Christmas Wishes

The stories in Highland Press's anthologies are just getting better and better. The ones in Christmas Wishes resonate throughout the year, not just Christmas (I read them in February). They all tell the story of family, people finding love after loss, love for children, finding hope. Stories like these are timeless.

Christmas At Home by Leanne Burroughs Allison "Alli" Monroe has been a widow since her husband died overseas. With the war raging on and receiving no widow's pension, Alli must raise her five-year-old daughter, Becca, alone. Allie meets Ryan Burgess while in the general store. Ryan has been discharged from the Air Force and now needs the use of a cane to get around. Little Becca is about to teach them both some much needed lessons. The Christmas Store by Ann Marie Bradley When Aine Ross finds her fiancé in bed with another woman and then her own family tries to defend him, Aine decides to spend Christmas with her friend Holly. Holly lives up north, where Christmas is always white. Aine and Holly enter "The Christmas Store". An elderly couple perfectly play the roles of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Every customer writes a Christmas wish and hangs it on the tree. According to Mrs. Claus, all the wishes will come true. But Aine does not believe her wish could possibly happen. Love's Eternal Hope by Amber Dawn Bell Hope Lacey has been divorced, gone through bankruptcy, and lost her home. By order of the courts, Hope must vacate her home of twenty-eight years by Christmas Eve. She spies her favorite Christmas ornament (a nunne'hi of Cherokee mythology believed to possess magical powers). Hope wishes she lived long ago with the Cherokee clans. Her Christmas wish is granted. Operation Family by Billie Warren Chai Major Sean Spencer, Special Ops, US Army, had broken up with Ava Jefferson when she refused to quit her job of being a deputy after they were wed. Shortly thereafter, Sean was sent on an undercover mission and was out of touch for months. However, when Sean returns and is finally forced to walk into the county sheriff's office to pick up a couple of his men, he is startled to see a very pregnant Ava. The Gift of You by Kimberly Ivey Set in 1974. Single mother Liliana Brooks quits her job at Hamburger Palace to get away from her abusive boss. When she is attacked while walking home, Jake Delatorre rescues her and even hires her as a waitress in his own restaurant. That same night, Liliana's father threatens physical harm to her eighteen month old baby, Nicky. Without a second thought, Liliana packs up and goes to the only person she feels safe with, Jake. The Patient Gift by Patty Howell Leatrice "Lea" Novak has lost too many loved ones this year. With Christmas fast approaching, she begins hardening her heart in self preservation. Only Basil, her elderly black lab, is allowed into Lea's heart. Well, that is until Durham North's car gets stuck in the snow and he knocks on her door to use the phone. Basil decides it is up to him and the big man upstairs to bring this pair together; and in doing so, heal them both. In Time for Christmas by Cheryl Alldredge Over one thousand years ago, in Northumberland, Lord Gunnar said a prayer in the chapel for help and fortune. But a wench was not what he had in mind; especially one so unusual. In D

If you were to buy one anthology this year of short Christmas stories to settle in on a cold winters night than you won't go wrong by picking up this entertaining compilation of an even dozen featuring some bright and fresh new talent. The stories run the gamut of contemporary to historical and even a bit of time travel - but more importantly they're all magical enough to warm the cockles of your heart! Christmas At Home / Leanne Burroughs - Prepare to be charmed completely by Burroughs poignant tale as wounded WWII gunner pilot Ryan Burgess discovers that a lovely widow and her precocious daughter Becca are the perfect pair to help him ring in Christmas with hope for the future. *** Have lots of tissues nearby as Burroughs tugs your heartstrings with this one. The Christmas Store / Anne Marie Bradley - After finding her fiancé in bed with another woman Aine is spending Christmas up north with best friend Holly who takes her to The Christmas Store with a Mr. & Mrs. Claus looking remarkably like the real deal! Who knows what Christmas wishes would come true when she and a cute orphan named Joey write their wishes on golden stars to hang on Santa's tree! *** Bradley's sweetly touching tale will make you believe in Santa again! Love's Eternal Hope / Amber Dawn Bell - Bell serves up every older (mature) woman's fantasy with this gem of a story. When Hope Lacey felt all had been lost a magical journey sent her back to her Cherokee roots giving her back not only her self-esteem but a very surprising gift on Christmas Eve. *** Oh, so very satisfying. Operation Family / Billie Warren Chai - Major Sean Spencer wanted to be in control and wanted a stay at home wife. Ava's career meant just as much to her as Sean's so heartbreakingly, they split. Some months later when Sean arrived to bail his crew out of jail he ran into a very pregnant Ava and knew he was going to be a daddy. Sean, a special ops specialist knew changes were called for and put Operation Family into overdrive in order to convince the woman of his dreams that marriage would be the best Christmas gift ever. *** You gotta love take charge guys who know how to make Christmas special! The Gift of You / Kimberly Ivie - After suffering groping attempts and abuse from her slime ball boss Liliana Brooks quit her job knowing the worse would come later when telling her parents. Little did she know the worst would come sooner than that. Jake Dellatore wasn't looking to be a hero but after saving Liliana from being raped he felt more alive than he had since losing his wife and child five years before. Perhaps this Christmas would bring Liliana and Jake a gift both had lost all hope of ever receiving. *** Ivie offers up a lovely spun sugar Christmas romance served up sweetly sensual. The Patient Gift / Patty Howell - Patty Howell delivers a delightful and emotionally moving tale of love when she brings together Lea and Durham during a winter storm. With a little bit of coaching f