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Christmas #3
A Big Sky Christmas
In the fall of 1873, a wagon train of immigrants sets off from Missouri for the Montana Territory. Leading them is wagon master Jamie Ian MacCallister, a giant of a man who swears he can get them there by Christmas -- come hell or high snow drifts. The journey is plagued by brutal storms and rugged terrain, outlaws and hostile Indians. Just when things look nearly hopeless, two unlikely saviors arrive: an old mountain man known as Preacher and legendary frontiersman Smoke Jensen.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
151 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,040 books1,390 followersWilliam W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
December 15, 2023
A pretty typical Johnstone wagon train story with a bit of a Christmas twist. Still, not a bad book to spend some time with. It does offer a fair amount of western action, adventure and suspense.
December 5, 2025
Westerns are a fun diversion for me and the plots are usually fairly straightforward.
This one’s definitely Western and definitely not Christmas, with the holiday referenced mainly as a deadline. The wagon trail of immigrants left Kansas City late in the season but Jamie MacCallister was hired on to get them to Montana by Christmas.
The holiday feels finally crept in at page 398 then fizzled out. But read as a Western it kept the pages turning with a satisfying final battle scene.
This one’s definitely Western and definitely not Christmas, with the holiday referenced mainly as a deadline. The wagon trail of immigrants left Kansas City late in the season but Jamie MacCallister was hired on to get them to Montana by Christmas.
The holiday feels finally crept in at page 398 then fizzled out. But read as a Western it kept the pages turning with a satisfying final battle scene.
February 2, 2017
by William W Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone
This is the third book in a series of Western romances culminating at Christmas. This time Jamie McAllister is corralled into leading a wagon train of pioneers from Kansas City Missouri to Montana territory, where they plan to settle. He thinks they are setting out too late to make it before the harsh winter weather, but he agrees to lead them, because “if anybody can get them there by Christmas, it’s Jamie McAllister.”
It’s a stereotypical Western tale … cardboard characters right out of central casting, a band of “varmints” set on revenge, an actress (who is NOT a prostitute) fleeing from a rich man intent on having his way with her, a cowboy who has been running with a group of outlaws but has reformed (for love, of course), a “fire and brimstone” preacher, a studious and polite Jewish immigrant, Indians, buffalo, shoot-outs, prairie fires and blizzards.
It’s also a fast read, with a plot that kept me interested enough to keep turning pages. J A Johnstone has improved his/her writing since the first book in the series (though not much). The books carry William Johnstone’s name, but he died at least 7 years before the first book was published, so I think it would be more honest to have only J A Johnstone’s name on the books.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a “Christmas” book … look elsewhere. About the only reference to Christmas is that McAllister promises to get the pilgrims to Montana by that date. It’s really just a Western romance set during early winter, with a plot that culminates on Christmas Day.
This is the third book in a series of Western romances culminating at Christmas. This time Jamie McAllister is corralled into leading a wagon train of pioneers from Kansas City Missouri to Montana territory, where they plan to settle. He thinks they are setting out too late to make it before the harsh winter weather, but he agrees to lead them, because “if anybody can get them there by Christmas, it’s Jamie McAllister.”
It’s a stereotypical Western tale … cardboard characters right out of central casting, a band of “varmints” set on revenge, an actress (who is NOT a prostitute) fleeing from a rich man intent on having his way with her, a cowboy who has been running with a group of outlaws but has reformed (for love, of course), a “fire and brimstone” preacher, a studious and polite Jewish immigrant, Indians, buffalo, shoot-outs, prairie fires and blizzards.
It’s also a fast read, with a plot that kept me interested enough to keep turning pages. J A Johnstone has improved his/her writing since the first book in the series (though not much). The books carry William Johnstone’s name, but he died at least 7 years before the first book was published, so I think it would be more honest to have only J A Johnstone’s name on the books.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a “Christmas” book … look elsewhere. About the only reference to Christmas is that McAllister promises to get the pilgrims to Montana by that date. It’s really just a Western romance set during early winter, with a plot that culminates on Christmas Day.
March 23, 2014
I could not put this book down. I just had to know what was going to happen. You cant help but get drawn in by the characters. This is the first cowboy book I have read (usually I read horror or apocalyptic type books) but I did grow up watching Little House on the Prairie and John Wayne movies. There is love, loss and constant danger. I cant wait to read more books by William Johnstone. I have already started my second book and it is just as good as this one.
I highly suggest reading this book.
I highly suggest reading this book.
September 13, 2025
Jamie Ian MacCallister is a legend almost as big as Preacher and Smoke Jensen and to boot, he is friends with Preacher. After a fight where he breaks the leg of a man who was to guide a wagon train to Montana he finds himself agreeing to take the position of wagon master and promises to do the impossible of getting the train to Montana even though he tells them it would be better to wait until spring.
There are so many stories involved in this trip that ends with some sadness, happiness and with the help of four legends including Preacher and Smoke, this is a story you must read if you like westerns.
There are so many stories involved in this trip that ends with some sadness, happiness and with the help of four legends including Preacher and Smoke, this is a story you must read if you like westerns.
February 11, 2018
Not a bad read, 'A Big Sky Christmas' features Jamie Ian MacCallister, he takes over leading a wagon train, regardless that it's late in the year, they are determined to head out for Eagle Valley in Montana Territory and won't wait till Spring.
A Big Sky Christmas, has nothing really to do with Christmas, other than Jamie promising to get them to Montana by Christmas. It's kind of like the ghost writer, took iconic characters from a legend, put some cheesy storylines in it, a overbear Minister, a Jewish Rabbi, Actress trying to escape a Rich Man, then you got the outlaw trying to hide that he is and honestly win the girl.
The story goes along, it's a decent read, predictable at times, but you get last 100 pages, Jamie and several from the wagon train rescue two children stolen from it and then you have Preacher, Smoke, Audie and Nighthawk make a cameo appearance into the story.
Both Preacher and Smoke Jensen are iconic characters of William's, as a reader your in for some good reading with them, both Audie and Nighthawk have appeared in the First Mountain Man Series. The ghost writer easily could have written them into the story earlier then they were, just based on their writing and Jamie looking for scouts for the wagon train.
My favorite part of William W. Johnstone's books, were the final 100 pages, he was one of the best at packing an overload of action to them and he never ever pressed the easy button to finish one. Which happens with this one.
Plus it contradicts his writing as they have Jamie an old man, Smoke is in his 20's. Yet in the Eagle Series, Jamie in his 20's, meets up with Preacher and Smoke's in his late teens and yes it's a little detail, but it shows that the ghost writer, has read up on the characters and throws off the timeline you have of the characters.
Still an okay read, better than several of the other newer series by the estate and wonder when we'll see a series featuring Audie and Nighthawk.
A Big Sky Christmas, has nothing really to do with Christmas, other than Jamie promising to get them to Montana by Christmas. It's kind of like the ghost writer, took iconic characters from a legend, put some cheesy storylines in it, a overbear Minister, a Jewish Rabbi, Actress trying to escape a Rich Man, then you got the outlaw trying to hide that he is and honestly win the girl.
The story goes along, it's a decent read, predictable at times, but you get last 100 pages, Jamie and several from the wagon train rescue two children stolen from it and then you have Preacher, Smoke, Audie and Nighthawk make a cameo appearance into the story.
Both Preacher and Smoke Jensen are iconic characters of William's, as a reader your in for some good reading with them, both Audie and Nighthawk have appeared in the First Mountain Man Series. The ghost writer easily could have written them into the story earlier then they were, just based on their writing and Jamie looking for scouts for the wagon train.
My favorite part of William W. Johnstone's books, were the final 100 pages, he was one of the best at packing an overload of action to them and he never ever pressed the easy button to finish one. Which happens with this one.
Plus it contradicts his writing as they have Jamie an old man, Smoke is in his 20's. Yet in the Eagle Series, Jamie in his 20's, meets up with Preacher and Smoke's in his late teens and yes it's a little detail, but it shows that the ghost writer, has read up on the characters and throws off the timeline you have of the characters.
Still an okay read, better than several of the other newer series by the estate and wonder when we'll see a series featuring Audie and Nighthawk.
December 25, 2021
I like the series characters, and the writing is fun, but I do not appreciate how they handled the indigenous people in this situation. There was no explanation of their behavior that would make sense. They were just the bad guys.
October 9, 2022
This a story of Jamie McAllister leading a wagon train west late in the year. Johnstone’s McAllisters are regularly featured characters. In this story, there are Indian attacks, attacks by crooks and an attempted kidnapping. The action is nonstop and the characters are decently developed. I especially enjoyed the rabbi and yes there is a Christmas miracle.
April 11, 2021
The William W. Johnstone, J.A. Johnstone Christmas series are exciting westerns culminating in the memories of Christmas miracles. Each one I've read I just can't put down. Thoroughly enjoyable series that I highly recommend.
