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Dry Creek Historical
Mistletoe Courtship
Love is in the air this Christmas with two heartwarming holiday stories
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad
The holiday season brings quite a surprise for Virginia Parker. Her former boss, Colter Wells, is back in Dry Creek--with a newly discovered daughter who needs some female guidance. But can one motherless little girl--and the two adults bonded to her and to each other--make up a perfect family?
The Christmas Secret by Sara Mitchell
Clara Penrose's bluestocking ways have branded her a spinster among Virginia's elite. Yet a reunion with Dr. Ethan Harcourt rekindles feelings Clara thought long lost. Her second chance finally here, Clara needs only to catch the good doctor under the mistletoe!
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2009
11 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
About the author
Janet Tronstad
85 books305 followersJanet grew up in the wide open spaces of rural Montana and now lives in the urban spaces of Pasadena, California. She's used both of these locations in her books. Her Dry Creek, Montana series numbers over twenty novels now and her Pasadena books, The Sisterhood of the Dropped Stitches, number four.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 27, 2019
Lovely holiday read :)
December 8, 2009
both stories by two authors is definetly enjoyable reading .. I put four and half for both authors.
December 18, 2020
For my December TBR Challenge, I dug into my stash of holiday anthologies and picked out a Christmas historical anthology from 2009. With one Western romance and one Americana romance, I was hopeful for a little holiday cheer. As it turns out, one story delivered and the other really did not.
The first novella, Janet Tronstad’s Christmas Bells for Dry Creek , takes readers to the Montana Territory in 1880. Virginia Parker is in for an anxious year, as we see from the story’s opening. Following the death of her father, Virginia headed west to live with her brother. The brother died not long after her arrival, and in desperation Virginia has been working in the kitchen and playing piano in one of the town saloons. Her position is a precarious one and she has no family left to help her.
As the story opens, Virginia fears that her boss, Colter Wells, is about to fire her. Instead she is told that Colton has recently learned of his illegitimate daughter whom the child’s mother has demanded he take in to allow the mother can move on to California and start over. Colter wants Virginia to manage his property while he’s gone.
The tale picks up eleven months later, as Colter returns with the young daughter. Christmas is approaching, and much of this story focuses on Virginia and Colter’s adjustment to change around the business as well as their growing feelings for one another. And then there’s the matter of the suitor that started courting Virginia while Colter was gone. There’s definitely attraction and deepening love between Colter and Virginia, but in many ways this is the story of a small band of outcasts coming together to form a family.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete review at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/december-...
The first novella, Janet Tronstad’s Christmas Bells for Dry Creek , takes readers to the Montana Territory in 1880. Virginia Parker is in for an anxious year, as we see from the story’s opening. Following the death of her father, Virginia headed west to live with her brother. The brother died not long after her arrival, and in desperation Virginia has been working in the kitchen and playing piano in one of the town saloons. Her position is a precarious one and she has no family left to help her.
As the story opens, Virginia fears that her boss, Colter Wells, is about to fire her. Instead she is told that Colton has recently learned of his illegitimate daughter whom the child’s mother has demanded he take in to allow the mother can move on to California and start over. Colter wants Virginia to manage his property while he’s gone.
The tale picks up eleven months later, as Colter returns with the young daughter. Christmas is approaching, and much of this story focuses on Virginia and Colter’s adjustment to change around the business as well as their growing feelings for one another. And then there’s the matter of the suitor that started courting Virginia while Colter was gone. There’s definitely attraction and deepening love between Colter and Virginia, but in many ways this is the story of a small band of outcasts coming together to form a family.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete review at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/december-...
December 4, 2018
I purchased this book because I enjoy the dry creek books by Janet Tronstad. I was disappointed that there was little mention of dry creek. The thing is I am not a huge fan of historical romances. While both stories were ok, they didn’t hold my interest as much as I would of hoped. Both stories took some time to get through.
September 10, 2021
Mistletoe Courtship
Two Christmas stories, with two women who were not expecting love. Two men that questioned their worth. Good clean romance.
Two Christmas stories, with two women who were not expecting love. Two men that questioned their worth. Good clean romance.
September 22, 2021
Nice quick reads.
January 30, 2022
Enjoyable read.
December 2, 2024
This volume included two novellas. The first was a little slow and took a while to get through. The second, which included a small mystery & a good story was much more enjoyable.
November 14, 2012
The story was different from Janet's other books to me. I guess it was such a different time in America. I could see the inside of the saloon and hear the sounds of the animals as the main character tries to cook in the kitchen. I enjoyed the growth in attitudes of the adults and also what the younger ones learned from rejection, unconditional love, growing their talents, etc. Janet has a good way of showing instead of telling and I could imagine the smells and the floor from the fire. The ending was especially good seeing a family from other beginnings bond together and love God together.
Second Story by Sara Mitchell
I really enjoyed this story, "The Christmas Secret". With a slight mystery involved, I liked seeing how a humble and a bit homely girl comes into her own and is noticed by a handsome doctor who sees her through different eyes and enjoys her creativity. I will look for Sara's other books.
