by Sandra Merville Hart
Sometimes Penelope doesn’t quite fit in with her classmates because there aren’t any other T. rex’s at her school.
Oh, she plays with the other kids at recess but they always want Penelope to play all the dinosaur parts in their games. Her favorite thing of all is singing and playing guitar.
Should she sign up for the talent show?
A nice story about embracing your own talents. The book is geared toward beginner readers and children 5 – 7.
by Sandra Merville Hart
This contemporary novel collection is set during the holidays. Each novella is set at an Amish bakery. Prepare to want a delicious dessert as you read …
In Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston, Alyssa lends her artistic abilities to a creative window display for her employer’s bakery. She knows the best person to create the cookie cutters but Kyle, a boy she remembered from school, might feel it isn’t worth his time. When he agrees, she dares to dream of dating him. Unfortunately, finding enough time to date becomes an unexpected issue.
Katie, a talented baker, takes charge of the family’s bakery while her mother recovers from surgery in Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman. She learns that running the bakery isn’t as easy as it seems. Henry, whom she’s known since childhood, hangs around more and she wished he would ask to date her, but she’s just started dating someone. This new boyfriend is a bit too affectionate, something she and Henry agree on.
Mattie travels to Birch Creek to help in her new aunt’s bakery. Then she realizes Peter, whom she can barely tolerate, is also here to help her uncle build an addition. Her best friend, after dating him, had plenty of harsh words about Peter. Mattie must figure out the truth in Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller.
In Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin, Ambrose is a sweet, kind man with a learning disability that kept him from learning to read. When Martha sees him being mistreated, she steps in to help. Ambrose has cared for her for years, but is certain she will never love him. The death of Martha’s parents has placed the responsibility of her younger siblings and the bakery on her and her sister’s shoulders. Dare she dream of love with so much weighing on her?
Each story is very different, which kept my interest engaged. I liked the characters in each story and found myself pulling for them. I love reading Christmas books around the holidays and enjoyed this collection. Because each story is set in a bakery, I found myself craving delicious baked goods!
Recommend.
https://www.christianbook.com/an-amish-christmas-bakery/amy-clipston/9780310352808/pd/352808
by Sandra Merville Hart
This contemporary novel is set during the holidays and snagged my attention right away.
Krista moves her daughter to Winter Hill to accept a position as city manager. She soon learns the town has a Christmasville celebration—and it’s part of her job description.
The trouble is, Krista doesn’t like Christmas. She grew up in various foster homes that made celebrating the holiday a challenge.
That’s not the only challenge with the job, but Conner Harris and his daughter certainly make Krista long for the move to a new state to work out.
The characters in this contemporary romance tugged at my heart. I was especially caught up in the struggles of Krista’s daughter, who had such a likeable, fun personality. As trouble escalated, I didn’t know how it was going to end. The festive names of different businesses in the city added to the holiday fun.
Recommend!
https://www.christianbook.com/christmas-in-winter-hill/melody-carlson/9780800736101/pd/0736104
by Sandra Merville Hart
This trio of Christmas historical romance novellas put me in the mood for the holidays.
In A Texas Christmas Carol, Felicity Wiggins tackles the tough task of collecting donations for Christmas baskets—and the even tougher shell surrounding Evan Beazer’s heart that keeps him from giving. She somehow convinces Evan to join her in collecting, but he shields his heart from falling for her—until a chance meeting with three men who keep popping back into his life at the oddest times.
This creative retelling of the classic Dickens story hearkens back to the original story in many ways. One of them is using similar names, such as Evan Beazer for Ebenezer Scrooge. I enjoyed the story.
In An Archer Family Christmas: An Archer Brothers Epilogue, Jim and Cassandra Archer are mourning the loss of their son, who lived one day and died on Christmas Eve three years before. Despite this grief, they are looking forward to spending Christmas with Jim’s brothers and their families when danger comes knocking.
The story moves at a slow pace until the danger arises. Then my attention was captured. I hadn’t read the series but that didn’t hinder my love for the characters in this captivating story.
Gift of the Heart is about a widow who accepts a new job to build a home for her and her daughter in Hope Springs despite difficulties caused by Beauregard Azlin, the town’s owner. I had read this novella story before and enjoyed the gentle romance between a man who feels no one will love him for anything but his wealth and a woman who fears no one will touch her heart the way her husband had.
This story had stayed with me from the first reading and I enjoyed spending time with characters I cared about once again.
A wonderful collection filled with lovable characters! I love the small town historical settings in each story. This is a nostalgic collection of Christmas novellas set in Texas, filled with the type of stories I love reading during the holidays.
Recommend!
Sassy Creek Series
Ovaleta Mayhew can’t enjoy the coming Christmas holidays because of her worry for eight-year-old Ava Roberts. The remission of Ava’s leukemia was welcome news to all the residents of Sassy Creek, yet Ava is still in the hospital. Her parents had a huge hospital bill and were behind in their house payments. How could a retired couple help?
Pastor Seth Walters visits Ava often at the hospital, and is dating one of her nurses. He dreads introducing Lila to his congregation, fearing the pressure they’ll put on the relationship.
Ovaleta can’t help the Roberts family on her own. It’ll take the whole town to rally around them. Then she has a brilliant idea.
I loved meeting the lovable characters of Sassy Creek in this Christmas novella! The author has created a town full of sassy, believable characters and I kept turning pages to see what adventures they’d get into next.
If you like reading books in a series that are set in a small town, I believe you will love the folks at Sassy Creek.
I will look for more books by this author!
-Sandra Merville Hart
Randall McCullough, retired from the postal service, can’t get excited about his birthday or the coming Christmas season since Shirley’s passing five years ago. Maybe he can find a way to be a blessing to a few folks this Christmas. That might help take his mind off his loneliness.
Alma Lee, who works at the drugstore, likes to argue with him. He’s known her since childhood and she’s always been the same way.
Randall is surprised when Alma Lee not only gets wind of his Christmas secret mission but also wants to help. He doesn’t want to admit that arguing with her brings some spark to his days. He agrees and the pair set off to help families in Weldon’s trailer park that has been allowed to deteriorate.
This story touched my heart! I love Randall, who remembers his wife’s generosity and learns from it. My attention was easily snagged early on by this gentle story.
I loved meeting the lovable characters of Weldon in this Christmas novella! The author has created a town full of believable characters that I learned to love.
If you like reading books in a series that are set in a small town, I believe you will love the folks at Weldon, Kentucky.
I will look for more books by this author!
-Sandra Merville Hart
The Christmas Card Series, Book 1
Cole Nikols has saved for months to give his girlfriend, Sarah Whitman, a special evening as he proposes. She is the Director for a charity and often has to leave their dates to take care of folks who are hurting. He cringes when she answers a call during their date, and they argue. Cole ends up taking their meal back to his house.
Once there, he has an idea to show her that he understands her desire to serve others. He writes a Christmas card and then delivers it to family and friends with a request that they pass it on.
But he has no idea how many lives his Christmas card will touch.
I loved the concept behind this book. Acts of kindness, love, and forgiveness have ripple efforts that are far-reaching, as this story beautifully demonstrates.
This short read will make you think. A great book for the holiday season!
-Sandra Merville Hart
by Sandra Merville Hart
This contemporary romance novel is set during the holidays. At this time of year, I love reading Christmas novels. This one snagged my attention right away.
Shayla Coggins races for the safety of the Tennessee border on the back roads of North Carolina with her baby. His father, just released from prison, is after them. She can’t risky her son falling into his cruel hands.
Luke Morgan rescues Shayla her baby after her car breaks down. Bad weather has closed the roads so they will stay with his family through the Thanksgiving holidays, even though it’s the busiest time of year on his tree farm. Though immediately attracted to Shayla, the bachelor is shy with women. Besides he has other concerns…like losing his farm.
Shayla and baby Jeremiah blossom under the kindness of Luke’s mother and sisters, and she falls in love with hard-working man. But dreams aren’t for her. Hasn’t her rough childhood taught her that?
The characters in this contemporary romance tugged at my heart. There are many layers and many characters in this novel. The romance made this a page turner for me.
Recommend!
https://www.christianbook.com/a-safe-place-for-christmas/lisa-carter/9781335758835/pd/758835
by Sandra Merville Hart
A Newbery Honor Book
Jethro Creighton is nine when the War Between the States begins. As the youngest, he listens as his older brothers plan to join the fighting. They’re excitement is contagious, yet the older folks are concerned.
Folks who live in Illinois where Jethro’s family farms for a living are for the Union. All except one brother supports the Union. Jethro is closest to Bill, his quiet brother. Though Bill can’t abide slavery, he doesn’t feel right about telling the Southerners how to live. It divides the family.
There is tragedy, danger, and hardship for the young boy to overcome in this compelling story.
I couldn’t put the book down. The struggles of the characters tugged at my heart. I understand why this well-written story of how one family endured the heartaches of a war that seemed never-ending won the Newbery Honor Award.
I loved the history of this book. It gives an overview of the Civil War from April of 1861 to April of 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
An overview of the main events of the war is woven into the story through the eyes of a young boy who must grow up too soon.
As an author of historical novels set in American history, I enjoyed learning details of everyday farm life in the 1860s.
Recommend for children 9 to 14. Also recommended for lovers of American history and those who enjoy novels set during the Civil War.
https://www.christianbook.com/across-five-aprils-irene-hunt/9780425102411/pd/102416
by Sandra Merville Hart
Book 2 of the Mandie Mysteries series
I loved the historical story of this book. I was happy to learn more about the Cherokees who stayed behind in North Carolina after the tragic Trail of Tears.
Mandie is a young girl traveling to the home of her Cherokee relatives when the story begins. Her cousin, Tsa’ni, doesn’t like her at all and causes trouble for her many times during the story.
After Tsa’ni leaves Mandie and her friends in a cave to find their own way out, they find something that would greatly help their tribe. This discovery stirs up more trouble, adding to the adventures of the novel.
There are plenty of adventures for this spunky heroine—and danger, too. This book is a page-turner for young readers, who will want to know what happens next.
I enjoyed this story. I didn’t learn Mandie’s age, which is an important detail for children reading the story. Perhaps I missed it.
So much backstory from the previous book was given in the first chapter that it slowed down the story. The chapters also seem a bit long for the targeted age group.
As an author of historical novels set in American history, I enjoyed learning details of everyday life.
Recommended for children 8 to 14 and for lovers of American history.
https://www.christianbook.com/the-mandie-collection-volume-1/lois-leppard/9780764204463/pd/204463
Sandra Merville Hart 