July 10, 2014
This book is definitely a wintertime story but not truly a Christmas story. The story involves a group of people relocating to Montana. The wagon train has stopped in Missouri and is setting up to make the final trek towards Montana. The wagon master is not the greatest and, while letting off steam in the local drinking establishment, winds up with a broken leg and a new wagon master needs to be found. The person who stood up to the wagon master in the bar now has take over as the wagon master for the group, even though he feels they may not make it as it is too late in the season to be trying to travel to Montana, he will do the job because the people have no alternative except to continue their trip. On top of everything else, the group takes on two more people who need to be anywhere but where they are now. There are a lot of little interesting things going on within the story and there are a few surprises. The little bit of the feeling of Christmas comes at the end of the book and is satisfactory.
November 20, 2019
I want to give all of the books I read at least 4 stars, if not 5, just because I have such respect for what an author and others do to bring a book to print. I read the pop-up that shows when I hover over the star icon, though, and 'It was OK' is the best fit for how I feel about the book.
I reckon (see, I'm even talking like a cowboy now) this book was okay as far as Westerns go, but I can't help but think there are some pretty excellent ones out there somewhere.
Things I didn't like:
-the fight scenes that were too gruesome for my liking (bones crunching, details, bleckh)
-bias against the indigenous people (as evidenced by the callus way their deaths were written about)
-lack of believable romance between the couple who falls in love (I would have liked more development, but the book seemed stuck on action and plot)
-narration was a bit generic and 'drum rollish', too much for my taste (not subtle, but instead more like someone would tell a story if they were sitting around a campfire).
Things I liked:
-scenery of being in the open
-the main character, his dialogue, his pards (partners)
-the mythical legends the story's plot perpetuated; gave the book a lightheartedness
I'm glad I experienced the read, but I won't be reading another by him.
I reckon (see, I'm even talking like a cowboy now) this book was okay as far as Westerns go, but I can't help but think there are some pretty excellent ones out there somewhere.
Things I didn't like:
-the fight scenes that were too gruesome for my liking (bones crunching, details, bleckh)
-bias against the indigenous people (as evidenced by the callus way their deaths were written about)
-lack of believable romance between the couple who falls in love (I would have liked more development, but the book seemed stuck on action and plot)
-narration was a bit generic and 'drum rollish', too much for my taste (not subtle, but instead more like someone would tell a story if they were sitting around a campfire).
Things I liked:
-scenery of being in the open
-the main character, his dialogue, his pards (partners)
-the mythical legends the story's plot perpetuated; gave the book a lightheartedness
I'm glad I experienced the read, but I won't be reading another by him.
December 18, 2020
In the fall of 1873, a wagon train of immigrants sets off from Kansas City, Missouri, bound for the Montana Territory. Leading the group is newly elected wagonmaster Jamie Ian MacCallister, a giant of a man and frontier legend who swears he can get them there by Christmas--come hell or high snow drifts. . .
Plagued by brutally harsh storms and rugged terrain, outlaws and hostile Indians, the journey will be the greatest challenge these pioneers will ever face. But when things look nearly hopeless, help arrives in the form of two unlikely saviors: an old mountain man known as Preacher and legendary frontiersman Smoke Jensen. Two hard-willed men who believe in the settlers' dreams with all their hearts--and who will get them to their destination by Christmas. Even if it takes a miracle.
Plagued by brutally harsh storms and rugged terrain, outlaws and hostile Indians, the journey will be the greatest challenge these pioneers will ever face. But when things look nearly hopeless, help arrives in the form of two unlikely saviors: an old mountain man known as Preacher and legendary frontiersman Smoke Jensen. Two hard-willed men who believe in the settlers' dreams with all their hearts--and who will get them to their destination by Christmas. Even if it takes a miracle.
December 21, 2020
Reading Johnstone's Christmas series has become something of a tradition for me during the holidays. Some have compared them to a Hallmark movie. I agree in that it is enjoyable, somewhat predictable, and filled with Christmas spirit. This one includes a little touch of Hanukkah. And having other Johnstone characters team up is always a welcome event.
June 2, 2024
A Big Sky Christmas
An exciting western story of runaway actress and an outlaw who escaped by joining wagons going to Eagle Valley, Montana. Jamie MacCallister,the famous frontier man, had injured the Wagon master and now had to be the new wagon master. So much adventure and action especially to fight off outlaws and Indians, and bad weather.
