BOOK 1 A Texas Christmas Carol

The first Karen Whitmeyers short stories took me for quite a ride. In a retelling of The Christmas Carol, Felicity Wiggins is determined to enlist the help of the wealthy Evan Beazer.

I had some pretty quick opinions on the romance aspect of this story. Perhaps it is because I am currently doing a deep dive on abuse and abusive behavior. Evan was so full of red flags that he could have lit up a Christmas tree. Felicity had some concerning behavior as well.

As I continued reading, I found myself more alarmed. I would never want any of the young women I know reading this and thinking the story was romantic or healthy. This story could easily have a sequel….. with her murder as the plot.

THE GOOD

While she definitely has a bit of an “ I can change him mentality,” the author did have a very clear “come to Jesus” moment, much to my relief. The spiritual elements were more prominent and welcome. While Evan did have a transformation, wisdom would wait to see if the seed planted has roots or if it will wither and die.

CONSLUSION

The ending repentance saved this book, but I still believe that the abundance of red flags packaged as romantic is very problematic. It is definitely not something I would not want a teen or young adult to read, although it might be a good story to read together as a “spot the red flag” exercise and a conversation about how this isn’t a foundation for a healthy relationship and how it would play out in real life.

Red Flag Warning- 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

BOOK 2 An Archer Family Christmas,

Those familiar with the Archer family will enjoy the return of these characters as all the brothers and their wives come together to celebrate Christmas. Nothing is ever dull with the Archer clan, and Christmas is no exception.

It was a fun, fast-paced short story, although I could have done without the sexual innuendos. However, I do appreciate the author’s ability to write children’s characters. Too often, authors skim over their young characters, rendering them flat or acting so much older than their age you question if the author has ever been around a child in real life. Karen Whitmeyer does not do that, but rather, she brings to life her littlest characters consistent with how real children act and speak.

Book 3 Gift of the Heart

Previously published Gift of the Heart was by far my favorite short story. Ruth, a widow with a young daughter, is forging a new life in Hope Springs. Bo owns most of the town but is reclusive, believing his handicap is bad for business. Slowly, their relationship changes from mutual respect to something deeper.

The 3rd story is my favorite Christmas theme story I have read so far. It’s a sweet love story free of red flags and innuendos. I only wish it had been longer.

Final Thoughts

Unique to this collection of short stories, Karen Whitmeyer included a short Christmas devotional, cookie recipe, and some fun facts about historical Christmas celebrations in the 19th century.

I have some conflicting emotions about this collection of stories. Gift of the Heart was an excellent story that I only wish was longer. A Texas Christmas Carol was downright frightening. The thought of any impressionable young woman reading this and thinking it was normal or, worse, romantic is terrifying. I have read thousands of books, and this, by and large, tops the chart of my “red flag warning” ratings.