I'll Be Home, a contemporary Christmas collection by Darlene Turner, Helena Smrcek, Sara Davidson, and Melanie Stevenson

Book description:  

With chaos and confusion all around them, can they find their way home this Christmas?

The people in these four stories are all searching for something—an escaped convict, a job promotion from a love interest, connection to a lost parent, answers across time.

Christmas should be a time of wonder and celebration, but the obstacles each faces seem insurmountable. Even, at times, life-threatening.

Perhaps they will find what they are seeking during this season of miracles and hope. Or maybe, with God’s help, they will discover that the longing of their hearts takes them to places—and people—they didn’t even know they’d been searching for.

I’ll Be Home is a collection of four stories of faith, hope, love, (and trains) that will warm your heart, encourage your soul, and draw you home this Christmas.

Below is an individual review of each story in the book. By the way, all of the authors are Canadian. 

Mistletoe and Mayhem in the Rockies by Darlene Turner
A cozy Christmas on the Double H Ranch in the Rockies... with a twist of danger.

Mystery writer Emory Burke only agreed to her sister's request to spend Christmas at her ranch to get inspiration for her next book. Soon she finds herself at the center of her own whodunit. To make matters worse, her ex-fiancé is among the guests, pulling at her heartstrings. Constable Hunter Knight has worked hard to put the woman he'd believed was his for- ever love behind him. After a guest is murdered and presents go missing, he and Emory must work together to unravel the tangled web of clues before the holidays are ruined and the killer strikes again. Can they solve the crime and find their way home-to each other?

My review: I have read several of this author's books, and reviewed a few of them. She never disappoints. Hers is the only suspense story in this collection, and it is a really good one. Emory and Hunter were awesome main characters, and it added a little more drama to  the story that they had dated and broken up. There was quite a bit of suspense, and I liked the angle that everyone was stuck at the ranch because of the weather. The murderer was a surprise, as was the motive. Great story.

Love Across Time by Helen Smrcek

A dual timeline romance bridging the present and the past...with love.

Nick Mass is a pragmatic real estate investor with a no-nonsense approach to life. Joy Christenson, on

the other hand, embraces the world with warmth and wonder. When an unexpected discovery of long- lost WWII love letters draws them together, the spark between them is undeniable. As they embark on a heartwarming quest to find the letters' surviving relatives, they un- cover more than they ever imagined. Meeting Noelle Darling makes this Christmas truly magical, but it's the unfolding story of nurse Beth Merrymore and RAF pilot Gabriel Holly that touches their souls. With each letter, Nick and Joy are swept into a tale of wartime love and longing-one that stirs their hearts and kindles a romance they never saw coming.

As the train circles the Christmas tree and the festive lights twinkle, they realize that love, like Christmas, always finds a way to surprise you when you least expect it. This enchanting holiday journey is filled with love, serendipity, and the magic of finding true love un- der the mistletoe.

My review: I am not always a fan of split time stories, but I liked this one. I liked the main characters in both of the timelines, and loved their names: Gabriel Holly and Beth Merrymore in the historical timeline, and  Nick Mass and Noelle Darling in the modern story. The author did a great job of tying the two storylines together. Nick was a bit difficult to like at first with his coldness and borderline Scrooge ways, but he turned out to be a great character. Loved the train and letters part of the story, and what transpired with them in the modern story. I really enjoyed this one. This was a new author to me.

Where My Heart Belongs by Melanie Stevenson 

When dreams take a detour, love finds its way.

Having given up the better part of her twenties climbing the corporate ladder and crushing on her dashing boss, Porsha jumps on the opportunity to impress him by giving a keynote speech, even if it is in a language she hasn't spoken since high school. One obstacle after another to getting a promotion (not to mention gaining her boss's affection) stacks up, and her Christmas plans quickly unravel. When she bumps into a handsome, bell-ringing street Santa, not only her plans but her entire life just might change.

My review: This one had an interesting start. The main character was just all over the place with her emotions and everything that was happening. I found myself wondering if the author had downed several espressos before writing. The writing style kind of drove me crazy.

It did even out eventually, and I got more into the story. I did find myself chuckling  few times. Porscha never really grew on me. She was just an OK character, but I really liked Grant and what all he did to help a stranger. The story did get better towards the end, and had a good ending, but I wouldn't give it 5 stars.

Just a Gilbert Blythe Kind of Girl by Sara Davison

Lucy May McQuaid has spent her whole life trying to follow in the footsteps of the mother she lost when she was seven years old.

Playing Anne of Green Gables on the same stage her mother had would almost make it feel as though her mom was with her this Christmas.

Then a shocking revelation shakes everything Lucy ever believed to be true. Will finding her Gilbert Blythe help ease the ache, or will the man she is losing her heart to turn out to be as fictional as every- thing else in her life?

My review: This was a cute story. It helps if you have read the Anne of Green Gables books, which I did, even though I am a guy. Loved the two main characters. Lucy wasn't the greatest person at first, having taken advantage of the people in her life, but she definitely changed. August was the perfect Gilbert to her Anne. though she was slower than he was to come to that conclusion. It was moving about August and his carvings and what Lucy did for him. I really liked this one, and my only complaint might sound dumb...but I hate it when a Christian book has a male character with long hair...it makes me cringe, probably because of what the Bible says about long hair on guys....and August had a pony tail. Ugh. So I tried to picture him with short hair. (Gilbert Blythe did NOT have hair like a girl!) :)

This is not the first book I have read by Davidson, and I have enjoyed everything I have read by her. Including this one. (Though she did off a character I really liked in one book) :)

All in all, this was a great collection of Christmas stories.

Special thanks to one of the authors, Turner,  for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the authors:

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

Helena Smrcek is an award-winning author, screenwriter, public speaker and writing coach.

She is known for her thrilling and heartwarming stories. Her career began as a high school freelancer, leading to three decades in publishing. She co-founded Write!Canada and The Word Guild and has graduated from multiple writing programs.

An active participant and instructor in writers' groups and conferences, Helena also excels in marketing and branding. Outside of writing, she enjoys audiobooks, farm life and travel adventures.

Melanie Stevenson is an award-winning author and lives in Ontario, Canada, surrounded by her husband and four children. She attended the University of Waterloo and obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts. Melanie's first book, One More Tomorrow, was shortlisted in the Word Alive Press publishing contest out of over two hundred entries across North America and was published in 2019. In 2020, she won Best Romantic Fiction for One More Tomorrow and Best New Canadian Author at The Word Awards—Canada's top Christian literary awards. Her mission is to create stories of excellence that impact hearts and lives. Paper, canvas, and dirt are her favorite blank pages.

 

Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense series The Day Draws Near, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, In the Shadows, and two sparrows for a penny, as well as the standalone speculative, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, Davison is a Holt Medallion, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband, Michael. Like every good Canadian, she loves hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason.