Book picks similar to
The Christmas Box by Donna VanLiere


christmas
mystery
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christmas-books

The Unfinished Gift


Dan Walsh - 2009
    Walsh lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area. This is his first novel.Can a gift from the past mend a broken heart?Ian Collins is an old man without his son. Patrick Collins is a young boy without his father. On his Christmas list are only three items. He wants the army to find his father. He wants to leave his grandfather's house. And he wants the dusty wooden soldier in Grandfather's attic--the one he is forbidden to touch.Set in December of 1943, The Unfinished Gift is the engaging story of a family in need of forgiveness. With simple grace, it reminds us of the small things that affect powerful change in our hearts--a young boy's prayers, a shoe box of love letters, and even a half-carved soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of reconciliation will touch your heart.

Christmas Mail-Order Brides: Four Mail-Order Brides Travel the Transcontinental Railroad in Search of Love


Carrie Turansky - 2010
    Annika arrives in Wyoming to discover her intended is missing. Jolie’s journey to Nevada is derailed by disaster. Elizabeth carries a load of secrets to Nebraska. And Amelia travels to California to wrap up her final attempts at matchmaking. Will the holiday season be the ticket to spark love in unexpected ways?A TRUSTING HEART by Carrie TuranskySwedish immigrant Annika Bergstrom travels to Wyoming as a mail order bride, but when her prospective groom, Chase Simms, disappears, she finds herself falling in love with his brother Daniel. Will she take hold of her chance for love, or wait for the man she has promised to marry?THE PRODIGAL GROOM by Vickie McDonoughJolie Addams is 18 and must leave the orphanage she grew up in. The headmaster has arranged for her to work for a lecherous benefactor. She decides to become a mail-order bride to escape what she fears would be a dreadful existence. But on the way to Nevada, her stage is robbed. She and a wounded passenger are stranded. They are rescued the next day, but Jolie’s intended refuses to marry her after she spent the night alone with Clay Jackson. She and Clay are forced to marry. Can a relationship and love grow from such an awful beginning?HIDDEN HEARTS by Therese StenzelAfter facing a series of tragic events, Elizabeth Lariby agrees to become a mail-order bride. Hoping to build a new life in Nebraska, she is determined to hide her grief-stricken heart from her new husband. Driven to be a success, Zane Michaels quietly obtains a wife through a mail-order bride society, but feels he must hide his past and his recent wealth from his new wife. When their secrets are revealed, will their fledgling marriage survive?MRS. MAYBERRY MEETS HER MATCH by Susan Page Davis Amelia Mayberry’s rewarding career as a matchmaker is winding down. She’d like to close shop and spend her sunset years in peace. There’s only one unfinished piece of business—an unsatisfied customer for whom she needs to set things right. The question is: will Lennox Bailey allow her to make amends?

Mistletoe Kiss (Sweet Tea Holiday Collection)


Andrea Boyd - 2018
    Help us set a record! On December 10 at 5:00 pm, we need your help setting a Guinness World Record for the most couples kissing under the mistletoe! Chase Spencer had been firmly planted in the friend-zone ever since he first met Rachel Anthony back when they were in grade school and it looks like that’s where he’s destined to remain. And her latest scheme is bound to be torture. She wants them to help break the Guinness World Record for the most couples kissing under the mistletoe at one time. How should he handle this? Should the kiss be a chaste, friendly kiss like she envisions? Or should he do it in a way that leaves Rachel without a doubt that he wants to be more than friends? It had always been Rachel’s dream to break a world record, and who better to do it with than her best friend Chase? And it wasn’t as if they hadn’t kissed before—sixth grade, spin-the-bottle at Iona Puckett’s party—a peck of the lips and it’d be over. Except she missed the part where they had to hold the kiss for ten seconds. And no one warned her of how she would feel afterwards—confused and longing for more. How can she convince Chase to change her status from friend to girlfriend?

12 Days at Bleakly Manor


Michelle Griep - 2017
    That’s enough money to bring her brother back from America and reinstate their stolen family fortune. But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on the unknown person who stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is blindsided by the anger of the woman he left at the altar.Brought together under mysterious circumstances for the 12 Days of Christmas, Clara and Ben discover that what they've been striving for isn't what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.

It's a Wonderful Christmas: Classics Reimagined


Julie Cantrell - 2021
    With stirring images of snow-covered hills, crackling fireplaces, and happy families gathered around the decorated tree, these silver-screen tales capture all the magic and wonder of the season. Inspired by some of their favorite holiday films, each of these novelists has paid homage to the classic stories we all love, crafting an eclectic collection that delivers something for everyone.From small town romance to a Sugar Plum Fairy, this Christmas box set includes five stories sparked by National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, The Nutcracker, and Remember the Night.Topped with a whole lot of cheer and sentimentality, It’s a Wonderful Christmas: Classics Reimagined will delight readers from the first page to the last.So grab a cup of hot cocoa, nestle under a cozy blanket, and enjoy these holiday stories in a whole new way!

Snowfall


Shelley Shepard Gray - 2014
    . . but she has no experience with children. Laid off because of budget cuts from her job at a retirement home, she's relieved to find work—even if it means temporarily watching widower Martin Rhodes's brood of six!Martin has been doing his best since his wife's passing, but he and the children need help. Their house, once full of laughter and light, has been darkened by sadness. Soon after Ruth arrives, the children are drawn to her warmth and gentleness, and so is Martin, even though he feels it's wrong. But the harder he tries to ignore her, the deeper he begins to care for this attractive young woman who has brought joy back into his children's lives . . . and his own.Each passing day brings the Rhodes closer to Ruth . . . and closer to Christmas, when she will have to say goodbye. Ruth cannot deny the bond she feels with the children—and with Martin. When her old job becomes available again, Ruth finds herself torn: How can she stay with the Rhodes? And yet how can she go?

Twas the Night Before: A Love Story


Jerry B. Jenkins - 1998
    Henry's Gift of the Magi, Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and the film It's a Wonderful Life as a Christmas classic, 'Twas the Night Before tells the story of a cynical reporter who, after a devastating breakup with his fiancee, finds that his Christmas spirit has been restored.

A Christmas Snow


Jim Stovall - 2010
    Although she has tried to forget her past, it has not forgotten her, and in the days leading up to Christmas, an unforgiving blizzard traps her in her home with two unlikely roommates who bring her face to face with the hurts of her past-and the hope of a happier future.Will she let go of the past and grad hold of a future full of love and forgiveness? Or will she continue to be haunted by her pain as the snow storm of the century brings with it the hope of lasting joy?

The Sound of Sleigh Bells


Cindy Woodsmall - 2009
    But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry. Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

The Christmas Gift


R. William Bennett - 2009
    He has been held back five years in a row; he was exposed to nuclear radiation as a child; he was raised in the woods by bears. So went the many assessments of Ben Jackson by his sixth-grade peers. Over-sized and under-niced , Ben was the school bully. As the school year begins, new student Scott stands up to Ben, and as a result, becomes Ben s new daily target. From the annoying comments to the humiliating pranks, Ben assures a day doesn't pass without making Scott's life miserable. But in this story of forgiveness, tolerance, and unconditional love, both Scott and Ben make a remarkable transformation that will leave you with a fresh understanding of the meaning of Christmas in your life.

Home for Christmas


Stephanie Wilson - 2013
    She finds herself at a crossroads with Christmas just around the corner. Austin Douglass, a self-made technology mogul, is getting ready to offer an IPO for his company that is gaining worldwide attention. He needs to attract investors, and the old-monied Seattle families are interested. Growing up on a wheat farm in Eastern Washington has little prepared him for the rigors of entertaining the Seattle elite. Through his P.R. person, he meets someone who is. Savannah is a traditionalist, Austin is a minimalist. They are polar opposites. She is losing her family estate, he is gaining one. As the holidays brighten up the city and snow falls in the mountains around them; as the time-honored Christmas traditions are celebrated; can these two find a path that will lead them ... Home for Christmas?

Mary And Carol Higgins Clark Christmas Collection: " The Christmas Thief " , " Deck The Halls " , " He Sees You When Your Sleeping "


Mary Higgins Clark - 2006
    Used book in good condition, above image is a rerpresentative one

The Christmas Letters: A Timeless Story for Every Generation


Bret Nicholaus - 2000
    This volume-which has sold more than 60,000 copies since its initial publication-has been repackaged as a gift hardcover.

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida


Dale Cox - 2010
    It tells the story of an angry man named Ben who finds himself alone on a Christmas Eve night in the unique little town of Two Egg. Ben is confronted by a mysterious stranger that has been prowling around his barn at night and his life is changed in an instant. A short quick read, this book is the perfect way to pass an hour or two over the holidays.

Lygos


Ronie Kendig - 2017
    When Canyon Metcalfe recruits him to run security for his brother’s gubernatorial campaign, Azzan discovers how quickly long-buried secrets can devastate the best-laid plans. Campaign manager Everly Sinclair has hidden from the limelight since her grandfather’s death. Assuming a nom de plume, she is out to prove her mettle in the contentious word of politics by launching her first candidate during a pre-Christmas event at an exclusive lodge in the mountains. When Everly receives a mysterious envelope, she’s convinced the person who killed her grandfather now has her in his sights. But Azzan is convinced the killer is after him to settle an old score. Shedding their masks may be the deadliest move Azzan and Everly make this Christmas. ***** Ronie Kendig does it again...pens us another thrilling, romantic, swoon worthy story about the military heroes we love!! ~Susan May Warren, rabid Ronie Kendig fan and USA Today best-selling, RITA award-winning author of Wild Montana Skies.