CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET by Luann McLane, JoAnn Ross, Susan Donovan, Alexis Morgan

Publisher:  Signet
Date published:   November 5, 2013
ISBN:  978-0451419538

Genre:   Contemporary Romance, paranormal, fantasy
Book format: ebook
Obtained via:  Edelweiss, Above the Treeline
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

Three hearts

In a series of stories, four favourite authors come together with Christmas stories that bring together secondary couples that readers have met before in each author’s series while catching up with a few known characters.  From Joann Ross’s Shelter Bay to Luann McLane’s Cricket Creek and a few stops in between Mss. McLane, Ross, Donovan and Morgan wish their readers a merry Christmas.

I’ve read all of the Shelter Bay and Cricket Creek stories leading up to CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET and have come to feel like I could be part of their communitiies.  Mss. Donovan and Morgan are new to me, but they have found a place for their series on my TBR.

First up is CHRISTMAS IN SHELTER BAY by JoAnn Ross.  After a lifetime of being a friend, or at least telling the world they are just friends, Kelli Carpenter has come to the point where she can no longer keep the truth hidden.  In truth she’s spent that lifetime of being just friends in love with Cole Douchett.  But Cole Douchett has pieces of his life missing.  Even with his close and loving family, there are pieces of him that he’s left along the way.  Taking a risk on loving a woman like Kelli may be more than he can take.  But the folks in Shelter Bay think it may be time for a little Christmas magic.

Less than thrilled with his life TV producer Nathaniel Ravelle takes off for Bayberry Island to investigate the legend of mermaids.  He’s pretty darn sure it’s a joke, but what the heck?  But one of Bayberry Island’s ladies may just have some magic up her sleeves—or at least in her life in Susan Donovan’s A SEASIDE CHRISTMAS.

In LuAnn McLane’s MISTLETOE ON MAIN STREET, Clint Sully has never gotten over his high school sweetheart, Ava.  Unable to figure out just how to get things back on track Santa appears on the scene.  At least a Cricket Creek Santa.  But can Ava let go of her past heartache and give Clint another chance?

Everyone in town loves Bridey Roke’s pastry shop in Alexis Morgan’s THE CHRISTMAS GIFT.  Business may be booming, but her heart remains a tad empty.  Oh she has her eyes on new neighbour, Seth.  But is there enough magic in Christmas to bring them together?

I’m not a fan of short stories/novellas, even in anthologies because I always feel like something is missing, especially when I’ve read an author’s longer, full length books.  I know from past reading enjoyment Joann Ross and Luann McLane can create complex characters that their readers (including me) feel that they come to know through the stories.  I love the Douchett family and in each subsequent Shelter Bay story catching up with them.  And it’s been wonderful to read how the town of Cricket Creek continues to come together and regain its footing in the aftermath of the recession.  In each story more depth comes to the towns and the characters continue to grow and develop.  In a novella, such as those in CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET, there just isn’t the word count to tell that full story—so they come across quick and cut to the chase.  There was recently an interesting article on how the major publishers have been pulling back from anthologies and sticking with full length books and I, for one, appreciate that.  Something just seems to be missing from the novellas, even when written by such favourites of mine like Joann Ross.  I wanted more in Kelli and Cole’s story. 

I’m not familiar with Susan Donovan or Alexis Morgan but they are definitely on my radar now and I’ll be picking up their full length books. 

If you are a fan of these four authors you will want to catch up with the characters in these stories.  If you’ve been waiting to find out what’s going on with them, here is your chance in a short, sweet story.  Fans of anthologies will lap these up.  If you are looking for sweet stories with guaranteed happy endings, CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET is totally the book for you.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.