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Those Manning Men
That Holiday Feeling: Silver Bells / The Perfect Holiday / Under the Christmas Tree
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber
In this classic story, Debbie brings those Manning men and Manning sisters home for a mistletoe marriage when a single dad finally says "I do."
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods
Will bachelor Trace Franklin become a groom-to-be by Christmastime? He sure will…if Savannah Holiday's aunt Mae has anything to do with it.
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr
When the folks of Virgin River discover a box of adorable puppies under the town's Christmas tree they call on local vet Nathaniel Jensen for help. But it's his budding romance with Annie McCarty that really has tongues�and tails�wagging!
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
409 people are currently reading
4798 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Macomber
914 books20.7k followersDebbie 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
October 3, 2009
This book contains two previously released holiday stories by Debbie Macomber and Sherryl Woods, and a new release from the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. This review is for the Robin Carr story, Under The Christmas Tree.
When Jack Sheridan's young 3 year old son David finds a box of newborn puppies under the town's 30 foot high Christmas tree, the adventure has just begun for 28 year old Annie McKenzie.
Annie's a hairdresser with her own salon in the town of Fortuna, and passing through Virgin River on her way to her parent's place in a neighboring community. Annie grew up on her parent's dairy farm and loves animals, so of course she has a soft spot for the nearly frozen young pups and gets involved in their care. She doesn't want to see the puppies end up at a shelter, and convinces Jack to keep the pups at his bar for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted. She promises to come by after work each day to do her share caring for them, so Jack reluctantly agrees.
When the local vet is called to check out the pups, Annie believes that "Old Doc Jensen" is on his way. But when the "best male eye candy she's seen in a long time" walks through the door of Jack's bar, Annie forgets all about the vet who's due to arrive. So who's the tall, handsome, dark haired hunk, and why does he look vaguely familiar?
Turns out it's Nathaniel Jensen, "Old Doc's" 32 year old son, and a vet himself. Nate's recently taken over his Dad's practice--and hasn't he seen the attractive redhead before? Ah yes, she cut his hair once--and they had a disagreement about the 'product' she used in his hair. After Annie and Nate get to talking, they realize that they vaguely remember each other from their teenage years. But Nate remembers a freckle-faced, skinny kid with braces, who trailed after her older brothers. But my, oh my, has she changed and filled out nicely...
So while Annie arrives at Jack's Bar every day after work, coincidentally, so does Nate. Is he interested in the puppies, or is he interested in Annie? They spend lots of time talking, getting to know each other, taking care of the pups, and having dinner at Jack's place. A nice friendship develops, and they find that besides being attracted to each other, they have a lot in common and have a similar outlook on life.
When Jack decides that the puppies are getting to be too much to handle while he's trying to run his bar/restaurant, Nate agrees to move them to his house--that is, if Annie agrees to come over and help him. Annie knows that Nate would like their relationship to move to the next level, but she's been badly burned by an unfaithful boyfriend in the recent past, so she has 'trust' issues. And she's also not entirely confident in her ability to keep Nate 'interested'--she's just a 'farm girl', and doesn't think she's as sophisticated or worldly as the more well-travelled Nate. So before she puts her trust in Nate, he's got some proving to do...
I loved how Nate and Annie's relationship developed. First they started as friends (no hopping into bed right off the bat), they talked about everything, and you could see the relationship heating up in an entirely believable way. I cared about both characters and wanted to see them happy. Nate had scheduled a holiday vacation (before he met Annie) to be with his vet school buddies in the Caribbean, and I loved seeing that Annie was secure enough in the relationship to insist that Nate go and enjoy himself.
Now the love scene was about PG-13 (and some of it was off the pages)--about what you'd expect from Robyn Carr, which was okay with me, becaue it was romantic and fit the story. Carr is such a great, detailed storyteller, you won't even notice that there's only one scene. The ending, where Nate goes on his trip and tells his buddies what Annie means to him, and later tells Annie what she means to him, had me tearing up. This guy's a keeper!
So if you need a 'Virgin River' fix (and technically, this book doesn't really take place in Virgin River and the only previous VR characters you'll see are Jack and David, and Preacher and his son Christopher)this one does nicely. It's short, it's sweet, but it's like coming home again. 4 stars
When Jack Sheridan's young 3 year old son David finds a box of newborn puppies under the town's 30 foot high Christmas tree, the adventure has just begun for 28 year old Annie McKenzie.
Annie's a hairdresser with her own salon in the town of Fortuna, and passing through Virgin River on her way to her parent's place in a neighboring community. Annie grew up on her parent's dairy farm and loves animals, so of course she has a soft spot for the nearly frozen young pups and gets involved in their care. She doesn't want to see the puppies end up at a shelter, and convinces Jack to keep the pups at his bar for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted. She promises to come by after work each day to do her share caring for them, so Jack reluctantly agrees.
When the local vet is called to check out the pups, Annie believes that "Old Doc Jensen" is on his way. But when the "best male eye candy she's seen in a long time" walks through the door of Jack's bar, Annie forgets all about the vet who's due to arrive. So who's the tall, handsome, dark haired hunk, and why does he look vaguely familiar?
Turns out it's Nathaniel Jensen, "Old Doc's" 32 year old son, and a vet himself. Nate's recently taken over his Dad's practice--and hasn't he seen the attractive redhead before? Ah yes, she cut his hair once--and they had a disagreement about the 'product' she used in his hair. After Annie and Nate get to talking, they realize that they vaguely remember each other from their teenage years. But Nate remembers a freckle-faced, skinny kid with braces, who trailed after her older brothers. But my, oh my, has she changed and filled out nicely...
So while Annie arrives at Jack's Bar every day after work, coincidentally, so does Nate. Is he interested in the puppies, or is he interested in Annie? They spend lots of time talking, getting to know each other, taking care of the pups, and having dinner at Jack's place. A nice friendship develops, and they find that besides being attracted to each other, they have a lot in common and have a similar outlook on life.
When Jack decides that the puppies are getting to be too much to handle while he's trying to run his bar/restaurant, Nate agrees to move them to his house--that is, if Annie agrees to come over and help him. Annie knows that Nate would like their relationship to move to the next level, but she's been badly burned by an unfaithful boyfriend in the recent past, so she has 'trust' issues. And she's also not entirely confident in her ability to keep Nate 'interested'--she's just a 'farm girl', and doesn't think she's as sophisticated or worldly as the more well-travelled Nate. So before she puts her trust in Nate, he's got some proving to do...
I loved how Nate and Annie's relationship developed. First they started as friends (no hopping into bed right off the bat), they talked about everything, and you could see the relationship heating up in an entirely believable way. I cared about both characters and wanted to see them happy. Nate had scheduled a holiday vacation (before he met Annie) to be with his vet school buddies in the Caribbean, and I loved seeing that Annie was secure enough in the relationship to insist that Nate go and enjoy himself.
Now the love scene was about PG-13 (and some of it was off the pages)--about what you'd expect from Robyn Carr, which was okay with me, becaue it was romantic and fit the story. Carr is such a great, detailed storyteller, you won't even notice that there's only one scene. The ending, where Nate goes on his trip and tells his buddies what Annie means to him, and later tells Annie what she means to him, had me tearing up. This guy's a keeper!