Second Story by Sara Mitchell
I really enjoyed this story, "The Christmas Secret". With a slight mystery involved, I liked seeing how a humble and a bit homely girl comes into her own and is noticed by a handsome doctor who sees her through different eyes and enjoys her creativity. I will look for Sara's other books.
December 27, 2014
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad.
I absolutely loved this story! It follows on from
with Colter's and Virginia's story. The road to true love is never smooth, and definitely not for these two. The bells throughout the story were a nice touch, giving a special Christmas feel to the story as well as reflecting Virginia's musical nature perfectly.
The Christmas Secret by Sara Mitchell.
I enjoyed this story, and liked the Christmas carols featured throughout. It didn't sparkle for me quite like the previous story, but the secret was laying a more sombre tone to the story with a little suspenseful edge.
I absolutely loved this story! It follows on from
with Colter's and Virginia's story. The road to true love is never smooth, and definitely not for these two. The bells throughout the story were a nice touch, giving a special Christmas feel to the story as well as reflecting Virginia's musical nature perfectly.The Christmas Secret by Sara Mitchell.
I enjoyed this story, and liked the Christmas carols featured throughout. It didn't sparkle for me quite like the previous story, but the secret was laying a more sombre tone to the story with a little suspenseful edge.
January 3, 2012
This was a 2 for 1 book, and I really enjoyed both stories.
The first book is called Christmas Bells for Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad.
I liked this Holiday story set in a Historical Setting.
A little girl comes to Dry Creek with her Father, and they both form a friendship with
Virginia Parker.
The relationships that form bonds all 3 of them together.
The second book is called The Christmas Secret by Sara Mitchell
Clara Penrose meets a Doctor in a "chance" Event, and then a couple of years later he moves
into her small town.
Her feelings are still strong for him, as they build their friendship to something more...
In the meantime..a stranger leaves notes on Dr. Harcourts porch and they work together
to find out who is leaving these "mysterious notes and gifts".
The first book is called Christmas Bells for Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad.
I liked this Holiday story set in a Historical Setting.
A little girl comes to Dry Creek with her Father, and they both form a friendship with
Virginia Parker.
The relationships that form bonds all 3 of them together.
The second book is called The Christmas Secret by Sara Mitchell
Clara Penrose meets a Doctor in a "chance" Event, and then a couple of years later he moves
into her small town.
Her feelings are still strong for him, as they build their friendship to something more...
In the meantime..a stranger leaves notes on Dr. Harcourts porch and they work together
to find out who is leaving these "mysterious notes and gifts".
April 4, 2021
Won on First Reads...looking forward to reading these!
ETA - These were the first books I had read in the Love Inspired Historical series, and I have to say they won't be my last! It has been a long time since I read a lot of historical romance, although I used to enjoy it very much. These were great examples of historical fiction without veering into romance overkill. They also had a basis in faith, although it was not overpowering. I loved that they were quick, easy reads, yet they were entertaining and carried a message. I am a sucker for a good romance, and both stories in this book were just that. I can't wait to read more by these authors!
ETA - These were the first books I had read in the Love Inspired Historical series, and I have to say they won't be my last! It has been a long time since I read a lot of historical romance, although I used to enjoy it very much. These were great examples of historical fiction without veering into romance overkill. They also had a basis in faith, although it was not overpowering. I loved that they were quick, easy reads, yet they were entertaining and carried a message. I am a sucker for a good romance, and both stories in this book were just that. I can't wait to read more by these authors!
April 7, 2010
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek continues Janet's 2nd Historical book in Dry Creek. Colter and Virginia's story was as good as Jake and Elizabeth's in the previous historical Calico Christmas at Dry Creek.
The Christmas Secret was the first book I have read by Sara Mitchell.
It had very unique characters in it (including a unique siamese cat)
Mistletoe Courtship was a great read.
The Christmas Secret was the first book I have read by Sara Mitchell.
It had very unique characters in it (including a unique siamese cat)
Mistletoe Courtship was a great read.
November 20, 2013
Very enjoyable Christmas stories. I liked Janet Tronstad's sweet tale of a family pieced together at the holidays. Sara Mitchell's story was really well written, with a wonderfully strong and interesting heroine, but I might have liked it a tad bit more if the hero hadn't entertained the notion that the woman he was in love with was clinically insane!
September 15, 2010
Sweet stories - I particularly enjoyed Sara Mitchell's contribution. Feisty, out-of-the ordinary heroines always hold my attention, and the hero was pretty terrific, too, showing a lot of vulnerability for a strong, masculine and drop-dead handsome man.
November 2, 2014
I enjoyed both of these historical Christian romances, and recommend the book to anyone who enjoys Christian historical fiction. These novellas both left me wishing they had been longer.
December 25, 2009
I liked seeing Virginia's stor in Christmas Bells, and Stella was a joy in The Christmas Secret. I'll have to track down more of Sara Mitchell's stories.
February 16, 2011
This was two in one book and so stories were short. good characters and a good read
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews