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Sara
Sara is a sweet, clean historical romance. This is the sweet version of the previously published book, Sara's Gift, and the first book in the new series, Sweet Classics. Please look for my upcoming, previously published romances re-worked into sweet, gentle and sometimes fun stories of love and happily-ever-afters.
On the journey to her new life, Sara Mercer decides to stop and see the daughter she gave up for adoption four years ago. She only wants to catch a glimpse of the child she longs for, but her plans are foiled when a blizzard strands her in Moose Creek, Montana Territory. Worse, she has no choice but to stay with her little daughter's adoptive family. Her love for her child grows, as do her feelings for Mary's widowed father, Sheriff Gabe Chapman. But can love overcome the secret of Sara's past?
On the journey to her new life, Sara Mercer decides to stop and see the daughter she gave up for adoption four years ago. She only wants to catch a glimpse of the child she longs for, but her plans are foiled when a blizzard strands her in Moose Creek, Montana Territory. Worse, she has no choice but to stay with her little daughter's adoptive family. Her love for her child grows, as do her feelings for Mary's widowed father, Sheriff Gabe Chapman. But can love overcome the secret of Sara's past?
129 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2016
25 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Jillian Hart
192 books601 followersJillian Hart grew up on her family's homestead in Washington state, where she raised cattle, rode horses and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 2, 2015
Taking a break from contemporary, I found this historical novella.
The story starts off with Sara on a train to Missoula, Montana a few days before Christmas. Sara was a young widow that had given up her baby girl for adoption 4 years before. Sara is on her way to a new job as a seamstress job that her aunt secured for her. Sara traded in her direct route ticket for a stop in Moose Creek, to just get a look at her daughter.
Sara immediately meets up with her daughter's adoptive father, Gabe. He's the sheriff of Moose Creek. There's a terrible snow storm that halts the train from going any further in the snow storm. Gabe and his sister Connie invite Sara to stay with them until the storm passes. Sara stays in Connie's house, which is across the way from Gabe and his 4 year old daughter Mary's home.
Sara is torn by her love and longing for her daughter and her relief that Mary is loved and doing well.
Mary's speech and actions seem a little older than 4 yrs old. She's very sweet and cute, but a little advanced for a 4 year old. Sara and Mary immediately connect. So do Sara and Gabe. Sara tries to resist, since she's ashamed of her secret and of seeking out her daughter that she feels no right to have a relationship with.
Sara and Gabe's attraction grows. Gabe had grown up in the same town as Sara, but is a few years old, so doesn't remember her specifically.
I really enjoyed this story and it didn't seem to move to fast for a novella. Sara's inner turmoil takes up a good deal of the story. I enjoyed Mary and Sara's interactions. Gabe is attracted to Sara from their first meeting when he helps her and the stranded passengers.
There were a couple of phrases and words that seemed too modern for the time. I don't recall a date but it seemed to be late 1800s.
I liked the ending, and knowing that this is a novella, I still wanted a teeny tiny epilogue. I wanted to get reactions and a peek at how they ended up. Sequel?
This story reminded me of a much tamer version of a British movie from about 10 years ago called Firelight.
Sara's Gift is a sweet story, and was just right for me at this time of year. ^_^
The story starts off with Sara on a train to Missoula, Montana a few days before Christmas. Sara was a young widow that had given up her baby girl for adoption 4 years before. Sara is on her way to a new job as a seamstress job that her aunt secured for her. Sara traded in her direct route ticket for a stop in Moose Creek, to just get a look at her daughter.
Sara immediately meets up with her daughter's adoptive father, Gabe. He's the sheriff of Moose Creek. There's a terrible snow storm that halts the train from going any further in the snow storm. Gabe and his sister Connie invite Sara to stay with them until the storm passes. Sara stays in Connie's house, which is across the way from Gabe and his 4 year old daughter Mary's home.
Sara is torn by her love and longing for her daughter and her relief that Mary is loved and doing well.
Mary's speech and actions seem a little older than 4 yrs old. She's very sweet and cute, but a little advanced for a 4 year old. Sara and Mary immediately connect. So do Sara and Gabe. Sara tries to resist, since she's ashamed of her secret and of seeking out her daughter that she feels no right to have a relationship with.
Sara and Gabe's attraction grows. Gabe had grown up in the same town as Sara, but is a few years old, so doesn't remember her specifically.
I really enjoyed this story and it didn't seem to move to fast for a novella. Sara's inner turmoil takes up a good deal of the story. I enjoyed Mary and Sara's interactions. Gabe is attracted to Sara from their first meeting when he helps her and the stranded passengers.
There were a couple of phrases and words that seemed too modern for the time. I don't recall a date but it seemed to be late 1800s.
I liked the ending, and knowing that this is a novella, I still wanted a teeny tiny epilogue. I wanted to get reactions and a peek at how they ended up. Sequel?
This story reminded me of a much tamer version of a British movie from about 10 years ago called Firelight.
Sara's Gift is a sweet story, and was just right for me at this time of year. ^_^
July 3, 2017
3.5 stars
Synopsis: Sara has saved up enough money to travel west. She is going to live with an aunt and be a seamstress, but she has one special stop that she wants to make. Sara had a daughter that she gave away on the insistence of her father after her husband died. She knew the family that her daughter got placed with, since they lived in the same town at the time, but a condition of her giving her daughter up was that she was never to have contact with her daughter. When the train is stopped because of snow, and the sheriff and his men come to rescue the passengers, Sara is horrified to find out that the sheriff, and the one driving the sled that she is in, is Gabe, the man who is now the father of her child.
Because the hotels of the town are full, Gabe takes Sara to his sister's house. When Sara meets her daughter in the morning, she is happy to realize that she is happy and loved, even though her mother died a while ago. Sara finds out that she is stuck in town until the train gets dug out, and it is a special kind of torture to have so much contact with her daughter, even though she tries to minimize it.
Gabe doesn't realize that Sara is from the town that he grew up in, and he never knew who the biological parents of his daughter were. He does, however, think that Sara and his daughter look a lot alike and have a few of the same mannerisms, in a certain light. What Gabe does know is that he's interested in a woman for the first time since his wife died, and really happy that the weather isn't cooperating with letting the train be freed from the snow.
Sara is desperate to leave town, since the more she gets to know her daughter, and Gabe as an adult, the more she wants to stay. Because of her promise of no contact though, and the fact that she's pretty sure that Gabe will be disgusted by a mother who gave her child away in a moment of weakness, Sara knows that she can't stay. She also knows that her aunt won't hold the job for her much longer past the date that she was supposed to arrive.
What I liked: Sara was honourable and hard working, and really, truly just wanted a glimpse of her child before she moved on with her life. I liked that she tried to keep her daughter from getting too attached to her, and I liked that she wasn't cruel about it. Gabe was a little slow on the uptake, but he was interested in Sara for who she was as a person, not what she had done in the past. I liked that the daughter was a child, and not an adult in a child's body. I also liked the relationship that Gabe and his sister had.
What I didn't like: not much. There was a lot of story packed into relatively few pages, but it never felt as though something was missing, or didn't get explored fully.
Synopsis: Sara has saved up enough money to travel west. She is going to live with an aunt and be a seamstress, but she has one special stop that she wants to make. Sara had a daughter that she gave away on the insistence of her father after her husband died. She knew the family that her daughter got placed with, since they lived in the same town at the time, but a condition of her giving her daughter up was that she was never to have contact with her daughter. When the train is stopped because of snow, and the sheriff and his men come to rescue the passengers, Sara is horrified to find out that the sheriff, and the one driving the sled that she is in, is Gabe, the man who is now the father of her child.
Because the hotels of the town are full, Gabe takes Sara to his sister's house. When Sara meets her daughter in the morning, she is happy to realize that she is happy and loved, even though her mother died a while ago. Sara finds out that she is stuck in town until the train gets dug out, and it is a special kind of torture to have so much contact with her daughter, even though she tries to minimize it.
Gabe doesn't realize that Sara is from the town that he grew up in, and he never knew who the biological parents of his daughter were. He does, however, think that Sara and his daughter look a lot alike and have a few of the same mannerisms, in a certain light. What Gabe does know is that he's interested in a woman for the first time since his wife died, and really happy that the weather isn't cooperating with letting the train be freed from the snow.
Sara is desperate to leave town, since the more she gets to know her daughter, and Gabe as an adult, the more she wants to stay. Because of her promise of no contact though, and the fact that she's pretty sure that Gabe will be disgusted by a mother who gave her child away in a moment of weakness, Sara knows that she can't stay. She also knows that her aunt won't hold the job for her much longer past the date that she was supposed to arrive.
What I liked: Sara was honourable and hard working, and really, truly just wanted a glimpse of her child before she moved on with her life. I liked that she tried to keep her daughter from getting too attached to her, and I liked that she wasn't cruel about it. Gabe was a little slow on the uptake, but he was interested in Sara for who she was as a person, not what she had done in the past. I liked that the daughter was a child, and not an adult in a child's body. I also liked the relationship that Gabe and his sister had.
What I didn't like: not much. There was a lot of story packed into relatively few pages, but it never felt as though something was missing, or didn't get explored fully.
December 1, 2011
Sara's Gift by Jillian Hart
Sara Mercer was heading for her new life. Her old life consisted of being more of a servant than a daughter to her father after her mother's death. Her bit of happiness later in life was short lived with the death of her husband and the choice to give her baby a new home because she did not have the means to take care of her. She had signed papers promising to never interfere in her daughters life but as she would be traveling past Moose Creek on her way to work for her aunt, she thought what would it hurt to just see her daughter from a distance and have the peace of knowing she did the right thing. She did not expect a blizzard and being rescued by her daughters father, her widowed..handsome father. As attracted to Gabe as she was, she could never stay here, her secret would always keep them apart.
