impybelle's review against another edition
3.0
Third star is awarded for Runaway Christmas, as it actually deserves four and a half stars on its own. Sadly, like many short story collections, this one is really hit or miss.
Making Spirits Bright is, I imagine, the big sell for people based on the author (Fern Michaels) alone. I haven't read much of her other work and if this were my first experience with it, it would also be my last. It's not that the writing is bad, it's that the whole story is just about as realistic as the times I would pretend to run an orphanage for my My Little Ponies as a kid. Only my excuse was that I was seven and this was from the pre-historic times of Before The Internet. Even with the 'out' that something is wrong with the orphanage in question, there's too much suspension of disbelief needed to make the story work. I lost track of the times I rolled my eyes or just told the book, "No. Are you stupid? No."
Poor book. Since we began with this story and it's probably meant as the draw, the whole rating took a big hit.
Runaway Christmas (Elizabeth Bass) was the highlight of the book for me. It's not exactly a traditional love story, whatever that might mean, because the romance takes a backseat to the relationship between an aunt and her niece. I love the way grief is dealt with and how it extends farther than most people are willing to admit. Which sounds depressing, but really wasn't. Thumbs up for sure.
Home For Christmas (Rosalind Noonan) is another good one. I liked the build up of the relationship and didn't even mind the standard misunderstanding. It's the kind of story where you want to slip into the town and learn everyone's stories and that's always a good thing.
Christmas on Cape Cod (Nan Rossiter) finishes the book and it's my second least favorite of the bunch. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story and never managed to catch up. Maybe if I were more familiar with the characters or the story, I would have felt the storyline flowed better, but as it was it felt choppy. Which is a shame since I think I would have liked the characters if I'd ever gotten to really know them.
Making Spirits Bright is, I imagine, the big sell for people based on the author (Fern Michaels) alone. I haven't read much of her other work and if this were my first experience with it, it would also be my last. It's not that the writing is bad, it's that the whole story is just about as realistic as the times I would pretend to run an orphanage for my My Little Ponies as a kid. Only my excuse was that I was seven and this was from the pre-historic times of Before The Internet. Even with the 'out' that something is wrong with the orphanage in question, there's too much suspension of disbelief needed to make the story work. I lost track of the times I rolled my eyes or just told the book, "No. Are you stupid? No."
Poor book. Since we began with this story and it's probably meant as the draw, the whole rating took a big hit.
Runaway Christmas (Elizabeth Bass) was the highlight of the book for me. It's not exactly a traditional love story, whatever that might mean, because the romance takes a backseat to the relationship between an aunt and her niece. I love the way grief is dealt with and how it extends farther than most people are willing to admit. Which sounds depressing, but really wasn't. Thumbs up for sure.
Home For Christmas (Rosalind Noonan) is another good one. I liked the build up of the relationship and didn't even mind the standard misunderstanding. It's the kind of story where you want to slip into the town and learn everyone's stories and that's always a good thing.
Christmas on Cape Cod (Nan Rossiter) finishes the book and it's my second least favorite of the bunch. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story and never managed to catch up. Maybe if I were more familiar with the characters or the story, I would have felt the storyline flowed better, but as it was it felt choppy. Which is a shame since I think I would have liked the characters if I'd ever gotten to really know them.
jasmyn9's review against another edition
4.0
Making Spirits Bright:
This was a very cute story, but I wish she had done more research on the cat, it just wasn't very realistic at times. But while the animals were cute, they weren't part of the actual romance. Melanie really steals the show in this one in her quest to adopt a child. Her determination was amazing and was something she wanted with all her heart. Bryce was a great guy. He was fun and all, but a bit too much of "whatever you want I want". There really wasn't a conflict there. I don't need much, but a little would have been nice.
Runaway Christmas:
This was my favorite of the bunch! Heidi's world is really turned upside down this Christmas as everything seems to go wrong! Even the weather has it in for her and her dreams of a quiet, peaceful Christmas by herself are shattered. Her niece was just the right touch, but I'm not entirely sure how necessary she was to the story. It's almost as if she was added just to give another potential complication. There's a couple romances, and both are really sweet.
Home for Christmas:
This one had a back story and a lot going on for a novella. Very well layered, with a great small town versus big corporation running through it as well. Sam is a great hero - with lots of depth and a lot of development as we move along. Jo was a tad too sweet for my taste. Just a little to goodie.
Christmas on Cape Cod:
This one was my least favorite. A very sugary couple with a very sugary Christmas story. It just wasn't my style at all.
Overall, this was a great mix of Christmas tales. Some were better than others, but it was a great addition to my Christmas reading for the year.
This was a very cute story, but I wish she had done more research on the cat, it just wasn't very realistic at times. But while the animals were cute, they weren't part of the actual romance. Melanie really steals the show in this one in her quest to adopt a child. Her determination was amazing and was something she wanted with all her heart. Bryce was a great guy. He was fun and all, but a bit too much of "whatever you want I want". There really wasn't a conflict there. I don't need much, but a little would have been nice.
Runaway Christmas:
This was my favorite of the bunch! Heidi's world is really turned upside down this Christmas as everything seems to go wrong! Even the weather has it in for her and her dreams of a quiet, peaceful Christmas by herself are shattered. Her niece was just the right touch, but I'm not entirely sure how necessary she was to the story. It's almost as if she was added just to give another potential complication. There's a couple romances, and both are really sweet.
Home for Christmas:
This one had a back story and a lot going on for a novella. Very well layered, with a great small town versus big corporation running through it as well. Sam is a great hero - with lots of depth and a lot of development as we move along. Jo was a tad too sweet for my taste. Just a little to goodie.
Christmas on Cape Cod:
This one was my least favorite. A very sugary couple with a very sugary Christmas story. It just wasn't my style at all.
Overall, this was a great mix of Christmas tales. Some were better than others, but it was a great addition to my Christmas reading for the year.
booklovewithmelanie's review against another edition
3.0
3.25
The first one was bad, so bad, I put off reading the rest for awhile. I'm glad I came back to it though cause I rather enjoyed the last 3. Overall cute Christmas stories.
The first one was bad, so bad, I put off reading the rest for awhile. I'm glad I came back to it though cause I rather enjoyed the last 3. Overall cute Christmas stories.
nogenreleftbehind's review against another edition
4.0
Making Spirits Bright:
This was a very cute story, but I wish she had done more research on the cat, it just wasn't very realistic at times. But while the animals were cute, they weren't part of the actual romance. Melanie really steals the show in this one in her quest to adopt a child. Her determination was amazing and was something she wanted with all her heart. Bryce was a great guy. He was fun and all, but a bit too much of "whatever you want I want". There really wasn't a conflict there. I don't need much, but a little would have been nice.
Runaway Christmas:
This was my favorite of the bunch! Heidi's world is really turned upside down this Christmas as everything seems to go wrong! Even the weather has it in for her and her dreams of a quiet, peaceful Christmas by herself are shattered. Her niece was just the right touch, but I'm not entirely sure how necessary she was to the story. It's almost as if she was added just to give another potential complication. There's a couple romances, and both are really sweet.
Home for Christmas:
This one had a back story and a lot going on for a novella. Very well layered, with a great small town versus big corporation running through it as well. Sam is a great hero - with lots of depth and a lot of development as we move along. Jo was a tad too sweet for my taste. Just a little to goodie.
Christmas on Cape Cod:
This one was my least favorite. A very sugary couple with a very sugary Christmas story. It just wasn't my style at all.
Overall, this was a great mix of Christmas tales. Some were better than others, but it was a great addition to my Christmas reading for the year.
This was a very cute story, but I wish she had done more research on the cat, it just wasn't very realistic at times. But while the animals were cute, they weren't part of the actual romance. Melanie really steals the show in this one in her quest to adopt a child. Her determination was amazing and was something she wanted with all her heart. Bryce was a great guy. He was fun and all, but a bit too much of "whatever you want I want". There really wasn't a conflict there. I don't need much, but a little would have been nice.
Runaway Christmas:
This was my favorite of the bunch! Heidi's world is really turned upside down this Christmas as everything seems to go wrong! Even the weather has it in for her and her dreams of a quiet, peaceful Christmas by herself are shattered. Her niece was just the right touch, but I'm not entirely sure how necessary she was to the story. It's almost as if she was added just to give another potential complication. There's a couple romances, and both are really sweet.
Home for Christmas:
This one had a back story and a lot going on for a novella. Very well layered, with a great small town versus big corporation running through it as well. Sam is a great hero - with lots of depth and a lot of development as we move along. Jo was a tad too sweet for my taste. Just a little to goodie.
Christmas on Cape Cod:
This one was my least favorite. A very sugary couple with a very sugary Christmas story. It just wasn't my style at all.
Overall, this was a great mix of Christmas tales. Some were better than others, but it was a great addition to my Christmas reading for the year.
ctsquirrel's review against another edition
3.0
Just finished the Elizabeth Bass story, liked it pretty well. Just couldn't seem to get into the Fern Michaels story.
The family tree in "Runaway Christmas" took a few pages for me to straighten out. A lot of stepfamilies and ex-stepfamilies going around. A lot more characters than I'm used to in Christmas romance anthologies. Overall it was pretty good though.
The family tree in "Runaway Christmas" took a few pages for me to straighten out. A lot of stepfamilies and ex-stepfamilies going around. A lot more characters than I'm used to in Christmas romance anthologies. Overall it was pretty good though.
sar_19's review against another edition
3.0
The first story was the weakest of the group. The others were entertaining.
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