Christmas Books

When Jacob Steele returned home after fifteen years, it wasn't to reconnect with the town that loved him. Instead, his motivation was purely financial. He needed capital and he wasn't above claiming the inheritance bequeathed to him by the father whom he felt betrayed him. Unfortunately for the man who now calls himself Jay Lawrence, the inheritance comes with conditions. These conditions will keep Jay in Riverbend for a month working in the family bookstore. If he decides not to fulfill the terms, the bookstore and the farmhouse he used to cherish, go to the manager, Kate McMann. Jay isn't about to let a woman, whose ambiguous relationship with his father is questionable, get her hands on his inheritance. He sets out to confront her never knowing that she and her twin daughters would change his plans, not to mention his life, forever.

Kathryn Shay's installment of the Riverbend mini-series is clearly a conclusion to this diverse cast of characters. She ties up all the loose ends with a strong narrative and wonderful character development on the part of Jay Lawrence. Our hero is clearly a man tormented by his falling out with his father, whom he used to adore. Although he tries to hide his heart from Kate, he finds it impossible to keep from connecting with her and her dreams all the while knowing that he will destroy them. In addition, Shay implements fragments from Jacob's past during his stay at the old farmhouse with the McManns, which stir up wonderful memories of a town he had come to hate. Though Kate is a solid and admirable character, it is truly Jay who makes this book stand out as he finds himself drawn to reconnect with Riverbend family and friends, to doubt his own heartlessness as he connects to Kate and her girls, and to finally come to terms with the imperfections of Abraham Steele.

Fifteen years ago Jay Lawrence, then known as Jacob Steele, left his hometown of Riverbend, Indiana after being betrayed by his father, Abraham, the town patriarch. Legally changing his name, Jay vowed to never return, but his company ComputerConcepts desperately needs cash and Jay stands to inherit a fortune if he meets the stipulations in the will of the recently deceased Abraham. He also wants to insure his two spinster aunts do not lose their inheritance to a gold digging woman who used Abraham as her personal sugar daddy. If Jay fails to stay in town for two months or defaults on working in the bookstore, Kate McMann obtains the estate.

Jay believes Kate is the worst kind of woman and plans too not only expose her, but also protect his aunts from her ruthlessness. However, when he meets her, to his chagrin, Jay finds himself attracted to the single mother of five-year old twins. As love blossoms between them, Jay betrays Kate, but will a matchmaker from the grave help them realize what really matters in life?

The latest Riverbend Rats tale, A CHRISTMAS LEGACY, is a warm drama that centers on the long-term impact of a broken father-son relationship on other personal interactions. The story line is enjoyable though somewhat melodramatic as the lead protagonist struggles with the concepts of love and mistrust. The return of characters from previous novels is a Christmas present to series fans. Kathryn Shay keeps up the tradition of quality in one of the better long running romantic series on the market today.

Harriet Klausner

I first bought this book strictly because Kathryn Shay was the author, having stumbled onto an aunt's copy of "Cop of the Year" and getting hooked on her work from there. She's absolutely outdone herself in this one. I bought it at Thanksgiving when it first came out, read it over Thanksgiving break, and then re-read it at bedtime the entire month of December. Riverbend was a place I didn't want to leave--and it wasn't just because of Jay and Kate, either. Kathryn did such a masterful job weaving the characters from the first four Riverbend books back into "Christmas Legacy," I felt just as at home with them as I did with the Steele family. So after Christmas, I came here to amazon.com and bought the first four books in the series, which I have reviewed also. (In case you missed them, they are: Birthright, That Summer Thing, Homecoming, and Last-Minute Marriage)

Jay has been gone from Riverbend, Indiana for 15 years. He left abruptly following a bitter betrayal that he's never, ever talked about with anyone else. His departure broke his aunts' hearts--they'd help his dad raise him after his mom's death from breast cancer--and deep down, his own, too. As a younger man, he'd dreamed of marrying a Riverbend girl and having a whole houseful of children. But in his years away from home, he buried that dream and channeled his energies into becoming the perfect yuppie clear down to his Rolex watch. He's selfish, too. His only reason to come back to Riverbend now is that he's been left some lucrative property and a thriving bookstore, and to claim it, he has to move back there for two months and work in the bookstore with Kate McMann--who will get the inheritance if he doesn't fulfill the terms of the will. Jay has no idea why Kate stands to inherit--he figures she was just a smooth operator who was after Jay's dad's money. So he decides to keep his true identity a secret and spy on her. What he doesn't realize as he's doing it is that he's falling in love with her, and that her little girls have already found their way into his heart.

That's not all he finds in Riverbend. Many of the old River Rats (his group of friends from high school) either stayed there or have also moved back, and he has some issues to work out with them, too. He also hurt them deeply when he left Riverbend without a backward look, and some of them are worried about what will happen to Kate if he sells the farmhouse and bookstore from underneath her. Jay has some tough decisions to make. Through all of this, he realizes that he doesn't want New York anymore, but instead a second chance at happiness in his hometown. He still wants to be the smalltown guy with a wife and kids--and there's only one woman he wants for the job. It's just a matter of whether or not he can find closure from the last fifteen years before it's too late.

There are fun trips to Chicago, a wedding between two characters from one of the previous books, the birth of a baby to another couple, some down-home humor from Jay's aunts, great "love scenes" and a beautifully written epilogue that ties together the characters from the series--all of whom received special bequests from Abraham Steele, who is not a "living" character in these books, but whose presence is felt throughout the series, especially in this installment.

The beauty of how Kathryn Shay writes is that she took someone as initially unsympathetic as Jay and got me to care deeply for him. In fact, I even like Mallory--Jay's New York girlfriend--and Nick and Paul, the two other guys who were interested in Kate. I wanted them to have happy endings, too. I can see it now. . .maybe the publishers could give us another installment where Mallory comes back to Riverbend and becomes half of a power couple with Nick or Paul:)

But even if this really is the last we see of Riverbend, I hope Kathryn Shay keeps 'em coming. She's the best writer in the genre!

Fans of Richard Scary's wonderful children's books will adore Christmas Mice, and old favorite brought back for a newer generation to enjoy.

A sweet story and lovely illustrations bring the story to life.

One of those books that was a holiday favorite of both my children and myself. A simple and appealing story perfect for the 2 to 5 age group it remained popular with my kids for some time after that because of it's unique charm - not the least of which is Richard Scarry's wonderful illustrations.

I have been looking for books that I owned and loved as a child. I only have a few of the originals and I feel terrible that I didn't keep them all now that I have a brand new nephew. Thanks to Amazon.com I've been re-building my collection. This book "Christmas Mice" brings up lovely memories of two of my favorite subjects Christmas time and animals. The pictures are sweetly drawn by Richard Scarry who illustrated many books during the sixties that I was very fond of. His depictions of mice and bunnies are precious and heartwarming. And the story is nice too because Santa Claus doesn't forget even the tiniest of mice at Christmas time. I hope that my nephew will develop a love for art, family traditions and animals that will be influenced by this book.

Among my favorite collections of Christmas music for classical guitar, I find myself coming back to these pieces every year due to the well written variations. Mr. Alexander writes very tasteful variations to lengthen these familiar Christmas tunes and in the process has made them more interesting. The two lesser known pieces (at least for me) Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head and Blessed Be That Maid Marie were particularly fun and not too hard for me (I am an intermediate level guitarist). His arrangement of Pata Pan was also great, although one of the variations is beyond my reach. I recommend the CD highly as well.

Not the usual compilation of Christmas tunes but a delightful departure for anyone wishing some original music for the season. The variations are creative and a joy to play. I enjoyed them all.

I am an intermediate to lower-advanced level classical guitarist. Without a doubt, this is my favorite book of solo Christmas selections. Most of the arrangements in this book are intermediate in difficultly, though one or two (such as Pata Pan) are more challenging. Allan Alexander is an extremely talented composer and arranger, and his arrangements of Christmas selections will not disappoint. The tunes are all familiar. My personal favorites are I Saw Three Ships, The Holly and the Ivy, The Sussex Carol, and What Child is This, though they are all tremendous. I played a couple of these in church during the advent season, and they were extremely well-received. The thing I like best about Allan's stuff are his variations, which are so intelligent! The selections are all extremely accessible, and most addictive. I never get tired of playing his arrangements. Enjoy!

The story is very moving and has a great moral. The photos are wonderful. Great book!

I think that anything Cathie Pelletier writes would be beautiful, and she's proven it again by taking on someone else's childhood story of a Christmas visit from Santa, to a poor child in Kentucky. You and your kids will really love this poignant tale.

Skeeter Davis, the greatest of Grand Old Opry female vocalists, has written an unforgettable children's Christmas book based on her own childhood. This is THE book to give to children for Christmas - about the true meaning of Christmas versus material gifts. The children you love could scarcely have a better role model than the wonderful Miss Davis, truly one of the most beautiful souls around and a great human being.

What a delight! Moon has captured the essence of Christmas in a smart, funny, moving story that both me, my husband and our daughters adored! My five year old won't let it out of her sight! And now both kids understand what "it's the thought that counts" really means! Can't wait for the next book!

What a delight! Moon has captured the essence of Christmas in a smart, funny, moving story that both me, my husband and our daughters adored! My five year old won't let it out of her sight! And now both kids understand what "it's the thought that counts" really means! Can't wait for the next book!

Angelina Moon has captured the true essence of Christmas in a witty, funny, moving book about the mishap of a witch who sleeps through Halloween, is banished to Earth and meets a little boy who shows her what love is all about. My husband and I enjoy reading (and reading and reading) this to our children almost as much as they do. The characters are unique and my seven year old love Ozzie the magical cat. Great book.

This book is the follow up to Evanick's book, Catch of the Day. It's just as good, of not better than the first book. After reading this one, you won't be able to wait for her next book to hit the shelves.
The characters were believable and very likeable. I found myself really rooting for Sydney. Richard is such a louse!
I read this book during the summer, but I'll be pulling it out again to curl up wtih on a cold winter night!

I had so much fun reading this book. All the characters are so endearing (except Richard.) Evanick writes with a simple, honest wit that I found so refreshing, I kept laughting out loud! I am a sucker for a great romance with a happy ending, this book surprised me with more than one. I didn't realize this is the second book she has written with some of the same characters, I am on my way to buy "Catch of the Day"!

This is the first of the Misty Harbor books that I read. Since then I have read a few more. They all stand alone fine, but it's fun to see the characters of one book show up as backdrop in another.

It's a fun, Christmassy read. Evanick is good at creating likeable characters with chemistry between them. The storyline is not hokey and contrived, like a lot of romances. It isn't great literature or anything, but it's good for a person who just likes to read a love story.

This lovely little volume is a gift that keeps on giving. Its essays are simple, elegant, soulful, inspiring. And thought-provoking. You may well find yourself searching your own Christmas memories, and finding gems you had long forgotten. Which is what this book is all about -- seeing, hearing, remembering those things we take for granted, and cherishing them anew. This is a book to feed the heart, and the soul. And it's just the right size for stocking stuffing!

CHRISTMAS PRESENCE is a collection of stories from twelve different people. Each short story is quite unique. Some of the authors received certain gifts that were an immediate success and others didn't recognize the significance of their gifts until years later. One man wrote about the traditions of Christmas that were shared by his family and how, even today, he can picture all of the stockings hanging up, each filled with unique and thoughtful items. A woman told her story of receiving a camera when she was eight years old from her Aunt Harriet. Because of the photographs that she took over the years, she became the storyteller for her family, and photography became a part of her entire life.

The stories really gave me some different insights and make me realize how each and every Christmas is special. All of the stories reflect in some way to the spiritual part of Christmas. The editor of the book, Gregory Pierce says "the Incarnation --the presence of God in our world-- is the essence of Christmas."

The kind of collection that is a great gift during the holidays for anyone - it reminds us of the spirit of the season and connects us to our past, our hopes, and the more important meaning of our lives! Great gift for family members, co-workers, neighbors and for anyone on your list!!

Each Author wrote very different stories, but each was very well done. I love Lynn Kurland and her story was the BEST.
Although I truly enjoyed Jenny Lykins story about Alane & Jared.
She made it so very real that you felt that you should try to reach out and help them somehow if you could. Also, Casey Claybourne has won over a fan with her story. I will try to find all of her books based on her story. This book is hard
to find and is worth the trouble.

This book is very hard to find, but it is worth all the trouble to get hold of a copy. If you are a Lynn Kurland fan, which I am the first story in the book is about members of the De Piaget and Mc Cloud clan. She has writen several books on these families and she finally joins the two families together in the present day. The other 3 books are in the anthology are wonderful. Do read this book if you can get it. It is worth it.

This was a wonderful collection of short stories by popular artists that makes you wish for more.

The first story by Lynn Kurland was titled the Three Wise Ghosts. If you are a fan of Kurlands', you would be familiar with the MacLeod and De Piaget families. Megan MacLeod McKinnon has never held a job long and when her brother gives her the chance to prove herself by going to Scotland to scout out a castle for him she jumps at the chance. She ends up at a quant inn with one other patrol Gideon de Piaget. Gideon, a workaholic is ordered to go on vacation by his brother. When the ghosts of their ancestors plot to bring them together sparks fly and there is laughs aplenty. Megan must learn to be responsible and Gideon must learn to have fun in order for their lives to mesh. The antics of the ghostly ancestors keep you laughing.

The second story by Casey Claybourne, Keeping Faith, is the story of two people, Alice and Piers, who are barely living life because of the grief of losing their daughter Laura. Laura's ghost cannot find peace until her parents are reunited so she leads her mother to a homeless orphan named Faith. Alice sees Faith as a second chance for a family and Piers sees her as a painful reminder of his loss. If they can't heal their pain, they will never be a happy family again. Faith falls in love with the couple and steals their hearts as well.

The third story by Elizabeth Bevarly, Only Fifteen Shopping Days Left, is the story of a divorced woman, Sophie, facing her first Christmas alone. While working as an elf in a department story, the spirit of a long ago store Santa vows to see her married by Christmas. When the stores owner Mitchell meets and falls in love with Sophie, he knows he will do anything to keep her.

The last and best of the four stories is by Jenny Lykins and is called The Ghost of Christmas Present. When a woman named Alane goes to a secluded cabin for the Christmas holidays she is befriended by the resident ghost Jared. Jared can't help materalizing in front of the beautiful woman, she is the first woman in two hundred years to stir his heart. Alane cannot believe she is falling for a dead man, but their love is threatened by a curse. Jared was told when he finally learns to love he will find peace and finally move on, but if he allows himself to fully love Alane, he will lose her. This was a wonderful story but I can't give away too much or it will ruin it. I highly recommend this book.

This little coloring book is great. You don't have to be an artist to get good results. Really cute, and a bargain. Bought several more, different kinds. Holiday ones are best.

This was our first stained glass coloring book and the whole family enjoyed it. The paper is thick and smooth and lovely to color with markers or crayons. The designs are simple enough for young children to color but adults can embellish them with shading, etc. Often the kids would lose interest after about 30-40 minutes but the adults would keep on coloring. We have since much enjoyed the Tiffany book as well.

Used during a school club (6th-8th). Kids loved it. Used markers, both permanent and washable. Takes about 20-25 minutes to completely color a page.

Beware of this little book.
It will grab you!

The curious title led me to casually glance through
it. But, then I read the entire book without putting
it down.

The humor and imagery of the separate stories were facinating
and uplifting. The real joy, however, was when the various
stories drew me into the theme of the entire book:
The connectedness of us all!

Mr. Moore has penned a major good read, chock full of kernels of homespun wisdom and generally great sentimental entertainment for all ages and beliefs. His "Christmas Stories from a Dying Man" celebrates love and family, illuminating what helps all of us overcome our personal tragedies. Although a thoroughly modern tale, the writing and themes evoke the timeless poignance of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." The collection is thought-provoking and heartfelt, and not without generous dollops of whimsy. Mr. Moore's characters will keep you warm long after you put down his splendid slender volume. You undoubtedly will return to them for many holiday seasons to come. Each tale adds another layer of understanding, crescendoing in a final nine pages which I could not put down... and, I venture, you, too, will be unable to resist such a conclusion.

This book is both entertaining and thought provoking. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I am going to give copies of the book as gifts this holiday season.