Mountains, Memories & Mistletoe: Romance Makes Coming Home Adventurous in Two Christmas Novellas

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (11/06) "Mountains, Memories & Mistletoe" is a compilation of two Christmas novellas. The Ozark Mountains is where the Forrester family makes their home, but to cousins Amanda and Casey family gatherings always seem to turn into a matchmaking affair and a lesson on how both girls should be finding a husband. If you take away the endless matchmaking, life with Granny and the Forrester family in the beautiful Ozark Mountains is ideal, especially at Christmas time. In "Making Memories" (2006) by Janet Lee Barton, Amanda Forrester has moved from the Ozarks to Oklahoma City where she is making a living selling real estate. Her neighbor, Josh Randall, is a school teacher, and Josh agrees to celebrate Amanda's first closing sale with her by sharing a home cooked steak on the grill. Both find they enjoy each others company, especially during the holidays, when they work together to feed the less fortunate at Thanksgiving, shop for Christmas gifts, decorate, and couple together when the Sunday school class meets to make gingerbread houses. With some reluctance, Amanda agrees to have Josh join her in making the trip back home to join Granny and her family for Christmas. Amanda hopes that by bringing Josh, her family will let up on discussions of finding a mate, even though Amanda and Josh are only friends. A sudden snowstorm, while driving home to the Ozarks, changes the plans for Josh and Amanda when they console a family whose car abruptly runs off the road. When a near disaster becomes only a minor mishap, Josh and Amanda soon realize they are more than just friends. "Dreaming of a White Christmas" (2006) by Kathleen Miller, finds Casey Forrester feverishly working the late night hours of Thanksgiving Eve preparing the window displays at Callahan & Callahan Fine Clothiers, the most fashionable store on the entire West Coast. Casey's three window displays will be unveiled to all who watch local TV or cable news on Thanksgiving morning, and the reaction to her debut may foretell her future career. Unfortunately, Casey falls asleep in the display entitled "Dreaming of a White Christmas," and EMT Ben Callahan answers the call when a dead woman is reported to be in a downtown window display. Ben rescues Casey from the window display before the debut opening is ruined, and the two become great friends, especially after Casey rescues Ben from a surfing mishap. Both individuals hold some secrets, but going home to the Ozarks to visit Granny Forrester at Christmas might just solve everything. "Mountains, Memories & Mistletoe" is a great book to read during the holiday season. It is filled with family values, traditions and memories, and it reiterates what we have all heard about there being no place like home for the holidays. This book will leave you feeling happy and full of joy. I recommend both novellas for all ages of readers from teens and beyond. If you enjoy wholesome Christian roma