So if you need a 'Virgin River' fix (and technically, this book doesn't really take place in Virgin River and the only previous VR characters you'll see are Jack and David, and Preacher and his son Christopher)this one does nicely. It's short, it's sweet, but it's like coming home again. 4 stars
October 8, 2009
This is the perfect book if you want to read something sweet, simple, festive and romantic. None of the three stories are particularly meaty, but they were fun to read and just all around enjoyable.
The first novella, Silver Bells, by Debbie Macomber is part of her Manning family series as the heroine, Carrie Weston, is the daughter of one of the Mannings. Years ago, as a teenager, she's helped set her mom up with the man she ended up marrying. Now history is repeating itself. A divorced father, Philip Lark, has moved into her building and the Philip's daughter has decided her dad should marry Carrie. Philip resists his daughter's machinations, but he can't hold out against Carrie for long.
I considered not reading this story since I knew is was part of a series and I didn't want to read this one and then want to go back and read the other stories. But I read it anyway and thankfully, the story stands fine on its own and I don't feel any burning need to read the series backlist (no offense to Macomber or the series...I just have too many books to read as it is). Macomber does a good job making this story independent yet getting a a little sense of the history going on. Even so, this one was my least favorite story in the anthology. Just because I thought it was too short and too simplistic. I wanted there to be a little bit more to the story. But it wasn't bad in any sense. I just liked the others better.
The second novella, The Perfect Holiday, by Sherryl Woods is probably tied with the third novella as my favorites of the anthology. Savannah Holiday has moved to Vermont to the old Inn she inherited from her recently deceased Great Aunt. After a tough divorce, financial problems and disapproval from her family, it's just what she and her daughter need. Then Trace Franklin shows up. He'd befriended Savannah's aunt years ago and was returning to the Inn to spend Christmas there, as a last request to his friend. He didn't expect to find Savannah. And though he knows it was purposeful matchmaking on Mae's part, he can't resist Savannah or her daughter.
This one was just a nice, sweet story. The kind the gives you fluffy bunny feelings when you finish. Savannah and Trace are two lonely people who find comfort, companionship and love with each other. I thought Trace was so sweet to Savannah. And there was just enough steam to the story to give it some sexiness. I just enjoyed reading it. Though I was left wondering about one thing when I finished...where did they plan to live? Trace's business was in NYC and Savannah owned the Inn in Vermont. There wasn't any resolution there and I wish there had been.
And the last novella, Under the Christmas Tree, by Robyn Carr is an off-shoot of her Virgin River series. It's not directly connected to the events of the main novels, but takes place in the same area and utilizes some continuing characters. You can probably read this novella without having read the other books in the series.
In this story, Annie McKenzie passes through Virgin River every so often and stops in at Jack's Bar. She decides to stop there one day near the holiday and see if the town center tree is up yet. It is but as she's standing there, Jack's son finds a litter of puppies left under the tree. They are nearly frozen to death but Annie is determined to nurse them back to help - with the help of Jack, the Virgin River citizens, and sexy vet Nathaniel Jensen. From the start the two are attracted to each other, but Annie believes she's not good enough for Nate and it's up to him to prove otherwise.
I always love going back to Virgin River. It's such a great place to read about, and even though this book doesn't take place solely in Virgin River, you get enough to satisfy. It's nice to visit with Jack, Preacher and the rest of the gang. The romance of the novella was good was well. For such a short story, I thought Carr did a good job of making it well-rounded. I liked Annie and Nate and they had good chemistry. And hey, there were puppies in the story! What's not to love about puppies? Plus I liked what Nate did at the end of the story. If that's not love, what is? This was just and all-around solid romantic short story. It has me eagerly anticipating the new upcoming VR trilogy.
The first novella, Silver Bells, by Debbie Macomber is part of her Manning family series as the heroine, Carrie Weston, is the daughter of one of the Mannings. Years ago, as a teenager, she's helped set her mom up with the man she ended up marrying. Now history is repeating itself. A divorced father, Philip Lark, has moved into her building and the Philip's daughter has decided her dad should marry Carrie. Philip resists his daughter's machinations, but he can't hold out against Carrie for long.
I considered not reading this story since I knew is was part of a series and I didn't want to read this one and then want to go back and read the other stories. But I read it anyway and thankfully, the story stands fine on its own and I don't feel any burning need to read the series backlist (no offense to Macomber or the series...I just have too many books to read as it is). Macomber does a good job making this story independent yet getting a a little sense of the history going on. Even so, this one was my least favorite story in the anthology. Just because I thought it was too short and too simplistic. I wanted there to be a little bit more to the story. But it wasn't bad in any sense. I just liked the others better.
The second novella, The Perfect Holiday, by Sherryl Woods is probably tied with the third novella as my favorites of the anthology. Savannah Holiday has moved to Vermont to the old Inn she inherited from her recently deceased Great Aunt. After a tough divorce, financial problems and disapproval from her family, it's just what she and her daughter need. Then Trace Franklin shows up. He'd befriended Savannah's aunt years ago and was returning to the Inn to spend Christmas there, as a last request to his friend. He didn't expect to find Savannah. And though he knows it was purposeful matchmaking on Mae's part, he can't resist Savannah or her daughter.
This one was just a nice, sweet story. The kind the gives you fluffy bunny feelings when you finish. Savannah and Trace are two lonely people who find comfort, companionship and love with each other. I thought Trace was so sweet to Savannah. And there was just enough steam to the story to give it some sexiness. I just enjoyed reading it. Though I was left wondering about one thing when I finished...where did they plan to live? Trace's business was in NYC and Savannah owned the Inn in Vermont. There wasn't any resolution there and I wish there had been.
And the last novella, Under the Christmas Tree, by Robyn Carr is an off-shoot of her Virgin River series. It's not directly connected to the events of the main novels, but takes place in the same area and utilizes some continuing characters. You can probably read this novella without having read the other books in the series.
In this story, Annie McKenzie passes through Virgin River every so often and stops in at Jack's Bar. She decides to stop there one day near the holiday and see if the town center tree is up yet. It is but as she's standing there, Jack's son finds a litter of puppies left under the tree. They are nearly frozen to death but Annie is determined to nurse them back to help - with the help of Jack, the Virgin River citizens, and sexy vet Nathaniel Jensen. From the start the two are attracted to each other, but Annie believes she's not good enough for Nate and it's up to him to prove otherwise.
I always love going back to Virgin River. It's such a great place to read about, and even though this book doesn't take place solely in Virgin River, you get enough to satisfy. It's nice to visit with Jack, Preacher and the rest of the gang. The romance of the novella was good was well. For such a short story, I thought Carr did a good job of making it well-rounded. I liked Annie and Nate and they had good chemistry. And hey, there were puppies in the story! What's not to love about puppies? Plus I liked what Nate did at the end of the story. If that's not love, what is? This was just and all-around solid romantic short story. It has me eagerly anticipating the new upcoming VR trilogy.
November 13, 2011
The Macomber and Woods stories were pretty lame. I hadn't read anything by either of them before but I was particularly unimpressed with Macomber's contribution. Zero chemistry with that couple. And knowing that it was a story fans of one of her series had asked for (regarding a side character in a past installment) made it even worse. This story is exactly why you should be careful about requesting stories for your favorite side characters. I know I'll still do it -- as will everyone -- but never forget that it's a good chance the author's going to phone it in if the inspiration wasn't hers/his to begin with.
Woods had a better story line. Although, like Macomber, she went with the "strangers to soulmates in sixty seconds" trope it flowed more smoothly and there was a believable spark between the two leads. The holiday details were richer and more engaging as well which I tend to think is kind of important in a holiday themed anthology.
Carr's story was far and away the best of the three. The Virgin River setting is always a hit with me but the success of her contribution was due to a patient narrative with two engaging characters who really seemed perfect together. It didn't feel forced and I liked that, even though they didn't actually know each other, they weren't total strangers to begin with. They also fell in love over a longer period of time which made the whole thing much more satisfying. And there were puppies. I love puppies.
SILVER BELLS by Debbie Macomber: 1 star
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY by Sherryl Woods: 3 stars
UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE by Robyn Carr: 4.5 stars
Woods had a better story line. Although, like Macomber, she went with the "strangers to soulmates in sixty seconds" trope it flowed more smoothly and there was a believable spark between the two leads. The holiday details were richer and more engaging as well which I tend to think is kind of important in a holiday themed anthology.
Carr's story was far and away the best of the three. The Virgin River setting is always a hit with me but the success of her contribution was due to a patient narrative with two engaging characters who really seemed perfect together. It didn't feel forced and I liked that, even though they didn't actually know each other, they weren't total strangers to begin with. They also fell in love over a longer period of time which made the whole thing much more satisfying. And there were puppies. I love puppies.
SILVER BELLS by Debbie Macomber: 1 star
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY by Sherryl Woods: 3 stars
UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE by Robyn Carr: 4.5 stars
October 15, 2009
Rating is for 'Under the Christmas Tree' by Robyn Carr(Virgin River, #8) only. Never read the others.
I just love this series. This was a great, sweet romantic story that brings us back to Virgin River. A handsome vet falls for a country girl hair-stylist as they work to save eight little abandoned puppies. Nathaniel Jensen was nothing short of yummy, and Annie McCarty was someone I'd very much like to be friends with. These two were great together. I only wish this story was longer as I would have enjoyed to spend more time with these two.
I just love this series. This was a great, sweet romantic story that brings us back to Virgin River. A handsome vet falls for a country girl hair-stylist as they work to save eight little abandoned puppies. Nathaniel Jensen was nothing short of yummy, and Annie McCarty was someone I'd very much like to be friends with. These two were great together. I only wish this story was longer as I would have enjoyed to spend more time with these two.
December 26, 2016
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber - Silver Bells is the final, wrap-up novella for Debbie Macomber's Those Manning Men series. Before I started reading it, I wondered who this story was about as all the Mannings had already found their HEAs. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the heroine is Carrie Weston, the daughter of Charlotte and step-daughter of Jason (Bride on the Loose). In their book, she'd been the meddling, matchmaking teen who brought her mom and step-dad together. Now, in her own story, Carri gets a taste of her own medicine as the daughter of a divorced man who lives in the same apartment building decides to do a little meddling of her own in her dad's love life.
Carrie is a fun and free-spirited young woman who has been rather attracted to her neighbor since he moved in. She's kind-hearted toward everyone, even the other tenants who are an odd, eccentric bunch. She willingly helps one of them by going out to feed the stray cats in the neighborhood for which the other woman normally cares. She also barely bats an eyelash at taking Philip's thirteen-year-old daughter under her wing along with her two little brothers, baking cookies and just having fun together. Carrie is an all-around great girl who would be impossible not to like, and much to his chagrin, Philip feels the same way. After a messy divorce, he's still pretty gun-shy around women. He's not really looking to get involved with anyone until his daughter pushes him and Carrie together. Then he can't ignore his pretty neighbor anymore, and reluctantly comes around to realizing she's perfect for both him and Mackenzie.
I'd say the one weakness in this novella is that it was a little to short too fully develop the characters and their romance. Their feelings for one another come about pretty quickly, perhaps a little too quickly to be entirely believable. That's mostly been the case with all the stories in this series, but with the others there were a few more pages to make that all-important connection. Here I didn't feel it quite as palpably, and there were a few moments of telling rather than showing. However, for a short, holiday-themed novella it wasn't bad, and it was nice to read about another Manning celebration. These people know how to throw a party where everyone feels welcome. Overall, I thought Silver Bells was a nice wrap-up to the series. Star Rating: ****
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods - The Perfect Holiday was a sweet, heartwarming Christmas tale and my first read by Sherryl Woods. The author really managed to set the Christmas mood at a snowy bed & breakfast in Vermont with all the trappings of the holiday season. The way the heroine's aunt was still playing matchmaker from beyond the grave added a fun, whimsical touch to the story. Mae was obviously a very wise woman who knew that her niece and the young man who'd become a dear friend to her would make a perfect couple.
Savannah was a wonderful single mother who was struggling a bit with loneliness and a sense of belonging after an unpleasant divorce from her workaholic husband. Aunt Mae had bequeathed her bed & breakfast, Holiday Retreat, to Savannah when she passed away. The place is badly in need of repairs and refurbishing though. The inn has been in Savannah's family for generations, so in spite of having very little money, she is determined to do what needs to be done to get the place running again. Savannah had obviously raised her daughter well, because Hannah was simply excited by the holiday season and didn't even complain about not getting gifts for Christmas when Savannah told her they couldn't afford it. Savannah also was a great cook and a hard worker, who I was convinced could set the inn to rights and would be a success running it.
Trace was a workaholic himself which initially scares Savannah away from him even though she's very attracted to him. Trace proves himself far different from her ex-husband though, when he lays aside his work to help her with repairs on the inn and holiday preparations. He never had happy Christmases growing up and is surprised to find spending the holiday season with Savannah and Hannah is fun. Trace had been a great friend to Mae and learned many valuable lessons from her. At first, he only goes to Holiday Retreat to honor Mae's memory, but soon it becomes far more than that to him as he finds himself falling in love with Savannah.
The Perfect Holiday takes place over just a few days time, so it requires some suspension of disbelief to accept that Trace and Savannah could fall in love and be ready for a lifetime commitment so quickly. Between the magic of the holiday season and Mae's matchmaking from beyond the grave, it wasn't too difficult for me to believe in this couple's HEA. Overall, this was a perfect little story to get me in the holiday spirit, and it has definitely left me open to trying Sherryl Woods other works. This novella was also previously published in the anthology, So This Is Christmas. Star Rating: ****
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr – A hot veterinarian, a kind-hearted, Christmas and animal loving beautician, and a litter of eight abandoned newborn puppies combine to make Under the Christmas Tree another heartwarming holiday story in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but most of the books in this series have some fairly heavy themes, so it was a nice change of pace to relax and unwind with a fun, lighthearted story that didn't contain any real angst. It also marked the first time in the series that one of the main characters wasn't a former service member.
Annie is an occasional visitor to Virgin River. She stopped by to see their famous Christmas tree and was just in time to witness the discovery of a box of abandoned puppies underneath it. Annie is a caring animal lover and couldn't bear to see the puppies taken to a shelter, so she generously offered to come back every evening after work to help take care of them. Most people wouldn't be nearly so committed, but Annie worked tirelessly to ensure the puppies well-being until she could find homes for them. She's also a big family person, who loves spending the holidays with her parents and siblings, and loves Christmas in general. The way she's always helping her mom bake or decorating for the holidays is something I admire and wish I had the time and patience for. Throughout all this mayhem, Annie gets reacquainted with Nathaniel, someone she knew as a kid, but she recently had her heart broken by a philandering ex and isn't quite sure if she can trust Nate.
Nathaniel lives in the area and is a large-animal vet. When Jack calls him about the puppies, he comes to the bar as a favor but doesn't intend to get too involved until he sees Annie. Nate remembers her as a gangly, freckled-faced girl with a mop of curly, orange-red hair and braces. Needless to say, they've both changed a lot, and Nate quickly finds himself wanting to get to know her again. Nate is a consummate charmer, who is slightly cocky and self-assured, but in an endearing way. He had intended to spend Christmas in the Bahamas with his vet school friends, but finding Annie makes him start to rethink his plan.
There was much to enjoy about this novella, not the least of which are the puppies and the wonderful sense of Christmas cheer. I also liked that instead of falling right into bed with one another, Nate and Annie have some leisurely make-out sessions while taking their time getting to know one another. It was fun to see Jack, Preacher, their sons, Christopher and David, and some of the other Virgin River residents rounding out the cast. Overall, Under the Christmas Tree was another short story from this anthology which left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling and really put me in the mood for Christmas. Star Rating: ****1/2
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber - Silver Bells is the final, wrap-up novella for Debbie Macomber's Those Manning Men series. Before I started reading it, I wondered who this story was about as all the Mannings had already found their HEAs. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the heroine is Carrie Weston, the daughter of Charlotte and step-daughter of Jason (Bride on the Loose). In their book, she'd been the meddling, matchmaking teen who brought her mom and step-dad together. Now, in her own story, Carri gets a taste of her own medicine as the daughter of a divorced man who lives in the same apartment building decides to do a little meddling of her own in her dad's love life.
Carrie is a fun and free-spirited young woman who has been rather attracted to her neighbor since he moved in. She's kind-hearted toward everyone, even the other tenants who are an odd, eccentric bunch. She willingly helps one of them by going out to feed the stray cats in the neighborhood for which the other woman normally cares. She also barely bats an eyelash at taking Philip's thirteen-year-old daughter under her wing along with her two little brothers, baking cookies and just having fun together. Carrie is an all-around great girl who would be impossible not to like, and much to his chagrin, Philip feels the same way. After a messy divorce, he's still pretty gun-shy around women. He's not really looking to get involved with anyone until his daughter pushes him and Carrie together. Then he can't ignore his pretty neighbor anymore, and reluctantly comes around to realizing she's perfect for both him and Mackenzie.
I'd say the one weakness in this novella is that it was a little to short too fully develop the characters and their romance. Their feelings for one another come about pretty quickly, perhaps a little too quickly to be entirely believable. That's mostly been the case with all the stories in this series, but with the others there were a few more pages to make that all-important connection. Here I didn't feel it quite as palpably, and there were a few moments of telling rather than showing. However, for a short, holiday-themed novella it wasn't bad, and it was nice to read about another Manning celebration. These people know how to throw a party where everyone feels welcome. Overall, I thought Silver Bells was a nice wrap-up to the series. Star Rating: ****
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods - The Perfect Holiday was a sweet, heartwarming Christmas tale and my first read by Sherryl Woods. The author really managed to set the Christmas mood at a snowy bed & breakfast in Vermont with all the trappings of the holiday season. The way the heroine's aunt was still playing matchmaker from beyond the grave added a fun, whimsical touch to the story. Mae was obviously a very wise woman who knew that her niece and the young man who'd become a dear friend to her would make a perfect couple.
Savannah was a wonderful single mother who was struggling a bit with loneliness and a sense of belonging after an unpleasant divorce from her workaholic husband. Aunt Mae had bequeathed her bed & breakfast, Holiday Retreat, to Savannah when she passed away. The place is badly in need of repairs and refurbishing though. The inn has been in Savannah's family for generations, so in spite of having very little money, she is determined to do what needs to be done to get the place running again. Savannah had obviously raised her daughter well, because Hannah was simply excited by the holiday season and didn't even complain about not getting gifts for Christmas when Savannah told her they couldn't afford it. Savannah also was a great cook and a hard worker, who I was convinced could set the inn to rights and would be a success running it.
Trace was a workaholic himself which initially scares Savannah away from him even though she's very attracted to him. Trace proves himself far different from her ex-husband though, when he lays aside his work to help her with repairs on the inn and holiday preparations. He never had happy Christmases growing up and is surprised to find spending the holiday season with Savannah and Hannah is fun. Trace had been a great friend to Mae and learned many valuable lessons from her. At first, he only goes to Holiday Retreat to honor Mae's memory, but soon it becomes far more than that to him as he finds himself falling in love with Savannah.
The Perfect Holiday takes place over just a few days time, so it requires some suspension of disbelief to accept that Trace and Savannah could fall in love and be ready for a lifetime commitment so quickly. Between the magic of the holiday season and Mae's matchmaking from beyond the grave, it wasn't too difficult for me to believe in this couple's HEA. Overall, this was a perfect little story to get me in the holiday spirit, and it has definitely left me open to trying Sherryl Woods other works. This novella was also previously published in the anthology, So This Is Christmas. Star Rating: ****
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr – A hot veterinarian, a kind-hearted, Christmas and animal loving beautician, and a litter of eight abandoned newborn puppies combine to make Under the Christmas Tree another heartwarming holiday story in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but most of the books in this series have some fairly heavy themes, so it was a nice change of pace to relax and unwind with a fun, lighthearted story that didn't contain any real angst. It also marked the first time in the series that one of the main characters wasn't a former service member.
Annie is an occasional visitor to Virgin River. She stopped by to see their famous Christmas tree and was just in time to witness the discovery of a box of abandoned puppies underneath it. Annie is a caring animal lover and couldn't bear to see the puppies taken to a shelter, so she generously offered to come back every evening after work to help take care of them. Most people wouldn't be nearly so committed, but Annie worked tirelessly to ensure the puppies well-being until she could find homes for them. She's also a big family person, who loves spending the holidays with her parents and siblings, and loves Christmas in general. The way she's always helping her mom bake or decorating for the holidays is something I admire and wish I had the time and patience for. Throughout all this mayhem, Annie gets reacquainted with Nathaniel, someone she knew as a kid, but she recently had her heart broken by a philandering ex and isn't quite sure if she can trust Nate.
Nathaniel lives in the area and is a large-animal vet. When Jack calls him about the puppies, he comes to the bar as a favor but doesn't intend to get too involved until he sees Annie. Nate remembers her as a gangly, freckled-faced girl with a mop of curly, orange-red hair and braces. Needless to say, they've both changed a lot, and Nate quickly finds himself wanting to get to know her again. Nate is a consummate charmer, who is slightly cocky and self-assured, but in an endearing way. He had intended to spend Christmas in the Bahamas with his vet school friends, but finding Annie makes him start to rethink his plan.
There was much to enjoy about this novella, not the least of which are the puppies and the wonderful sense of Christmas cheer. I also liked that instead of falling right into bed with one another, Nate and Annie have some leisurely make-out sessions while taking their time getting to know one another. It was fun to see Jack, Preacher, their sons, Christopher and David, and some of the other Virgin River residents rounding out the cast. Overall, Under the Christmas Tree was another short story from this anthology which left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling and really put me in the mood for Christmas. Star Rating: ****1/2
June 14, 2015
This Christmas anthology contained three short stories:
1. Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber
This was part of a series that I have not read. It was set in Seattle and the main characters were Carrie Weston (from earlier books) and Philip Lark.
Okay, short, feel-good Christmas story. Didn't make me want to rush out and find the earlier books in this series, though.
3 Stars
2. The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods
Another okay, Christmas story. Newly divorced Savannah and her young daughter moved from Florida to New England to assume ownership of the Holiday Retreat that was bequeathed by Savannah's aunt. Dear 'old Aunt Mae played matchmaker from the grave by arranging Trace Franklin to be at the Inn over Christmas, too.
Nice, fun read.
3 1/2 Stars
3. Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr
Number 8 in the Virgin River series and the reason I bought this book! So much fun to go back to Virgin River, enter Jack's Bar. Jack and Preacher were the only two previous characters to have any REAL dialogue in this short story.
It was centered around Annie McCarty (owner of a beauty shop and local farm girl) meeting Nate Jensen, DVM, who took over his father's large animal veterinary practice and a box of 8 puppies found by 2 1/2 year old David (Jack and Mel's little boy).
Heartwarming, tender, enjoyable and had me smiling.
4 Stars
1. Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber
This was part of a series that I have not read. It was set in Seattle and the main characters were Carrie Weston (from earlier books) and Philip Lark.
Okay, short, feel-good Christmas story. Didn't make me want to rush out and find the earlier books in this series, though.
3 Stars
2. The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods
Another okay, Christmas story. Newly divorced Savannah and her young daughter moved from Florida to New England to assume ownership of the Holiday Retreat that was bequeathed by Savannah's aunt. Dear 'old Aunt Mae played matchmaker from the grave by arranging Trace Franklin to be at the Inn over Christmas, too.
Nice, fun read.
3 1/2 Stars
3. Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr
Number 8 in the Virgin River series and the reason I bought this book! So much fun to go back to Virgin River, enter Jack's Bar. Jack and Preacher were the only two previous characters to have any REAL dialogue in this short story.
It was centered around Annie McCarty (owner of a beauty shop and local farm girl) meeting Nate Jensen, DVM, who took over his father's large animal veterinary practice and a box of 8 puppies found by 2 1/2 year old David (Jack and Mel's little boy).
Heartwarming, tender, enjoyable and had me smiling.
4 Stars
October 28, 2009
I got this book for the Robyn Carr/Virgin River story. I have never read anything by the other two authors, that I know of, and I really wasn't that impressed.
Romances created in a hundred pages are usually hard for me to believe, and Debbie Maccomber and Sherryl Woods' stories were no exception.
Maybe I am a little more lactose intolerant than most readers, but these stories were smothered in cheese and it was just a little too much for me to digest.
I love Christmas and I love romances, so I was sure these stories were going to be perfect for me. I guess I just prefer my romances and my holidays to be "hokey free."
Robyn Carr's tale was by far the best and the most real, though it came pretty close to the cheese factory a time or two.
Definitely not my favorite anthology, but for those of you who aren't afraid of a little fromage, grab a glass of wine and some crackers and enjoy! It's a quick and easy read.
Romances created in a hundred pages are usually hard for me to believe, and Debbie Maccomber and Sherryl Woods' stories were no exception.
Maybe I am a little more lactose intolerant than most readers, but these stories were smothered in cheese and it was just a little too much for me to digest.
I love Christmas and I love romances, so I was sure these stories were going to be perfect for me. I guess I just prefer my romances and my holidays to be "hokey free."
Robyn Carr's tale was by far the best and the most real, though it came pretty close to the cheese factory a time or two.
Definitely not my favorite anthology, but for those of you who aren't afraid of a little fromage, grab a glass of wine and some crackers and enjoy! It's a quick and easy read.
Read
November 28, 2009I love CLEAN romances. The first story was very predictable and clean, but the second story started into a very descriptive scene and I put the book down. I'm not going to finish it--I don't go for smutty books. And that's always the problem I have with romances--when I try a new author, I never know when they'll write a cute story and something I like and when they'll write something that would be "rated R."
October 22, 2015
I only read the Robyn Carr story. I loved Nate and Annie. I loved how Annie was very contrary and really made Nate work to win her over. I also loved how Nate was suddenly struck dumb when he realized that he loved Annie. The glimpse into Virgin River with the puppies was fun too,especially when they were at the bar.
July 31, 2019
I read this some time ago but that was before I was reviewing. I enjoy all of Debbie Macomber books and enjoy a break from all the sex-filled stories that can be unrealistic at times.
April 2, 2012
Of this collection I have read Silver Bells By Debbie Macomber and Under the Christmas Tree By Robyn Carr. I pick this up to read Under the Christmas Tree as I am reading my way through the Virgin River Series. It was cute story about what I expect from these sorts or Christmas collections. Nice little falling in love story with puppies- who doesn’t like puppies? It is less involved than the typical Virgin River story but I expected that as it is just about a hundred pages. I was not disappointed.
This is the first I have read Debbie Macomber’s work. I see her books on my recommendation list here all the time. So, I thought I’d try it too and maybe get a feel for her style. Silver Bells has some nice quirky characters that remind me of some of the neighbors that I have had in the past. It clearly fits in with a series that I haven’t read. I might have liked it more if I were already attached to some of the characters. Again this is what I expected to find in a Christmas collection. I might pick-up few of her books and see what her full length novels are like.
I haven’t gotten to The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods yet, but I plan to read it later after I have read the rest of the Virgin River books.
Update
I finally got back to this book after a week of reading most of the Virgin River books and read The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods. It was another 3 stars story. Trace and Savannah are both in the right place at the right time due to the preplanning of Mae Holiday Savannah’s Aunt. Mae is match making for Trace and Savannah even after her death. Of course things are perfect… The predictability of the story wasn’t a problem this is a Christmas collection after all. If I were reading at Christmas time this would be just the book to read. Nice pick me up stories but nothing too involved that I couldn’t pry myself away to pull the cookies from the oven.
This is the first I have read Debbie Macomber’s work. I see her books on my recommendation list here all the time. So, I thought I’d try it too and maybe get a feel for her style. Silver Bells has some nice quirky characters that remind me of some of the neighbors that I have had in the past. It clearly fits in with a series that I haven’t read. I might have liked it more if I were already attached to some of the characters. Again this is what I expected to find in a Christmas collection. I might pick-up few of her books and see what her full length novels are like.
I haven’t gotten to The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods yet, but I plan to read it later after I have read the rest of the Virgin River books.
Update
I finally got back to this book after a week of reading most of the Virgin River books and read The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods. It was another 3 stars story. Trace and Savannah are both in the right place at the right time due to the preplanning of Mae Holiday Savannah’s Aunt. Mae is match making for Trace and Savannah even after her death. Of course things are perfect… The predictability of the story wasn’t a problem this is a Christmas collection after all. If I were reading at Christmas time this would be just the book to read. Nice pick me up stories but nothing too involved that I couldn’t pry myself away to pull the cookies from the oven.
March 27, 2015
short and sweet. nice little tale.
October 31, 2015
Three fun stories from three fun authors. Enjoyed them.
February 10, 2018
I loved all the stories in the book!! love these authors!!
December 17, 2018
Cheesy, sometimes cringeworthy, hallmark christmas movie-esque short stories. Festive and enjoyable.
December 20, 2022
DNF. I finished the first story, and it was fine, but too short -- the characters and plot felt rather abbreviated. I had no interest in reading the other two stories.
October 6, 2014
I read this for the Virgin River story by Robyn Carr which was completely adorable. It starts with a three year old who crawls under a giant outdoor Christmas tree and pulls out a "bupie" otherwise known as a puppy, only days old. Turns out there are 8 of them. Annie is a farmer's daughter turned hairstylist who knows her way around puppies. Jack, owner of Virgin River's Jack's Bar, calls for the vet but it's no longer Old Doc Dempsey but rather his son, new and improved. Annie was royally screwed over by her last boyfriend but Nate is nothing like him and they bond over puppies. It's an adorable story. Debbie Macomber's entry is a Manning story. Jason Manning's step-daughter finds love when she least expects it. A new neighbor in her building has a pre-teen daughter who seems as lost as she herself did when she tried to pay Jason Manning to date her mother. It's a cute story. Sherryl Wood's entry is about a single mom who takes over her great-aunt's inn only to discover her great-aunt had also invited a young workaholic to spend the holidays. Her reminds her of her ex-husband but he seems to be willing to learn how to have fun and both of them seem to owe Mae a lot so they agree to a holiday truce but it quickly builds into something more as the Currier and Ives picture becomes real. I could practically feel the snow. It was a delightful read overall and a nice diversion for a day.
August 29, 2015
Review for RC's Under the Christmas Tree, may double back to read the rest but I'm on a roll with Virgin River and wanted to keep to the timeline.
Solid 4.5 for what it was a Christmas Novella, if you don't have kids in your Christmas novella, puppies will do in a pinch.
Just an overall comment on the series, the women and men of this series have big hearts. The setting and that constant is what makes a reader keep coming back for more. You think, really people can be that good even when they face real problems.
Annie (Beauty shop owner and farm girl) and Nate (New local Vet), meet over puppies placed under the Virgin River Christmas tree to freeze to death (Only a monster would do that). Well Annie won't even consider giving up on them and talks Jack and his bar into helping out. But, soon the puppies have to go, it is after all an eating establishment. But then Nate and Annie step up to get them ready for Christmas and in the interim fall in love.
Very enjoyable Christmas novella.
Solid 4.5 for what it was a Christmas Novella, if you don't have kids in your Christmas novella, puppies will do in a pinch.
Just an overall comment on the series, the women and men of this series have big hearts. The setting and that constant is what makes a reader keep coming back for more. You think, really people can be that good even when they face real problems.
Annie (Beauty shop owner and farm girl) and Nate (New local Vet), meet over puppies placed under the Virgin River Christmas tree to freeze to death (Only a monster would do that). Well Annie won't even consider giving up on them and talks Jack and his bar into helping out. But, soon the puppies have to go, it is after all an eating establishment. But then Nate and Annie step up to get them ready for Christmas and in the interim fall in love.
Very enjoyable Christmas novella.
October 27, 2009
Now is the time of year when I started stepping away from all the beach reads of my spring and summer months and heading toward the Christmas books on the shelves. I can always count on some of my favorite authors having some holiday-themed stories to help me get excited about this special season.
While at the store the other day, I came across this gem, and I was immediately excited about it because it contained one of my favorite authors of the past many years, Debbie Macomber, along with two authors I have only discovered in the past year or two, Sherryl Woods and Robyn Carr. It was like this book was made just for me!
I have to say that it didn't disappoint. All three stories were fun to read and had plenty of holiday spirit in them. This was just the right book to start getting me ready for the holiday season!
While at the store the other day, I came across this gem, and I was immediately excited about it because it contained one of my favorite authors of the past many years, Debbie Macomber, along with two authors I have only discovered in the past year or two, Sherryl Woods and Robyn Carr. It was like this book was made just for me!
I have to say that it didn't disappoint. All three stories were fun to read and had plenty of holiday spirit in them. This was just the right book to start getting me ready for the holiday season!
February 22, 2012
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber
In this classic story, Debbie brings those Manning men and Manning sisters home for a mistletoe marriage when a single dad finally says "I do."
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods
Will bachelor Trace Franklin become a groom-to-be by Christmastime? He sure will ... if Savannah Holiday's aunt Mae as anything to do with it.
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr
When the folks of Virgin River discover a box of adorable puppies under the town's Christmas tree they call on local vet Nathaniel Jensen for help. But it's his budding romance with Annie McCarty that really has tongues --- and tails --- wagging!(less)
In this classic story, Debbie brings those Manning men and Manning sisters home for a mistletoe marriage when a single dad finally says "I do."
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods
Will bachelor Trace Franklin become a groom-to-be by Christmastime? He sure will ... if Savannah Holiday's aunt Mae as anything to do with it.
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr
When the folks of Virgin River discover a box of adorable puppies under the town's Christmas tree they call on local vet Nathaniel Jensen for help. But it's his budding romance with Annie McCarty that really has tongues --- and tails --- wagging!(less)
August 3, 2010
Admittedly, I picked up this anthology for the Robyn Carr story, so I may be a bit biased.
Robyn Carr's story was very enjoyable and a happy little read. I really enjoyed it and could see myself reading it again around the Christmas season as a little pick-me-up during the hectic holiday seasons.
As for the other two stories, I really wasn't impressed. :(
So, I would give 4/5 stars for the Carr story and 2/5 to the other two stories. That is why I am giving the average score for this book a 3/5.
Robyn Carr's story was very enjoyable and a happy little read. I really enjoyed it and could see myself reading it again around the Christmas season as a little pick-me-up during the hectic holiday seasons.
As for the other two stories, I really wasn't impressed. :(
So, I would give 4/5 stars for the Carr story and 2/5 to the other two stories. That is why I am giving the average score for this book a 3/5.
October 16, 2013
This was a great book of 3 quick read Christmas stories (around 100 pages or so per story) I really enjoyed the first two - Silver bells by Debbie macomber and the perfect holiday by Sheryl woods. What you would expect from these authors. The 3rd story under the Christmas tree by Robyn Carr should have been great as it had all the ingredients I like in a good romance but somehow just lacked something for me. All in all a really enjoyable read and will definitely read more by D Macomber in the future. Would recommend!
February 1, 2011
I read this because, yes, I am that OCD (anal, whatever...), about reading series in order and I wanted to move on to the next book in the Virgin River series. But I didn't read the Debbie Macomber novella, because I had only read two of her Manning Family books and, well, you know....
I enjoyed the two stories I read, they were definitely worth the time. (I just wish I had actually found the time during the holidays!) Both were nice simple holiday stories.
I enjoyed the two stories I read, they were definitely worth the time. (I just wish I had actually found the time during the holidays!) Both were nice simple holiday stories.
August 3, 2013
I'm taking a break from the dark mystery I'm reading - so, Robyn Carr. And Debbie Macomber with Sherryl Woods. All 3 novellas are cute and fun. Reading this book mindlessly is good, because you want to be able to ignore that the only story with a reasonable character arc is Robyn Carr's "Under the Christmas Tree". Oh, and Carr includes a litter of puppies, which adds to her story's appeal. :-)
December 24, 2010
I enjoyed all 3 stories in this book, I thought All 3 were heartwarming and charming. This was the first story by Robyn Carr that I have read, and I plan to read the rest in the Virgin River series. Great book!
and I gave it 5 stars.
Happy Holidays everyone!
and I gave it 5 stars.
Happy Holidays everyone!
September 13, 2016
Rating is for 'Under the Christmas Tree' by Robyn Carr (Virgin River, #8) only.
Two-haiku review:
Abandoned puppies
She and vet take care of them
Find love at Christmas
Perfect novella
With developed characters
And very nice plot
Originally read Jan. 2013
Re-read Dec. 2013
Two-haiku review:
Abandoned puppies
She and vet take care of them
Find love at Christmas
Perfect novella
With developed characters
And very nice plot
Originally read Jan. 2013
Re-read Dec. 2013
July 9, 2011
I only read Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr. Typical of these novellas, they are too short to properly delve into the characters or a lengthy plot. This was a nice holiday story...lite.
June 9, 2015
Robyn Carr novella only. It was ok, not a bad read but very quick about a couple of minor characters of Virgin River.
November 29, 2015
Pov: male and female (main characters)
Main characters: Annie and Nate
Minor Characters: Jack (bar owner),
My thoughts:
This one was part of a sampler. I really enjoyed it and would have liked a full novel. I hope Nate and Annie show up again.
I liked seeing Preacher with Chris, and I loved that Chris calls him dad. I hope that shows up in the way of the series.
Synopsis:
Takes place after book 7.
Annie grew up in the town next to Virgin River. She grew up on a farm and loves animals. She would have inherited the farm but she thought that would make her too isolated and she wanted a family of her own. She grew up on a horse and wanted to do that for a living but it got too expensive. She ended up a beautician and bought her own shop.
On her way to her parents house after work she decides to stop in Virgin River to see the giant Christmas tree the town puts up. When she gets there Jack's son David finds a puppy in the tree. Jack crawls under and finds a box full of 7more puppies. They're nearly frozen so Annie takes them into the bar to save them. Jack calls the town veterinarian for help.
Nate is the current town vet. His father was a vet and he inherited the family business. He wanted to raise thoroughbreds but decided to take the business so his dad could retire. He shows up to the bar to check the puppies and is instantly attracted to Annie.
He has a Hawaiian vacation lined up and Jack asks about it. He makes a comment about all the women lying on the beach in bikinis, which Annie overhears.
Annie is instantly attracted to Nate. Jack suggests taking the puppies to a shelter but Annie tells him the puppies need to much care for a shelter to handle. She tells Jack they might get adopted as Christmas presents but they'll probably get returned after. She convinces Jack to keep them in the bar and that the townspeople would help out with their cars. Jack reluctantly agrees.
Annie arranges to go to the bar everyday to help with the puppies so Nate stops by every night too. They take care of the puppies and then he buys them dinner so they can get to know each other. They find out they met a few times as children.
She goes back home to help her mom bake for Christmas and they talk about Nate and the puppies. Her mom mentions when he first came back to take over the business he brought a hollywood girl with him. Her dad overhears and tells her he knew the Hollywood girl wasn't right for him. Her dad tells her he thinks she's be better suited for Nate.
After about a week Jack tells her he can't keep them in the bar anymore. He tells her when they get a little older his son David wants one, Preachers son Chris wants one, and another guy from town wants two. She starts thinking of how to rearrange her schedule to take the puppies, even though she knows it'll be too hard.
Nate offers to take them. He planned on doing it anyway. She's relieved and he invites her over to his house to help get them settled.
She's impressed by his home and a little intimidated. He tries to convince her to keep coming over. She can't stop thinking of his Hollywood girl and his bikini vacation.
He can tell something is bothering her and she asks him about the girl. He tells her the girl wasn't right for the mountain life and she wasn't the right one for him. He's a little embarrassed about the bikini comments but he's relieved she's jealous because that means she feels something for him.
She gets embarrassed about asking him and tries to flee. She gets to her car and realizes she's being ridiculous so she talks herself down and goes back in. When she gets to his door he pulls her in and kisses her.
She's too shocked to kiss back and he tells her he likes her and wants to date her. She's a little hesitant.
She keeps dropping by after work and they start making out all the time. Three weeks later his trip is coming up and he doesn't want to go. He tries to cancel it but she won't let him. He asks her to go and she tells him it's his time with his friends, and it's like a test. If he really wants to be with her it'll happen when he gets back. If he's too tempted by the bikini girls then it wasn't meant to be. She won't sleep with him until he's back from his trip.
She mentions her whole family is gathering for Christmas and he asks if he can go. She agrees and he asks if her dad and brothers will try to intimidate him because he's her boyfriend.
He's excited to meet her family and has a wonderful time. He's anxious to get her home alone with him though. He talks with her dad and brothers and everyone likes him. Her dad asks if it's too soon to ask his intentions and he tells him no. That he wants to be with her forever.
His flight is the next morning so he leaves early. She won't go with him because she has family obligations to handle but promises to be there in a few hours.
When he gets home he gets a call about a horse going into labor. He calls her and tells her he doesn't know how long it'll take and that it might be late but she can still come over. She tells him it's fine and she'll see him when he gets back. He doesn't like that plan and tells her he'll try to see her at her shop before he leaves because he wants a proper goodbye.
She decides to go to his house anyway. When she gets there she decides to decorate his house for Christmas, he didn't want to because he didn't have anyone to share the holiday with and he was leaving on his trip. She decides to bake him cookies and stay the night on his couch.
The delivery takes all night and he gets home after 2. He finds the cookies and is relieved to see her on the couch. He carries her to his bed to sleep in his arms but he can't keep his hands off her. They end up sleeping together. She leaves early the next morning before he gets up.
He calls her while he's on his way to one of his connecting flights. She's happy on the phone but miserable when she hangs up. Her employees notice and she tells them she's worried because she's in love with him but he might not be in love with her.
She spends Christmas with her family and is a little melancholy. She hopes this is the last Christmas alone.
He catches all his connecting flights and gets to Miami to meet his friends. When he gets there he realizes he's going to be miserable without her and cancels his trip. He apologizes to his friends and tells them he's in love and he has to be with her.
On Christmas night she leaves early to drop off the puppies at their new homes. Before she leaves she stops in the barn to think. Nate shows up.
She's shocked to see him. He tells her he planned to take her home and make love all night but he's been traveling for the last two days and he's dead tired. She's happy to see him and he tells her he loves her. She tells him she loves him too. He gives her a giant fake plastic diamond ring and tells her he's going to get her a real one. They go home together.
Main characters: Annie and Nate
Minor Characters: Jack (bar owner),
My thoughts:
This one was part of a sampler. I really enjoyed it and would have liked a full novel. I hope Nate and Annie show up again.
I liked seeing Preacher with Chris, and I loved that Chris calls him dad. I hope that shows up in the way of the series.
Synopsis:
Takes place after book 7.
Annie grew up in the town next to Virgin River. She grew up on a farm and loves animals. She would have inherited the farm but she thought that would make her too isolated and she wanted a family of her own. She grew up on a horse and wanted to do that for a living but it got too expensive. She ended up a beautician and bought her own shop.
On her way to her parents house after work she decides to stop in Virgin River to see the giant Christmas tree the town puts up. When she gets there Jack's son David finds a puppy in the tree. Jack crawls under and finds a box full of 7more puppies. They're nearly frozen so Annie takes them into the bar to save them. Jack calls the town veterinarian for help.
Nate is the current town vet. His father was a vet and he inherited the family business. He wanted to raise thoroughbreds but decided to take the business so his dad could retire. He shows up to the bar to check the puppies and is instantly attracted to Annie.
He has a Hawaiian vacation lined up and Jack asks about it. He makes a comment about all the women lying on the beach in bikinis, which Annie overhears.
Annie is instantly attracted to Nate. Jack suggests taking the puppies to a shelter but Annie tells him the puppies need to much care for a shelter to handle. She tells Jack they might get adopted as Christmas presents but they'll probably get returned after. She convinces Jack to keep them in the bar and that the townspeople would help out with their cars. Jack reluctantly agrees.
Annie arranges to go to the bar everyday to help with the puppies so Nate stops by every night too. They take care of the puppies and then he buys them dinner so they can get to know each other. They find out they met a few times as children.
She goes back home to help her mom bake for Christmas and they talk about Nate and the puppies. Her mom mentions when he first came back to take over the business he brought a hollywood girl with him. Her dad overhears and tells her he knew the Hollywood girl wasn't right for him. Her dad tells her he thinks she's be better suited for Nate.
After about a week Jack tells her he can't keep them in the bar anymore. He tells her when they get a little older his son David wants one, Preachers son Chris wants one, and another guy from town wants two. She starts thinking of how to rearrange her schedule to take the puppies, even though she knows it'll be too hard.
Nate offers to take them. He planned on doing it anyway. She's relieved and he invites her over to his house to help get them settled.
She's impressed by his home and a little intimidated. He tries to convince her to keep coming over. She can't stop thinking of his Hollywood girl and his bikini vacation.
He can tell something is bothering her and she asks him about the girl. He tells her the girl wasn't right for the mountain life and she wasn't the right one for him. He's a little embarrassed about the bikini comments but he's relieved she's jealous because that means she feels something for him.
She gets embarrassed about asking him and tries to flee. She gets to her car and realizes she's being ridiculous so she talks herself down and goes back in. When she gets to his door he pulls her in and kisses her.
She's too shocked to kiss back and he tells her he likes her and wants to date her. She's a little hesitant.
She keeps dropping by after work and they start making out all the time. Three weeks later his trip is coming up and he doesn't want to go. He tries to cancel it but she won't let him. He asks her to go and she tells him it's his time with his friends, and it's like a test. If he really wants to be with her it'll happen when he gets back. If he's too tempted by the bikini girls then it wasn't meant to be. She won't sleep with him until he's back from his trip.
She mentions her whole family is gathering for Christmas and he asks if he can go. She agrees and he asks if her dad and brothers will try to intimidate him because he's her boyfriend.
He's excited to meet her family and has a wonderful time. He's anxious to get her home alone with him though. He talks with her dad and brothers and everyone likes him. Her dad asks if it's too soon to ask his intentions and he tells him no. That he wants to be with her forever.
His flight is the next morning so he leaves early. She won't go with him because she has family obligations to handle but promises to be there in a few hours.
When he gets home he gets a call about a horse going into labor. He calls her and tells her he doesn't know how long it'll take and that it might be late but she can still come over. She tells him it's fine and she'll see him when he gets back. He doesn't like that plan and tells her he'll try to see her at her shop before he leaves because he wants a proper goodbye.
She decides to go to his house anyway. When she gets there she decides to decorate his house for Christmas, he didn't want to because he didn't have anyone to share the holiday with and he was leaving on his trip. She decides to bake him cookies and stay the night on his couch.
The delivery takes all night and he gets home after 2. He finds the cookies and is relieved to see her on the couch. He carries her to his bed to sleep in his arms but he can't keep his hands off her. They end up sleeping together. She leaves early the next morning before he gets up.
He calls her while he's on his way to one of his connecting flights. She's happy on the phone but miserable when she hangs up. Her employees notice and she tells them she's worried because she's in love with him but he might not be in love with her.
She spends Christmas with her family and is a little melancholy. She hopes this is the last Christmas alone.
He catches all his connecting flights and gets to Miami to meet his friends. When he gets there he realizes he's going to be miserable without her and cancels his trip. He apologizes to his friends and tells them he's in love and he has to be with her.
On Christmas night she leaves early to drop off the puppies at their new homes. Before she leaves she stops in the barn to think. Nate shows up.
She's shocked to see him. He tells her he planned to take her home and make love all night but he's been traveling for the last two days and he's dead tired. She's happy to see him and he tells her he loves her. She tells him she loves him too. He gives her a giant fake plastic diamond ring and tells her he's going to get her a real one. They go home together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2023
This is actually a compilation of 3 short stories from 3 different authors. I feel like I am sort of striking out with the Christmas reads this year. I’m going to take these one at a time.
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber - ⭐⭐
Apparently, this one has some characters from a series that Macomber wrote. Maybe if I had read those books, I would have felt differently about this one. This was about 110 pages so a fairly quick read, yet it took me 3 days to force my way through it. It felt like sloppy, amateurish writing from a veteran author. It was completely predictable, pretty unrealistic and boring as hell. The characters were shallow and the dialogue felt unnatural. The whole story felt rushed and would never play out this way in any real life scenario. I swear if it had been 10 pages longer, I wouldn’t have finished it. I honestly could not have cared less about what happened between Carrie and Phillip. I was just insanely glad when it ended.
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods - ⭐⭐⭐
Ok….this one was slightly better than Silver Bells. This one was also a little over 100 pages so the whole story felt very rushed and definitely unrealistic. It definitely felt more like a Hallmark Christmas movie albeit an R rated version. There is a little (I mean, just a smidge) of smut in this one. The storyline was very predictable. The characters were a little more relatable and likable even if you would never in a million years meet actual people like this.
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr - ⭐⭐⭐
This was the best of the 3 stories. It is part of the Virgin River series. I have not read the books but I have watched the Netflix series. There were some cameo appearances of the main characters but this one is focused on 2 characters that I know nothing about. It was a cutesy romantic story with just a touch of spice….very mild. A decent plot and storyline for a 100 page novella.
Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber - ⭐⭐
Apparently, this one has some characters from a series that Macomber wrote. Maybe if I had read those books, I would have felt differently about this one. This was about 110 pages so a fairly quick read, yet it took me 3 days to force my way through it. It felt like sloppy, amateurish writing from a veteran author. It was completely predictable, pretty unrealistic and boring as hell. The characters were shallow and the dialogue felt unnatural. The whole story felt rushed and would never play out this way in any real life scenario. I swear if it had been 10 pages longer, I wouldn’t have finished it. I honestly could not have cared less about what happened between Carrie and Phillip. I was just insanely glad when it ended.
The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods - ⭐⭐⭐
Ok….this one was slightly better than Silver Bells. This one was also a little over 100 pages so the whole story felt very rushed and definitely unrealistic. It definitely felt more like a Hallmark Christmas movie albeit an R rated version. There is a little (I mean, just a smidge) of smut in this one. The storyline was very predictable. The characters were a little more relatable and likable even if you would never in a million years meet actual people like this.
Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr - ⭐⭐⭐
This was the best of the 3 stories. It is part of the Virgin River series. I have not read the books but I have watched the Netflix series. There were some cameo appearances of the main characters but this one is focused on 2 characters that I know nothing about. It was a cutesy romantic story with just a touch of spice….very mild. A decent plot and storyline for a 100 page novella.
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