Letters from Santa

O Little Town of Christmas

by Becca Whitham

Army intelligence officer Alex Stevens has been trying to prove his father didn’t desert during WWII so his mother can receive survivor benefits. He’s followed every lead until it ran dry. Then Violet Poplovich, the daughter of another soldier who deserted at the same time as Alex’s father, walks into his office with a check she thinks came from the army. But the army doesn’t issue checks from the First National Bank of North Pole, Alaska. All Alex wants is the truth, and he wants Violet to help him find it.

Violet doesn’t want to believe her father’s a deserter, and she certainly doesn’t want to believe he’s been sending cashier’s checks for fifteen years without ever trying to contact her. Except maybe he has...disguised as Santa. When she receives some mysterious gifts, Violet is forced to consider that her father may be alive.

Both of them are looking for the same man, and the only person who can help is Santa.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Short Stories, Christian Fiction, Historical

101 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Becca Whitham (WIT-um) Award-winning author, paper crafter, and Army wife, Becca and her twelve-foot long craft cabinet follow her husband of thirty-five years wherever the army needs a good chaplain. She thinks the cabinet should count as a dependent. So far, neither the army nor the IRS is convinced. In between moves from one part of the country to the other, she writes stories combining faith and fiction that touch the heart. She's a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. You can find her online at www.beccawhitham.com

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters From Santa***** (O' Little Town of Christmas Collection #7) by Becca Whitham

Fort Wainwright, Alaska...September 1962...Violet Poplovich recently moved to Alaska on a quest to have her deceased mother's survival benefits stopped, most recently a cashier's check from the First National Bank of North Pole, Alaska. However, what should have been simple turned out to be anything but. Captain Alex Stevens has been searching for her for a far different reason—to prove his father was not a deserter and that possibly her father was, during the Battle of Bastogne—so his mother could receive survivor benefits. Shocked, Violet doesn't believe him. But if the cashier's checks are not survival benefits, then who is sending them and why? Could her father really be alive?...no, can't be.

North Pole Alaska is a perfect setting for this novella. The characters drew me into their story from the first and the unusual plot had me guessing along with Violet and Alex as to what actually happened those 15+ years ago when their fathers went missing. Someone mysteriously sent checks all those years and now other things to help her survive in her new home. But who could it be? Could Alex be right? And what of Alex's father, what happened to him? Can Alex find healing once the truth is finally uncovered? Will Alex and Violet learn to trust each other and work together to uncover those secrets...and possibly more? Ultimately long buried secrets are revealed with shocking and surprising conclusions.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting, of two people brought together because one or both of their fathers may have deserted the Army, was very intriguing. I liked how that aspect of the story played out. The romance I can take or leave, that's not typically draws me to a story and I didn't really get the sense of the chemistry between these particular characters, but as a side to the primary mystery of what really happened to their fathers, it worked fine. The extra element of the mystery Santa Claus kept it from swinging too far into Hallmark-movie-land. I can't imagine if I was faced with the potential for my father or other beloved figure to be a deserter (or thief, or murderer, coward, or whatever the scenario might be), but it really does happen to families, and the aftermath must be devastating. The ending was pretty much as expected, at least for the romance, but with a little bit of a twist for the mystery benefactor. It was a sweet, Christmassy, snowy story that works nice for a cold, wintry day with a good cup of hot chocolate.

I highlighted a couple of quotes to ponder: "God gives grace to me, because I am the one being wronged. He doesn't give grace to those who take offense on my behalf." I had to really think about this, because the Bible mentions having a heart for truth, and looking out for those who are downtrodden, and keeping the "haves" from taking advantage of the "have-nots." But I think the idea is that choosing to empathize with someone doesn't mean that you NEED the grace to handle the situation in the same way as the person who actually has the trial right on their own plate, which is something I hadn't really considered before. The follow up quote goes a little further: "God gives grace to those who actually go through a tragedy rather than those who conjure up tragedies[.]" God isn't going to give me grace for worrying about something that may or may never happen! We get grace for today, for reality, not for the "maybes."

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and sweet

Sweet Christmas novella featuring both faith and Santa. Would've liked to see a bit more development of the romance and fathers' backstories.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read some really good novellas lately, but Letters From Santa by Becca Whitham is one of my favorites. The characters immediately befriended me, and the unique plot captured my attention. I wanted to know too – who is this mysterious benefactor that has been sending money and letters to Violet and her mother since her father’s death? Could it be her father or even Alex’s father after all this time, hiding from a desertion charge? Were they both deserters? Or did one go after the other and meet an unfriendly end? I really had no idea how it was all going to play out but I was swept away in the intrigue and couldn’t put it down.

Besides the sweet romance and everything I mentioned above, it is Becca Whitham’s stellar writing voice that makes Letters From Santa stand out from the Christmas novella masses. Her turn of a phrase here and a smart aside there create a truly enjoyable reading experience. From the humorous to the poetic, Becca Whitham crafts Alex and Violet’s story with grace and warmth and lots of heart.

Bottom Line: I so enjoyed Letters from Santa! The characters, the writing, the story itself. All just top-quality fiction. If you are looking for a cozy historical Christmas read for tonight or tomorrow, your search is over!! Letters from Santa will be one of the few novellas on my favorites shelf for years to come.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living without your father for most of your life, and also living with the stigma of desertion during wartime, and meeting a person who has gone through the same. There is a twist here, in that one believes the others father is responsible for their father being blamed.
When these two hurting souls are drawn together, and decided to work together, there are answers to be found, and good to be done for others. Loved how everyone ends up at the same place in Alaska at the same time, and even more information just happens to become available while they are there.
Come and see a spark of romance between foes, and see the spirit of Christmas come to prevail, and maybe a bit more. A sweet free read.
I received this book free though Amazon, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Jennifer Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letters From Santa was a delightful novella from Becca Whitham. Violet Poplovich has moved to Alaska to try and get her mother’s survivor benefits terminated. She has tracked the payments to North Pole, Alaska, only to find out that they are not actually coming from the Army. Alex Stevens hopes that by researching Violet’s father, he can in turn prove that his own father wasn’t a deserter. As these two look into the past, they fall in love. But can they trust each other when the connection between their fathers stands between them. I loved how this story played out and would highly recommend this book.

[luanne bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable story!

From the opening including Maverick to the description of the Cuban Missile Crisis, I was pulled into this story, We were
active duty military in 1962. The author's accurate acount gives today's readers a clear picture of that time. I love the scripture references and strong Christ centered theme!










H bhai.net.uk suspense but most appreciate the Christ centered principals.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good, sweet, Christmas novella. The characters are well-written with full back stories, not often found in novellas. The story is a good one with some twists and unexpected events. There is one little thing in the story that, for me, keeps it from being a 5-star read. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my, what a conundrum is what drives this story. Nicely written and highly recommend.

[Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite my misgivings about the 1962 setting, this is easily one of my favorite Christmas-time novellas this year.

Highly recommended.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to start the year!