Home for Christmas

by Jan Ruth

Three novelettes with festive themes.

Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer
Rick isn’t looking forward to his lonely corporate Christmas, but it’s the season of goodwill and magic is in the air.
An off-beat love story. It’s time Rick wore his heart on his sleeve, or is it too late? Lessons in love from an unlikely source.
Jim’s Christmas Carol
Santa and Satan pay a visit. One brings presents, the other an unwelcome presence.
Paranormal reality. Jim’s played with fire it’s time he got his comeuppance, but from who?
Home for Christmas
Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la-la la-la, la-la la-la. Tis the Season to be jolly…
Romantic-comedy. Pip might accidentally find her true vocation, but the folly of her fibs are about to catch up with her.

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories

ebook

First published October 28, 2014

About the author

Jan Ruth lives in Snowdonia, a mountainous area of North Wales, UK. Jan writes contemporary fiction about the darker side of the family dynamic, often blending life in rural Wales with a touch of city business. Her style is best described as fast-paced and realistic, with a sprinkling of dry humour.

The real story began at school, with prizes for short stories and poetry. She failed all things mathematical and scientific, and to this day struggles to make sense of anything numerical.
Her first novel – written in 1986 – attracted the attention of editor Anne Dewe, Andrew Mann Literary Agency, London. Dewe’s own company, Love Stories Ltd, was a project aiming to champion those books of substance which contained a romantic element but were perhaps directed towards the more mature reader and consistently fell through the net in traditional publishing. Summer in October was contracted immediately but sadly, the project failed to get the right financial backing and the company dissolved.
Many years later Jan’s second novel, Wild Water, was taken on by Jane C Judd Literary Agency, London. Despite Judd’s enthusiasm, the book failed to find the right niche with a publisher – one brave enough to expand on those established, traditional genre stereotypes. And then Amazon changed the face of the industry with the advent of self-publishing and Jan went on to successfully publish several works of fiction under her own imprint, Celtic Connections. After a brief partnership with Accent Press in 2015, Jan chose to return to the freedom of independent publishing.

Wild Water won the Cornerstones competition for the most popular self-published book in 2011, and Midnight Sky won the Romantic Review Magazine Award (2013). Silver Rain (2015) and Wild Water (2016) were both finalists in the Wishing Shelf Awards.

Jan’s books are available globally via Amazon as ebooks or paperbacks.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Ruth.

Jan Ruth is fast becoming a favorite of mine.

A short story by Jan Ruth?
A trio of short stories by Jan Ruth? Hmm I thought.

Well, whilst I've been laid up in bed with doctors orders of keeping my leg raised I thought I would delve into these stories.

I wondered what I was going to feel like seeing as I didn't have the festive spirit at the moment, well.....forget that! This author has such a way with words that you fall head first into the first story.

My favorite was the first story, loved them all, but just loved how the first story ended. Its one of those stories where I though, oh heck, he's not going to do what his heart desires is he?

We've all been there, festive Christmas office parties, people drinking too much etc etc. I could see myself right in among it all. This chap is known as [his name] reserved. Hm I wonder why. When Pauline comes into the equation I was sure it would lead somewhere.


Being that I live in the UK and across the bridge from Wales where this authors stories are founded I love it.


The second book is a story of an ex marital affair. Hmm and what will go on over Christmas.


I am trying to not give anything away to spoil anything of these three major trio's.

I have read short stories in the past, some authors can pull them off, others fail miserably. This author has the equivalent of the pages just right, the endings are brilliant in each and everyone of them.

Having 'spoken' to this author via messages over time, I can hear her in each book she writes, she leaves a little of herself, brilliant writer/gifted author who gets better and better.


Do you want a good page turner leading up to the holiday? You won't go wrong with this one.


I would like to thank this author for allowing me to read it.

Review is also on my blog
http://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk/...

[Kazz Mossman]

The first tale, Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer tells the story of Jim, who is mourning the loss of his girlfriend and thow they both had different ideas of how to do Christmas. They were probably incompatable any way. I’m not going to giveaway anything except its story with a twist in the end, and I love those!

The next story, Jim’s Christmas Carol was hillarious. At one point I chuckled out loud. It’s a family Christmas with all the ingredients for things to go wrong. An excellent tale!

