Joyfully Retired

I’ve had fun this month reading a variety of Christmas books. I actually gathered together more books than I had tim to read. Oh well, I’m ahead for next year. There are two more Christmas books that I want to tell you about. I ran out of time to write the reviews before Christmas.

1. ‘Twas the Night

by Sandra Hill, Kate Holmes, Trish Jensen (Kindle)

Three successful men are each on their way to Snowdon, Maine to attend the Christmas Eve wedding of the man who was their mentor when they were all boys at the XX. The men are still best friends even though one is a Blue Angels pilot, one is an ex-NFL quarterback, and the other is a bounty hunter.

At the same time a massive storm is shutting down all the airports and roads in the northeast. The only transportation available to them is bright red bus driven be a female NASCAR-style driver. If anyone can get through she can. The bus actually belongs to a senior citizen group from Snowdon known as the Santa Brigade. The group is on a tour to deliver gifts and entertainment to homeless shelters and underprivileged children.

Along with the three men on the bus are three women. They are, of of orurse, attractive. This is, after all, a contemporary romance. There are lots of opportunities for sexy bantering and serious flirting among the three couples. Added in to the mix are the senior citizens who have their own ideas of fun.

This story was light-hearted and fun with all sorts of sizzle. Each one of the three authors wrote various chapters, each from the point of view of one of the men. It melded together very well as one story.

There was one negative: during parts of story where the senior citizens were involved, I thought they made jokes at the expense of the seniors. Some of the jokes were stereotypical-yet-untrue views of seniors. I’m sure I’m more sensitive because I am a senior, but the jokes weren’t funny to me.

Aside from that one negative, the story was great fun to read. Overall, a good story with well-developed characters, a few R-rated sections, and lots of laugh-out-loud moments.

2. The Christmas Brides

by Linda Lael Miller

Christmas Brides is actually two books in one, both by Linda Lael Miller. I read only the first book.

McKettrick Christmas

It’s 1896 and Lizzie McKettrick is on her way home for Christmas. She’s just completed her teaching degree and plans to teach in her hometown of Indian Rock, Arizona. She’s traveling by train from San Francisco accompanied by a young man she wants her family to meet.

As the train travels through the mountains, it is struck by an avalanche. Only a small number of passengers survive. That includes Lizzie and her young man, a mother and baby and her two small children, a wounded soldier, a peddler, an elderly couple and their bird, and a young doctor.

The doctor and Lizzie step forward to take measures to keep the small group physically alive until help can arrive. The peddler steps forward and keeps everyone’s spirits up. As the time slowly marches on, the true character of each person begins to surface.

I liked the story as it progressed toward Christmas Day. The resourcefulness and creative measures used by some of the characters to stay alive was admirable. The two little children were so worried that Santa wouldn’t find them. The measures used to create Christmas for them was heartwarming.

There was a very pleasant surprise in the last few chapters that was a wonderful bonus. I didn’t see it coming but it was a perfect tie-in for a Christmas story.

A McKettrick Christmas took me back to the McKettrick clan. I’ve read quite of few of the authors stories about various members of the family and it was nice to “visit” with them again. I’d recommend this to those of you who love stories set in the west during this time period, and especially for those who love Ms. Miller’s books. It made a good Christmas read.