Sweetwater Springs Christmas by Debra Holland and friends (anthology)
Lots of emotion, holiday generosity and family love. Very sweet. Loved these stories. Many tears. I truly enjoyed all the stories but the ones by Debra Holland also filled in a couple of blanks from the series and made the anthology wonderful.
Stories all center around the Christmas Eve Party at the new hotel in Sweetwater. The first and last by Debra Holland are tied together and include recurring characters and the joy of charity and benevolence.
The last is also Ben’s change from hoodlum to grown up good guy. It’s so sweet. I had missed this story of change and had wondered about it.
And Ike’s story: so moving.

The Gift of Music by Debra Holland

Sugarplum Dreams by Cynthia Woolf - a sweet shop opens by a single female. She and the carpenter helping her fall in love. Sweet and yah for female entrepreneurs. Mentions of the shop show up throughout the anthology.

Wishes on a Star by Linda Carroll-Bradd
A Christmas to Remember by Paty Jager

A Best Present by Linda McLaughlin - a few tears with this one but we learn Widow Murphy does have a soft heart when given the right opportunity.

The Christmas Crossing by Bev Pettersen - such determination, and responsibilities for a young woman. And they put her in jail! For her protection, of course. Lovely story.

A Family for Ike by Debra Holland - so sad, so lovely. Family and connections. The joy of quiet and love of reading.

A Christmas Far From Home by E. Ayers - the generosity of sharing, and the opposites of good people and bad.

A Promise for Christmas by Tori Scott - a brother supports a widow and falls in love

Sweetwater Springs Scrooge by Debra Holland ( inclusion in the audible version and the copy, not in the print version) - a Scrooge, second chance older couple romance. They start off with amusement in her grandchild, and soon realize their feelings for each other are still alive.

Abigail’s Christmas Angel by MJ Fredrick
Laughed out loud on this one - while on public transportation. Benedict thinking of future children with Abigail while at Christmas church services singing hymns. “Dear God”, he prayed, “if we are blessed with children, please let them get my singing voice.”

A New Home for Christmas by Trish Milburn
Upon a Midnight Clear by Jill Marie Landis

The Joy of Christmas by Debra Holland
The party. And Ben growing up. Loved this entire anthology but this one wrapped it together and tied it in a pretty red bow. With tinsel. ( )