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Knotty Pines #4
Once Upon a Thanksgiving: An Anthology
Season of Bounty by Linda Ford
At first glance, privileged Kathleen Sanderson and cowboy Buck Donahue couldn't be more different. Yet the bond between Buck and his adopted son awakens a wish in Kathleen for a family of her own—and a future they can build together.
Home for Thanksgiving by Winnie Griggs
All that stands between Ruby Anne Tuggle and a fresh start is an escort to Tyler, Texas. Rancher Griff Lassiter is too kind to refuse, but too wary of being hurt again to offer anything but friendship. Then a fever forces an unexpected detour and a chance to find the place they both belong…
At first glance, privileged Kathleen Sanderson and cowboy Buck Donahue couldn't be more different. Yet the bond between Buck and his adopted son awakens a wish in Kathleen for a family of her own—and a future they can build together.
Home for Thanksgiving by Winnie Griggs
All that stands between Ruby Anne Tuggle and a fresh start is an escort to Tyler, Texas. Rancher Griff Lassiter is too kind to refuse, but too wary of being hurt again to offer anything but friendship. Then a fever forces an unexpected detour and a chance to find the place they both belong…
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
22 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Linda Ford
207 books358 followersLinda Ford grew up devouring books and making up stories in her head—often late at night when she couldn't sleep. But she hadn't planned to write. Instead, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, that dream came true. She married, had four homemade children, adopted ten and lived (at times, endured) the dream.
Writing first took her to non-fiction human-interest articles for newspapers and eventually a non-fiction book about tuberculosis set in the 1930s and 1940s (Touched By The White Plague). But romance had always been her first love and she turned to writing love stories. She is multi-published in the CBA market.
She lives on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada, where she can see the mountains every day. She and her husband continue to enjoy their children and grandchildren.
Writing first took her to non-fiction human-interest articles for newspapers and eventually a non-fiction book about tuberculosis set in the 1930s and 1940s (Touched By The White Plague). But romance had always been her first love and she turned to writing love stories. She is multi-published in the CBA market.
She lives on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada, where she can see the mountains every day. She and her husband continue to enjoy their children and grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 27, 2019
These two novellas set at Thanksgiving in the Old West were surprisingly heartwarming and pleasurable reading.
In Season of Bounty we meet kind, gentle Kathleen, the lonely daughter of the town's richest most powerful man, and Buck, a lonely and honorable man whose life is spent running from family tragedy and notoriety. Buck's adopted half-breed son is gravely ill, forcing Buck to seek help from his married sister whom Kathleen has befriended against the wishes of her social class conscious parents. There is a sweet inevitability to these two lonely people falling in love and finding a way to move past the social barriers and prejudices challenging them.
Home for Thanksgiving , my favorite of the two, introduces us to Ruby and Griff, two lost and lonely souls destined for each other. Ruby is determined to leave behind the town that collectively raised her, but needs an escort to do so. She convinces Griff, who will soon be leaving for his ranch near her destination, to be that escort. A downturn of the weather and Griff's sudden fever and delirium leads to a change in plans, and the opportunity for the two of them to fall in love just as Thanksgiving arrives.
These are part of Harlequin's Love Inspired series, meaning there is a strong faith-based theme to the stories with much praying and coming back to church attendance, which isn't all that appealing to me personally. What is particularly meaningful in these 2 stories is how faith helped these couples survive their respective challenges and loneliness to not only find happiness for themselves, but also make the lives of their extended circle richer.
Each story ended at a Thanksgiving feast with a commitment to love, friendship and family.
In Season of Bounty we meet kind, gentle Kathleen, the lonely daughter of the town's richest most powerful man, and Buck, a lonely and honorable man whose life is spent running from family tragedy and notoriety. Buck's adopted half-breed son is gravely ill, forcing Buck to seek help from his married sister whom Kathleen has befriended against the wishes of her social class conscious parents. There is a sweet inevitability to these two lonely people falling in love and finding a way to move past the social barriers and prejudices challenging them.
Home for Thanksgiving , my favorite of the two, introduces us to Ruby and Griff, two lost and lonely souls destined for each other. Ruby is determined to leave behind the town that collectively raised her, but needs an escort to do so. She convinces Griff, who will soon be leaving for his ranch near her destination, to be that escort. A downturn of the weather and Griff's sudden fever and delirium leads to a change in plans, and the opportunity for the two of them to fall in love just as Thanksgiving arrives.
These are part of Harlequin's Love Inspired series, meaning there is a strong faith-based theme to the stories with much praying and coming back to church attendance, which isn't all that appealing to me personally. What is particularly meaningful in these 2 stories is how faith helped these couples survive their respective challenges and loneliness to not only find happiness for themselves, but also make the lives of their extended circle richer.
Each story ended at a Thanksgiving feast with a commitment to love, friendship and family.
December 17, 2013
The writing wasn't spectacular but it wasn't horrible--extremely mediocre and easy to read. The first story by Linda Ford was definitely the definition of sweet. A little too sweet. A little too cliche. I was entirely uninterested in the plot by the end.
The second story, by Winnie Griggs, was better, and the reason I gave the overall rating three stars instead of two. Griggs has a better mastery over characterization. Since these are romance stories the plot is pretty much set in the beginning. It's up to the author to make us care about the characters and ignore some of the more cliche and trite plot developments. Griggs definitely has this knack.
Once again, nothing spectacular but definitely not the worse I've read.
The second story, by Winnie Griggs, was better, and the reason I gave the overall rating three stars instead of two. Griggs has a better mastery over characterization. Since these are romance stories the plot is pretty much set in the beginning. It's up to the author to make us care about the characters and ignore some of the more cliche and trite plot developments. Griggs definitely has this knack.
Once again, nothing spectacular but definitely not the worse I've read.
August 26, 2015
Season of Bounty:
Buck doesn't feel like he can ever settle down. His family's past has caused him and his sister much suffering. But there's something special with Kathleen.
I loved this story! It was so sweet and so romantic. The drama with Kathleen's father kept me wanting to read. I felt that everything was wrapped up a bit too nicely, but I still loved the story!
Five Stars
Home for Thanksgiving:
I could not even finish this one. Actually, the truth is I didn't want to finish this one. There were four books that focused on these characters. I liked the second and third one the best. This book didn't have any drama in it, save for the sickness that happened in the first half of the story. After that it was "Let's have Thanksgiving..."
Two stars
Buck doesn't feel like he can ever settle down. His family's past has caused him and his sister much suffering. But there's something special with Kathleen.
I loved this story! It was so sweet and so romantic. The drama with Kathleen's father kept me wanting to read. I felt that everything was wrapped up a bit too nicely, but I still loved the story!
Five Stars
Home for Thanksgiving:
I could not even finish this one. Actually, the truth is I didn't want to finish this one. There were four books that focused on these characters. I liked the second and third one the best. This book didn't have any drama in it, save for the sickness that happened in the first half of the story. After that it was "Let's have Thanksgiving..."
Two stars
November 27, 2013
The first story was just ok...but I loved the second one!!
April 18, 2022
This was a really great read!! In Season of Bounty, Kathleen and Buck meet and fall in love, though they come from different parts of town. People have tried to blame Buck and his sister for what their father did, and have painted them the same, though both of them have tried to overcome that stigma. When Kathleen and Buck meet, Kathleen has accepted his sister as her friend, and she doesn't have many of those. She welcomes Buck as another friend, and when her parents, especially her father, tries to keep them apart, she realizes she can fight for what she wants or give in. Will she have the strength to fight?
In Home for Thanksgiving, Griff has been wanting a family of his own, but wonders if it's the ranch he loves or himself that women can't accept. When he meets Ruby, he thinks she's like the others. Ruby, though, wants a home and family of her own. She just wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, not an obligation to be taken care of. Will Griff be able to figure this out before he loses her for good?
I love how both books show these couples each get strength from God by following Him and trying to do His will.
In Home for Thanksgiving, Griff has been wanting a family of his own, but wonders if it's the ranch he loves or himself that women can't accept. When he meets Ruby, he thinks she's like the others. Ruby, though, wants a home and family of her own. She just wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, not an obligation to be taken care of. Will Griff be able to figure this out before he loses her for good?
I love how both books show these couples each get strength from God by following Him and trying to do His will.
October 20, 2021
Season of Bounty, Linda Ford 🍂🦃
Very sweet novella involving Buck who has "inherited" the sins of his father and also adopted a half-breed Indian boy named Joey; 2 strikes against him, Rosie, Buck's sister, is also trying to outrun her father's choice and well-to-do Kathleen who is a godly young woman desperately craving friends. She has grown up privileged and her parents do not approve of her heading to the OTHER side of town. I enjoyed the style and faith elements and felt the love of Jesus in the pages.
4☆☆☆☆
🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛
Home for Thanksgiving, Winnie Griggs 🍂🐎
I really liked this faith-filed and tender, short story of two people with past hurts that suddenly find themselves together and getting to know each other rather quickly. The premise that Griff is getting sick at the onset and stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it, was a good one I thought, and not an idea I am used to reading. A testy cat adds more seasoning to the story. The way Griff handles Ruby's history, with kindness and tenderness was endearing. My only complaint is that they fall in love over about a week's time. I can never fully wrap my head around that concept. I still really enjoyed it and give it 4 ☆☆☆☆
🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛
It's always fun to read stories centered around Thanksgiving as I don't think there are that many to be found in the faith-filled, historical fiction genre.
I purchased this book from Thriftbooks.com.
All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.
KNOTTY PINE SERIES:
📕A Christmas Journey
📘The Proper Wife
📗Second Chance Family
📙Home for Thanksgiving
Very sweet novella involving Buck who has "inherited" the sins of his father and also adopted a half-breed Indian boy named Joey; 2 strikes against him, Rosie, Buck's sister, is also trying to outrun her father's choice and well-to-do Kathleen who is a godly young woman desperately craving friends. She has grown up privileged and her parents do not approve of her heading to the OTHER side of town. I enjoyed the style and faith elements and felt the love of Jesus in the pages.
4☆☆☆☆
🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛
Home for Thanksgiving, Winnie Griggs 🍂🐎
I really liked this faith-filed and tender, short story of two people with past hurts that suddenly find themselves together and getting to know each other rather quickly. The premise that Griff is getting sick at the onset and stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it, was a good one I thought, and not an idea I am used to reading. A testy cat adds more seasoning to the story. The way Griff handles Ruby's history, with kindness and tenderness was endearing. My only complaint is that they fall in love over about a week's time. I can never fully wrap my head around that concept. I still really enjoyed it and give it 4 ☆☆☆☆
🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛🤎🧡💛
It's always fun to read stories centered around Thanksgiving as I don't think there are that many to be found in the faith-filled, historical fiction genre.
I purchased this book from Thriftbooks.com.
All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.
KNOTTY PINE SERIES:
📕A Christmas Journey
📘The Proper Wife
📗Second Chance Family
📙Home for Thanksgiving
November 21, 2024
The first book (Linda Ford) isn't anything to write home about. It's basically: "Hi! I'm rich girl who's lonely and trying to befriend poor folk... and that one's super cute, so... Daddy, you're either gonna let me have him and his family over for Thanksgiving and so we can announce that I'm gonna marry him, or I'm leaving!" I... can't even.
The second book (Winnie Griggs) was much better, but it was #4 in a series (and I read them out of order, because they wrote X-mess *BEFORE* Thanksgiving, which is highly annoying). But it was really kind of cute. A girl who was raised by an entire town (because nobody wanted her) leaves the town with an escort who is sick. She ends up getting him home, nursing him to health, and falling in love with him. The only real 'wince' in this one is that he pretty much has fallen in love with every young woman he's ever met (and there hasn't been a lot, since he sticks to his ranch). So his falling for her isn't something new... or heartwarming, actually.
Hrm. Now that I write it out, it doesn't seem as sweet.
The second book (Winnie Griggs) was much better, but it was #4 in a series (and I read them out of order, because they wrote X-mess *BEFORE* Thanksgiving, which is highly annoying). But it was really kind of cute. A girl who was raised by an entire town (because nobody wanted her) leaves the town with an escort who is sick. She ends up getting him home, nursing him to health, and falling in love with him. The only real 'wince' in this one is that he pretty much has fallen in love with every young woman he's ever met (and there hasn't been a lot, since he sticks to his ranch). So his falling for her isn't something new... or heartwarming, actually.
Hrm. Now that I write it out, it doesn't seem as sweet.
November 16, 2019
Two inspirational historical Thanksgiving novellas comprise this book. Linda Ford's story involves a well off daughter of a town leader and a cowboy with an adopted half-breed son and a shady family history finding a way to solve each other's loneliness and make a better future. Winnie Griggs' story involves a young woman who has been a town's obligation most of her life, reaching out to make a fresh start and finding an escort to take her to a new city who then gets extremely sick along the way. Each finds in the other what they didn't know they needed. Both were heartwarming holidays tales.
November 16, 2020
Rating is for the first story, Season of Bounty by Linda Ford. This story was fantastic! The characters were detailed and seemed genuine. I'm impressed by the author's ability to tell such a dynamic story in so few pages. I loved the commentary about social class and racism against Native Americans during the time period.
I got through 2.5 chapters of the second story and gave up. The writing style was not for me and everything seemed dragged out, with a predictable romance brewing. I wasn't invested in either of the main characters and found the reading to be a chore.
I got through 2.5 chapters of the second story and gave up. The writing style was not for me and everything seemed dragged out, with a predictable romance brewing. I wasn't invested in either of the main characters and found the reading to be a chore.
November 11, 2018
SEASON OF BOUNTY Linda Ford
What an incredible story! I love how we're all missing something, yet God can answer with such a bountiful gift!
HOME FOR THANKSGIVING Winnie Griggs
The perfect complimentary story! God has a special way of bringing two halfs together to make both of them complete! I loved how they were both confusing each other's reactions!
What an incredible story! I love how we're all missing something, yet God can answer with such a bountiful gift!
HOME FOR THANKSGIVING Winnie Griggs
The perfect complimentary story! God has a special way of bringing two halfs together to make both of them complete! I loved how they were both confusing each other's reactions!
January 2, 2024
I enjoyed both these stories and enjoyed the Thanksgiving theme. The main characters were likable. I got drawn into the dilemmas each of the couples faced and found myself wanting to see them work things out and achieve their HEA.
June 26, 2017
I loved the two stories in this book.
November 22, 2018
Thanksgiving
This was a great book, by two great authors
How two couples find love. And they both have happy endings
This was a great book, by two great authors
How two couples find love. And they both have happy endings
November 24, 2018
Review coming soon!
May 27, 2019
Sweet stories
November 22, 2020
Season of Bounty - 2.5 stars It was too unrealistic and saccharine sweet.
Home for Thanksgiving - 3.5 stars It was lovely and sweet with endearing characters.
Home for Thanksgiving - 3.5 stars It was lovely and sweet with endearing characters.
Read
November 25, 2022DNF
Didn’t like the first one bc of the writing and it was boring. The second one didn’t grab my interest either
Didn’t like the first one bc of the writing and it was boring. The second one didn’t grab my interest either
February 1, 2012
I liked both the sweet stories in this book. I liked the Thanksgiving themes and found both to be inspiring and well written. I liked Linda Ford's contrast of the wealthy and poor families and God's forgiveness bridging the gap between Buck and Kathleen.
I am a Winnie Griggs fan and always enjoy the comfortable tone of her stories,like friends enjoying a cup of tea. I really liked Ruby Tuggle and her adopted cat, Patience. I particularly liked reading about Ruby's courage in taking control of her life and making a new start. Griff and his ranch family and his reactions to Ruby and the cat made the story more fun and interesting. I'm still a Winnie Griggs fan! Thanks Winnie. I recently got "The Heart's Song" and am adding it to reading table.
I am a Winnie Griggs fan and always enjoy the comfortable tone of her stories,like friends enjoying a cup of tea. I really liked Ruby Tuggle and her adopted cat, Patience. I particularly liked reading about Ruby's courage in taking control of her life and making a new start. Griff and his ranch family and his reactions to Ruby and the cat made the story more fun and interesting. I'm still a Winnie Griggs fan! Thanks Winnie. I recently got "The Heart's Song" and am adding it to reading table.
October 24, 2011
I liked the first well enough - rich girl finding meaning in life and a spine with bonus love interest - but I didn't feel that we got to know either of them very well at all. It was sweet, but not much more than that. The second - girl trying to start a new life asks gentlemen to be her escort to the new city and they end up taking care of each other - flowed so smoothly and I loved the main characters so much. It took a lot of remembering to realize I'd read another story in the series, though, about Josie and Griff's brother Ry. Not necessary to understanding this story, clearly, but still nice. Excellent storytelling.
January 19, 2012
This book contains two sweet stories, one by Linda Ford and one by Winnie Griggs. I liked them both, particularly the one by Ms. Griggs! Her style of story-telling is easy to read and has a lovely flow to it. Her characters were believable and the story had just the right amount of tension in it.
Both stories were positive and left me feeling inspired.
Both stories were positive and left me feeling inspired.
September 8, 2011
There are two books in this one book, one called Season of Bounty by Linda Ford and the other ne called Home for Thanksgiving by Winnie Griggs. I liked them both, but really enjoyed the second one best.
February 20, 2013
I like to read holiday stories not around the holidays, as it helps me to remember that being thankful is not something just for Thanksgiving! These two cute stories were perfect for such a reminder! So much in life to love and appreciate...
July 18, 2012
Both stories were good, but I definitely preferred the second story. It was the hero that got to me in the second story. It does make me want to read the first of the Hawk's Creek stories.
October 23, 2013
I loved this story. The characters become personal friends. I also loved how God's unconditional love for us is intertwined in the story.
January 9, 2014
Enjoyed both of these stories about the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
June 20, 2015
Very good reading.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews