Mocha with Linda: The Christmas Heirloom

The Christmas Heirloom:
Four Holiday Novellas of
Love Through the Generations
Karen Witemeyer, Kristi Ann Hunter
Sarah Loudin Thomas, Becky Wade
(Bethany House Publishers)
ISBN: 978-0764230783
October 2018/384 pages/$15.99
Four Festive and Heartwarming Romance Novellas That Celebrate the Magic of Christmas

Perfect for the Christmas season, four beloved authors bring their bestselling, award-winning talents to a multigenerational collection of romantic holiday novellas. In stories ranging from 1820s Regency England to present-day Washington state, readers will be treated to Christmas tales of an heirloom brooch passed from mother to daughter for almost two hundred years. Will the family legend claiming the brooch brings love to its recipient hold true for these women separated by the years but bonded together by the ties of family?

In Kristi Ann Hunter's Legacy of Love, Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson. While he may be far above her station, she can't help but notice that his desire to make this Christmas special for his grandmother matches her own.

In Karen Witemeyer's Gift of the Heart, widow Ruth Fulbright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from a wealthy resort owner. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love as the holidays draw near.

In Sarah Loudin Thomas's A Shot at Love, Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her mother's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance one December.

In Becky Wade's Because of You, Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

Read an excerpt.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at karenwitemeyer.com.

Kristi Ann Hunter is the author of the Hawthorne House series and a 2016 RITA Award winner, an ACFW Genesis contest winner, and a Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence winner. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at kristiannhunter.com.

Sarah Loudin Thomas is a fundraiser for a children's ministry and has written for Mountain Homes Southern Style and Now & Then magazines, as well as The Asheville Citizen-Times. She is the author of Miracle in a Dry Season, Until the Harvest, and A Tapestry of Secrets. She holds a BA in English from Coastal Carolina University. She and her husband reside in Asheville, North Carolina. She can be found online at sarahloudinthomas.com.

Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and now lives in Dallas. A favorite among readers of Christian contemporary romance, Becky has won a Christy Award, a Carol Award, an Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and an INSPY Award. Learn more at beckywade.com.

MY THOUGHTS

The annual release of Christmas novellas is one of my favorite things about fall, and this collection warmed my heart. I love it when favorite authors collaborate and write stories that are somewhat connected, and I couldn't set aside The Christmas Heirloom once I started. Each novella could stand alone as they span different settings and time periods, from 1827 England to the contemporary USA, yet they are connected by an heirloom brooch handed down through the generations. The opening paragraphs of Kristi Ann Hunter's Legacy of Love drew me in and I read straight through the first three stories, only reluctantly stopping to get enough sleep to ensure I could function the next morning. Endearing characters and perfectly paced, stirring romances make these tales sparkle as brightly as the brooch that connects them. Add this delightful collection to your must-read list for fall!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free Bethany House Publishers and Net Galley for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”