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Come Home for Christmas
In a heartwarming holiday tale, frontier beauty Sadie Johanson and the town sheriff, Jedediah Stark, follow their hearts and, despite the harsh snowstorm, strive to spend Christmas in each other's arms. Original.
347 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
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About the author
Pat Pritchard
18 books2 followersAlso writes Contemporary, Paranormal, and Fantasy romances under the pseudonym Alexis Morgan
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2023
Spoiler alert.
I thought I had found a contemporary writer of cowboy fiction (this was published in 2005) that would fill the large boots left by Louis L’Amour. Everything was going well until about two-thirds of the way through, though there were minor irruptions of 2005 sensibilities before that point. For a novel set in 1870 or so, such intrusions are jarring.
A little background. Jed, a damaged young man whose parents were killed, was raised by the Johansons, who have a single child, Sadie. Sadie worshipped Jed, some six years older. When he became a man he left without saying good-bye. You see, he was hopelessly in love with Sadie but convinced he was not worthy of her. He became a US deputy marshal, bringing malefactors to justice.
When he captures a young boy, Hawk, accused of being a horse thief, Jed does not know what to do with him while investigating the charge against Hawk. Jed settles on bringing Hawk to the Johanson ranch, which he has not seen in 6 years. Sadie is now 17.
OK, so far so good. Then we read this (p. 140, paperback edition):
Here he was, a mixed-breed bastard, setting himself up like some kind of hero. That was a laugh. There wasn’t much difference between him and the killers he dragged back to stand trial and hang. He wore a star on his chest and had the law to back him up, but he made his living with his guns just the same.
These are the thoughts of a US marshal in 1870? Sounds like Mick Jagger, 1968: “Every cop’s a criminal / And all the sinners saints!” Oooh, yeah, get down, Marshal!
It turns out that Sadie has been carrying a torch for Jed all these years, so he must keep disappearing lest he defile her. Then, about two-thirds of the way through the book, she makes her move, insisting on giving him her virginity. Again, this is 1870? After denying himself for 6 years, Jed “reasons” that if she wants it as bad as he does, who is he to object? From then on they hump like rabbits whenever he comes to stay for a few days.
On one of his visits it’s too cold for him to sleep in the barn, so she fixes up the spare bedroom across from hers upstairs. Pa, in the bedroom below, hears the boards creaking, but he thinks that the young folk need their privacy, and he rolls over and goes to sleep. That’s a Unitarian from 2005, not a man in the 1870s who reads his Bible.
Jed feels bad about copulating with Sadie, though not bad enough to stop, and each time he leaves he is surly, determined to stay away for ever because he is not worthy of her. The last time he leaves she comes out to the barn to talk to him:
“Jed, we need to talk.”
He braced himself. “Are you pregnant?”
His question froze her in his tracks. Pregnant? How could she have not even thought about that possibility?
That exchange shreds any verisimilitude Pritchard has cultivated. How could Sadie not have thought about that? It’s a century before the pill will become ubiquitous. There is no way a well-brought-up woman would blithely fornicate without so much as a thought about pregnancy.
I read historical novels because I wish to experience the points of view of characters in another time, another place. Pritchard has not provided that experience.
I thought I had found a contemporary writer of cowboy fiction (this was published in 2005) that would fill the large boots left by Louis L’Amour. Everything was going well until about two-thirds of the way through, though there were minor irruptions of 2005 sensibilities before that point. For a novel set in 1870 or so, such intrusions are jarring.
A little background. Jed, a damaged young man whose parents were killed, was raised by the Johansons, who have a single child, Sadie. Sadie worshipped Jed, some six years older. When he became a man he left without saying good-bye. You see, he was hopelessly in love with Sadie but convinced he was not worthy of her. He became a US deputy marshal, bringing malefactors to justice.
When he captures a young boy, Hawk, accused of being a horse thief, Jed does not know what to do with him while investigating the charge against Hawk. Jed settles on bringing Hawk to the Johanson ranch, which he has not seen in 6 years. Sadie is now 17.
OK, so far so good. Then we read this (p. 140, paperback edition):
Here he was, a mixed-breed bastard, setting himself up like some kind of hero. That was a laugh. There wasn’t much difference between him and the killers he dragged back to stand trial and hang. He wore a star on his chest and had the law to back him up, but he made his living with his guns just the same.
These are the thoughts of a US marshal in 1870? Sounds like Mick Jagger, 1968: “Every cop’s a criminal / And all the sinners saints!” Oooh, yeah, get down, Marshal!
It turns out that Sadie has been carrying a torch for Jed all these years, so he must keep disappearing lest he defile her. Then, about two-thirds of the way through the book, she makes her move, insisting on giving him her virginity. Again, this is 1870? After denying himself for 6 years, Jed “reasons” that if she wants it as bad as he does, who is he to object? From then on they hump like rabbits whenever he comes to stay for a few days.
On one of his visits it’s too cold for him to sleep in the barn, so she fixes up the spare bedroom across from hers upstairs. Pa, in the bedroom below, hears the boards creaking, but he thinks that the young folk need their privacy, and he rolls over and goes to sleep. That’s a Unitarian from 2005, not a man in the 1870s who reads his Bible.
Jed feels bad about copulating with Sadie, though not bad enough to stop, and each time he leaves he is surly, determined to stay away for ever because he is not worthy of her. The last time he leaves she comes out to the barn to talk to him:
“Jed, we need to talk.”
He braced himself. “Are you pregnant?”
His question froze her in his tracks. Pregnant? How could she have not even thought about that possibility?
That exchange shreds any verisimilitude Pritchard has cultivated. How could Sadie not have thought about that? It’s a century before the pill will become ubiquitous. There is no way a well-brought-up woman would blithely fornicate without so much as a thought about pregnancy.
I read historical novels because I wish to experience the points of view of characters in another time, another place. Pritchard has not provided that experience.
December 25, 2023
Decent story but it took too long. This book could've been 100 pages shorter.
Many will not agree, so if you want a Christmas love story....read on! Not a bad read.
Many will not agree, so if you want a Christmas love story....read on! Not a bad read.
September 30, 2007
12/29/05 #225
TITLE/AUTHOR: COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Pat Pritchard
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Historical Romance/2005/344 pgs
COMMENTS: Uneven read -- started out interesting, Jed, sheriff, rescues a young boy who is accused of stealing a horse. Instead of bringing Hawk in he hides him out at Sadie's home. Sadie's parents took in orphan boys, including Jed -- who grew up there. This part of the story is quickly resolved and the rest rather dragged until the end. Jed, finally discovers despite his abusive
start to life he is worthy of love (by Sadie).
TITLE/AUTHOR: COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Pat Pritchard
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Historical Romance/2005/344 pgs
COMMENTS: Uneven read -- started out interesting, Jed, sheriff, rescues a young boy who is accused of stealing a horse. Instead of bringing Hawk in he hides him out at Sadie's home. Sadie's parents took in orphan boys, including Jed -- who grew up there. This part of the story is quickly resolved and the rest rather dragged until the end. Jed, finally discovers despite his abusive
start to life he is worthy of love (by Sadie).
December 21, 2016
A serviceable read. Started slow, picks up a bit, then slows way down again in the final 100 pages. Felt like this would have worked a lot better with 100 fewer pages in it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews