Hope for the Holidays Contemporary Collection

by Mary Connealy

Who doesn't love Christmas and romance?
Six heart-warming romances from award-winning, best-selling and multi-published authors will make you smile your way through the holiday season... and beyond! In today's busy, commercial world these sweet stories remind us of the true spirit of faith, hope and love... and the greatest of these is love! Six happy reads at one low price! Merry Christmas!

"Hope for Christmas" by Mary Connealy

Kelsey is alone, lost, pregnant, stuck in a blizzard and surrounded by wolves.
And then things get worse. Tanner Harden finds her but with trouble coming and a baby at risk, can they stay alive long enough to fall in love?

“Her Christmas Cowboy” by Audra Harders

Can a single mother looking for forgiveness, and a reclusive cowboy convinced he’s beyond redemption, find hope and love in a simple Christmas pageant?

"Longing for a Miracle" by Ruth Logan Herne

Christmas dimmed when an automobile accident claimed Tasha Sorkos’s little girl… could saving Rafe Karralis’s sick daughter bring the light of faith, hope and love back into her eyes?

"A Heart Full of Hope" by Sandra Leesmith

Elena Delgado loves her father’s new business partner, Stephen Edwards. As they work together to find funding for the project that will bring jobs and hope to their small community in time for Christmas, will Stephen notice her? Or is he still in love with the fiancée who left him?

“I’ll be Home for Christmas” by Tina Radcliffe

Dr. Matthew Christopher doesn't believe in happily ever after. Can wedding planner Patience McCord melt the heart of the last bachelor in time for Christmas?

"One Perfect Gift" by Missy Tippens

In this sweet Cinderella story with a country music twist, a homeless single mother with a secret may get more than she expected for Christmas, including hope, love and home, sweet home.

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Anthologies, Novella

468 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2014

About the author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist.
She is the bestselling author of 65 books and novellas.
Her most recent three book series are: Braced for Love, A Man with a Past and Love on the Range for Bethany House Publishing. She’s also written four other series for Barbour Publishing and many novellas and several stand-alone books for multiple publishers.
Mary will be a published author for ten years in 2017 with nearly a million books in print. She has a degree in broadcast communications with an emphasis in journalism and has worked at her local newspaper.

Find Mary online at:
Seekerville
Petticoats & Pistols
My Website

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION - 4.45 stars

Hope for Christmas by Mary Connealy - 4.40 stars - pg - Our poor Hero has to rescue a total stranger from being attacked by wolves in a raging blizzard in the rugged Montana mountains after her car skids and plummets over a cliff ..... and then she goes into labor! Not what he expected for his evening, I'm sure. His thoughts and words are hilarious. Poor guy quickly discovers you should never compare the similarities of the birthing process between a cow and a woman - - - at least not out loud!! He was funny, endearing, gentle and protective; it seems our heroine picked the perfect place to skid off a cliff! His huge extended family was great. Things had to be glossed over and fast-forwarded due to short story format, but I loved this story. It was sweet, fun and romantic with the perfect cowboy Hero. (Not very Christmasy except for one nice big family get together. Also, very limited mention of trusting God and praying to Him.)

Her Christmas Cowboy by Audra Harders - 3.85 stars - pg - Although unrealistic in places, this was a sweet, engaging story of flawed humans and our need for God's forgiveness, salvation and second chances, and our desire for forgiveness and acceptance by others. I liked the Hero and heroine. (This was perhaps more Christmasy than others in the collection. Also, had a strong Christian message.)

Longing for a Miracle by Ruth Logan Herne - 4.60 stars - pg - Love the opening chapter and the fun banter between heroine and her Greek family. I liked this story but hated that the heroine is filled with guilt and self-blame for something that happened three years ago and really wasn't her fault; plus she keeps heaping on, and wallowing in, more self-manufactured guilt. This ongoing self-blame turns her into a very selfish person who has trouble healing. Hero is a man of quiet strength and faith in God, but it's getting harder to keep that faith while watching his little girl succumb to cancer. .......

Sounds like a horrible story, right? Wrong! It's a beautiful Christmas story. I loved it and couldn't stop reading. Loved the joy in the midst of sadness. Loved the beauty of a sick child's simple joy at Christmas and simple uncomplicated faith and acceptance of what's ahead. Loved how the author shows the character's thoughts as well as whispers from the Holy Spirit. Loved that the doctors on the cutting edge of cancer research also realize their fallibility and believe in the power of prayer and not just their science. "Thy will be done"---how hard for a parent (or any of us) to totally give up control and release their loved one into God's hands---but really, what other choice is there?? ........

I didn't want to read this and was going to skip this story because of a few reviews that made me think it would be too depressing. Completely wrong! It was a poignant, wonderful Christmas love story. I have since bought more books by this author and am looking forward to reading them.

A Heart full of Hope by Sandra Leesmith - dnf - pg13 - This story was probably sweet for others, but not for me. Lots of little things didn't add up or just seemed silly or unrealistic. For me the style seemed sort of sloppy, stilted, juvenile and sappy. Things didn't fit or flow smoothly. My kindle said only another 30 minutes of reading; I felt guilty, but I had to quit ... it was just too "cheeseball" and I had other books waiting to be read.

I'll Be Home for Christmas by Tina Radcliffe - 4.60 stars - mild pg13 - Loved it!! Witty banter, funny quips. Sweet romance. Loved the Hero, he's hysterical; liked his interactions with his friends. A few little things didn't "fit" in the story, but they were easy to ignore. (Not very Christmasy. Mild to non-existent Christian message.) I enjoyed this author's style and bought more books.

One Perfect Gift by Missy Tippens - 4.45 stars - very mild pg13 - Heroine is a single mom who has ended up temporarily living in a homeless shelter and is embarrassed and tries to hide her situation. (There are so many good people out there just one step away from the same predicament.) The Hero had been a skinny geeky kid she knew in high school. He's now a grown up hottie music celebrity who is disillusioned with being put on a pedestal and really just wants to write music, honor God and help others at Christmas time. I loved his strong, quiet faith. It was easy to relate to the heroine and her desire to hide the truth, don't we all want to be seen in a good light? But the Hero's celebrity status has caused him to highly value honesty and real trust. This was a wonderful Christmas romance story (with the added bonus of an adorable little boy). (Nice Christian message but not "preachy".)

[Beate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazon tricked me into buying this one with its pretty cover and all. I wish I'd checked this one out on GR before one-click-buying it. It's a little too sweet for my tastes, it's making my teeth hurt with all the candy cane sweetness and a little too on the Jesus and God side of things for me. A little in the spirit of Christmas is fine, but this? Too. Much. Overall rating: 3/5 stars.

Hope For Christmas by Mary Connealy
This is a rather cute story very apt for the season. On the run from a horrible mother in law Kelsey is rescued by a rugged cowboy who basically saves her life. The rugged cowboy, Tanner, comes with a huge family that circles their wagons around her and it all ends up neatly wrapped with a bow on top. A little too on the “yeah, right” side of things, but it fits the mood of the season, so I’m putting this one in the “I liked this story” camp.
4/5 stars

Her Christmas Cowboy by Audra Harders
Too heavy on the Bible quotes, Jesus and God. I liked the characters all right, and the premise was good. But I just could not get on board with all the Bible thumpin’ going on. It just kept reminding me of how holier than thou some people are, and I just could not get into the story. Ease up on the Bible stuff, and this would have been an half decent story.
2/5 stars

Longing For A Miracle by Ruth Logan Herne
I’m all for Christmas Miracles and people beating the odds. What I’m not all for, is reading about kids dying. Not even to set the mood of the story. I read to escape reality, I do not need a dose of reality in my books. You kill kids in the story, and then you go on with an holier than thou attitude and have your characters pray and whatnot. This is what I call a double standard. This is why I have such issues with people who shove their religion down your throat, thinking they’re better than you just cause they go to church. This is why I give this story only one star.
1/5 stars

A Heart Full Of Hope by Sandra Leesmith
This one is kind of formal and very impersonal. The characters are very polite to each other and you really can’t feel their love or passion. More like strangers than two people in love, when that proposal happens, it just doesn’t fit the story. It’s well written, but there is no connection between the characters, and there is no connection between the characters and the reader.
2/5 stars

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Tina Radcliffe
Finally a story in this anthology done right! Given that it is a short novella, things have to progress a little fast. The ending feels a little rushed, but I loved the characters and I loved how they grew closer and closer against their own wills. Just like the first story in this anthology, there was enough action to keep me reading without putting the book down.
5/5 stars

One Perfect Gift by Missy Tippens
This isn’t something an author likes to hear, but I had completely forgotten what this story was about. I had to go back and re-read the blurb to remember what I’d read. It was a cute story, though with my love for rock stars (or country stars as in this one) this one doesn’t really stand out from the others I’ve read. It’s fitting for this time of year and a nice way to round out this anthology.
3/5 stars

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope for Christmas:

This was a wonderful story with us getting to meet Tanner Harden V one hundred and forty years after the original Tanner Hardin (Montana Marriages series) was born. Tanner finds Kelsey after she's had an accident in the middle of a Montana blizzard. His biggest surprise is when he finds that only did he rescue a woman, but a very pregnant woman. After he delivers the baby, he helps her to make sure she can keep the baby, though her inlaws are bound and determined to take their heir away from her.

Her Christmas Cowboy:

RJ had a rough life growing up. Now he is trying to start anew. Shayna has her own demons she's been fighting for the last few years. Together, the bring about a Christmas Pagent performance for the whole town to enjoy. This story is about forgiveness and acceptance.

Longing For a Miracle:

The loss of a child has made Natasha's life miserable. Not a day goes by that she doesn't miss her little girl. When an old high school crush comes back to town and Natasha runs in to him while helping her grandmother, their friendship is renewed. But Rafe has his own miseries in life, in the process of losing his daughter to cancer. Then a miracle occurs at Tasha's research job. Will it change their lives forever?

A Heart Full of Hope:

Elena has loved Stephen for some time, but he was engaged to someone else. Now the engagement is off and they are working together to fund a project. Suddenly Stephen is wondering why he didn't notice Elena before.

I'll Be Home For Christmas:

Matthew sees nothing good in connection to marriage. Then he offers to find Mr Right for his friends wedding planner. Soon he's finding himself in the middle of her business and everything that goes with it. Very romantic story!

One Perfect Gift:

Autumn and her son live in a shelter since she lost her job and home. Shame and embarrassment keep her from telling her family. When an old friend, Bryan, shows up at the shelter to help with Christmas for the kids, Autumn keeps it hidden from him too.

Bryan is a star who hates being used for his money. He wants to give to the people at the shelter who have so little. He's proud of the help that Autumn is giving too. Until he learns the truth and loses the trust he's been building up in her. Can they both get over the hurt in their lives? This was a great story.

This whole boxed set had wonder christmas stories of hope, peace, joy and love. An amazing set of stories by an amazing set of authors.

[Wilani Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of six novellas by awesome authors. I loved the message of home that was in each of these stories. I loved reading this and am very disappointed that I have finished. I have a feeling I will be reading this again.

Hope for Christmas by Mary Connealy is the first novella in this collection. This is a story about Hope. I loved this story and found it difficult to put down. It emphasized the importance of family, sticking together, and telling the truth. This is a story I will want to read again.

Her Christmas Cowboy by Audra Harders is the second novella. What a wonderful story of forgiveness and redemption. I loved the story of a single mom struggling through directing the church’s Christmas pageant in spite of gossips and other hardships. This is a story I will want to read again.

Longing for a Miracle by Ruth Logan Herne is third in this collection. A very special story of hope restored. Very emotional and inspiring. I loved this story in every way imaginable.

A Heart Full of Hope by Sandra Leesmith comes next. I loved this one as well. A wonderful message of hope and encouragement.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Tina Radcliffe is next. Wow! another great one. A great message of Hope even when life threw its little surprises.

One Perfect Gift by Missy Tippens is the last one. It was a great one to end the collection. This is well written. It was also a tear jerker of a story in a good way.

[Dianne Sidebottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

each story had a different setting and scenario. Some themes were very emotional and people's behaviours judgmental.
Mary's story Kelsey's n Tanner's story a continuous modern day family with a long ancestry connections to family n community. (my strong emotions were I have missed out on family support when I read this story)
RJ's n Shayna's story stirred my heart especially the major.
Rafe n Tasha's story could have had a very different ending. But reading Ruth's page explaining about a real miracle which occurred did help.
Elena's n Stephen's had a culturally different feel n the question that Stephen asked, "if the woman and the man both had meaningful jobs could they marry and allow one to be the head or would it seem two different roads, who will sacrifice?"
Matt n Patience story, I liked n liked the strong bond of friendships with minor characters.
Bryan n Autumn interesting story.
I struggle with the Christmas season n I just want it to come n go quickly.

[Sherida Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a collection of great authors!

I've just finished I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, and I smiled through the whole story. Author Tina Radcliffe has a gift for creating heart-touching characters through sparkling dialogue. Matt and Patience discover true understanding of perfect love as they move towards their Happily Ever After. The romantic tension, the interesting plot, and the touches of Christmas make this a great feel-good romance.

I'm excited to read all the other stories in this contemporary collection, as well as the stories in the historical collection, because these are all FAVORITE authors. The HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS collections are just right for enjoying the sparkling spirit of Christmas!

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Longing For A Miracle"

This is just the sort of story that my daughter tries to avoid around Christmas time… if you’ve read the synopsis, you already know that Tasha lost her precious, little daughter. But don’t write this story off yet. The best part is coming – I promise.

When she runs into Rafe Karralis, whom she knew in high school, she discovers he has a daughter – one he could lose. If you read the story, you might just find the love, hope, and peace – that Christmas is all about. I could say more, but I’ve probably already said too much.

Read the story. You’ll be blessed by it.

God Bless You!

[Ausjenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. There are 6 novellas in the book and each is different. I enjoyed each of the stories. Each story features Christmas but they are so different which makes the book even better. Each story is uplifting in its own way and we learn the true meaning of Christmas. This is a lovely Christmas collection which perfect for this time of year.
Lovely read.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

6-in-1
--Includes Harden Family Novella (Connealy)

[Peni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please see individual stories for review.