Christmas Short Stories Anthology

That summer - more than 10 years ago, while they were still in high school - Noelle McDowell and Thomas Sutton fell secretly in love. Secretly because their mothers had been locked in a bitter feud for decades. But despite the animosity between Sarah McDowell and Mary Sutton, Noelle planned to elope with Thom. Until he jilted her.

Discover clean and fun best-selling cozy mysteries by Amber Crewes to enjoy! A light cozy-mystery series with an amateur female sleuth, mouth-watering culinary desserts, and 13 gripping murder mysteries!

Lydia Downs, lady's maid to the spoiled Elizabeth Samson, is badgered into attending the first ball of the season in place of her mistress. A masquerade ball where Lydia meets the kind, handsome, and wealthy Beauregard Hollingsworth.

In the mystery of Christmas, we find its majesty. The mystery of how God became flesh, why he chose to come, and how he must love his people. Such mysteries can never be solved, just as love can never be diagrammed. Christmas is best pondered, not with logic, but with imagination.

Rebellious Christmas wreaths. Mysterious welly-dwelling eggs. A plague of irate water fowl. And ten ladies of a certain age who are by no means the least troublesome of Toot Hansell's residents, as far as Detective Inspector Adams is concerned. She's entirely certain her training never covered dealing with the Women's Institute, dragons, or festive magic spills. Not to mention invisible dogs with caffeine dependencies. But Christmas is almost here. Things can't go too wrong. . . can they? Well. It is Toot Hansell.

These are adult stories of Christmas. Hope, joy, love, and friendship swirled together in a wassail bowl as a potion against the bone-chilling cold of winter, and the soul-chilling despair of being alone. Come drink the warmth of the magical draft and recapture that feeling of a contented Christmas.

Leena has been in love with her boss, Nick DeMarco, for almost eight years. But he's never given her any indication that she was special to him. Their relationship was close, but rarely outside of a business function. So when he invites her to be his fake girlfriend at his family's Christmas week she is thrilled and ready to show Nick just what he's missing out on, her only wish for the Christmas season.

A Charles Dickens Christmas story about remembering the poor, forgotten, and overlooked once a year by the Christmas fire. This grand story sets up the bickering Big Wig family as a guide to the laboring Nobody family, led by a man named Legion, and nothing good comes of it. Legion's master discusses his losses in term of the poor and their habits and diseases. Legion points out it is one world: "What happens to us happens to you."

From an unexpected visitor on Christmas Eve in "The Christmas Mouse" to an unwanted change of plan in "No Holly For Miss Quinn", Miss Read recounts some of the most memorable Christmas events where often, despite best-laid plans, things do not always go as expected.For heart-warming reading there is no writer to rival Miss Read, and this charming collection of Christmas tales is packed with unforgettable characters, enchanting stories and festive cheer.

New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury - the “queen of inspirational fiction” ( Time) - is acclaimed for her poignant, uplifting tales. Here, Kingsbury recounts a series of true stories about people whose lives were changed by the mystery and wonder of Christmastime. Each story offers proof of God’s presence today - and a joyous reminder of the real meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas anthology from legendary historian and Christmas Cracker compiler John Julius Norwich. This year go carol singing in the Cotswolds with Laurie Lee or attend church with a grumpy Samuel Pepys. Make plum puddings for bemused French villagers with Elizabeth David; go present shopping with Virginia Woolf, or eat far too much with Agatha Christie. Celebrate Christmas at Chatsworth, in the workhouse or marooned in the ice with Shackleton....

Headlined by the legendary storyteller Diana Palmer, this Christmas, the best kind of trouble comes in threes: Three bestselling authors. Three stories of holiday romance. And three rugged cowboys who are ready for love—whether they know it yet or not.

Annie Dixon’s love for nature and her hometown of Glenville has her driven to find a way to keep the tree farm from outsiders. When the bank grants sixty days before the tree farm is listed for public sale, Annie and her friends devise a plan to finance the buy. The death of Annie’s childhood friend brings Detective Ryder Harris back to Glenville. A child in his eyes, he always called her 'Sweet Annie'. Now he sees her differently. Annie never admitted she had a big crush for Ryder. Now that familiar flutter in her heart is back.

Rev. Dr. Steve Burt, the Congregational minister known as The Christmas Story Pastor, has been sharing his emotional holiday stories - modern parables revealing the true meaning of Christmas - for 40 years in print and in read-aloud programs. Millions have heard him read his stories on radio and television, with millions more seeing them in Family Circle or the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Single mom Meghan Shaunessy and her four-year-old autistic son Liam move to Heaven, Pa., for a temporary post as a special education teacher. Her parents were killed in a tragic car accident, and she wanted to be close to her sister; her only remaining family. Playboy bartender at Nick's Bar & Bistro, Byron Watts hides a deep pain from the casual hookups in his life. Grieving over the loss of his toddler son, he keeps things as fluid as the drinks he serves. Nobody will get close again. Byron lives above her in her new apartment and Meghan tags him immediately as a man like her ex.

A Christmas party is punctuated by a gunshot under a policeman’s watchful eye. A jewel heist is planned amidst the glitz and glamour of Oxford Street’s Christmas shopping. And lost in a snowstorm, a man finds a motive for murder.... This collection of mysteries explores the darker side of the festive season, from unexplained disturbances in the fresh snow to the darkness that lurks beneath the sparkling decorations.

It's two days before Christmas Eve, and the Mills family is under siege. Nine-year-old Will is used to the annual battle with Ysolda Povenmire and her devil dog, but what, pray tell, do the FBI and CIA have to do with things? Fearlessly risking life and limb, the brave youngster follows first one clue and then another, until they lead him to the biggest surprise of all and the best Mills family Christmas ever! So grab a couple of gingerbread men, a flask of hot cocoa, and your mittens, and come along for the ride. Internationally beloved, From Women's Pen author Angel Nichols has produced yet another charming Christmas tale, and you won't want to miss it.

Children aren't the same as kittens, as Miss Mary Mason is reminded when she volunteers to keep two orphans in her home through Christmas. Ragged and dirty, their manners leave much to be desired. Still, Mary perseveres, not willing to return them to a system that will certainly not meet their needs.

"The Holly Tree" is a warm Christmas story by Charles Dickens and a listening treat for adults during the holiday season or almost any time of year. Full of wonderful Dickensian words, phrases, and irony. The story contains a strain of great truth, and love for Americans, who Dickens depicts over-friendly but warm, kindly, generous, and warm hearted.

Another wonderful Dickens short story combining spectral images with Christmas. Wonderful turns of phrase and digressions throughout. To name but one, “faithful obstructions”, for servants - in other words, easier to do it yourself if not for pride of position. Playful, fun, and illuminating. One of his less listened-to stories; well worth it for anyone, but especially for fans.