A Husband for Christmas

Lilac Circle #2

by Gail Gaymer Martin

The Bachelor Next Door

Spending her holidays in picturesque Lilac Circle, Michigan, is the perfect place for Nina Jerome to start anew. She's determined to put her painful divorce in the past and focus on the future. She hadn't planned on being distracted by her sweet neighbor, Doug Billings. The successful businessman and temporary dad is clueless when it comes to taking care of his little niece. Getting help from Nina is the perfect setup—but something about the pretty new nanny makes him think about the unthinkable: having a wife and a family of his own. Can he convince Nina that she's worthy of a second chance at love—just in time for Christmas?

Genres: Love Inspired, Romance, Contemporary

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Multi-award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin writes Christian fiction for Winged Publications with many books published by Love Inspired and Barbour Publishing, where she was honored by Heartsong readers as their Favorite Author of 2008. Gail has 77 published novels or novellas with over four million books in print. She is the author of Writers Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance and a founder of American Christian Fiction Writers, a keynote speaker at churches, libraries and civic organizations and presents workshops at conference across the US. She was named one of the four best novelists in the Detroit area by CBS local news. Gail loves to hear from readers through her website contact and adds the reader's name to her bi-monthly drawing for a free book or two.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Husband for Christmas is by Gail Gaymer Martin. It is a love inspired Harlequin romance. This book has no graphic sexual or language content. You get a good story without all the excess content that I think is simply not necessary. It is a quick read but a good one.
Nina Jerome has moved to Lilac Circle, Michigan to begin her life again. She had gone through an unwanted and painful divorce. She thought moving into this house on a quiet street and one that was closer to her work would help her to get over this. However, in the time that she had lived here, she had met only one of her neighbors, Angie. Now she needed to get out and meet people and talk to them. Her first chance was at a neighborhood gathering that Angie got going. Everyone would bring a dish and gather together to get to know each other and talk. Nina thought of not going and then decided she had to. One of the first people she met was Elwood Barnes, an elderly man who would help her find her way back to God. However, on this night, he led her to meet his neighbor, Doug Billings.
Doug Billings was a single man who at this time was acting as a single father. His sister had a terrible accident and was in the hospital for an extended period of time. As her only sibling, he stepped in to take care of his seven year old niece, Kimmy. He was terrified he would do something wrong as he knew nothing about raising children, much less a little girl. He had come to the gathering because Kimmy was good friends with Angie’s daughter Carly. If he had his way, he would be inside working on something. It wasn’t that he was anti-social; but that he had always been more introverted than extroverted. Now, his neighbor Elwood Barnes was bringing over a lovely lady to meet him. He knew she had met Kimmy through her playing with Carly; but he had never met her.
What had Elwood Barnes started? Would this attraction last? How long would he have Kimmy? Would his sister get better or not?

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that once they decided to be together, they stayed together even though problems arose. I also liked that they didn't get together at the very end. I would have liked an epilogue.

[JD Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope. That’s THE thing. Even when you’ve taken a beating, especially more than once, Hope. But it’s Hope in God, not merely wishful thinking - that distinction makes all the difference.

It’s sad to think that a person would walk away from one of the most serious, & precious promises one would ever make in their life - wedding vows. And as it happens, it seems anyone desiring marriage should be required to think long & hard on the words they will agree to before God. But this is only a book, right? But a good story can open the mind to get us thinking, & even help the heart.

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story, what I call Christian writing. Easy reading but it does get a little "preachy." Two people who aren't interested in having a relationship with ANYONE at the moment decided to be friends since they are neighbors. Of course they begin to fall in love even though they try their best not to. While this doesn't end with their getting married it is definitely in their future.
This was one of my annual Christmas stories that I didn't get around to reading until the New Year.

[Tiffany Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! The main characters meet in a small town, and quickly become friends.
I like the relationships of families that is woven thru this book.

Great Christmas story!

[Kaye Wingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

[Wilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read.

[Sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish the book. The characters are so boring.

[jillian baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very captivating and lovely story, love the characters

[Jess H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it a little “cringe” on the fast paced flirting.

[Shelly Dabbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another touching story from Gail. This is the second in the series set in a small town in MI. Story shows the power of love to overcome loss, depression, and family challenges. Characters felt good together. Shows the power of the small town feel when you & your neighbors are there for each other & help each other when a challenge comes into your life. Can't wait for the next story from this series. I know it will be as good as the first two..

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Husband For Christmas by Gail Gaymer Martin. Nina Jerome's husband left her when he found out she can't have children. Nina moved to a small town. Nina met Doug Billings at a street block party. Doug is a loner and he is taking care of his niece Kimmy, while Kimmy's mother is recouping from an accident. The three of them bond. Doug convinced Nina to get another doctors opinion about her problem. Nina does and there is hope that she can have children. A good romance story.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great romance by Ms. Martin! The journey of the two main characters to explore the possibility of a relationship between the two of them is filled with both internal and external difficulties. Their honesty through the relationship is refreshing; doubts are voiced and worked through with a satisfying resolution. The characters are deep and genuine. I plan to read more by this author.

[Joyful · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good clean Christian romance of faith and hope. The hero and heroine take care of a child temporarily while the mother recuperated from an accident. The mutual love for this child made them realize their love for each other and the desire for a family together. I recommend this author and this book. I was given a book for an honest report.

[Rachel Sides · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story well enough, but it didn't hold my interest as much some books do.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book.

[Susan Illo-Adamou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a romanctic story. Boy meets girl, boy marries girl in the end. Happily ever after.