The Christmas Stranger (The Bancroft Brides, 1)

Just finished the book a couple of hours ago, and I have to admit, I really enjoyed it. I don't usually like to mix my suspense with romance, but the author does a good job at creating balance in the book. I really liked the main character Holly and loved Matt. I rooted for him from the very beginning....and I love a guy I can root for. The author does a good job of being realistic with Holly's grief and doubt. And I like that she never makes the murdered husband any less of a good man. I hate when authors ALWAYS make the past love interest a jerk. It seems because Holly had a good relationship with her former husband that she desires the same with a new love interest. There are lots of dips and turns in the book (almost too much!) I was on the edge of my seat and never suspected how Holly's husband was murdered. A good read...and it put me in the Christmas spirit! A good stocking stuffer for someone who like a read in one afternoon.

This is the first book by Beth Cornelison that I've read and I am impressed. I will definitely read more of her books now. I love romantic suspense and The Christmas Stranger did not disappoint. Other reviewers have summerized the book that I won't repeat. I will say that I gave it 5 stars because it is definitely a book that I will be recommending to others. The story kept me intrigued enough that I read it through in one sitting instead of putting it aside to go to sleep which for me is an indicator that the book will only get a 3 star at most from me. Cornelison kept me interested in the characters and pulled into the story. I hope the other two Bancroft sisters' stories are as good.

It takes tremendous skill to juggle a love story, a suspense plot, and an ongoing series question all in one book. But in THE CHRISTMAS STRANGER, Beth Cornelison makes it look easy. It's been a little over a year since Holly Bancroft Cole's husband was murdered. The crime remains unsolved. Holly still misses Ryan and longs to knw who killed him and why. But she is determined to continue living her life, teaching, volunteering, and completing the renovations she and Ryan were making in their old farmhouse. It's clear that Matt Rankin is more than he says he is from the moment he saves a life at the community aid shelter where Holly volunteers. Her curiosity about his true identity intensifies when he follows her into the church where Ryan was killed. They strike up an alliance that quickly becomes mutually beneficial when Holly hires Matt to complete the renovations. But even as they grown closer, even as they come to share their bodies and their hearts, Matt is keeping a secret that could ensure he and Holly can never be together. Beth Cornelison delivers a powerful emotional punch in a story about two wounded people learning to love again even when all the evidence - and their own hearts - tells them they shouldn't.

Absolutely loved the lies, secrets, & Suspense in this book. It was a first from Beth for me and I am here to tell you it will not be a last. I am going to have to quit subscribing to all these different series and just by my new favorite authors. I am going to go broke. Anyway back to the review of the book. In this book Holly is lied to by more than one person that she cares about. We have many, many secrets that are uncovered and of course we have happy times as well. If you want a breath taking Christmas suspense you need to read this book. It has got me in the Holiday spirit. I absolutely love Christmas almost as much as Holly. I just hope that mine is not as fun filled and exciting as her's and Matt's. I just don't think I would be able to handle it. They did a terrific job though.

If you love romance and love suspense this book will be an exciting read for you. It has an unsolved murder, an attempted murder, lies, deceit, love, uncertainty and suicide all mixed up in a really good story. Although there were a couple of times I worried about Holly and the choices she made but there wouldn't have been as good a story if she hadn't made the choices. This book is the first of a new trilogy by Beth called "The Bancroft Brides" about three sisters~Holly, Paige, and Zoey. This is Holly's story and takes place in the winter in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. A beautiful place to live in the spring and summer and fall but treacherous in the winter when the snow falls. Holly lost her husband~ Ryan ~just over a year ago when someone murdered him. There was so little evidence the murder has gone unsolved~but Holly has not given up on finding the killer. The story begins at a Halloween party at the Community Aid Center in Morgan Hollow, NC, where Holly has spent a lot of time helping the poor and homeless of Morgan Hollow. Suddenly a young boy collapsed on the floor unable to breathe after swallowing a piece of candy that went down the wrong way. Matt Rankin, one of homeless, save his life with Holly's help. Although Holly realizes she can not trust or help all the homeless and poor she does decide she can trust Matt (and this is where I question her choice). She did have her brother-in-law Robert run a background check on Matt which came up clean. So Holly decides to hire Matt to help her finish the renovations on her house and eventually let him move into the spare room (again I question her decision). Then she finds her life in danger as someone set fire to her house with her trapped in the basement. Is Matt actually the one who killed her husband and now is trying to kill her? She finds out Matt had lied to her by omission so she doesn't completely trust him any longer. Or is the killer still out there and trying to keep her from finding out who he really is????