As the holiday season approached, I had grand ambitions to read and review the collection of Christmas Westerns penned under the Johnstone name. I even had copies of each one waiting for me. But alas, life had other plans. After enduring a nearly month-long illness, my reading hopes were dashed, and my energy levels were on par with a hibernating bear. Still, I managed to saddle up for one ride—A Colorado Christmas.

The story unfolds at the Sugarloaf Ranch, where Smoke and Sally Jensen are eagerly preparing to welcome their friend Preacher home for the holidays, blissfully unaware that he’s followed by a storm brewing with trouble. Picture it: an old trapper named Eagle-Eye, driven by a thirst for vengeance, gets rescued by the Jensen brothers, Ace and Chance, from a band of ruthless outlaws. Then there’s Luke Jensen, a relentless bounty hunter hot on their trail. Add to that mix, Jim Bleeker—a freshly liberated criminal mastermind scheming to settle his score with the sheriff of Big Rock, Colorado. Now that’s a recipe for chaos!

With a snowstorm howling outside, a community on the brink of disaster, and a showdown simmering just beneath the surface, these stubborn pioneers find themselves united by fate and fury, ready to forge a semblance of peace on Earth. But they plan to fight for it—with guns, grit, and a whole lot of glory. Because this Christmas, the greatest gift of all may just be… survival.

The holiday season always unleashes a tidal wave of Christmas-themed books upon us. As soon as the leaves start turning, retailers drench their shelves with new festive reads, many of which I suspect fall into the "cringy, silly, and campy" category—think Hallmark Christmas movies in book form. Not exactly my cup of eggnog! In my mind, many of them are little more than candy-coated fluff, devoid of substance. That said, I completely get why readers gobble them up like holiday cookies. Everyone has their taste, and I'm not here to rain on anyone's holiday parade. Read what brings you joy!

However, I haven't completely cast aside holiday romances. That’s the reason I've picked up The Christmas Stranger ^[*], the latest offering from Richard Paul Evans. He’s been a literary guilty pleasure of mine since I first cracked open the enchanting pages of The Christmas Box trilogy ages ago.

Now, let’s talk about The Christmas Stranger, shall we? Picture this: It’s been three long years since Paul Wanless shattered his life in a Christmas Eve accident that claimed his family. If you think he’s just taken a break from the holiday cheer, think again—he's done with life itself. He sold off his computer repair business, the Christmas ornaments are collecting dust, and the idea of connecting with another human being isn't on his radar. Enter a mysterious stranger—Gabriel—who knocks on Paul’s door, claiming to retrieve a laptop. But hold on! This isn’t just about tech support; Gabriel has a mission that’s far more profound. When Paul opens up about his dark thoughts, Gabriel cryptically warns, "I wouldn't do it if I were you. It's not what you think," leaving Paul dumbfounded and questioning reality. This encounter sends him spiraling, but not without a turn of fate when he meets a young widow and her bullied son, shaking up his bleak existence and nudging him back toward the land of the living.

Didn't I just say it was too early to dive into Christmas-themed books? I’m not losing my marbles here; I distinctly remember shouting this in another review. Yet, here I am, gleefully thorny about yet another book that really should've waited until the leaves started turning and the air turned crisp—preferably November or December—not September, for crying out loud! It’s not even Halloween yet! Jeez. But enough with the nitpicking; let’s get on with the meat of it...

Last week, out of the blue, an ARC of The Heart of It's a Wonderful Life by Jimmy Hawkins landed on my doorstop like a snowflake in July. Hawkins, the man who played the adorable Tommy Bailey in the 1946 classic, brings to life a story that was surprisingly born as a flop; back in the day, audiences didn’t quite know what to make of it. This book, more of a novella at 183 pages, turned out to be a quick read for me, courtesy of the fine folks at Harper Horizon. I’ve got a stack of books that would rival a skyscraper, and this happened to be my second unsolicited read of the week. Normally, I would brush these aside, but something about this one piqued my interest—maybe it was my greedy hands savagely reaching for nostalgia.

But I digress.

In this delightful little book, Jimmy Hawkins leads us to the heart of what makes It’s a Wonderful Life resonate with audiences—even today. It’s not just about an iconic message or unforgettable lines; it’s about the sheer unstoppable passion behind its creation, fueled by the vision of director Frank Capra.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that I once dove headfirst into a whirlwind of Amish romances. Yes, you read that right. At one point in my life, I devoured these charming tales like candy, seeking something I still yearn for today—or perhaps it was merely a fleeting obsession. In any case, I lost myself in a world of bonnets and buggies until the genre became overcrowded with authors churning out the same stories on repeat, leaving me weary and longing for something fresh. There’s one exception, though: Beverly Lewis, the undisputed queen of Amish fiction and the first author to lure me into this quaint world. Her latest novella, The Christmas House, dropped last week via Bethany House—maybe a tad too early for holiday cheer, but hey, who am I to judge? Maybe early November would have been the sweet spot.

The storyline unfolds like a cozy blanket as the holidays draw near. Liz Lantz, our earnest protagonist, is determined to splash her Hickory Hollow buggy tour business with a sprinkle of God's love for the Englisher tourists flocking to her beloved Lancaster County. It's all very Hallmark until her father and brother get called away on some mission, leaving her in need of help. Enter Matthew Yoder, a young Amish man drafted to assist her—an arrangement not exactly met with wild enthusiasm. But as the popularity of her Christmas House Buggy Tour picks up steam, Liz begrudgingly finds herself working alongside Matt. And wouldn’t you know it? He takes a sincere interest in both the tour customers and, naturally, Liz herself.

If my memory serves me correctly, I was 17 years old when I stumbled upon The Christmas Box Collection, an omnibus paperback featuring The Christmas Box, Timepiece, and The Letter by Richard Paul Evans. It was my first venture in the sentimental holiday romance genre, and I've been a fan of Evans's stories ever since.

There's nothing better to get you into the Christmas spirit than reading a holiday-themed novel. For me, I'm referring to the recently released The Noel Letters by New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans. It's the fourth entry in his standalone Noel Collection series.

The novel centers on Noel Post, a New York publishing house editor who returns to her childhood home in Salt Lake City to visit her dying father. Unfortunately, by the time she arrives, her father has already passed away. On top of grieving about the nearly two decades of estrangement from her father, she's still struggling to get over her recent divorce. Plus, she's almost sure her editing job is long gone due to her negative attitude.

* Goodreads * Amazon *

 

Old Saint Nick is missing, sparking shenanigans in the town of Santa Claus.

Private Eye Nala Bonne and her trusty crime-fighting rescue dog Max spend their days surfing social media for telltale signs of disability fraud and philandering husbands, but when a lucrative opportunity to investigate something entirely different, Nala readily agrees to take the case. The task: find a missing Santa impersonator.

Just in time for the holiday season is 'Tis The Season Murder (Kensington Books; $12.95; 410 pages) by New York Times bestselling author Leslie Meier, featuring two Lucy Stone Holiday Mysteries — New Year's Eve Murder and Christmas Carol Murder.

New Year's Eve Murder

After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker’s Cove has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won mother/daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from Jolie magazine! But the all-expenses-paid trip is bound to have some hidden costs—and one of them is murder. Soon it will be up to Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square . . .

Christmas Carol Murder

Lucy Stone is excited about acting in the town’s production of A Christmas Carol. But a real-life Scrooge has everyone feeling frosty. While Tinker’s Cove has fallen on hard times, Downeast Mortgage owners Jake Marlowe and Ben Scribner are raking in profits from misfortune. So when Marlowe is murdered, the suspects are many. But Scribner claims Marlowe’s ghost has come to warn him of his own impending demise—and he’s soon receiving death threats. Now Lucy will have to solve the case faster than she can say “Bah! Humbug!”. . .

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans is back with his newest holiday romance — Noel Street (Gallery Books; $21.99; 290 pages).

"The year is 1975. Elle Sheen—a single mother who is supporting herself and her six-year-old, African-American son, Dylan, as a waitress at the Noel Street Diner—isn’t sure what to make of William Smith when his appearance creates a stir in the small town of Mistletoe, Utah. As their lives unexpectedly entwine, Elle learns that William, a recently returned Vietnam POW, is not only fighting demons from his past, but may also have the answer to her own secret pain—a revelation that culminates in a remarkable act of love and forgiveness."

Final Thoughts

The Ellie Claire Art Journals are high-quality journals with sturdy hardcovers. My favorite out the three is Illuminate Your Story Journal, only because of the "History of Illuminated Letters" section at the very beginning of the journal. I've always been fascinated about illuminated letters and now I can learn how to create these marvelous letters.

Faith & Lettering Journal and The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal are both gorgeous journals in their own rights. Faith & Lettering Journal has easy to follow tracing and drawing instructions for making letters and phrases. The Illustrated Word features very detailed illustrations to color. The actual journal pages are beautiful.

Overall, if you're looking a great gift this holiday season, I recommend getting the Ellie Claire Art Journals.

"February 21, 2019"

"March 22, 2019"

Final Thoughts

Abingdon Press; 188 pages; $16.99; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Final Thoughts: This a cute (under 200 pages) devotional that is also a Christmas advent to read around Christmastime. The author has done an excellent job creating a simple, but beautiful little book. The devotional part of each day is written really well, and it never felt "preachy" in anyway. The very first devotional mentions my favorite Christmas movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." While I can't carry a tune, I did enjoy reading the about the different Gospel songs/lyrics. My favorite part of each day is the recipes and gift instructions.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year and I recommend it to others.