Finally, the last of her ‘three long stories’ is Homes for Christmas, and tells of Phillipa who has broken up with her boyfriend and returns to the home and village she grew up.. She gets involved in the village play, and of course, there is an old flame to encounter. With some twists and turns and funny incidents, the story reaches a satisfactory climax.

Read my full review here - https://karensbookbuzz.wordpress.com/...

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's getting to that really busy time of year where time might be short for reading a full length novel. So here's a solution if you fancy a festive read but don't have much time to spare. Jan Ruth's Home for Christmas comprises three long short stories, each of which could be read over a coffee break.

The first story, Rudolph the Brown Nosed Reindeer, features Rick who is not looking forward to Christmas at all. His girlfriend Lynne has just left him, he's having to go on a corporate away trip combining team-building with the Christmas lunch and he has to find a suitable Secret Santa for his PA Pauline who he has never actually met. Rick could give Scrooge a run for his money with his attitude to this particular weekend and Christmas in general. Despite him being a rather grumpy character there was something endearing about Rick. Like many men, he finds it difficult to articulate his feelings and this is what has led to the breakdown in his relationship. When he meets Pauline, he feels attracted to her but starts to wonder if he has made a big mistake letting Lynne go so easily. This was my favourite of the three stories as I was hoping that Rick would learn to say what he feels and find happiness.

Jim's Christmas Carol had a bit of a mystical theme. Jim has been having an affair with Carol, a free spirited tarot card reader. He wasn't very likeable person and I felt sorry for his wife Kath. On Christmas Day, Jim is rather surprised by two of the guests Kath has invited to join them. Kath's sister has also brought along her rather enigmatic boyfriend Clay. It was certainly an eventful Christmas Day with forces for good and evil at work. I liked the way the story ended with the suggestion that Jim was perhaps going to get what he deserved for cheating on his wife and generally being a bit of a slob!

The final story features Phillipa (or Pip) who has returned to her home village only a few months after having left for the bright lights of London with her boyfriend. Unwilling to admit that things have gone wrong, she makes up some tall tales which get more outlandish in each telling. When she becomes involved in the local drama group, she discovers a talent for and a love of acting. There were some really funny scenes involving one of the other actors and a tea-trolley! Romance could also be on the cards for Pip with the arrival of a childhood friend but the last she heard he was married with twins. And can she admit that she has been lying all along?

Not your typical Christmas stories with romance and snow and everyone living happily ever after, these stories offer perhaps a more realistic view of Christmas. The Snowdonia setting was incorporated into the stories with great effect adding to the festive atmosphere. Although short stories, there is plenty of detail with a few unexpected twists in each to make them a satisfying read.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A collection of three ‘long short stories’ from Jan Ruth are the perfect seasonal read.

Rudolph the Brown Nosed Reindeer

Rick’s Christmas gets off to a dismal start. His live in girlfriend leaves for a job in Florida and Rick has to make the trip to a remote cottage in Wales for a corporate Christmas event. Rick meets his personal assistant in the flesh for the first time. Will Pauline be the answer to his lonely festive season?

'How would he survive this? Two nights trapped with work colleagues he mostly despised or did his utmost to avoid……a depressing blend of training and team building; they’d even managed to slip in the yearly personal development interview on the afternoon they arrived.'

Jim’s Christmas Carol

Jim wants to call a halt to his extra marital affair but the lady in question is having none of it. The story is told from multiple perspectives and the Christmas gathering at Jim’s house is not at all what he expected or wanted which undoubtedly gives him a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons. An original and humorous tale told with satire and a dash of the paranormal.

'“What’s happening then, on Christmas Day,” she said. “Will I get to see you?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. The High Priestess will knock herself out making a Christmas to remember. I’ll be sucked in, hanging sparkly balls and laying the fire, decanting the port.”'

Home For Christmas

Pip is home for the holidays after another failed romance and what could be worse than being home alone. Her parents are in Spain for the winter but the villagers are curiosity personified. Lies fall from her lips almost of their own accord and take on a life of their own. A fun and entertaining romance.

'“Hello, Daffyd. Er, yes, house sitting.”

“Boyfriend on his way?”

“He’s had to attend a very important business meeting conference. Overseas. Urgently, at the last minute,” she added, hoping Father Christmas wasn’t listening.'

Three delightfully entertaining and completely different takes on Christmas, with an underlying flavour of romance, and definitely not your average festive stories. For all they’re effectively short stories, there is a really good storyline in each one and the writing is so concisely descriptive it’s easy to visualise the scenarios. I love how the stories play out and the fact they’re set against the wonderful backdrop of Snowdonia.

http://betweenthelinesbookblog.wordpr...

[Lynette Sofras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all Jan Ruth's stories, long and short, so when I found this collection of long short stories, it didn't just raise a smile, it had me beaming with pleasure. And that warm, happy feeling continued throughout the reading.

I especially love Jan Ruth's male characters. They are not perfect men, but they are perfectly portrayed and highly believable. I want to know them all, but would settle for just one - not that I'd be able to decide which one in this collection! As usual in these stories, the male characters are the most memorable, but that's not to say there are not some fascinating female characters working alongside (or against) them. Who wouldn't be intrigued by mystic Carol and her portentous tarot cards with which she tries to warn Jim of the error of his ways; or feel for Kath, Jim's unhappy wife? Who could fail to sympathise with Lynn's needs or Philippa's elaborate lies that get her into so much trouble?

Each story draws you in from the first few lines and holds you in its cosy bosom throughout. Each may have a feel-good ending as perhaps befits the season, but all three are rich in detail, satisfyingly complex in plot and delivered with great skill and style from this immensely talented author. The beautiful and rather magical Welsh settings have become an essential backdrop to Jan Ruth's stories, almost becoming another character, and one you can't get enough of.

Short stories often fail to satisfy simply because they are short. These long short stories leave you feeling fully satisfied, though still with room for more. They have all the potential for longer novels, but frankly, I think they're perfect the way they are. They may have Christmas settings, but they offer far more than the usual Christmas stories and I hope they'll be on sale for readers to discover and enjoy all year round.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I promised myself I would read more Christmas stories this year and I have to say that I have really enjoyed these ones. I haven't read anything by Jan Ruth before, but I definitely will again and I highly recommend that you give these stories a go if you're looking for a good festive read to add to your list this Christmastime.
This book is made up of three separate short (but not mega short) stories. All are very different, but similar in the sense that they are all set at Christmastime (obviously!) and are all about love and relationships in one way or another.
Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer is about Rick who doesn't realise what he has until it's gone. He faces a lonely Christmas with only his work's 'team-building' trip to look forward to! This is a lesson to us all about life being too short and not taking those we love for granted.
In Jim's Christmas Carol we meet Jim who really does want his cake and eat it! Some people are never satisfied with what they have, sadly, and Jim is one of those people. Will he get the comeuppance he deserves?
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly..... is quite an amusing story. Pip returns home for Christmas having split with her boyfriend, but finds herself telling a tall story to save face. However, all backfires and her little lies are revealed. Will she have her happy ending?
These stories are very well written. Each grabbed my attention immediately and held it to the end. A fascinating bunch of characters!
Many thanks to Jan Ruth for my review copy.

https://chataboutbooks.wordpress.com/...

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three festive short stories which collectively form Home for Christmas are a delightful bunch of original tales which delve into the very heart and soul of Christmas. Beautifully crafted and with the author’s fine eye for detail, each story leaves you with a wry smile and a realisation that Christmas all too often brings out the best, and the worst in us. The stories flow really well, and whilst the characters are not always likeable, the awkwardness of the everyday situations they find themselves in, add an authentic feel, and there is real enjoyment to be found in reading about their individual predicaments.

It’s far too easy to dismiss short story writing as a bit of fluff and yet what’s evident in Home For Christmas is just how much work has gone into each story , from the detailed plot development, through to the final polished article, there is no room for waffle and certainly no sign of fluff in any of the stories. In fact, I was so carried away with all the stories that I was disappointed when they ended and I could very easily have gone on to read more as each story is creative and lively enough to be developed into a full length novel.

So, if you’re looking for something to ease the burden of shopping for the ubiquitous Brussel sprout and need to escape with a good story and a gingerbread latte, then load these delightfully long short stories onto your kindle and let the writing of this talented author take you Home for Christmas.

[Bodicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Ruth is one of those authors who really does nail short stories. I haven’t read one by her I haven’t liked yet. Although these three all have the element of romance in there, and of course Christmas, they are different from each other and make for a very satisfying read. Slightly longer than the average short story in length there is plenty of entertainment in this collection to while away a good couple of hours.

My favourite has to be Jim’s Christmas Carol. Paranormal but also with an element of farce, I found myself smirking away whether I was meant to or not.

A very enjoyable collection and perfect any time of the year.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home for Christmas is a collection of three longer short stories from Welsh Author Jan Ruth. All with a different Christmas theme. Rudolph The Brown Nosed Reindeer focuses on a Christmas corporate event for Rick Alderman just as his current girlfriend leaves him for a job in Florida.

Jim's Christmas Carol really does take the story title to a fun end as the tables finally turn on Jim during an extremely memorable Christmas meal. While Home for Christmas has a cosy feel as Pip recovers from a recently failed relationship.

A quick read to get you in the mood for Christmas

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home for Christmas has been on my kindle since it was first published in 2014 and having so enjoyed the new novella, it seemed like a good time to try some of Jan Ruth’s short stories too. There are three in Home for Christmas – long short stories making up just shy of 100 pages. I’m not always the biggest fan of short stories – it’s that “selling short” thing, often not enough depth or character development, and just as you’re getting into the story, it ends. But I have to say I loved these – all those prejudices and preconceptions about short stories and what they can and can’t deliver really went straight out of the window.

My personal favourite? The third, Home for Christmas – but only by a whisker. I loved the homecoming girl trying to impress the locals – a perfectly drawn Welsh village location, and the sceptical postman is a superb creation – and the whole story around the amateur dramatic group, the will-they-won’t-they of the developing romance and the wonderful supporting cast.

But both other stories were excellent too – and very different from what I expected. Rudolph takes a corporate Christmas event in the country – don’t those words give you a chill to begin with? – and makes it the backdrop for a life disintegrating, a brush with “Breaking the Mould” and other possibilities, and a beautifully unexpected ending. Jim’s Christmas Carol takes us into the heart of a family at Christmas, shows us their problems and challenges, throws in a few characters we (and they) aren’t expecting, mixes in a soupçon of the supernatural (or does it?) and a touch of spice, and we watch the situation as it plays out with wicked humour and an edge of mounting horror.

So what had I expected? I certainly expected “festive themes” – and they were very much present, but so originally handled. And I always knew I’d be getting the wonderful characterisation, the true-to-life relationships, the well-judged humour, the vividly drawn Welsh settings. If you fancy something a little different at Christmas – maybe the continental nativity scene of the first story rather than the fully decked tree – these stories might just be exactly what you’re looking for.

[Bernadette Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Jan Ruth is fast becoming a favourite Author of mine. All her work has genuinely flawed believable characters with their own problems, which mirror the day to day lives of many. The settings are mostly in the Welsh countryside, which she knows well. Lastly, at some point you'll find the odd horse or two mentioned as she has a passion for horses.

I am not a lover of short stories, I often feel that I have been short changed when I have read them as they leave me wanting to read more, as I do not always feel that they deliver well in my opinion. However, these three long short stories do not make me feel that way, as they all tell the story from beginning to end well with just the right amount of detail.

They are not your usual run of the mill Christmassy story and all tell a different tale. I found them all thoroughly engaging, my favourite I have to say was Jim's Christmas Carol, as it was a comically funny tale. You just knew that things weren't going to go well for Jim, it almost made you feel that you were there experiencing the festive antics with them all.

If you are looking for something to read to take your mind off your own festive antics during the Christmas period then look no further. Grab your Kindle, a glass of mulled wine, shut the curtains and settle down with your mince pie to take yourself away from it all reading these three stories.

I have written an honest review in exchange for a copy of this from the Author. Keep up the good work Jan Ruth, I can't wait to read your next book.

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been getting myself into the Christmas mood by reading three fairly long short stories by Jan Ruth on the theme of Home for Christmas. Each story is set in Snowdonia but there are three very different story styles.

Rudolph the Brown-nosed Reindeer describes an occasion everyone hates – a corporate weekend, part team building, part appraisal and part social. Rick, a reserved, hard-working man in his 30s is facing a lonely Christmas and he is not sure whether being stranded in a cottage in Snowdonia in bad weather will improve his mood or not. The story is a mixture of humour and pathos with an unexpected ending.

Jim’s Christmas Carol has a more complex plot. Life catches up with an unfaithful husband in the setting of Christmas dinner at his large comfortable home. Good and evil are present in his home and we see the situation from more than one viewpoint. Tarot cards, Satan and a guardian angel all play a part.

The last, and my favourite story, really is Home for Christmas for Philippa. Worn out by her pretence of a successful career and relationship she has returned to her home village for peace to take stock. This is a romantic comedy in a delightful setting which I will not spoil by writing any more.

A great book to download and read over Christmas.

[Alex Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is from: Home for Christmas (Kindle Edition)

Lovely light reading for a cold winter's day. Three quite different takes on the festive season, all drawn with a skilled and humorous hand. As ever, the backdrop is North Wales with its wild weather and stormy scenery becoming a feature in each story. Ms Ruth interweaves the machinations of the modern world with the old traditions and wisdom of the continuity found in the depths of the countryside. I loved the sense of farce with each denouement and the graphic images as each character reached their resolution. Perfect read with a glass of sherry, a box of chocolates and a roaring fire.

[Mary Grand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly entertaining , great christmas reading

What a great read! Three contrasting, well written stories. A huge amount of throught and skill has gone into these stories , with complex interesting chracters and plots. the second story,JIm's Christmas Carol,darker than the others but gripping. Highly recommend.

[Pauline Barclay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a great fan of Jan Ruth having read all her full length novels and I was not disappointed with this short story collection. They have all the hallmarks of Ms Ruth's writing; well written with believable characters and a great story line.

[Hayley Bardsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved these three long short stories! Im not usually a Christmas story reader but purchased this book having previously read a few of Jan's other books. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the three stories.

[Lainy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 112

Publisher -

Source - Bought (I think)

Blurb from Goodreads

An emotive trio of stories with festive themes.
Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer Rick isn't looking forward to his lonely corporate Christmas, but it's the season of goodwill and magic is in the air. An off-beat love story. It's time Rick wore his heart on his sleeve, or is it too late? Lessons in love from an unlikely source.
Jim's Christmas Carol Santa and Satan pay a visit. One brings presents, the other an unwelcome presence. Paranormal reality. Jim's played with fire it's time he got his comeuppance, but from who?
Home for Christmas Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la-la la-la, la-la la-la. Tis the Season to be jolly... Romantic-comedy. Pip might accidentally find her true vocation, but the folly of her fibs are about to catch up with her.


My Review

The blurb says three emotive stories with festive themes, I didn't find emotive really in any of them, maybe it is just me. The characters aren't exactly the nicest people (not all of them to be fair). The first one a guy goes through the motions and copes with what his relationship was/is whilst away on a work trip over the festive. Alcohol, self explorations/what is important to them plus maybe a wee bit of personal growth.

Story two has infidelity (extra martial affair) the guy is not a very nice chap and mayhap a bit of Karma is on the cards, see what I did there lol. A spiritualist, family, festivities and maybe a bit of comeuppance once can but hope.

The third and final is Pip, returning home from the big city and not wanting to come clean to just about anything and trying to keep the face/imagine she projects. Of them all I think this may well be my "fave" of the trio.

I liked they have Christmas vibes/theme weaved, I liked the visuals the author creates, wasn't a huge fan of many of the characters (not very nice people), I am the first to admit though short stories aren't my first pic. This was my first dance with this author and I am sure I have actual novels of hers so looking forward to trying them but for me, this one was 3/5. So many folk loved them, I liked them so absolutely check them out for yourself.

[Luv_a_good_story · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok, 3 stories, some better than others

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed...

[Fictionophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading holiday fiction.
Recommended for reading by the fire.
Nothing deep or profound, just three little Christmas themed stories.

[Terry Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three long short stories ~ I liked the concept of the first one, very original, but my favourite was Jim's Christmas Carol. I enjoy stories that are told from lots of different characters' points of view, and it had a good twist that I didn't see coming. Funny, too, with a laugh out loud moment at 36%. I laughed about it again, when I thought about it the next morning - the most hilarious idea for a prize in an office tombola!

[Vanessa Wester · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed selection of Christmas shorts... Good for a thoughtful read at Christmas, but the second one was too dark for my liking. The first was my favourite.