The holidays are normally meant to bring everyone together for joy and celebration. Instead, two unfortunate situations force these two to co-exist in the same house together, but after a while, the two of them realize that might not be a bad thing. Join these two as they try to not only piece their lives back together but also find unexpected love along the way. Find out what it means to have Xmas with a real one.

     With his dad's death, the work of the family Christmas tree farm has fallen to Jim Standish. But how can he hold everything together for the sake of his grieving family, when his own secrets are pulling him apart? When a new tragedy puts Melissa and her son in closer contact with the Standish family, ignoring the past is no longer an option. Everyone involved will have to move forward--but how? This is a wholesome, heartwarming story about second chances: facing difficulties of the past and not only moving on, but becoming stronger because of them. It's about "coincidences" in life that may be more than that. A sweet little boy, and a delightful touch of Christmas magic make Small Town Christmas a story that ends on a sigh!

    They’ve experienced all kinds of things but with each other, their families, prayer, and God; they’ve made it through 2019, to the month of December. But not every relationship salvaged will make it to the future. In this Holiday Short Story, Special Edition of When the Vows Break, you’ll get to peek into the lives of these friends and see how they’re spending their Christmas holiday. Will the past they’ve endured affect their present, attempting to shatter their future? Or has the past given them instruction to treasure the present while preparing for the future? You’ll have to read to find out.

    He's somehow pictured bishops as spiritual giants and inspired administrators, not as ordinary grocers with a pretty wife and three normal but rambunctious kids. Bishop Shepherd's immediate challenge is to bring together the diverse memberships of two wards that are being combined. In his new flock are Ida Lou Reams, the uncertain but warm-hearted relief Society president; Tashia Jones, an eleven-year-old black girl who comes alone to sacrament meeting; Roscoe Bainbridge, an older man dying of inoperable cancer; Ralph and Linda Jernigan, whose behavior would be humorous if it weren't so bizarre; and an assortment of other unforgettable characters, who all manage to find a place in Bishop Shepherd's heart.

    by Catherine PalmerWhen Jeremiah Maddox agreed to let university administrator Lara Crane house international students in his guest cottage, he never expected he'd be hosting a married couple with three children. Nor did he imagine circumstances would compel him to babysit the family's infant at Christmastime. And what he least expected was to fall for the woman responsible for turning his life upside down!Christmas, Don't Be Late by Jillian HartWhen a misunderstanding caused millionaire Colton Nichols to be taken for Santa Claus by neighbor Amanda Richards's young son, Colton was determined to keep his distance. But the Christmas-wish letter Jeremy sent broke his heart--Jeremy asked only that his sick sister be well and his mom's heart not be sad. Colton found himself praying for just that--and wishing this family were his own.

    Christmas has brought nothing but grief and loneliness for the past decade, after she lost her beloved husband to a fatal car accident. Hearing holiday music day after day during the first few months of the school year is like constantly ripping the scab off an unhealed wound.Determined to keep her husband in her heart, she has kept a fortress around it, allowing only one woman in as a true friend, and avoiding anything more than a passing acquaintance with any man.Until Timothy Fielding, the maintenance man at the apartment complex where she lives, comes along. He happens to love the Christmas season. When circumstances – and Janice’s best friend, Kayla – draw them together, he struggles to keep his growing feelings for Janice at bay. He has his own secret past that he’s sure would repel any woman, once she found out about it.But his desire for love and companionship win out, and he does his best to knock down the walls around Janice’s heart. But even when she finally relents and agrees to spend more time with him, she continues to resist opening her heart back up to Christmas.Because the death of her husband is only the beginning of the tragedy surrounding the day.In the meantime, Lucille Masterson, the great-grandmother of Janice’s star pupil, makes a shocking discovery that almost causes her to ruin Christmas for her family. Again. But then she realizes that if she would face her fear, she could finally release the burden she’s been carrying for the past ten years. What she doesn’t know is that it would release a horrible burden for the very person she’s afraid to face…**********“Christmas Mercies” is the first novel in Emily Josephine’s Christian holiday romance series, “Little River Village Christmas Romance.” A clean and wholesome romance novel, it will warm your heart, build your faith, and leave you feeling refreshed and hopeful.

    There’s only one problem. He’s a fugitive running from the law.Barron Hart has a plan to bring his brother’s killers to justice, and it does not involve Gracie. But when the snowy winds batter the backwoods cabin he’s using as his hideout, he has no choice but to wait out the storm with the Sheriff’s daughter. Against her will. Although, if he’s being honest with himself, she’s the one holding his heart captive.After their first explosive encounter, nothing will warm Gracie up… or stop the sparks flying between them. There are too many secrets keeping them apart. Barron is further dismayed when Gracie uncovers his tragic past. She has the faith to help him heal, but he’s not ready to give up his revenge. Will the mysteries that brought them together, now have the power to tear them apart?

     Having recently relocated to Seattle, Shelby longs for someone special in her life. When a handsome green-eyed stranger walks into the coffee shop where she works, her interest is piqued. Later, she finds a bag containing five beautiful hand-painted Christmas bells on the cream and sugar table. No one comes back to claim it, so she decides to do a little detective work. Does she dare hope that it will lead her to the stranger with the magnetic green eyes? Chris Bertone loves his job at Impact Ministries, but working day and night has prevented him from having much of a social life. On a whim, he stops for a cup of coffee and is instantly smitten with the beautiful barista. Now, even with everything he has to take care of at work, all he wants to do is find time for another coffee break. But things are so hectic this holiday season, how can he manage to get to know her better without being too overbearing, or breaking his budget on coffee? Holiday Hearts…seasons of love.

    Lauren Everman needs a place to hide. It's going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his old Marine buddies. Now, recovering from an on-the-job injury, Brendan thinks the ranch is the perfect place to spend Christmas healing up.When Lauren Everman was a seventeen-year-old foster kid, Bluebird Ranch was the safest place she knew. Now it's the perfect hideout for a woman on the run. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low, and her skill with horses means she'll be able to lend a hand with the troubled kids at Bluebird—without answering too many questions.Lauren's rich hair, high cheekbones, and dark eyes immediately get Brendan's attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one, and he's not about to let her put Bluebird Ranch at risk.But as Brendan and Lauren get to know each other, their suspicions evaporate and romance starts to sizzle. But this would-be couple has more to worry about than each other—there's a killer on the loose who wants Lauren kept quiet.All Is BrightA romantic, Christmas wedding at her seaside hotel gives Delilah a chance to shine with her unique gifts. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. While picking up still more twinkly lights and some last-minute groceries for the reception dinner, a huge truck runs her off the freezing, wet roads into the dark night. Her car stops just short of an enormous tree and the truck speeds off into the night. Delilah escapes with her life and has almost convinced herself the whole thing was an accident, but then she begins to receive threatening phone calls. With the wedding just hours away, she's distracted and anxious. Then Sheriff Tom Bourne stops by the inn and volunteers to help.Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he's determined to protect her. But he is pulled away by a bizarre Christmas stunt that has the neighborhood reeling, and Delilah is attacked again.Will Delilah have to cancel the Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn? And will Tom's protection be enough to save Delilah from the shadowy figure looming in the background?

    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. . . . As she loses consciousness from her injuries, she wonders if she’s done enough with her life.When a lonely dry-cleaning employee finds Kate’s humble, handwritten copy of the psalm, it begins an incredible journey around the world, forever changing the lives of twelve very different people. From a soldier wounded in Iraq, to a young Kurdish girl fleeing with her family to Turkey, to a Kenyan runner about to begin the Rome Invitational Marathon, the power of the ancient words begins to take shape in various ways, drawing us into these stories inexplicably linked by the passing of the psalm from one recipient to the next.Eventually, Kate’s paper makes it back to its starting place, and she discovers the unexpected ways that God moves and changes lives through even our smallest actions.

    Nurse Kathleen Hart is a single mom racked by guilt over her husband's death. Firefighter Gideon O'Brien—orphaned as a young boy—has lost too many people he cared for. To rise above the storm's devastation, Gideon helps Kathleen and her sons rebuild their home. As Christmas approaches, they discover that even the strongest of storms can't destroy a romance built on the foundation of faith.

    Kevin Marshall is trapped in a miserable existence with a boss and a fiancé who despise him.The Monday night before Thanksgiving, however, through an act of kindness to a stranger, Kevin receives an invitation to begin a new life and awakens the next morning to find himself living his dream.Now Kevin must discover how to let go of his past and accept the invitation for himself before his new life ends as suddenly as it began.You are invited…to experience the power of faith, the joy of love and the magic of Christmas in this holiday story of life choices and second chances.

    Adrift at thirty-four, no-one does 'lost' quite like Jill. Wry, witty, resilient but bewildered, she's left asking, 'What does it take to stay sane in this life? And why does it look easier for everyone else?'Her nine-year relationship is over. She swaps one so-so job for another. She gets drunk with off-beat friends and internet dates with mixed results... Then life is flipped on its head by some shocking news. But average 'chic fiction' this ain't! There's nothing average about Jill and her distinctive, savagely honest voice; with sentences you'll want to read and re-read for their lyrical, original language and ringing clarity. An exploration of modern friendships and relationships, Jill's voice will penetrate and have you analysing your own life choices through her lens!When events take Jill to the edge - will tip herself over or turn things around and keep walking?

    Colin Scott is a top literary agent at a firm representing some of the biggest names in publishing. He's worked hard to reach this place, yet now it seems routine and aggravating. On top of the creeping cynicism in his professional life, Colin and his wife are desperate to have a baby. As the pressure mounts, he finds himself questioning almost every decision he's ever made. And he seems to be having a nervous breakdown.Then disaster strikes. On a much-needed vacation in Mexico, his wife's parasail malfunctions and she plunges to her death. From that point on, Colin's life goes from bad to worse as he loses his job and, apparently, his mind.

    Five years ago, Noel dedicated her life to Christ. It was the best decision she’d made in her life. However, August isn’t onboard with his wife’s newfound faith. Noel is at her wits end, trying to convince her husband about the way of the Lord. August is done with his wife pestering him about her faith. They are both hoping for a Christmas miracle – one of peace.