An exciting western story of runaway actress and an outlaw who escaped by joining wagons going to Eagle Valley, Montana. Jamie MacCallister,the famous frontier man, had injured the Wagon master and now had to be the new wagon master. So much adventure and action especially to fight off outlaws and Indians, and bad weather.
June 17, 2018
A good story about frontier life and traveling by covered wagon.
I enjoyed reading this story about life on the frontier and simple people pursuing their dreams and enduring hardships. And the side story of a budding love was an additional gift.
I enjoyed reading this story about life on the frontier and simple people pursuing their dreams and enduring hardships. And the side story of a budding love was an additional gift.
October 1, 2019
Western adventure at its best
Really enjoyed this wagon train adventure. A little different from some of the other books I've read. A little theater drama, a bit of deception, and Indian battles. And having Preacher, Smoke and MacCalister team co-just magic!
Really enjoyed this wagon train adventure. A little different from some of the other books I've read. A little theater drama, a bit of deception, and Indian battles. And having Preacher, Smoke and MacCalister team co-just magic!
November 13, 2021
Awesome read
I am a big fan of WWJ books especially when it includes Jamie MacCallister, Preacher, Smoke Jensen, Audie and Nighthawk in it. Best adventures and action as well as characters.
I am a big fan of WWJ books especially when it includes Jamie MacCallister, Preacher, Smoke Jensen, Audie and Nighthawk in it. Best adventures and action as well as characters.
January 2, 2022
Action packed
This is a western full of action...Indian attacks, prairiè fires, good guys, bad guys and also love. I don't usually read this type of story , but I must say I enjoyed it and will most likely read more of his books. Good read!!!!!
This is a western full of action...Indian attacks, prairiè fires, good guys, bad guys and also love. I don't usually read this type of story , but I must say I enjoyed it and will most likely read more of his books. Good read!!!!!
January 21, 2022
Love the journey!
I'm a total sucker for the adventure, danger, beauty, and courage of the settlers that came West in covered wagons. A good read with wonderful characters. I didn't want it to end.
I'm a total sucker for the adventure, danger, beauty, and courage of the settlers that came West in covered wagons. A good read with wonderful characters. I didn't want it to end.
February 3, 2022
A Homecoming
This is by far one of the best of many great reads. Absolutely loved every minute of this read. Having three great legends and multiple good new ones combined for action packed fun.
This is by far one of the best of many great reads. Absolutely loved every minute of this read. Having three great legends and multiple good new ones combined for action packed fun.
December 28, 2024
Dull, boring at times. It felt like not a lot of thought was put into the plot compared to the previous two books in the series. The ending was too predictable. Even Smoke Jenson and Preacher returning had little to no effect in the story. They might as well not even be mentioned.
December 2, 2025
Jamie McAllister agrees to lead a wagon train to Montana. It is late in the year and he knows he will have to push them. It took me awhile to get into it, but lots happened toward the end of the book. Lots of action, including kidnapping, Indian attacks, crooks, and fire.
December 5, 2025
FYI, this isn’t a Christmas book. It’s a typical run of the mill western that ends on Christmas day. An easy read if you like no frills cowboys & Indians books with train robberies where the protagonist has an insane ability to immediately eliminate an antagonist.
November 19, 2018
TNFRENCHIE
Great book. Always enjoy reading William W. Johnstone. Not your usual Christmas story. But it's a great read so enjoy it.
Great book. Always enjoy reading William W. Johnstone. Not your usual Christmas story. But it's a great read so enjoy it.
December 3, 2018
For fans of classic western's (like myself) this series is for you. Fun read especially at this time of the year.
April 20, 2019
Wonderful. Book
Great story lots of shooting scenes ........zzzzzzzz zzzz zzzz zzzz ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ CV be off CV
Great story lots of shooting scenes ........zzzzzzzz zzzz zzzz zzzz ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ CV be off CV
October 24, 2019
Another Great Read
This is one of the best series I have read. Highly recommend it and will continue with this series. Feel like they are family.
This is one of the best series I have read. Highly recommend it and will continue with this series. Feel like they are family.
February 1, 2020
This Christmas Series is a great read, just finished #3 Big Sky Christmas, kept me interested couldn't put the book down...
December 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this western Christmas novel with lots of actions and dangers from the beginning of the book to the end of the book and you won't be able to put the book down.
January 3, 2021
This was a way different book than I usually read. I was enchanted through the whole book. The characters were so real, I really enjoyed this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews