hearts lead to an unforgettable holiday romance.
From the Publisher’s Blurb
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Review
The anthology is composed of four novellas: Lord Blakely’s Gift by Anneka Walker, A Season of Hope by Sian Ann Bessey, Christmas by the Sea by Carla Kelly, and Expectations at Canterwood by Krista Jensen.
I am a huge fan of Carla Kelly and would not miss reading one of her royal navy stories. I was also curious to read the other new-to-me authors that share this book with her.
In Christmas by the Sea, once more, Carla Kelly brings the heart-wrenching struggles of the royal navy families during the Napoleon Wars. I love that she focuses on those left behind. The silent heroes that kept their families together while their loved ones soldiered far away.
She has an exquisite talent for creating characters that grab your heart and don’t let it go, way after the story is finished.
Lord Blakely’s story has a hint of Romeo and Juliet. Two young people finding themselves in love but conflicted about betraying their family wishes. It was sweet, romantic, and focused on Christmas’s real meaning (helping others and spreading kindness).
A Season of Hope is a lovely childhood friends-to-lovers story. It was full of compassion, goodwill, and it filled my heart with Christmas cheer. It features an energetic boy and his very naughty goat.
Last but not least, Expectations at Canterwood features a bespectacled spinster trying to survive a house party while dodging her marriage obsessed mom (she strongly reminded me of Mrs. Bennet) and trying to avoid falling in love with her charming host.
A Hopeful Christmas is a lovely anthology of sweet and inspirational stories perfect for celebrating the season. I will be looking for other books by these authors.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
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About the Authors
Sian Bessey
Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend Brigham Young University in Utah, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in English.
She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today best selling author and a Whitney Award finalist.
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Krista Jensen
Krista writes contemporary romance, historical romance, and fantasy. She is the author of OF GRACE AND CHOCOLATE (2012 Whitney Award Finalist), THE ORCHARD (2013 Whitney Award Finalist), FALLING FOR YOU (2014), and KISSES IN THE RAIN (2015 Whitney Award Finalist) through Covenant Communications, Inc.. She has novellas in Love Unexpected: With All My Heart (2014, Covenant), A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letters, and A Yuletide Regency (2014, 2018, Mirror Press), and Christmas Grace (2017, Covenant).
Krista has lived in lush Oregon and rugged Wyoming, but Washington is her beloved home state. She likes to choose familiar settings for her stories, and is grateful to have such inspirational places to choose from. She is a mother of six, gramma of three, a gardener and cook, loves to travel, laugh, and lives to make the best of what she’s been given.
Carla Kelly
A long-time, award-winning novelist, perhaps best known for my Regency Romances, two of which have earned Rita Awards from Romance Writers of America. She has also been writing Mormon-themed novels, as well as historical fiction for Harlequin and CamelPress in Seattle. She has three Whitney Awards from LDStorymakers, and two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times.
Anneka Walker
Anneka Walker was raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor’s degree in English and History. When she isn’t dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she’s busy living her own together with her husband and adorable children.
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Lu Reviews Books 
Sounds like it was a great book, loved your review!
♥ Mae
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Thanks. Mae
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Lovely review Lu! All four stories sound really interesting 🙂
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Thank you, Sarah!
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Loved your review, Lu. 🙂 All the authors are new to me, but your review has me intrigued about them and the book. Will check out Carla Kelly’s books for sure.
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So interesting! Nice review!
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Thanks, Brooke 😉
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