Gabe Chapman had not been attracted to any woman since the death of his wife a few years ago, but this vulnerable small beauty pulled to him like no other. With the hotel and boarding house full, he brought her to his sister's home. Connie was more than welcoming.
As the train was delayed Gabe and his daughter Mary were quickly becoming attached to to Sara. In fact, Mary had asked Santa for a new mother for Christmas and she was sure that Santa had sent Sara right to them. Only Sara was determined to leave, but could Gabe be more determined to keep her there, to stay?
**This is a re-issue of the original story published by Zebra Historical Romance in the Christmas Kisses Anthology.
**Sensual content.
*More about Jillian's ebooks at: http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
Sara Mercer was heading for her new life. Her old life consisted of being more of a servant than a daughter to her father after her mother's death. Her bit of happiness later in life was short lived with the death of her husband and the choice to give her baby a new home because she did not have the means to take care of her. She had signed papers promising to never interfere in her daughters life but as she would be traveling past Moose Creek on her way to work for her aunt, she thought what would it hurt to just see her daughter from a distance and have the peace of knowing she did the right thing. She did not expect a blizzard and being rescued by her daughters father, her widowed..handsome father. As attracted to Gabe as she was, she could never stay here, her secret would always keep them apart.
Gabe Chapman had not been attracted to any woman since the death of his wife a few years ago, but this vulnerable small beauty pulled to him like no other. With the hotel and boarding house full, he brought her to his sister's home. Connie was more than welcoming.
As the train was delayed Gabe and his daughter Mary were quickly becoming attached to to Sara. In fact, Mary had asked Santa for a new mother for Christmas and she was sure that Santa had sent Sara right to them. Only Sara was determined to leave, but could Gabe be more determined to keep her there, to stay?
**This is a re-issue of the original story published by Zebra Historical Romance in the Christmas Kisses Anthology.
**Sensual content.
*More about Jillian's ebooks at: http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
May 24, 2016
Sara's Gift by Jillian Hart
Sweet Classics Book One
Sara Mercer is on her way to a new life. She just has one piece of her old life to close. She planned on stopping in Moose Creek for a few hours before continuing on to work for her aunt in Missoula. She didn't plan on a blizzard changing her plans.
Sheriff Gabe Chapman didn't realize how lonely he was until the beautiful woman came down from those train steps. And when the only place open was his sister's home, he didn't regret the time to get to know her better. Or how to get her to stay in this town.
Sara's secret is crushing her. She knows she can't stay with Gabe and his daughter, Mary. The longer she stays, the harder it is to keep her promise and leave. And the weather is not helping her to get out of town any faster.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
Sweet Classics Book One
Sara Mercer is on her way to a new life. She just has one piece of her old life to close. She planned on stopping in Moose Creek for a few hours before continuing on to work for her aunt in Missoula. She didn't plan on a blizzard changing her plans.
Sheriff Gabe Chapman didn't realize how lonely he was until the beautiful woman came down from those train steps. And when the only place open was his sister's home, he didn't regret the time to get to know her better. Or how to get her to stay in this town.
Sara's secret is crushing her. She knows she can't stay with Gabe and his daughter, Mary. The longer she stays, the harder it is to keep her promise and leave. And the weather is not helping her to get out of town any faster.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
March 2, 2012
One explicit scene. I enjoyed the story line. I felt a strong connection to the characters. I like this author, but would like, even better, to have the explicit sex scenes removed. Not for a teen. Sara gave her baby up for adoption. When she found out where the baby, now 4 years old, lived, she just wanted to see her. Only for a moment, but then got caught in a blizzard, and had to stay a few days. I don't think the intimate scene "needed" to be in this book. It would have been more in character to have not gotten carried away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2015
Good Book
This is a good book. A Must Read. It made my cry at the end. Not too many books do.
This is a good book. A Must Read. It made my cry at the end. Not too many books do.
December 4, 2015
3.5 stars!!!
December 19, 2015
What a gift!
I love western and Christmas stories and this one was wonderful. Ms. Hart tells a very meaningful Christmas story. Do not miss this one.
I love western and Christmas stories and this one was wonderful. Ms. Hart tells a very meaningful Christmas story. Do not miss this one.
March 28, 2016
enjoyed reading how all she wants to do is see her daughter
May 9, 2016
Historical Western Romance
Thanks Jillian Hart for the sweet version of " Sara's Gift", I loved the story and I am giving it a 5 star rating!!!!!
Thanks Jillian Hart for the sweet version of " Sara's Gift", I loved the story and I am giving it a 5 star rating!!!!!
June 23, 2016
2.5 out of 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews