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Comfort and Joy
Curl up by the Yuletide with these heartwarming stories that add a touch of wonder to your holidays. . .
"Comfort and Joy" by Fern Michaels
Ever since Angie Bradford took over her mother's gift wrap business in the Eagle Department Store, she and handsome store chief Josh Eagle have been at odds. When Josh threatens to give up on the business and move to London, and a devastating storm may destroy their Christmas season, Angie never expects help to come in the form of a holiday miracle. . .
"A High-Kicking Christmas" by Marie Bostwick
After ten years as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall, Kendra Erickson needs a break from Christmas. But when an injury lands her in small-town Vermont where she finds herself directing the local holiday pageant alongside the charming new pastor, Kendra reconsiders her views on life, love--and the most romantic season of all. . .
"Suzanna's Stockings" by Cathy Lamb
When an accident lands Suzanna Everts in the hospital for Christmas this year, she'll need a little magic to save the holiday season. Enter sexy, but Scrooge-like, land developer Jack Benson to the rescue, proving to Suzanna that the best gifts are those that take you completely by surprise. . .
"Family Blessings" by Deborah J. Wolf
Tired of dealing with her squabbling family, Kacey would rather not be home for the holidays. But Christmas memories hold a special power that is enough to remind a family of the blessings they share--and awaken Kacey to the promise of new love. . .
"Comfort and Joy" by Fern Michaels
Ever since Angie Bradford took over her mother's gift wrap business in the Eagle Department Store, she and handsome store chief Josh Eagle have been at odds. When Josh threatens to give up on the business and move to London, and a devastating storm may destroy their Christmas season, Angie never expects help to come in the form of a holiday miracle. . .
"A High-Kicking Christmas" by Marie Bostwick
After ten years as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall, Kendra Erickson needs a break from Christmas. But when an injury lands her in small-town Vermont where she finds herself directing the local holiday pageant alongside the charming new pastor, Kendra reconsiders her views on life, love--and the most romantic season of all. . .
"Suzanna's Stockings" by Cathy Lamb
When an accident lands Suzanna Everts in the hospital for Christmas this year, she'll need a little magic to save the holiday season. Enter sexy, but Scrooge-like, land developer Jack Benson to the rescue, proving to Suzanna that the best gifts are those that take you completely by surprise. . .
"Family Blessings" by Deborah J. Wolf
Tired of dealing with her squabbling family, Kacey would rather not be home for the holidays. But Christmas memories hold a special power that is enough to remind a family of the blessings they share--and awaken Kacey to the promise of new love. . .
478 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
113 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
427 books6,538 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 13, 2024
Great book of 4 short stories:
1. "Comfort and Joy" Angie has inherited a gift-wrapping center in a large department store. She loves her job, but the manager of the store, Josh, drives her crazy. He mistakenly thinks she works for him. The real trouble begins when he plans to sell the store, basically putting her out of business.
2. "A High Kicking Christmas" Kendra lives in NYCity and works several jobs to pay the rent on her one room apartment. A dancer, like lots of other girls, she is waiting to be discovered and get to Broadway. What really helps her budget is dancing each Christmas for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. This year, however, she breaks her ankle and her dancing is over. She takes a job in a small town, directing their Christmas play. Then the real trouble begins........
3. "Suzanne's Stockings" Suzanne is in a hospital room looking at herself in a bed. Looks like she is in a coma. As friends and family come to visit, her "out of body person" listens to them talk to the person in the bed. Somehow, they all seem to unburden themselves to the coma patient. "Suzanne" listens and sometimes leaves with them as they go about their daily lives. She finds out a lot of secrets and discovers Suzanne's finance is a jerk. Now what? She has to wait until the coma patient wakes up!
4. "Family Blessing". Kacey lives a few blocks away from her family. She has 3 brothers and 1 sister, who all seem very busy with their own families and lives. One very hot day right after Labor Day she visits her mother, who is putting up all the Christmas decorations. Kacey knows her mother loves Christmas, but it's a little early. Later when her mother is busy, she takes down all the decorations and put they back into the attic. She and her day, "Paddy" are concerned, but unsure what to do. Later, her mother takes the car and gets lost. Now they realize she will need constant care.
1. "Comfort and Joy" Angie has inherited a gift-wrapping center in a large department store. She loves her job, but the manager of the store, Josh, drives her crazy. He mistakenly thinks she works for him. The real trouble begins when he plans to sell the store, basically putting her out of business.
2. "A High Kicking Christmas" Kendra lives in NYCity and works several jobs to pay the rent on her one room apartment. A dancer, like lots of other girls, she is waiting to be discovered and get to Broadway. What really helps her budget is dancing each Christmas for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. This year, however, she breaks her ankle and her dancing is over. She takes a job in a small town, directing their Christmas play. Then the real trouble begins........
3. "Suzanne's Stockings" Suzanne is in a hospital room looking at herself in a bed. Looks like she is in a coma. As friends and family come to visit, her "out of body person" listens to them talk to the person in the bed. Somehow, they all seem to unburden themselves to the coma patient. "Suzanne" listens and sometimes leaves with them as they go about their daily lives. She finds out a lot of secrets and discovers Suzanne's finance is a jerk. Now what? She has to wait until the coma patient wakes up!
4. "Family Blessing". Kacey lives a few blocks away from her family. She has 3 brothers and 1 sister, who all seem very busy with their own families and lives. One very hot day right after Labor Day she visits her mother, who is putting up all the Christmas decorations. Kacey knows her mother loves Christmas, but it's a little early. Later when her mother is busy, she takes down all the decorations and put they back into the attic. She and her day, "Paddy" are concerned, but unsure what to do. Later, her mother takes the car and gets lost. Now they realize she will need constant care.
December 22, 2018
4 authors, 4 novellas. This type of book is hit or miss for me and I usually give them a neutral 3 star rating. I’m ranking this one a little higher because I really liked the stories by Cathy Lamb and Deborah J. Wolf a lot.
November 12, 2012
This is a collection of stories by four authors. Stories that the characters overcome problems in their lives. This book is fiction but gives you good feelings for the upcoming Holiday Season. Who doesn't need some good feelings this time of year? I recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of happiness for Christmas. Enjoy. Merry Christmas!
October 25, 2025
Comfort and Joy, by Fern Michaels,
The first story in the multi-story/anthology holiday book Comfort and Joy is a delight. Granted the story takes place in the early 2000's so technology today is a little more advanced; but, the feel of the story and it's message are timeless. The characters of Eva and Angie Bradford and Angus and Josh Eagle are wonderful, heartwarming people. Josh and Angie start out as combatants in Eagles Department, store set in a mall in Woodbridge, New Jersey. I can picture the mall, as I myself am a Jersey Girl, and spent some of my youth walking and shopping at the Woodbridge Mall, where I assume this fictional one is. See how these two adversaries come together at a time when things look bleakest for Eagles Department Store and Angie's mother's gift wrapping business, within the store. They have to find their faith that they can turn things around and come together in the same way to make the holidays bright.
A High-Kicking Christmas by Marie Bostwick
Kendra Erickson is a dancer/actress from Ohio who has tried to “make it big” in the Big Apple, NYC. She is one of the famed Radio City Rockettes; that is until she breaks her ankle during a rehearsal. Now she finds herself in a small backwater town in Vermont to recuperate and put on the local church Christmas play. Along the way she makes a lot of friends, learns some things about herself, and realizes that maybe it's time for a new dream. This is a wonderful story about hope, love and perseverance that just happens to occur at Christmastime.
Suzanna's Stockings by Cathy Lamb
This was such an interesting story. A varied cast of characters dots this story in a small coastal town on the west coast of the United States. A young woman, Suzanna Everts lands in the hospital, in a coma, just before the Christmas holidays. While in the coma her “spirit” is allowed to travel around and she learns how truly blessed she has been without really realizing it while she was alive; without really “living”. It takes a newcomer to town to show her how her life could be if she would put her insecurities/low self-esteem behind her.
Family Blessings by Deborah J. Wolf
Even though this story was written in 2007 it is very relevant to today's issues with aging parents/relatives. The Flanigan children are your typical 1st generation Irish-Americans in a small Massachusetts town. Two girls at either end of the line of children with 3 boys in between.The eldest girl. Maureen, “Mo” flew the coop beginning in college and never looked back. The youngest, Katherine, “Kacey” still lives in the same town as do all her brothers and their families. It takes one of Kacey's sisters-in-law to notice that something isn't quite right with their mother, Maureen. Eventually, it gets so bad that their mother believes it's just before Christmas; when it's 80 degrees out on Labor Day. As with any family, there are issues/drama. In this case the worst of it goes back more than 15 years and it affected the entire family dynamic from the year Kacey was 10. Kacey and her father, Paddy, share in the responsibility for looking after her mother. Mo's answer is to put her in a facility; but, Paddy won't hear of it. Maureen manages to slip out on a few occasions and give them all a scare. In a way, when she disappears one Christmas morning, and they can't find her anywhere in their town; it brings them all together to deal with some of the family issues.
All the stories in this anthology are well written with depth of characters and settings. I enjoyed all of them. I'm just sorry it took me so long to actually read this, ha, ha.
The first story in the multi-story/anthology holiday book Comfort and Joy is a delight. Granted the story takes place in the early 2000's so technology today is a little more advanced; but, the feel of the story and it's message are timeless. The characters of Eva and Angie Bradford and Angus and Josh Eagle are wonderful, heartwarming people. Josh and Angie start out as combatants in Eagles Department, store set in a mall in Woodbridge, New Jersey. I can picture the mall, as I myself am a Jersey Girl, and spent some of my youth walking and shopping at the Woodbridge Mall, where I assume this fictional one is. See how these two adversaries come together at a time when things look bleakest for Eagles Department Store and Angie's mother's gift wrapping business, within the store. They have to find their faith that they can turn things around and come together in the same way to make the holidays bright.
A High-Kicking Christmas by Marie Bostwick
Kendra Erickson is a dancer/actress from Ohio who has tried to “make it big” in the Big Apple, NYC. She is one of the famed Radio City Rockettes; that is until she breaks her ankle during a rehearsal. Now she finds herself in a small backwater town in Vermont to recuperate and put on the local church Christmas play. Along the way she makes a lot of friends, learns some things about herself, and realizes that maybe it's time for a new dream. This is a wonderful story about hope, love and perseverance that just happens to occur at Christmastime.
Suzanna's Stockings by Cathy Lamb
This was such an interesting story. A varied cast of characters dots this story in a small coastal town on the west coast of the United States. A young woman, Suzanna Everts lands in the hospital, in a coma, just before the Christmas holidays. While in the coma her “spirit” is allowed to travel around and she learns how truly blessed she has been without really realizing it while she was alive; without really “living”. It takes a newcomer to town to show her how her life could be if she would put her insecurities/low self-esteem behind her.
Family Blessings by Deborah J. Wolf
Even though this story was written in 2007 it is very relevant to today's issues with aging parents/relatives. The Flanigan children are your typical 1st generation Irish-Americans in a small Massachusetts town. Two girls at either end of the line of children with 3 boys in between.The eldest girl. Maureen, “Mo” flew the coop beginning in college and never looked back. The youngest, Katherine, “Kacey” still lives in the same town as do all her brothers and their families. It takes one of Kacey's sisters-in-law to notice that something isn't quite right with their mother, Maureen. Eventually, it gets so bad that their mother believes it's just before Christmas; when it's 80 degrees out on Labor Day. As with any family, there are issues/drama. In this case the worst of it goes back more than 15 years and it affected the entire family dynamic from the year Kacey was 10. Kacey and her father, Paddy, share in the responsibility for looking after her mother. Mo's answer is to put her in a facility; but, Paddy won't hear of it. Maureen manages to slip out on a few occasions and give them all a scare. In a way, when she disappears one Christmas morning, and they can't find her anywhere in their town; it brings them all together to deal with some of the family issues.
All the stories in this anthology are well written with depth of characters and settings. I enjoyed all of them. I'm just sorry it took me so long to actually read this, ha, ha.
December 30, 2024
A book of Christmas short stories
Story #1. Do not judge this book by this story. This story is completely unbelievable. The male characters are made out to be bumbling idiots, while the female characters are the only ones capable of forming coherent sentences. I hate when writers feel they have to dumb down some characters in order to make the main ones stand out. It's just poor writing or laziness.
Story #2. A professional NYC dancer breaks her ankle. She is offered a job in a small town in Vermont directing the local Christmas play while she heals. The play has been a long-standing tradition in this town, and a lot of older people do not want the tradition to change. The problem is that none of the local kids want to perform in it anymore because the play has become a joke to them. Can it this dancer rewrite the play to make the whole town happy?
Story #3. A woman in a coma has the chance to see her friends and family in a new light. Although her friends and family are unaware that she can hear and see their situations for herself. This gives her a whole new perspective on the impact she has had on their lives and how she may have misjudged them. Now, the one person she should have been able to trust holds her life in his hands.
Story #4 is exceptional! A daughter copes with her own grief as she helps care for her mother with progressively worsening alzheimers disease. Her mom is stuck in the happiest times of her life... Christmas! The time when her children were young, and she enjoyed cooking and decorating for her family. Although the daughter and her father are the main caregivers, this large and commonly dysfunctional family each weighs in on how best to handle mom.
Story #1. Do not judge this book by this story. This story is completely unbelievable. The male characters are made out to be bumbling idiots, while the female characters are the only ones capable of forming coherent sentences. I hate when writers feel they have to dumb down some characters in order to make the main ones stand out. It's just poor writing or laziness.
Story #2. A professional NYC dancer breaks her ankle. She is offered a job in a small town in Vermont directing the local Christmas play while she heals. The play has been a long-standing tradition in this town, and a lot of older people do not want the tradition to change. The problem is that none of the local kids want to perform in it anymore because the play has become a joke to them. Can it this dancer rewrite the play to make the whole town happy?
Story #3. A woman in a coma has the chance to see her friends and family in a new light. Although her friends and family are unaware that she can hear and see their situations for herself. This gives her a whole new perspective on the impact she has had on their lives and how she may have misjudged them. Now, the one person she should have been able to trust holds her life in his hands.
Story #4 is exceptional! A daughter copes with her own grief as she helps care for her mother with progressively worsening alzheimers disease. Her mom is stuck in the happiest times of her life... Christmas! The time when her children were young, and she enjoyed cooking and decorating for her family. Although the daughter and her father are the main caregivers, this large and commonly dysfunctional family each weighs in on how best to handle mom.
December 23, 2024
Comfort & Joy - Okay, but honestly made 0% sense from a business perspective so.
A High-Kicking Christmas - Fun, but with some annoying tropes.
The other two stories I didn't read. I skimmed Suzanna's Stockings. Suzanna is in a coma and has this sort of "I'm a ghost" experience where she can float around town and see what is going on with everyone. Unfortunately, no one was remotely likable or even interesting. And seriously, who gets ENGAGED to a person who has a locked room that you aren't allowed to enter!?
Family Blessings - The synopsis says that Kacey is tired of family squabbling, and so was I by the end of chapter one.
So 3* for the two stories I read, which were both okay.
A High-Kicking Christmas - Fun, but with some annoying tropes.
The other two stories I didn't read. I skimmed Suzanna's Stockings. Suzanna is in a coma and has this sort of "I'm a ghost" experience where she can float around town and see what is going on with everyone. Unfortunately, no one was remotely likable or even interesting. And seriously, who gets ENGAGED to a person who has a locked room that you aren't allowed to enter!?
Family Blessings - The synopsis says that Kacey is tired of family squabbling, and so was I by the end of chapter one.
So 3* for the two stories I read, which were both okay.
April 3, 2023
The first three stories were good. A High Kicking Christmas by Marie Bostwick was my favorite. I was introduced to a new author here that I really enjoyed. But the last book, Family Blessings by Deborah J. Wolf was horrible and the reason I gave it only 3 stars. The cursing and sex were so inappropriate. The story was so depressing that I almost stopped reading it. Light Romances are supposed to leave you feeling happy. This story was so depressing that I don’t know why they put this in this volume of books called “Comfort and Joy” I’d read this volume for the first three books, especially Marie Bostwick’s book.
April 27, 2021
Four stories -
1. Fern Michaels - Comfort and Joy - Angie Bradford and Eagle
2. Marie Bostwick - A high-Kicking Christmas - Kendra Erickson and a charming new pastor
3. Cathy Lamb - Suzanna's Stocings - An accident lands Susanna in the hospital for Christmas.
Jack Benson comes to the rescue.
4. Deborah J. Wolf - Family Blessings - Kacey's reunites her family.
1. Fern Michaels - Comfort and Joy - Angie Bradford and Eagle
2. Marie Bostwick - A high-Kicking Christmas - Kendra Erickson and a charming new pastor
3. Cathy Lamb - Suzanna's Stocings - An accident lands Susanna in the hospital for Christmas.
Jack Benson comes to the rescue.
4. Deborah J. Wolf - Family Blessings - Kacey's reunites her family.
December 10, 2024
I could recommend 2 out of the 4 stories in this collection. Not a fan of the Fern Michaels or Cathy Lamb books. Thoroughly enjoyed Marie Bostwick and Deborah J Wolf stories. I’ve read one other book by Marie Bostwick and will be exploring that series more after Christmas. This is my first book by Deborah J Wolf and I enjoyed enough to want to explore her writing a little further.
December 12, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that there were 4 stories in this book! What a treat for me because I love to read. I thought all the stories were well written and entertaining - joyful and upbeat. I'm keeping this one for sure to re-read in the future!
December 10, 2017
As silly as you would expect. I would have given two stars, but the last story was actually better written and had complex characters.
December 10, 2017
Good book to get into the holiday spirit best story for me was Suzanna's stocking
December 28, 2017
4 delightful stories for christmas. 4 stories and 4 happy endings.
December 20, 2019
I liked the Feen Michaels story in this the least. I almost didn’t continue to the other 3 short stories but I’m glad I did. IMO, they were much better than the first one.
December 20, 2020
some of the stories were good some of them were strange.
January 14, 2021
Easy quick read story for an evening entertainment
February 28, 2021
Loved the Cathy Lamb story, but only that one. Least Christmasy Christmas book ever
July 3, 2021
4 great stories. Enjoyed them
December 28, 2021
Four quick Christmas feel-good reads with a little light romance thrown in.
January 8, 2022
This book contained 4 mini stories and they were absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed this book.
February 22, 2023
Enjoyed all 4 of these stories.
November 25, 2023
The four stories I guess were to make you appreciate life and love during the Christmas season. They just were not what I expected.
December 27, 2024
Such heart warming short Christmas stories! Meaningful and brilliant, not too hallmarky but still so sweet!
September 25, 2025
Good stories.
April 28, 2011
The Comfort and Joy anthology started out with a bang and then fizzled in the end. Fern Michaels, Marie Bostwick, Cathy Lamb and Deborah J. Wolf each contribute a short Christmas novella to anthology. I enjoyed Fern Michael’s story “Comfort and Joy” and loved Ms. Bostwick’s “A High-Kicking Christmas”. Then skimmed over “Suzanna’s Stockings” by Cathy Lamb and merely endured the final story, “Family Blessings” by Deborah Wolf.
I’d highly reading the first two stories and forgetting about the second two. I just didn’t get the Christmas or romantic feeling from either story, and really finished them feeling more depressed than happy to have read them. I often use anthologies as an introduction to new authors and honestly can’t seem myself reading stories by Ms. Lamb or Ms. Wolf in the future.
http://www.romancing-the-book.com/200...
I’d highly reading the first two stories and forgetting about the second two. I just didn’t get the Christmas or romantic feeling from either story, and really finished them feeling more depressed than happy to have read them. I often use anthologies as an introduction to new authors and honestly can’t seem myself reading stories by Ms. Lamb or Ms. Wolf in the future.
http://www.romancing-the-book.com/200...
January 1, 2014
There were four separate stories in this holiday anthology. The first - Comfort and Joy, wasn't very good. It was the sort of trivial fluff that usually shows up in this sort of book. the second story - A High-Kicking Christmas, was a little better, but still nothing special.
The third sotry Suzanne's Stockings was the best story in the book. Written while Suzanne is in a coma she wanders arond learning things about her friends and fiance' that change her future. The fourth story - Family Blessings was bittersweet. The mother in the family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is stuck in the Christmas season. It was a chraming story and a very frank look at how the disease afects the family.
The third sotry Suzanne's Stockings was the best story in the book. Written while Suzanne is in a coma she wanders arond learning things about her friends and fiance' that change her future. The fourth story - Family Blessings was bittersweet. The mother in the family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is stuck in the Christmas season. It was a chraming story and a very frank look at how the disease afects the family.
January 7, 2014
It's the holiday season and during this time of year I love to reread the many Christmas/ holiday books I have collected. This book is especially nice as it contains four short stories from four different authors. In each, one of the characters is facing a personal challenge and although they each know they should trust in God for an answer each is impatient for an answer or willing to contribute their part. For example: in "A High-Kicking Christmas" when Mrs. Benton is mean to Kendra, Kendra responds inappropriately. When Kendra reviews the incident she realizes "if she(Kendra) expects to receive forgiveness she must be willing to give it."
January 4, 2010
This book was redeemed by the story written by Cathy Lamb, which made me bump it up to 3 stars. Other than that it was really just fluff to pass the time. I didn't like the first story much at all, I found it was poorly written and corny. The last story I never finished, only because the holiday season was over and I couldn't get back into the book. Maybe next year!
May 13, 2009
This light book, which is perfect for the holiday season, is made up of four short stories each by a different author. Each story is set in a different location with different characters, but all of them have a little holiday romance and holiday spirit.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews