Allison: A Christmas To Remember | Anthology Review

A Christmas To Remember is a new anthology filled with short stories from Jill Shavis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsey, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano. All of the stories are set around Christmas time, and each have some sort of a tie to other series or other characters that the authors have previously written about. It was a fun and sweet anthology that would a perfect add to anyone’s holiday reading list. It is sure to get you in the spirit!

Dream a Little Dream  by Jill Shavis
So, I’ve heard a lot about Jill Shavis but haven’t actually had the time to check her out.  Blame it on having way too many books to read and not enough time to actually read them. Anyway, from the moment I started Dream a Little Dream, I fell in love with the characters (Melissa and Ian) and the setting (Lucky Harbor).  Everything just drew me right in, and seemed to fit perfectly. There was also so much emotion for such a short story. I was actually really sad to see it end! But now that I’ve had my first taste of Jill Shavis, I know that I will be back for more.

Every Year by Kristen Ashley
Christmas is not an easy holiday for everyone especially those who have been burnt in the past. It was nice to read a short story about a new relationship that was helping heal the broken bonds of the holiday spirit. Tabby and Shy were so sweet together, and I liked the way that Tabby’s family didn’t push Shy and his brother Landon into delving into the Christmas spirit with them. They allowed them to deal with things on their own while making new memories in the process. As someone who hadn’t been exposed to Shy and Landon before reading this short story, I could see feel their pain, and by the end of the book, I did want to learn more about them.

Silent Night by Hope Ramsey
I think this was my least favorite short story in the group. Although it was sweet, it still felt a little far fetched and rushed for me. Also, very insta-love which I guess I can understand around the holiday season but, it still didn’t work for me. I did however like the message of second chances, and never giving up hope no matter what circumstances stand in your way.

Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas by Molly Cannon
This story was super cute. I really liked the way that the two main characters, Lincoln and Dinah, actually spent time together and got to know each other. There was an instant chemistry between them but their chemistry was also built upon with trust and understanding. I also liked how Dinah was kind of a take no non-sense female character as it is always nice to see them. I felt very hopeful at the ending, and find myself wishing that Molly Cannon will write a full length story for these two as I would love to read about more of their relationship.

A Family for Christmas by Marilyn Pappano
This story has the whole feel good holiday read down pat. I could feel the feelings and emotions that were being portrayed by both characters. It was fun to watch as Jared and Ilena spent so much time together bonding over Christmas and her son. I felt that the author also expressed the idea of Ilena being a widow of a soldier who died in Afghanistan and a single mother very well. I also liked that there were no head games between the couple, they were both very straight forward and honest about what they wanted and where their relationship was headed. I would have liked more time before their love declarations but I guess I can understand because it was such a short story.

Overall, A Christmas to Remember is a great anthology that would be perfect to read while curled under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate during the holiday season. The stories are each touching in their own way and remind us of magical spirit of Christmas. I also felt that even if you hadn’t read anything by these authors (which I hadn’t read anything by them before), you can still connect to the stories. Perhaps you’ll even find as I did that you want to read more by their authors!

Disclosure: Received ARC by publisher through NetGalley

Other reviews of A Christmas To Remember:

Books, Ect.: “A Christmas to Remember is a winner when it comes to holiday romance short story collections.”

The Book Pushers: “This anthology should be on the TBR pile for anyone looking for fun Christmas stories!”

Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews: “From firemen to bikers to messy bachelors, there is a little something here for everyone to enjoy…“