A Christmas to Remember

by Kimberly Rose Johnson, Valerie Comer, Elizabeth Maddrey

Eight authors from the popular blog Inspy Romance share their Christmas novellas.

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Novella, Romance

881 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in Montana. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can sign up for Kimberly's newsletter via her website at: https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a super collection of Christmas stories. Beginning with hurt and then moving to healing, especially at Christmas time, makes for really good story telling. Highly recommend this collection for your Christmas reading pleasure!! I received an advance reader copy from one of the authors. Opinions are my own.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas To Remember is a perfectly delightful set of eight contemporary Christian romances set around Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas is shared from the deep snow to the sandy beach. Similar themes of caring for others, forgiveness, hurt, trust, grace and God's love unite the tales. Warm, welcoming and wholesome characters entertain the reader. It was impossible to have a favourite as all the stories were delightful. You do not need to wait until December to experience these wonderful tales.
Until I Met You by Kimberly Rose Johnson is a delightful festive romance to kick off the collection. With hot chocolates and flavoured lattes, carols and inclement weather, the Christmas atmosphere is warm and welcoming and perfectly captured by the author. Focusing on God and putting Him first ensures we have the correct priorities. Looking out for the less fortunate and opening hearts and homes to all really encapsulates what it means to have a Christ-like heart and outlook.
The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion by Valerie Comer is another wonderful offering focusing on God's gift of grace and second chances. It's never too late to have a fresh start with God. Valerie Comer shows the importance of family and community. There are two wonderful young children who will just melt the reader's heart. Their mannerisms have been perfectly captured. Inclement weather serves to add to the cosy atmosphere as characters bond around food served by huge hearts.
Hope For Christmas by Elizabeth Maddrey is a delightful offering focusing on the greatest gift of all - Jesus. The story revolves around the topic of childhood diabetes. It is scary being responsible for calculating just how much food is needed to balance the sugars. The reader sees the emotions a mother goes through. Eyes are opened to Jesus. We witness the birth of a new Christian which mirrors the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Hearts and homes are opened as relationships are restored. Another wonderful offering from Elizabeth Maddrey who writes about real issues that affect people's lives today.
Can't Live Without You by Ginger Solomon is a delightful tale focusing on betrayal, hurt, forgiveness and the grace of God. In our pain we may ignore God but He waits for us to return to Him. We need to wait on Him and His perfect timing and plans. There is the theme of taking care of the innocent. A beautiful three year old will capture your heart.
Beautiful Heart Of His by Lindi Peterson is a wonderful tale to warm your heart. With themes of hurt, betrayal, grace, forgiveness and covered by the love of God. God is the God of new beginnings. We can trust Him and His timings. There is a warm atmosphere enveloping the tale as characters reach out to those in need. It will leave you smiling.
Restoring Christmas by Julie Arduini is a delightful fun tale surrounding celebrating Christmas. When life hits again and again, sometimes we get angry and turn from God. God awaits our return. Family and friends pray for us. In our pain we shut out people. We need to learn to love and trust again. An outspoken tween is delightful - both amusing and truthful in their observations. A wonderful tale of forgiveness and fresh starts.
The Cowgirl's Christmas Gift by Deb Kastner is a perfectly lovely festive story focusing on animals, family and celebrating the season. Two delightful six year old twins entertain the reader with their exploits. A horse sanctuary warms the reader's heart. Interactions with humans rather than technology enables a recluse to re-enter the world. A backdrop of snow creates the perfect atmosphere.
Falling For Grace by Janet W Ferguson is a delightful poignant story to end the collection. We are all broken vessels travelling along the road of life. We can help each other heal. Withdrawing from the world and God is not what is needed. We need community and God in order to move into the future. Memories can hurt. We need to keep smiling in spite of the pain. Wonderful characters amuse the reader with their banter and their propensity to being accident prone. A wonderful tale that leaves you smiling.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review for two of the eight novellas in this collection. I plan to read the other novellas in this charming collection soon.

In Falling for Grace by Janet W. Ferguson, Grace and Seth are two hurting people. Both have suffered in different ways in the past few years and both were also left reeling from divorces.

These two characters were so wonderful. I felt for both of them immediately and loved watching as they navigated the Christmas season together. I hurt for them both as it seemed as if a possibility of a future together might prove impossible. There were lots of deep emotional struggles to overcome for these two. I loved this moving story!

In The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion by Valerie Comer, two people have to decide if forgiveness is possible – not only human forgiveness, but God’s forgiveness.

Cheri and Kade were a magnetic couple to read about. Cheri was part of a horrible betrayal of trust. Even years later, Kade wasn’t sure he could forgive her. And she still did not forgive herself.

There were many interesting characters in this novella and a storyline that kept me turning pages. I felt that there was a loose end that wasn’t really resolved regarding some danger that Cheri felt she was in, but all in all it was a story I enjoyed.

I received a complimentary copy of this collection. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until I Met You - I loved Brandi & Ian. This was a different storyline for me and I really enjoyed it. Brandi is taking a break from dating to focus on her relationship with the Lord. Ian wants to get to know her but also tries really hard to help her keep her focus. Really sweet and I loved the ending.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion - This one was hard for me. Forgiveness and reconciling your former relationship aren't the same thing. Kade was so forgiving - not sure I would have. Cheri - oh my - I just had to remember that she was young and foolish. Was glad that Kade had found some happiness prior to Cheri's return.

Can’t Live without You - Clarissa sacrificed alot for her family. While I understand Sawyer's reason I also really understand Clarissa's reluctance to reconcile with him.

These aren't your typical romances IMO and some are about second chances while others are about first true love.

[Barbara Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until I Met You is a novella that I reviewed by Author Kimberly Rose Johnson. This novella is in A Christmas to Remember book. The storyline is well-written with great characters. It's a lovely story, but it has some twists and turns. I'm impressed how the author brought faith into the storyline. Until I Met You is easy to read fabulous book and I enjoyed reading it. I encourage others to read this novella. I haven't had the opportunity to read any other novellas in a Christmas to Remember book, but I 'm sure each one is as great as this one.

I received a copy from the publisher, but was not required to review it. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.

[Margaret Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great read, with stories by so many of my favorite InspyRomance authors! My only complaint is that the stories are too short! Thankfully, many of the authors are starting new series, so more will come. The characters are believable, and most of the plots aren't too far-fetched. Enjoy getting in the Christmas spirit with this collection!

[Linda Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Nice Collection

This is a nice collection of Christmas romances.
I enjoyed the varied storylines,the interesting characters and the varied settings.
This collection is recommended for a cozy read at Christmas time.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

These authors are truly amazing. The books are all very inspirational and full of love. The characters are all very special people. You won’t be able to stop reading these stories. I had the honor to review this book for the authors for a honest review. I would give this box star a higher rating than a five star review if I could. You will feel God working throughout these wonderful stories.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding collection of Christmas stories. There was not one that I did not enjoy. They are all contemporary, faith based and heartwarming. You do not want to miss this collection. I could hardly put this book down.

[Melissa Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, heartfelt, heartwarming stories. From unexpected encounters, to betrayals, to cowboy's, to children, family and more, each author brings a story to life with engaging characters, entertaining storylines and meaningful messages. Good to read anytime of the year.

[Diane Alwine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent an ARC by one of the authors and I loved each and every story of this Christmas collection of stories. I love reading Christmas stories to get in the mood for the holidays and these did the trick. These stories show that when you are down, just believe in God to make things better. I may just have to reread the stories in a couple of months to enjoy them all over again.

[Margaret Fisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviews of the first two novels, originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

Until I Met You by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Ever heard someone wondering how to meet people in a modern world? Well, for Brandi it involves being soaked in a rainwater puddle when a car went by…combined with the driver being a decent guy who stopped to apologize and replace her spilled drink. This encounter began the first of many discussions between them as they get to know not just the surface, but what makes each other tick.

The novel is a sweet, inspirational love story with nice themes about waiting until the time is right and living up to your promises. It focuses on volunteering for the right reasons and on finding joy even in the littlest things, an important Christmas message when thought and caring should matter more than the price tag on a gift.

Another element is Brandi’s treatment at work and her desire for more responsibility. Though this became less of a focus as the story progressed, it was a good look at how to, and how not to, handle crises at work.

I would have liked to understand Ian’s background more because the hints were intriguing, but I suspect he and Brandi have many more conversations in front of them. There’s a large time gap toward the end, most likely because of word count limits, that might have answered some of these questions and made something that happens in the end feel more grounded. Still, I enjoyed getting to know the two of them before they were dating, along with both her roommate and his best friend, and that end thing isn’t enough to interfere with my enjoyment.

Good people, a cute meeting and pre-dating story, and fun conversations. The inspy angle is quite heavy at times, but it is story relevant when both are strong in faith and she has vowed to focus on her relationship with God instead of losing herself in another boyfriend. I had a few quibbles with story continuity, but nothing that threatened my enjoyment of the story.
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The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion by Valerie Comer

“Holier than thou” is a well-known phrase in the English language, and in Valerie Comer’s first cowboy inspirational romance, Kade and Cheri struggle with just that as they try to overcome their history. It’s much easier to compare your faults to another’s than live up to your own standards in the eyes of God. Part of the reason I’m a long-term fan of Valerie Comer is her ability to bring real characters to the page. They don’t just pass through her stories. They struggle with questions about faith and living up to their own image of self in very tangible ways.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion is a second chances story because Cheri left Kade at the altar six years before. She returns with her daughter Harmony to the small town where she grew up because she has run out of choices. Kade is busy being a good Christian as he organizes a Christmas relief effort with some of his friends and the support of his church. They’ll bring food, presents, and assistance to the elderly families and single mothers throughout the area…a group he does not realize includes his ex-fiancee.

Kade thinks he’s moved on from his first love, but one sight of Cheri brings it all back, the love, but also the betrayal. Cheri’s not much better. Her love never died despite what happened (we learn more in the story and it’s far from as simple as Kade believes it to be), but she’s drowning in her own failure, as unwilling to forgive herself as Kade is to forgive her.

Though Kade seems the better person from the start, the story is more complex than that. I found a greater strength in Cheri’s acceptance of responsibility for what happened, even though she could easily have transferred blame to another. Forgiveness, though, is something they both struggle with.

The faith message, while a little heavy toward the end, is solid and shown both through actions and words. The characters are far from perfect, but none of them, including Cheri’s grandparents and Kade’s brothers, lack flesh and blood reactions. I found everything I’ve enjoyed in Valerie Comer’s farm romances in this story, especially the roles played by Harmony and Jericho, her daughter and his son. She has a wonderful ability to write children who are neither stand-ins for adults nor hard to relate with. Then, of course, there were horses this being a cowboy story, and the connections between the people and their horses were lovely.

I quibble a time jump toward the end and a scene revealed in memory rather than as it occurred, but those are a minor wrinkle and probably due to space issues. The story is complete and satisfying on both the romance and the faith side. At the same time, it raises questions and hints at where the world will go next.

It may be hard to live up to the standards expected in a person of faith, but this novel helps demonstrate how to both forgive and accept gifts with joy, whether they come from neighbors of God. The theme is definitely in keeping with the Christmas setting, and the setting rang so true, I found myself humming Christmas songs way too early.

I read broadly, so this is far from my first cowboy romance. I believe Valerie Comer has successfully brought her skills to a new subgenre and look forward to the other novels to come.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great multi-author Christmas collection

This collection has books from several authors I know and love and several authors who are not as familiar to me. In the interest of keeping the review a reasonable length, I am sharing my thoughts on three of the stories. The rating is based on the highest rated.

Until I Met You is the prequel to the Brides of Seattle series by Kimberly Rose Johnson. The first book in the series, The Reluctant Groom released in July of this year. It was kind of fun when I realized this and thought “oh, that Katie”. This is a sweet story of love at first sight. I admired Brandi and the stance she took to not date but instead focus on the Lord and spending time with him. And I loved Ian’s persistence and determination to not let Brandi go – even if it meant he had to wait two months to date her.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion is the first book in the new Montana Ranches series. This was a deeply moving story and I have to say it is my favorite book by Valerie Comer. I was irritated at Cheri through a lot of the story. What she had done was pretty detestable and she was not so very nice when she first arrived but she had been hurt and had paid the price for her mistake. My favorite character was Gloria, Kade’s mom. She exhibited such wisdom and grace. Wow. Be prepared for some conflicting emotions when you read this story.

Hope for Christmas is also the beginning of a new series by Elizabeth Maddrey. As with all her stories, the characters are intertwined but not in such a way that you necessarily have to be familiar with the backstory. In this case, Cyan is the brother of Azure from A Heart Realigned, one of the Peacock Hill stories. In case you didn’t pick up on this, the parents had a thing with the color blue and each child is named after a particular shade. The relationship between Cyan’s father and his grandparents has always been hostile and in this story, Cyan meets his grandparents for the first time.


This review was originally posted on Among the Reads


I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

[Cathy R Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection by a good group of authors, some of whom I'm familiar with, though others are new to me. I read and enjoyed all of the stories, though a few (particularly 'Beautiful heart' and 'Restoring Christmas') were probably single-read stories as far as I'm concerned. However, at some stage I hope to come back and re-read the ones I particularly enjoyed (especially the first four).

All in all, it's a fun collection for light reading, with somewhat of a range of books to fit a range of tastes, but all clean and with reasonably good or good writing. My main quibble was that they were too short, with several feeling like they finished rather abruptly. Nevertheless, a good collection that I would happily recommend for anyone wanting a light, Christmas-themed read.

Note that I received a complimentary copy from one of the authors had have chosen to provide an honest review.

[Kathleen Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight novellas by premier authors for less than a dollar? What a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! Each of these stories was a sweet, fun read. I love tight-knit families, adorable children, and flawed main characters. This collection more than fulfilled my wish list. I did wrestle with the premise of an arranged marriage in the fourth story, but the overall quality of this collection earns five stars. Recommended!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so far only read one of the stories in this wonderful book but I'm so excited to read the rest of them! Over the last 2 days, I read The Cowgirl's Christmas Gift by Deb Kastner and fell in love with this story and the characters from the very first page! I didn't want to put this book down to do anything else until I finished it. The twin boys in this story really pulled at my heart with their mom being in jail, but the amazing uncle and neighbor quickly turned around the sadness and made me smile and laugh. The Ranch owner aka next door neighbor is so similar to me with all of her Christmas spirit, shopping on black Friday for all of the deals, and love for horses and children that I quickly found myself relating to her. I know this is a story that I will read again and again every Christmas including again in a few months for this year's Christmas season.

[Renate Deutsche Oma · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring set of eight novellas on "How the Lord can take our garbage and pain, then RECYCLE the CHAOS into something beautiful." Beautiful settings, diverse relatable characters, nicely paced twist and turn plots, real life conflicts (diabetes, single dad, career change, betrayal, and more), and satisfying resolutions make these stories delightful holiday reads.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of inspirational Christmas stories. I laughed, wiped a tear or two, and felt encouraged by the hope written into each story. A perfect way to celebrate this wondrous season, and made me happy that Christmas is right around the corner. I loved the story of Holly Christmas!

[Dawn Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this set of novellas by one of the authors. The reviews and ratings are my own. I'm averaging my overall rating based on individual ratings given to each novella that I read. If there's no individual review for a novella then I haven't read it yet.

Until I Met You by Kimberly Ross Johnson - 3 stars - I enjoyed the Brandi and Ian's story especially the twist at the end. Thinking about reading the full length story about Katie and Ray since whenever she was part of the scene I kept asking myself why Katie was acting the way she was.

The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion by Valerie Comer - 5 stars - I LOVED this story about Cheri and Wade, their past, present, and future. Great real characters. I wish the story had been a full length book as I would have liked to see how things went with Dillon and if that was resolved.

The Cowgirl's Christmas Gift by Deb Kastner - 5 stars - I LOVED this novella! I really wish it had been a full length book. I loved the way Maisey introduced Cam to the Christmas season. The story flowed well. The characters were well developed and relatable. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Last Chance Ranch series!

[Andrea Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

8 authors, 8 wonderful stories. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in each story. All the stories moved along at a good pace and were well filled in with good, complete plot lines. All of them were relatable (easy to picture yourself in their shoes) and I don’t think I could pick a favorite from among them. Pick up some Christmas cheer in this collection.

[Isobel Turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely Christian Christmas Stories

Sensitively written stories which make you shed a year but you know God will.sort things out in the end once they accept God's will for their lives.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these 8 novellas. Each story was full of well defined characters. The storylines moved along at a good pace. You were turning the pages to see where the characters were headed next. Since Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, these stories were especially great to me. Each explores faith, love, forgiveness and understanding. I highly recommend these. Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and spend a enjoyable evening.

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all the stories in this series, and I really liked how they all had a theme of betrayal and redemption. Some of the plots were more believable than others, but they were all enjoyable. I appreciated the emphasis on the fact that God can make unbelievable and miraculous restoration in relationships after betrayals if we will only let Him.

I received a complimentary ARC of this collection from one of the authors. The above review is my own opinion.

[Glendahays630gmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith, Hope and Encouragement

A wonderful set of stories that include real life struggles that are addressed through faith to bring hope and encouragement to all who read them.

[Ryoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wide variety of heart touching stories

Characters learning to love and walk in Christ. Finding healing and hope amidst friends and families even if all the families aren’t biological. Fun and charm too. Enjoy! Maybe you’ll find a new favorite author.

[Brian Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

☺☺☺☺☺

A really nice selection of novellas with a common theme. I really like these as it gives you an opportunity to find new authors to follow. Every story was good.

[Alice Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing

Where do I start with the wonderful praises for this book set. Each story contains it’s own story and feelings. Some tears and many laughs. The authors, with their wonderful talent, make it possible for us to better realize our own strength in life.
Great job.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh, cry, and fall in love with these eight wonderful, brand-new Christmas romances from some of your favorite authors.

Kimberly Rose Johnson, Valerie Comer, Elizabeth Maddrey, Ginger Solomon, Linda Peterson, Julie Arduini, Deb Kastner, and Janet W. Ferguson help this season to shine with love and excitement with stories to celebrate the gift of Christmas!

Valerie Comer is a favorite author of mine, and I was hoping she would publish a story about cowboys sometime -- and now she has! I am thrilled that Valerie wrote about Kade and Cheri and their life story. If you are a lover of romance, you'll love The Cowboy's Christmas Reunion!

Don’t miss out on this wonderful collection of stories in one compilation… to read this Christmas!

Happy Reading!

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE Elizabeth Maddrey's Peacock Hill series so I bought this novella collection specifically to read Hope for Christmas by Elizabeth Maddrey and I'm glad I did. I was extra excited when I saw the story was about a single mom. I enjoyed reading Cyan's story and getting to know his grandparents who were mentioned in other Peacock Hill books. I liked Maria and thought she was a realistic single mom. Her son is a fun character. I thought Maddrey did a nice job adding a spiritual element to the story. If you like contemporary Christian fiction, I recommend this novella!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Christian Romances

I liked this collection. The romantic stories are all different in that some stories had the characters work through difficult situations in their lives to come to faith or back to faith. In others the characters had faith, and still had to work through life hardships. In a couple, there were no particular problems, just life as it happens, with faith.