All Good Gifts

Culdee Creek Christmas #3

by Kathleen Morgan

Inheriting her father's prosperous cattle ranch, jaded plastic surgeon Devra McKay is forced to choose between moving to the ranch per her father's will or forfeiting her inheritance to nemesis Ross Blackstone.

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Christian Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

176 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Kathleen began her career writing contemporary romances and soon moved to historical and futuristic romances. She sold her first book, a futuristic romance, in April 1990 while stationed in Korea as an Army nurse. Additional romances soon followed, until she had sold a total of fifteen books in the general market, establishing a loyal readership along the way.

Since that time, she has received numerous awards for her work, including a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice award and Career Achievement award, and The Literary Times award for Literary Excellence in the Field of Romantic Fiction. She was also a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.

Kathleen now focuses her writing talents in the area of inspirational fiction, offering readers characters who struggle to redefine their growing faith in everyday life.

Reviews

[Eddist Rhett · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Good Gifts

This was another Wonderful Story of The MacKay's. I loved Conor's and Abby's story and the entire Culdee Creek Saga! I'm sad for it to end in the future, with Devra Mackay and Ross Blackstone! I enjoyed these stories; however all three could have had a better ending! Thanks again for sharing the entire Culdee Creek story, but seems like a death of the MacKey family!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was easy to read. The story was very modern. I did NOT like the female protagonist.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Christmas story. Like most Christmas stories, the book has religious themes. Typical to most Christmas stories, the religious themes are about experiences and situations, which lead people back to faith and God. So, if you don't want to read that sort of book, don't read this book. However, if you do like to read this sort of story, then by all means read the book. Like most stories along this line, there is a sweet simplicity to the book. It lends itself to wanting a sequel to see what happens to the main characters following the Christmas season.

The story starts in New York City and successful plastic surgeon, Devra MacKay receiving a call that all of us dread. Someone close to her has died and she is winging her way back home to Colorado and the family ranch.

What she learns is there is a choice to make. She can keep the ranch, but if she does it comes with a life changing price. If she chooses to return to her life in New York, she will lose the ranch and it will pass out of the MacKay family.

Read the book to find out what Devra chooses and how she comes to that decision.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was posted originally on my old blog.

I could predict the entire outcome of this story by the end of the second chapter. I have enjoyed other books by Kathleen Morgan but yet this one sours my taste.

The characters did not develop and in fact flipped back and forth between almost unbelievable extremes. The dialogue ventured into highly constructed areas...a source of great irritation for me.

The lessons that the main character learned didn't seem believable or actually, all that important.

I hate to seem like I'm complaining because I'm not. The book was simply comfortable "summer read".

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very quick love story - A woman is forced to go back home to the ranch she was raised on in Colorado when her father dies. He leaves an ultimatum - the ranch that she was raised on goes to her as long as she gives up her very profitable plastic surgery business in LA and lives on the ranch or the ranch will go to the foreman (and hence leave the family).

[April Suter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short Christmas tale of how a NYC plastic surgeon returns home to Colorado when her father passes away. When the will is read she finds out that she has stay on the ranch or it goes to the foreman she has had a little history. With her busy schedule she hasn't had God as a part of her life, but she really needs Him now.

168 pages

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply devoured Kathleen Morgan's Culdee Creek series and wanted it to continue forever, so it was a true delight to read this beautifully written Christmas novella which features characters from the series. Brava, Ms. Morgan!

[Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. Predictable, but a quick, easy read. I wanted to smack the protagonist in the face for most of the book and then I just didn't even care that much. I was hoping it would have more of a storyline.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a quick read and very unsatisfying.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved how she tied these into the Culdee Creek series! Fun, predictable, but fun!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short book and a fast read, but it was a good book about forgiveness and love. Good Christian book.

[Strawberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feelings still exists between ranch daughter and foreman. Thought this could have been a better story with a little more romance. I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars.

[Sherry Walters · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful. Formulaic, smaltzy, uninspired. Full disclosure: I bought this at a library book sale and did not realize it was an “inspirational” romance novel. Not my jam.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story with a message. I liked it very much.

[Bettie Gross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but nothing I would read again.