Although not familiar with the other two authors, Jodi Thomas is an always-buy. These are three very different Christmas stories. At the end, I will list my favorite-to-least-favorite stories in this collection.
FATHER GOOSE (Jodi Thomas) --
As usual, Jodi Thomas outdoes herself in writing a unique story in 88 pages. Trapper wins a poker hand which gives him the right (challenge, rather) to transport 5 small girls to Dallas. But these aren't just any girls; they are Texas princesses. Their father has threatened to kill the person who brings them home to Dallas with a single scratch. The girls are worth a fortune and the loser of the poker hand warns that gunmen are already on the loose, looking to ransom the girls. The job is worth $500.
The nurse that arrives with the girls insists Trapper has a female escort for the girls. There's a widow standing near the boat, getting ready to get on it. Trapper asks if she would accompany him to Dallas. Emery is running away from home and she figures one place is as good as another. She's worked for 8 years at a restaurant-saloon and has yet to see a penny; her father takes her wages. Her older sisters have all escaped. Now is her chance; she knows Trapper from the restaurant and she trusts him. This is a wonderful story.
THE MISTLETOE PROMISE (Sharla Lovelace) --
This story, on the other hand, was pure drivel. Someone must have taught the author that switching from one person's point-of-view to another in each chapter was the latest thing. It was awful; it slowed down the action and repeated (unnecessary) things. I was just thankful I finished it before slamming it against a wall.
ALMOST CHRISTMAS (Scarlet Dunn) --
Yellow Fever has hit La Grange, Texas and Clint Mitchum has lost his family. He received a letter from his mother begging him to hurry home, that she was ill. When Clint enters his empty home, he sees a message from his mother asking him to check on someone who helped her, Amelia. When he finds Amelia, he finds some startling information. This is a great Christmas story.
**Overall favorite to the least favorite story in this collection = Thomas, Dunn, Lovelace.
FATHER GOOSE (Jodi Thomas) --
As usual, Jodi Thomas outdoes herself in writing a unique story in 88 pages. Trapper wins a poker hand which gives him the right (challenge, rather) to transport 5 small girls to Dallas. But these aren't just any girls; they are Texas princesses. Their father has threatened to kill the person who brings them home to Dallas with a single scratch. The girls are worth a fortune and the loser of the poker hand warns that gunmen are already on the loose, looking to ransom the girls. The job is worth $500.
The nurse that arrives with the girls insists Trapper has a female escort for the girls. There's a widow standing near the boat, getting ready to get on it. Trapper asks if she would accompany him to Dallas. Emery is running away from home and she figures one place is as good as another. She's worked for 8 years at a restaurant-saloon and has yet to see a penny; her father takes her wages. Her older sisters have all escaped. Now is her chance; she knows Trapper from the restaurant and she trusts him. This is a wonderful story.
THE MISTLETOE PROMISE (Sharla Lovelace) --
This story, on the other hand, was pure drivel. Someone must have taught the author that switching from one person's point-of-view to another in each chapter was the latest thing. It was awful; it slowed down the action and repeated (unnecessary) things. I was just thankful I finished it before slamming it against a wall.
ALMOST CHRISTMAS (Scarlet Dunn) --
Yellow Fever has hit La Grange, Texas and Clint Mitchum has lost his family. He received a letter from his mother begging him to hurry home, that she was ill. When Clint enters his empty home, he sees a message from his mother asking him to check on someone who helped her, Amelia. When he finds Amelia, he finds some startling information. This is a great Christmas story.
**Overall favorite to the least favorite story in this collection = Thomas, Dunn, Lovelace.
Nice stories about people who have unexpected things happen, but the Christmas season helps them.
