Glad Tidings

by Debbie Macomber

Christmas news! Read all about it in these two classic stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
 
Christmas is a time for…fruitcake. Rookie reporter Emma Collins hates fruitcake; for that matter, she hates Christmas, too. When three Washington State women are finalists in a national fruitcake contest, the story is assigned to her. That’s bad enough. It gets worse when she has to fly in a small plane (scary!) with a smart-aleck pilot named Oliver Hamilton (sexy!) and his scruffy dog (cute!). In the end she meets three wise women, falls in love and learns There’s Something About Christmas.
 
This is also a time for families, for togetherness, for memories. On Christmas Eve, Maryanne and Nolan Adams tell their kids the story they most want to hear—how Mom and Dad met and fell in love. It all started when they were reporters on rival Seattle papers…and next thing you know, Here Comes Trouble!
 
Previously published.
 

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Fiction, Holiday, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Anne Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best collection of shorties I've ever read, but it was fair reading for fans of the genre, and made an okay Sunday diversion.

1. There's Something About Christmas (2005)

You know what I find romantic? A fellow who can respect "no". This one missed the mark, there. The way Oliver aggressively hounds her for no real reason was off-putting; it is not romantic when someone decides, after seeing a lady for five minutes, that she must fall to his superior charms, and becomes a nooky-seeking missile that won't quit. Ew. A few juvenile romantic gestures does not compensate for a lack of respect and maturity.

However, if you are looking for some fruitcake recipes, you can find some in here.

*

2. Here Comes Trouble (1991)

A bit dated, I think; the whole "deb" (debutante) hatred seemed like more of a thing in the 80s? Not sure, but the set up here felt like something not of this era. (Also, perhaps in 1991, people really did think a woman was in real trouble simply because she'd broken two nails at her job? Nah, likely not even then.) The story also has nothing to do with Christmas, especially if you skip/skim the wrap-around set up of "tell us a story of how you met!" (which I did). While I usually love a good grouch, I felt Nolan was a bit overdrawn, and went a bit overboard with the hot/cold running rudeness. I liked him, despite myself, but would have liked him more not in a romance, perhaps. As it was, his refusal to thaw up to the final moments made the heroine look kind of silly and masochistic, which are not my favourite traits.

I think it was trying to be a screwball, but it ended up making me very uncomfortable, and I felt a lot of embarrassment for the heroine, who seemed too shallow to feel it for herself.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's Something About Christmas had me reading through the night! I absolutely fell in love with this story. If it wasn't for a stressful job which requires a good amount of sleep to function on, I would have finsihed this book in one night. Loved There's Something About Christmas. Perhaps it was the fond memories it brought back of my Grandfather... he had the best fruitcake! Who know a book about fruitcake would be so fun and addicting. That is excatly how I would describe this story... fun and addicting. Also loved the creative fruitcake recipes included. I almost wonder if Debbie Macomber has baked them or has tried them. It makes me want to try them! Loved this one friends!

Here Comes Trouble... a good little romance for the holiday season. Great character development!

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first of the 2 stories, There's Something About Christmas, was a good light romance. Enjoyed seeing the relationship develop but, like others said, there seems to be something missing from this development, maybe because it's shorter than a typical book devoted to itself.

Here Comes Trouble, the second story in the book...I only finished this story because I was already halfway through and it was a quick read. I was continually hoping she would change each encounter up between Nolan and Maryanne. Everytime they saw/talked with each other Macomber kept eluding to the same love/hate thoughts...different setting, same results. It got old!

[Kateyz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite possibly the worst book I've ever read. The only reason I finished it was because I'd paid for the damn thing and was bound and determined to get my $15 out of it. Well, now not only am I out $15, I'm out 3 hours!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two heartwarming Christmas stories that will melt your heart.

I loved them both!

[Cecelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Nolan Adams publishes a column about Maryanne, a spoiled and rich debutante, vivid sparks fly between the twosome. Maryanne does not want to be portrayed as a rich and pampered woman, although rich and pampered is her lifestyle. She lives in a pricey, high class apartment. Her father arranged for her to get a wonderful job at the newspaper. She’s always had everything handed to her on a silver platter, and she wants to prove to Nolan that she can work on her own, with no help from her family, and still make a living. Trying to live life as a regular, non-wealthy person proves challenging. But, Maryanne is falling hard for Nolan, but, can Nolan let go of his past pains and learn to love Maryanne? Nolan has been raised with limited means, and he feels that Maryanne is out of his league. No way can he pursue her. This was a nice sweet story. I’d thought from the cover (it’s part of the Glad Tidings collection), that it’d be more about Christmas. But the Christmas holiday is only mentioned briefly in the beginning and at the end. - See more at: http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/2015/05/...

[Me · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the reasons that I'm not thrilled when two stories are packaged into one book, is that I find myself comparing the two. That was the case with There's Something About Christmas and Here Comes Trouble. I loved There's Something About Christmas and will eventually try all three of the fruitcake recipes that were sprinkled throughout the story. By the time I started reading Here Comes Trouble, I was tired of a female reporter again being a lead character. The story begins as a "How I Met Your Dad" tale that was told as a bedtime story to the couple's kids. Hence, you already know how it ends.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed both stories in this 2 in 1 book. Both stories have a Christmas "theme" to them.
I liked the story about the reporter and the fruitcake contest the best.

The characters are well developed, the stories were hard to put down! =)

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes two stories that loosely have a Christmas theme. In the first, "There's something about Christmas", a reporter who hates fruit cake has to write a story about three nominees for best fruitcake. I'm not a fruitcake lover but these recipes sounded interesting. Ourcreporter was converted and maybe I would be too. Oh and against her will she falls in love too!

The second book is called Here Comes Trouble. I had to love this title and the way the author chose to tell the story - you have to read it to find out. I was in pain as I read these. They helped.

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a cozy Christmas story, the first story in the book will satisfy that Christmasy feel. However the 2nd story isn’t as Christmasy and Nolan, one of the main characters is very rude and obnoxious. It almost felt like the publisher forced the 2nd story into this book.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here Comes Trouble is not a Christmas story.

A Christmas prologue and an epilogue were added to a normal un-Christmas story and was misleadingly mislabeled.

That is really in poor taste.

[Jen Unsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed, There's Something About Christmas much more than, Here Comes Trouble.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of cheesy, but still an enjoyable, easy read. Nice for something light.

[Jeanine · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Glad Tidings" was actually 2 books - "There's Something about Christmas" and "Here Comes Trouble." I did not like these 2 books as much as the past several books I have read by Debbie Macomber. I seem to prefer her books with angels in them. I'm not sure why yet. I preferred the first book, "There's Something about Christmas" & didn't care as much about the 2nd one, "Here Comes Trouble." In the 2nd book, I could not believe Maryanne liked, never mind loved the man, Nolan. I felt he was so mean to her, right from the beginning. I think this is such a terrible lesson to teach young women: that never mind how mean a guy is, as long as he's good looking, go after him. In the first book, Emma was suspicious of the man, Oliver, but he was, at least, a decent man, for the most part. However, he was too pushy & should have respected Emma's repeated "no's," even if he did think she was uptight. . She had a bad father, so she didn't trust Oliver, right from the start, because he was good looking & self-confident. But he was never mean to her, although he should have not pushed her so much and, instead let her see what a great guy he was.
In the 2nd book, Nolan was mean to Maryanne right from the beginning. Yet, she felt she had to prove herself to him, when she did not need his approval.
I don't know why the 2nd book was in Glad Tidings; it was not a Christmas story. The first story was a nice Christmas story. I sure learned a lot about fruitcake, & I may now even try it again. The first story was a feel-good story, while the 2nd one was irritating all the way through it.
I would have given the first story 4 stars & the second story only 2 stars. So, I averaged them out & gave the book 3 stars.

[Michelle (MichelleBookAddict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

August 2013
4★ overall for the two short stories

There's Something About Christmas 4★
A cute Macomber Christmas romance short story. Christmas in Seattle, Washington. The description of the weather is no where near to what my aunt describes (who lives in Omak - northern Washington). My aunt has been visiting us in California for the past 3 Christmases in order to escape the below zero weather. Our 60 degree F. weather during Christmas is like Washington's Springtime weather.

Here Comes Trouble 3.5★
For being a short story, this dragged on too much. It's cute and predictable with a holiday Christmas theme and dog theme (the two girls wants a puppy). With the epilogue showing Maryanne and Nolan's happy ending with two girls, the suspense of "will they get together wasn't there?" It was more like "when will they get together?" And Maryanne's parent's were a little ridiculous.

Glad Tidings as a set with these two stories fits well together. Their themes all match well. And they both have the Hero acting like the heroine's knight in shining armor. These are both cute reads.

[Julie C-F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it that the H for once is not a CEO and the h is not a seemingly timid girl with a little fire in her. Emma is a good writer who has a good understanding of human nature. I like it that she incorporates life lessons in the articles she wrote with fruitcake being a central theme. I seemed to notice Oliver's tendency to twice play at the tables and it disturbed me so. Their story is a light read and funny in some parts.

Annie and Nolan had a good thing going between the two of them even if Nolan denies what he feels. Annie is sweet and seems to good to be true but the fact that she wants to do things for herself without the shadow of her family name bearing in her is something that makes her all the more likable. Not often do we read love and romance books that start with H and h as a married couple and this had a unique twist to the story.

[Polly Clarke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first story held my attention... just about. If it wasn't for the first story, this would be a one star. I couldn't get into the second story and frankly, found it too boring. I really wanted to like the characters and plot and get into the Christmas/Yuletide spirit but it just wasn't there for me. I'm sure there's plenty of other stories that people have enjoyed but having had a taster, Debbie Macomber is not for me.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "There's Something About Christmas," particularly how hilarious the heroine's adventures on the plane were and how adorable a part the dogs played in the story.

I liked the hero of "Here Comes Trouble," but the story was just ok.

[Justme · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 books in one...Very similar

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of this one (Here Comes Trouble)

[Hyosa Ralte · Rating 3 out of 5]

a nice read!!!

[Jennifer N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it really hard to get into these stories especially the second one. Very annoying characters.

[Debbie Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

both of the guys in these stories are jerks. Sadly a lot of Debbies heros are. Her later stories are better fortunately

[Shelly Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of these stories had writers of one sort or another in them as main characters and had Christmas happen in them at the end to they tied together in those little ways making this a nice neat Christmas anthology book.
The first story saw a reported afraid of flying being sent out to interview three women in Washington state that were all finalists in a fruitcake contest. It just so happens that the most handsome man ever is a pilot of a small plane and is the one who offers to fly her out to these women. She objects of course but alas her boss agrees to the deal and so it is done. This is a good dislike to not so much story that has fruitcake, Christmas, and a doggie or two. Cute and fitting story!
The second story has a fairly young rich girl who is a newspaper journalist. She may have gotten a lot of thing sort of handed to her by her parents, her job (not that she may not have been qualified but was she the most for the job?), money, a fancy apartment, etc. When she gets into an article war with a writer from another publication things take off! Of course the other reporter isn't so fond of her and treats her bad but she fights back mostly with kindness. Whatever shall become of the two? Oh, I forgot to mention it starts out with them and their children. The children asking them to tell them the story of when they met. So, I didn't spoil anything!
All in all these were two good stories that were both cute, a little romantic, and had something to do with Christmas as well. I liked them both.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Christmas book from my mom's large library.
Copyright 2005 "There's Something About Christmas" A solid 2 stars. Clean romance. Novella length.

Heroine has ongoing daddy issues. She doesn't celebrate Christmas. As a junior journalist she gets the fluff stories. She has to also get business for ads for the paper. She meets the male lead (not a hero!). She doesn't like him & he's pushy.
She gets an assignment interviewing 3 women who are in a National contest for fruitcake. She doesn't like fruitcake. Since Washington is a big state & these women live far away she has to fly. She's afraid to fly. Her boss makes her go anyway. Her pilot is the pushy male lead. He thinks she should be falling all over herself to get in his bed. She isn't interested.
He persists.

There's a HEA eventually. Not impressed.

Here Comes Trouble:
Copyright 1991. This is tacked on to Glad Tidings - a Christmas book. Novella length. Clean romance.
Christmas is mentioned in the prologue, last chapter & the epilogue. Nothing in between.
Although this book was written in the early 90s it's typical of DM's work.
I just wasn't feeling it!

[Allamanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both books are mildly readable, and begin from interesting premises, but the characters are unbelievable even for romance novels. The characters seem to fall violently in love for the simple reason that they're in the same room, and progress haphazardly from extreme familiarity to extreme unfamiliarity and back. The conversations made me wince sometimes, because they're just so...awkward. The textbook reasons that the characters find to like each other seem to have been picked at random from a list of "Good Things People Like About Other People." If it weren't for the Goodreads Reading Challenge, I wouldn't have finished the book.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was getting one book and got two. The first book focuses on the national fruitcake contest and contestants being interviewed by a reporter who doesn't like fruitcake and is being chauffeured by a pilot she doesn't like either. The insights into the contestants are interesting. The developing relationship between Emma and Oliver is sometimes OK and sometimes a bit dull.
The second book was more interesting to me. Maryanne and Nolan Adams have a request from their kids to retell their courtship story. They are from very different backgrounds and very different temperaments. Those two factors make for an intriguing story. The ending is especially good.

[Penelope · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book in this set of two was enjoyably cheesy - what you want in a Christmas romance story, right? And it made me want to try making a fruitcake!
The second was, for me, an absolute slog to finish. This is rare for me, as I can *almost* always find enjoyable aspects in what I read. I’m either an optimist or really lucky or have a generally impeccable sense of what’s going to be good. But this? This was an absolute miss.
So, three stars for There’s Something About Christmas, one for Here Comes Trouble, averaging to two overall.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both these stories are just so sweet! And I really should make copies of the fruit cake recipes. I bought the Ultimate Triple Liquor Fruitcake and the Old English Liquor Fruitcake Slices, 22 Slices from www.vermontcountrystore .com last Christmas. Steve & I enjoyed them so much that I kept buying them until they were no longer available. I see they are back! The second story was wonderful the way Debbie Macomber began it by telling the two daughters the story of how the parents met and fell in love! So worth the quick read even if it is a thick book!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma worked for a small town newspaper and Walter owned his own charter company. Emma was restless, she was tired of writing obituaries, she was ready for bigger better stories. In between she and her friend Phoebe had been recruited to sell ads for the newspaper to help pay the salaries of the news people. This is how Emma met Walter. This is how she conquered her fear of flying, got to write genuine articles for the newspaper (about fruit cakes), change her mind about Christmas and fall in love. A very sweet book.