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Wheeler Family #1
Deck the Halls
'TIS THE SEASON
Retrieving the mail from his old apartment brought more than just letters for Vince Cutler. When he opened the door on the lovely Jolie Wheeler and rooms he hardly recognized, he knew he'd found the person to fix up his bare new bachelor quarters. But behind their banter, he sensed a pain that his friendship couldn't assuage.
TO BE...FAMILY?
The warm embrace of Vince's family reminded Jolie achingly of the nephew taken from her, and the sister she refused to see. Vince's embrace made keeping the distance between them all the more difficult. And all the while the spirit of Christmas was working within Jolie's heart to reconnect her with her family...and with Vince during this very special season....
Retrieving the mail from his old apartment brought more than just letters for Vince Cutler. When he opened the door on the lovely Jolie Wheeler and rooms he hardly recognized, he knew he'd found the person to fix up his bare new bachelor quarters. But behind their banter, he sensed a pain that his friendship couldn't assuage.
TO BE...FAMILY?
The warm embrace of Vince's family reminded Jolie achingly of the nephew taken from her, and the sister she refused to see. Vince's embrace made keeping the distance between them all the more difficult. And all the while the spirit of Christmas was working within Jolie's heart to reconnect her with her family...and with Vince during this very special season....
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
About the author
Arlene James
199 books90 followersArlene James has written romance for four decades, and has published 100+ novels. A mother of sons and now a happy grandmother to the brightest, most talented, and lovely of all granddaughters, she is finding her sixth decade to be great fun.
She and her very supportive husband of 45 years (whom she agreed to marry on their first date!) enjoy a busy social life and have visited much of the world. After calling Texas home for three decades, they now live in beautiful NW Arkansas.
Arlene grew up on a ranch in south central Oklahoma and still maintains strong ties in that area. She firmly believes that writing has afforded her the best of all possible means of earning a living, and credits a junior high school English teacher with proving to her that her dream of being an author was entirely achievable.
After 4 decades of deadlines and multiple-book contracts (for which she is deeply grateful), she is enjoying the ability to write exactly what she feels led to write on her own schedule.
She and her very supportive husband of 45 years (whom she agreed to marry on their first date!) enjoy a busy social life and have visited much of the world. After calling Texas home for three decades, they now live in beautiful NW Arkansas.
Arlene grew up on a ranch in south central Oklahoma and still maintains strong ties in that area. She firmly believes that writing has afforded her the best of all possible means of earning a living, and credits a junior high school English teacher with proving to her that her dream of being an author was entirely achievable.
After 4 decades of deadlines and multiple-book contracts (for which she is deeply grateful), she is enjoying the ability to write exactly what she feels led to write on her own schedule.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 30, 2017
So, I’ve officially decided. Starting this year, I’m going to save any Christmas books I accumulate for reading in November or December. :-) This book was the only one I remembered to read this year, and I didn’t consider, “Maybe I should read a Christmas book!” until about December 20th! I don’t know why, as at least two of my Goodreads friends had been reading Christmas books all month! And then…. I had an epiphany….. and mentally slapped myself when I realized that I can add a CHRISTMAS BOOKSHELF on Goodreads so I can easily figure out what Christmas titles I have. Oh, boy! It only took me two years to realize this. Until now, I’ve read Christmas books all year around. :-) I’m looking forward to December!
Deck the Halls (2005, Steeple Hill), first in the Wheeler Family series by Arlene James, is a contemporary Christian romance set in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The novel is a standalone story with endings completely tied up. I chose to read this book because I wanted a Christmas read, and I previously enjoyed Butterfly Summer by the same author.
Rating: 3 stars
Plot: Vince Cutler, owner of an automotive repair shop, gets a call from a strange female asking him to pick up his mail at his old apartment. He forgot to fill out a change of address form. Vince goes to pick up his mail, and the new occupant, Jolie Kay Wheeler, is a bit rude with a chip on her shoulder. Vince gives her some coupons for his shop. Later on, Jolie asks Vince for an estimate on some car repairs, and explicitly tells him to give her an estimate BEFORE doing any work. I believe this is standard procedure anyway. However, he makes the repairs without authorization and proudly delivers the car. She is initially upset, but agrees to wash all the uniforms from his shop for a while to pay off the repair bill.
There’s a number of problems right there. First, Jolie should have written “no longer at this address” on the mail and put it back in the mailbox rather than looking up his phone number. Second, Vince should have never made the repairs without explicit permission. Additionally, I think Jolie could have refused to pay (or barter services) and she would have been within her rights. Now, obviously, people don’t always do what they ought. But this situation seemed so ridiculous that I was in a sour mood about the beginning of the story.
Christian elements:
*This book is in the Love Inspired line, so I would expect the basics of Christianity to be followed by veteran Christians in the story. I didn’t find that to be the case. Jolie is mad at the world and isn’t interested in a relationship with God. Vince is a strong Christian. So here’s the kicker. After some initial concern and caution about this issue, Vince decides to date her anyway. Huh????
From my experience, it is pretty universally accepted with the Christian church that a believer should not marry (and by extension, should not date) a non-believer. There’s a Bible verse that says: “Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2 Corinthian 6:14, NLT) Most translations use the phrase “Don’t be unequally yoked” but I really like the vocabulary the NLT uses. Anyway, I’ve been taught that this applies to marriage and business partnerships, which given the context is perfectly logical. As a child of a Christian and a non-Christian, I decided long ago that I’d rather be unmarried than risk going through the constant conflict which can so easily arise out of a such a marriage.
*On the plus side, there is part of a sermon included (when Jolie finally goes to church) that I thought was very good. She does eventually end up opening her heart to God, but it’s just the wrong order of events.
What I liked: I liked Vince’s family. A big, chaotic family full of love and closeness. Unfortunately, even that felt over the top sometimes.
What I didn’t like: I liked Vince, but did not like that he was interested in Jolie. She gave him absolutely no reason to be interested in her. None! “He seemed actually to like her, and she hadn’t really given him anything much to like.” I continued to look for that special something in her, and although she grows toward the end of the book, I still didn’t feel like there was enough. I understand that Jolie has had some big disappointments in her life. But I didn’t care for her self-pity, especially as she was totally in the wrong for one of her heartbreaks.
Unfortunately, I don’t recommend this book. I will try another story by this author, as I really liked the first one I read. I have put Anna Meets Her Match on my to-read list.
Deck the Halls (2005, Steeple Hill), first in the Wheeler Family series by Arlene James, is a contemporary Christian romance set in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The novel is a standalone story with endings completely tied up. I chose to read this book because I wanted a Christmas read, and I previously enjoyed Butterfly Summer by the same author.
Rating: 3 stars
Plot: Vince Cutler, owner of an automotive repair shop, gets a call from a strange female asking him to pick up his mail at his old apartment. He forgot to fill out a change of address form. Vince goes to pick up his mail, and the new occupant, Jolie Kay Wheeler, is a bit rude with a chip on her shoulder. Vince gives her some coupons for his shop. Later on, Jolie asks Vince for an estimate on some car repairs, and explicitly tells him to give her an estimate BEFORE doing any work. I believe this is standard procedure anyway. However, he makes the repairs without authorization and proudly delivers the car. She is initially upset, but agrees to wash all the uniforms from his shop for a while to pay off the repair bill.
There’s a number of problems right there. First, Jolie should have written “no longer at this address” on the mail and put it back in the mailbox rather than looking up his phone number. Second, Vince should have never made the repairs without explicit permission. Additionally, I think Jolie could have refused to pay (or barter services) and she would have been within her rights. Now, obviously, people don’t always do what they ought. But this situation seemed so ridiculous that I was in a sour mood about the beginning of the story.
Christian elements:
*This book is in the Love Inspired line, so I would expect the basics of Christianity to be followed by veteran Christians in the story. I didn’t find that to be the case. Jolie is mad at the world and isn’t interested in a relationship with God. Vince is a strong Christian. So here’s the kicker. After some initial concern and caution about this issue, Vince decides to date her anyway. Huh????
From my experience, it is pretty universally accepted with the Christian church that a believer should not marry (and by extension, should not date) a non-believer. There’s a Bible verse that says: “Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2 Corinthian 6:14, NLT) Most translations use the phrase “Don’t be unequally yoked” but I really like the vocabulary the NLT uses. Anyway, I’ve been taught that this applies to marriage and business partnerships, which given the context is perfectly logical. As a child of a Christian and a non-Christian, I decided long ago that I’d rather be unmarried than risk going through the constant conflict which can so easily arise out of a such a marriage.
*On the plus side, there is part of a sermon included (when Jolie finally goes to church) that I thought was very good. She does eventually end up opening her heart to God, but it’s just the wrong order of events.
What I liked: I liked Vince’s family. A big, chaotic family full of love and closeness. Unfortunately, even that felt over the top sometimes.
What I didn’t like: I liked Vince, but did not like that he was interested in Jolie. She gave him absolutely no reason to be interested in her. None! “He seemed actually to like her, and she hadn’t really given him anything much to like.” I continued to look for that special something in her, and although she grows toward the end of the book, I still didn’t feel like there was enough. I understand that Jolie has had some big disappointments in her life. But I didn’t care for her self-pity, especially as she was totally in the wrong for one of her heartbreaks.
Unfortunately, I don’t recommend this book. I will try another story by this author, as I really liked the first one I read. I have put Anna Meets Her Match on my to-read list.
February 19, 2020
A friend sent me this book in a box of books she'd finished reading. Warning: Spoilers may lie ahead: Read at your own discretion:
*****
What I liked:
*Vince seems like he's trying to live a life based on Christian principles.
*Vince's family (though they're a bit crazy and over the top, they do seem to love each other)--the love of "chintz" was a cute touch.
What I didn't like:
*Vince decides to date Jolie even though she doesn't seem to share his Christian faith (the whole unequally yoked thing applies).
*The premise is that Jolie calls Vince to come pick up his mail because he hasn't put in a forwarding order. How does she find out his phone number? Did she ask his former neighbors until someone told her the name of his business? You can write "Not at this address" or "Return to Sender" on mail--certainly a lot easier than tracking down a phone number. (I do appreciate that she did try to get him his mail instead of just sending it back to the post office--just pointing out that the author did not offer a logical reason for her to do so.)
*Vince repairs Jolie's car without her authorization--seems an odd thing for a businessman to do even if he is trying to be nice--and I can't blame Jolie for being angry that he did when she told him to let her know the cost before he started repairs.
*Vince proposes a barter agreement for Jolie to pay for the repairs after he's already stuck her with a bill for repairs she never authorized--to me, it would have seemed more Christian to offer the barter arrangement and see if she agreed to it before doing the work that gives her a bill she feels she needs to work off.
*****
What I liked:
*Vince seems like he's trying to live a life based on Christian principles.
*Vince's family (though they're a bit crazy and over the top, they do seem to love each other)--the love of "chintz" was a cute touch.
What I didn't like:
*Vince decides to date Jolie even though she doesn't seem to share his Christian faith (the whole unequally yoked thing applies).
*The premise is that Jolie calls Vince to come pick up his mail because he hasn't put in a forwarding order. How does she find out his phone number? Did she ask his former neighbors until someone told her the name of his business? You can write "Not at this address" or "Return to Sender" on mail--certainly a lot easier than tracking down a phone number. (I do appreciate that she did try to get him his mail instead of just sending it back to the post office--just pointing out that the author did not offer a logical reason for her to do so.)
*Vince repairs Jolie's car without her authorization--seems an odd thing for a businessman to do even if he is trying to be nice--and I can't blame Jolie for being angry that he did when she told him to let her know the cost before he started repairs.
*Vince proposes a barter agreement for Jolie to pay for the repairs after he's already stuck her with a bill for repairs she never authorized--to me, it would have seemed more Christian to offer the barter arrangement and see if she agreed to it before doing the work that gives her a bill she feels she needs to work off.
July 11, 2017
Who would guess retrieving your mail from an old apartment could lead to so much drama. Vince is just wants to help Jolie but she does not trust anyone. Can he help her to trust again? He has a loving family to help.
June 13, 2026
parents abandon and then die leaving 3 children to fend for themselves until children's service steps in. One of them have a hard time forgiving the other two. She meets a man who helps her forgive her brother and sister.
December 4, 2017
My edition has page 243 leaving me hanging.
February 19, 2025
A Christian based story of Jolie and Vince, two people from two different types of families and learning the true meaning of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Right up my ally.
July 11, 2026
Big family love. Must read !
November 13, 2017
I love Christmas books doesn't matter to me that its March. :)
October 30, 2016
Another great read by Arlene James
September 11, 2014
LI Sweet story--woman moves into man's old apartment, they meet and fall in love.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews