Review by Booklist Review
This collection of four novellas, each of which tells a story relating to Christmas, has a little something for everyone. The first story, Claire Cross' "A Berry Merry Christmas," is a sweet, gentle tale of an elf who is assigned the task of bringing a mother to an endearing orphan and falls in love in the process. Dee Holmes' sensual "The Unexpected Gift" dramatizes the reunion of two people who find, along with the spirit of Christmas, that they never stopped loving each other. Susan Plunkett's more explicit "Christmas Promises" brings two lovers into a seriously seamy part of town to search for a little girl. Finally, J. D. Robb's gritty and steamy "Midnight in Death" has Lieutenant Eve Dallas hunting an escaped serial killer. The progression of stories moves from light to dark, from cheerful to intense. Great holiday reads, one and all. --Ann Bouricius
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Warm, family-centered, and nostalgic, or hard-edged, realistic, and chilling, the four novellas in this unusual collection of mostly contemporary Christmas stories provide readers with a clear choice of styles, themes, and approaches to the holiday season. Readers with a traditional bent will be drawn to the children and the wounded heroes in both "A Berry Merry Christmas" by Claire Cross and "The Unexpected Gift" by Dee Holmes, while fans who want their Christmases laced with violence and suspense will appreciate the inner-city environment and abuse-centered plot of Susan Plunkett's "Christmas Promises" and the gruesome murders and fast-paced action of J.D. Robb's latest contribution to her futuristic police detective (Eve Dallas) series, "Midnight in Death." All of these stories may not appeal to the same readers; nevertheless, most fans will find something in this well-written collection to enjoy. An intriguing and rewarding group. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
