Book picks similar to
The Best Gift of All by Julie Lessman


historical-fiction
christmas
christian-fiction
novella

Christmas Bells are Ringing


Lesley Ann McDaniel - 2015
     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.

Mistletoe Memories: Four Generations Transform a House Into a Home for Christmas


Jennifer AlLee - 2013
    Carpenter Stephan Yost vows to build a precocious spinster a home by Christmas. Civil War widow Mary Ann Plum learns the greatest peace on earth comes from giving and receiving love. Olympia Paris must protect the orphanage she grew up in from a man intending to play Father Christmas to most of the town. Joy Benucci turns to a modern-day Scrooge to save a transitional home for foster kids. Will Christmas be a season of miracles in their lives? Tis the season / Carla Olson Gade Mercy mild / Gina Welborn Midnight clear / Lisa Karon Richardson Comfort and joy / Jennifer Allee

A Midnight Clear


Chasity Bowlin - 2019
    Reunited after decades with her long-lost son, everything should have been perfect. Yet it wasn’t. Without the constant grief, she became aware of how empty her life was. Hoping that spending the Christmas holidays with her son and his new bride would improve her outlook, Sarah met an ill fate once more. With her carriage broken down in a snowstorm, she sets out on foot to reach the family home, not realizing just how treacherous the conditions are. Bransen Middlethorpe is also at loose ends. Since his brother’s untimely but mostly welcomed demise, it’s been his job to look after the estates… and his brother’s widow. To say that Sarah had resented his interference was to put it mildly. But with his nephew returned, looking after the estates and after her, are no longer his purview—that is until he encounters Sarah braving blizzard like conditions. Furious with her and terrified at what might have happened had he not found her; they are forced to take shelter for the night in his small cottage on the family estate. While they are trapped by a blanket of snow and ice, they are forced to face the truth. There is far more between them than simply shared history. In such an intimate setting, they have no choice but to acknowledge the desire they both feel… and the love they’ve been denying for decades.

Act of Love


K.R. Jordan - 2013
    What he didn’t count on was his sister casting his ex-girlfriend as the female lead opposite him. Returning to his roots has Jack taking a hard look at his life, and he finds himself wanting the things he gave up so many years ago. Natasha can’t believe she agreed to play opposite her ex in the play ‘The Gift of the Magi’ at her best friend’s theatre. But she feels a certain kinship to the main character, Della, and it’s not just her long hair. As if facing a Christmas where she barely has the money to make ends meet, let alone buy presents for those she loves wasn’t hard enough, now she’s having to deal with Jack’s reappearance in her life. Through Natasha, Jack sees a side of life he’s missed out on. With love as her currency she gives more to others than he ever could with all his money. But would she be willing to give him a second chance at love?

The Beauty's Groom


Taylor Hart - 2019
    But, with Christmas coming and his estranged father resurfacing into his life, the owner of the Storm insists on Forest getting some therapy. Forget therapy! Doesn’t he have enough to deal with? Dr. L. Lane prides herself on being able to help the toughest cases. Too bad she’s having a personal crisis of her own at the moment. No, she can’t take on the pro football player. And no—the fact he’s cute isn’t reason enough to make an exception. As she finds herself dealing with the hulking mess of a man…she also discovers that he’s the first man…to really see her. And it’s annoying. Will their family issues keep them apart or will they get a Christmas Love?

A Regency Holiday


Allison Lane - 2011
    . .and a partridge in a pear tree . . . In Coventry's Christmas, Rebecca Hagan Lee offers a charming new story. With Christmas approaching, Amabel Thurston is ordered from the family home by her father's widow and must seek the protection of her guardian, Deverel Brookfield, eighth Marquess of Coventry. Unfortunately, the Devil of Coventry has little use for Christmas and even less for proper young ladies. In the never-in-print Star of Wonder, Lynn Kerstan brings her special brand of magic to the page when an exotic and dangerous stranger arrives to disrupt the meager Christmas of Stella Bryar, who has struggled to support the family retainers in the wake of her father's death.Allison Lane's newest Christmas treat is A Christmas Homecoming. When prodigal son Alex Northcote returns from a six year absence to take control of the family estate, he must run a gauntlet of possible brides, who have all been installed for a holiday house party by his determined grandmother. Avoiding the trap would have been so much easier, if the guest list hadn't included a quiet widow, who once jilted him for another. In the classic Home for Christmas, Alicia Rasley gives us a Christmas with a bit of intrigue. When Verity receives an unexpected invitation from her estranged father to spend the holidays at his Cornwall estate, she accepts with delight. But, ever mindful of her father's attention to propriety, she must scramble to find a husband and "father" for her fatherless child. Could a handsome and enigmatic stranger solve all her problems?

Old West Christmas Brides: 6 Historical Romances Celebrate Christmas on the Frontier


Margaret Brownley - 2018
     A Pony Express Christmas by Margaret Brownley Stranded alone in Nebraska Territory in 1882 with a broken wagon and two stubborn mules, Ellie-Mae Myers has no way to continue searching for her twin brother along the deserted Pony Express route or of returning home to Kentucky. Could a man on the verge of being hanged be the answer to her prayers?  A Wife in Name Only by Rosey Dow Katherine Priestly seeks a job to help support her mother and brother. A local ranch seeks a cook, but by 1884 standards, the owner, Brett Masten, will only hire a married woman to work among his men. Desperate, Catherine claims she is a married woman at the tender age of eighteen. Will her charade become a barrier to true love and send her home without enough money to buy Christmas presents?  Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter by Darlene Franklin Lucy Ames’ dreams come true when her sharp shooting makes her the star act of Major Paulson’s Wild West Show in 1891. Gordon Paulson is traveling with his parents for one last season before accepting a teaching position at West Texas Christian College. As Lucy’s and Gordon’s love for each other grows, will God weave their gifts and dreams into a single calling?  A Badlands Christmas by Marcia Gruver Noela Nancarrow and her pampered sister have been dragged into the Badlands by their adventurous father to live penniless in a sod house in 1885. When a local rancher invites Noela to a lavish Christmas party, will her holiday spirit return or will she learn a lesson far greater from the experience?  Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough Anna Campbell sets out to deliver two small orphans to their uncle in Texas during December of 1880. Erik Olson knows it’s impossible for those cute little pests to be his brother’s and refuses to accept them—regardless of Anna’s persistence. Little do they know that behind the scenes, Erik’s Uncle Lars and his buddies are doing a little matchmaking, hoping to give the children a father and a mother.   A Grand County Christmas by Debra Ullrick In 1883, Awnya O’Crean is on the brink of starvation and homeless in the Colorado Mountains. When she goes hunting for food, God places her in the path of Amadeus Josef. Will Christmas with the Josef family teach Awnya how God works in mysterious ways?

The Twelfth Night of the Duchess


Tiffany Baton - 2021
    Posing as a noble upon her Lady’s insistent request, she finds herself not only attending the Season’s grandest balls, but also a betrothed Duchess-to-be.Robert Jameson, brother of the Duke of Cromwell, has spent his years struggling with his horrid reputation and terrible relationship with his mother. Still, he is quite certain that nothing could ever compare to his most recent sin: falling for his brother’s betrothed.Caught between duty and lies, threatening letters turn Jane’s happiness to ashes in her mouth. For, someone knows her secrets; even ones she doesn’t know herself. On Twelfth Night, the masks shatter and the face they see behind them has been dead for a long while.

Reunited at Christmas


Debra Ullrick - 2013
    Not only does she train search and rescue dogs, but she’s a bestselling suspense author who has waterfront property in the beautiful mountain town of Grand Lake, Colorado. All is well until she receives a call to bring her dog Max and her snowmobile to help rescue a man who is lost in a blizzard up on Gravel Mountain. That man is the one person she never wants to see again—Ryker Anderson—the man who broke her heart the day he called three months before their wedding to say goodbye with no explanation as to why.After being gone for eighteen months, Ryker Anderson is back in Grand Lake where he hopes to win back the woman he loves. He only hopes Shelby understands why he left. Will he be able to convince Shelby that she can trust him with her heart again even though he broke it before?

A Constant Heart


Siri Mitchell - 2008
    She was born with the face of an angel. Her father is a knight, and a small fortune has been lavished upon her. And now she is to be married to an earl. Her security is fixed, her destiny guaranteed. At least, she hopes.The Earl of Lytham has already been married once. But the beautiful woman only left him with a broken heart and the bitter taste of betrayal. Now, his only demand of Marget is that she help him win favor with the Queen.But when Marget's introduction to court is met with the jealous queen's wrath, the young bride fears she's lost her husband forever. Desperate to honor him, she'll risk everything by doing whatever it takes to recapture the heart of a man bound to the Queen in a world where love is the only forbidden luxury.

Miriam's Letter


Sarah Price - 2012
    As Amish do not use computers or cell phones to communicate, Amish women will often write circle letters, letters that they send to a list of addresses of people that they would like to include in the correspondence. Since they do not have access to photocopiers, the first person on the list will receive the letter, read it, and respond. That person sends both the first letter and their response to the second name on the list. This continues until the entire package of letters goes full-circle, returning to the original sender.In Volume 1 of the 10 part series, Miriam's Letter, Miriam Fisher decides to start a circle letter among her children that no longer live at home. While writing the letter, someone vandalizes Steve's farm, frightening the children as well as the adults. Yet, this one action starts a chain reaction of events that could alter the lives of several members of the family. Meet Miriam's bachelor son, Steve, daughter, Mary Ruth, and grand-daughter, Katie as the letters weave together a tale that can only be viewed through the eyes of the reader.

Sagebrush Christmas


Birdie L. Etchison - 2005
    Cal Rutledge, the cowboy who buried Abby and saved the baby's life, is drawn to the spirited Jess. She is turning the sleepy town upside down with talk of a Christmas program, a church, a school, and most important, a fight for custody of the baby. But does Jess have room in her ambitions for a simple cowboy? Is the Lord's plan for Cal and Jess to share a sagebrush Christmas, then part ways? Or could he have a life in store for them that surpasses all they thought the desert could provide? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents!

Overweight Mail Order Bride For A Half-Blind Cowboy


Terri Grace - 2015
    Spurned for her size, and broken hearted as she stands by and watches all of her peers married off, Mindy is led by God to respond to an advert to become a Mail Order Bride to a mystery man on the wilds of the Western Frontier. It’s 1871 and the Frontier is as wild, and as lonely, as ever. Mindy Silvers is a gutsy and beautiful young lady, who dares to believe God and respond to a call into the unknown as a Mail Order Bride. But her journey to Horatio Attwood’s homestead will not be an easy one. She failed to mention her size to her husband-to-be, and Mindy must overcome insurmountable odds, both inwardly and outwardly, to win her prize. And Mindy is not the only with a secret. Horatio too must overcome his own doubt and shame before he can embrace his destiny, and is bride. ‘Overweight Mail Order Bride For A Half-Blind Cowboy’ is a sweet, clean, historical Mail Order Bride tale of one gutsy woman’s journey to love and happiness. In this heart warming 'Destined For Love' series, strong and courageous Mail Order Brides overcome deep personal challenges to find lasting love with faithful men on the Western Frontier. Visit all the books in the series! Overweight Mail Order Bride For A Half-Blind Cowboy Crippled Mail Order Bride For A Faithful Frontier Cowboy (COMING SOON – JULY 2015) Burned But Beautiful Mail Order Bride For A Pioneer Doctor (COMING SOON – JULY 2015)

Christmas to the Max A Return to Welcome Novel


Bonnie Edwards - 2020
    (Return to Welcome)Max Whyte moves to Welcome WA to live closer to his daughters after their mother remarries. He wants to fix up an old home, settle into his new position at an IT firm, and try not to think about turning forty alone.Burned by a single mother in the past, he vows not to get tangled with another woman with children. When he saves the life of a small boy, he finds himself tangled in more ways than he could imagine.When the boy’s mother turns out to be the perfect person to do his renovations, Max has trouble keeping his personal feelings out of their employer/employee relationship.Kaylin Simpson has returned to Welcome to give her boys the kind of home she wanted as a child. She needs a fresh, stable start and wants to run her own business. Her three-year-old twins keep her hopping, but after she finishes the renovations for Max, she hopes to have her life well in hand.Max is drawn to Kaylin and her adorable twin boys. Her wit and feisty spirit pull at his heartstrings until he realizes being a stepfather is never what he wanted.Christmas in Welcome can be a time to heal and move forward and Max and Kaylin must set aside their old hurts to allow love to blossom.

A Texas Christmas


Cathy Marie Hake - 2015
    Bridget O'Keefe leaves Chicago to teach Indian orphans and quickly experiences the hostility the Comanche face from locals like Seth Krueger who blame them for the death of his parents. Mary "Polly" Jessup holds onto a promise of marriage made five years ago, but when Joey Carpenter returns from law school with a new outlook and new girlfriend, her future hopes are dashed. Charlsey Ames can rope, ride, and work the ranch with the men and never thought she'd be attracted to accountant Harold Miller III, a citified tenderfoot. Travis McCoy is a nomadic photographer with no time to put down roots, find a wife, and raise a family. But then he meets the unconventional Vivian Sager.Lacey Mather’s delicious cooking is warming many hearts and stomachs—especially those of a closed-mouth blacksmith. But she has no plans to stay in Texas. An expert tracker, the plain Bessie Mae is content unmarried, until Texas Ranger Josef Mueller rides into town, trailing a wanted man.