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On the Way to Christmas: Three Stories
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, anything can happen.
In this glittering and heartwarming collection, three of today’s bestselling sweet romance novelists offer up the gift of cheer for the winter holiday season.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts
Darby doesn’t want to go home for the holidays, but a career fail sends her slinking back to the small town she always wanted to escape. No one there is especially glad to see the former mean girl—especially not her sister, Erica, or childhood best friend, Gregory. Darby is working hard to be a better person, but has she eaten enough humble pie to make amends?
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson
When Willow’s boyfriend of seven years dumps her on the eve of a romantic getaway, she decides to take the two-week train trip on The Christmas Express alone. Hurt as she feels, she can’t anticipate how the hilarious rebound ride with conductor Oliver, elf Ian, and aging world adventurer Clarence will heal her heart—and renew her sense of worth.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston
Kacey adores the metropolitan life, but when she gets away to help her sister during a family crisis and run her bakery, she falls in love with former classmate Drew. The problem: he’s a small-town man, and she’s a big-city woman. Is their love big enough to overcome such a major difference?
Curl up with your favorite holiday drink and sink into three worlds where dreams once thought long-gone are still within reach.
“Filled with Christmas spirit, and a little chaos, too, all three stories left my heart filled with joy . . . Five stars overall! ” —Nancy Naigle, bestselling author
Three stand-alone romantic holiday novellas
Book length: 70,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs
In this glittering and heartwarming collection, three of today’s bestselling sweet romance novelists offer up the gift of cheer for the winter holiday season.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts
Darby doesn’t want to go home for the holidays, but a career fail sends her slinking back to the small town she always wanted to escape. No one there is especially glad to see the former mean girl—especially not her sister, Erica, or childhood best friend, Gregory. Darby is working hard to be a better person, but has she eaten enough humble pie to make amends?
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson
When Willow’s boyfriend of seven years dumps her on the eve of a romantic getaway, she decides to take the two-week train trip on The Christmas Express alone. Hurt as she feels, she can’t anticipate how the hilarious rebound ride with conductor Oliver, elf Ian, and aging world adventurer Clarence will heal her heart—and renew her sense of worth.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston
Kacey adores the metropolitan life, but when she gets away to help her sister during a family crisis and run her bakery, she falls in love with former classmate Drew. The problem: he’s a small-town man, and she’s a big-city woman. Is their love big enough to overcome such a major difference?
Curl up with your favorite holiday drink and sink into three worlds where dreams once thought long-gone are still within reach.
“Filled with Christmas spirit, and a little chaos, too, all three stories left my heart filled with joy . . . Five stars overall! ” —Nancy Naigle, bestselling author
Three stand-alone romantic holiday novellas
Book length: 70,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
About the author
Sheila Roberts
104 books1,821 followersWith fifty books to her credit, both fiction and non-fiction, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been turned into movies for the Hallmark, Lifetime and Great American Family channels. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, Sheila can be found hanging out with friends, playing tennis, and, of course, writing and reading. Sometimes she even remembers to post books she's read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
October 12, 2022
These three wholesome, holiday novellas get a solid four stars from me as a whole. "A Christmas Do-Over" features Darby, a former mean girl, who finds herself eating a lot of humble pie as she reconnects with family and friends in her Washington state hometown. "Dashing Through the Snow" is an adventure on a real-life Polar Express. Willow was supposed to take the cross-country trip with her boyfriend Jonas, but their breakup has her going it alone. Can the holiday magic still warm a broken heart? Finally in "A Perfectly Splendid Christmas," Kacey comes home to help with her sister's bakery and gets the chance to rekindle her friendship with former best friend Drew. The three stories were all very different while still giving that holiday feel. I would have loved to see them be more intentional in communicating the Christmas story. Since that was not the case, I am sticking with four stars.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an ARC of this new release. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an ARC of this new release. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 4, 2023
I have read and enjoyed books by all of the authors in this collection. This is a collection of 3 Christmas romance stories that are novella length. It is a nice addition to the holiday season and the stories are the perfect length to read in between batches of baking cookies. Warm and cozy feel-good stories.
Pub Date 11 Oct 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Pub Date 11 Oct 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
November 27, 2022
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas anything can happen in these three sweet romances. All three deal with second chances and do-over romances. This book will definitely get you in the Christmas mood, and each will seem like it could be a Christmas movie especially the one set on the train that has a touch of "Polar Express" feel to it. Each story has a lovely reminder of the real meaning of Christmas. Quick, enjoyable novellas for the Christmas holidays when you have a moment to relax during this hectic time.
November 15, 2022
Light and predictable, but an enjoyable way to start getting into the holiday spirit.
December 6, 2022
I’ve missed reading Melissa Ferguson’s books… She’s a favorite and always will be.
Okay, let’s start with Elodie… Wow, man, okay, she’s something…
Now, the story was quite elf related which personally was not my favorite, however the story was overall cute, funny, and a really fun read.
The ending was perfect and showed the humor that I love so much coming from Ferguson.
Warnings: told in first person, which I mentioned as I know some readers don’t like first person point of view, mentions of elf thing, mentions of a character saying expletives but they are not shown,
*read on Hoopla*
Okay, let’s start with Elodie… Wow, man, okay, she’s something…
Now, the story was quite elf related which personally was not my favorite, however the story was overall cute, funny, and a really fun read.
The ending was perfect and showed the humor that I love so much coming from Ferguson.
Warnings: told in first person, which I mentioned as I know some readers don’t like first person point of view, mentions of elf thing, mentions of a character saying expletives but they are not shown,
*read on Hoopla*
October 11, 2022
This was such a great holiday read and was just the right vibe to send me into the holiday season.
I love that it's a collection of three short stories. Each one is so different so it really hit the spot. The first novella is about a reformed mean girl who returns home for the holidays with a plan to make reparations. The second story involved a recently dumped woman who takes a solo two week Christmas train ride across the country. The third short story involves a woman who comes home to help her sister run her bakery when she's fallen on hard times and reconnects with an old friend.
Each novella had a totally different feel but they all made you feel good. The train story was definitely my favorite and even had me looking up Christmas train rides in my area!
The fact that these are short stories worked really well for me. There wasn't a huge amount of cheese factor and I got just enough of the Holiday Hallmark vibe to feel satisfied.
This would be a great collection to pick up around Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season on the right note.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a copy of this short story collection.
I love that it's a collection of three short stories. Each one is so different so it really hit the spot. The first novella is about a reformed mean girl who returns home for the holidays with a plan to make reparations. The second story involved a recently dumped woman who takes a solo two week Christmas train ride across the country. The third short story involves a woman who comes home to help her sister run her bakery when she's fallen on hard times and reconnects with an old friend.
Each novella had a totally different feel but they all made you feel good. The train story was definitely my favorite and even had me looking up Christmas train rides in my area!
The fact that these are short stories worked really well for me. There wasn't a huge amount of cheese factor and I got just enough of the Holiday Hallmark vibe to feel satisfied.
This would be a great collection to pick up around Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season on the right note.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a copy of this short story collection.
December 30, 2022
Story Rating overall 7/10 Christian Faith Rating 1/3 one story had Christian content, and the other two were clean fiction.
On the Way to Christmas is a collection of three contemporary romance novellas.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts follows Darby, who used to be a mean girl but now has become a Christian. She has to go home for Christmas and make amends with the people she hurt, including Gregory.
I liked the concept of this story and the faith content. I also enjoyed the characters. However, I felt like parts of the story were rushed. It seemed like there were too many characters and subplots for such a short novella. Therefore the author had to skip over parts which made the story not so satisfying to read.
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson follows Willow who had just been dumped by her long-term boyfriend. However, she still decides to go on the Christmas train holiday they had booked together.
I thought this novella was extremely Christmassy, and I loved the atmosphere and the writing. This story was my favourite in terms of plot, atmosphere, characters and writing style. It was fun and upbeat. I did not find any Christian content, but it was clean.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston is a contemporary romance set in Splendid Lake. It follows Kacey, who is currently living with her family and helping at her sister’s bakery whilst hoping to return to the city. And Drew, a music teacher who used to be her school friend.
This story is a sweet romance that takes place in the run-up to Christmas. I enjoyed the romance and the dynamics of Kacey's family. It was clean with no faith content. I think it is set in a town from one of Amy Clipston’s previous books. I'm sure that if I had read that book, I might have been more invested in the places mentioned.
On the Way to Christmas is a collection of three contemporary romance novellas.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts follows Darby, who used to be a mean girl but now has become a Christian. She has to go home for Christmas and make amends with the people she hurt, including Gregory.
I liked the concept of this story and the faith content. I also enjoyed the characters. However, I felt like parts of the story were rushed. It seemed like there were too many characters and subplots for such a short novella. Therefore the author had to skip over parts which made the story not so satisfying to read.
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson follows Willow who had just been dumped by her long-term boyfriend. However, she still decides to go on the Christmas train holiday they had booked together.
I thought this novella was extremely Christmassy, and I loved the atmosphere and the writing. This story was my favourite in terms of plot, atmosphere, characters and writing style. It was fun and upbeat. I did not find any Christian content, but it was clean.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston is a contemporary romance set in Splendid Lake. It follows Kacey, who is currently living with her family and helping at her sister’s bakery whilst hoping to return to the city. And Drew, a music teacher who used to be her school friend.
This story is a sweet romance that takes place in the run-up to Christmas. I enjoyed the romance and the dynamics of Kacey's family. It was clean with no faith content. I think it is set in a town from one of Amy Clipston’s previous books. I'm sure that if I had read that book, I might have been more invested in the places mentioned.
November 28, 2023
I enjoyed these stories. I think my favourite was the second one about the trip on the train. But all were good and helped get me in the mood for Christmas. Cute collection!
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October 26, 2022On the Way to Christmas contains three sweet novellas by Sheila Roberts, Melissa Ferguson and Amy Clipston. The stories are not connected, but had a wonderful Christmas theme and were a joy to read. I enjoyed myself in a small town, on a Christmas train, and reading a homecoming redemption story. I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a view.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a view.
October 4, 2022
Three sweet Christmas novellas in one book. The short stories are clean and wholesome. I would recommend to teenagers and anyone who loves a good Christmas Hallmark movie. One of the authors was new to me, her name is Sheila Roberts. The other two, who I have read and enjoyed before are Melissa Ferguson and Amy Cliptson.
*I was given a copy by Thomas Nelson Publishers and this is my honest opinion.
*I was given a copy by Thomas Nelson Publishers and this is my honest opinion.
October 31, 2022
On the Way to Christmas is the perfect Christmas novel for the romantic at heart. This book contains three novellas from Amy Clipston, Sheila Roberts and Melissa Ferguson. Set with the backdrop of a Hallmark Christmas romance, each of these stories are clean with a message of second chances, train tours and rekindled friendships.
Each of these stories share a story of Christmas romance, redemption, second chances, and a Christmas cross country train ride. Every single story is uniquely different, based on the author's writing style.
My favorite story On the Way to Christmas was written by Amy Clipston called A Perfectly Splendid Christmas. The story is about a second chance romance between Kacey and Drew, schoolmates from the past. From the music teacher, to the baker, and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Festival, love is in the air. This wonderful story will have you turning the pages and you’ll be sad when it’s finished.
This book is the perfect read for any Christmas lover, who loves an engaging novel that involves romance and Christmas. This book is a quick read, but uplifting and provides the reader with hope, despite how hard the holidays can be for many people. I found this book to be the perfect read, especially to fulfill a Saturday afternoon. If you’re looking for a light heart read, this is your book!
October 24, 2022
On the Way to Christmas is a compilation of three short stories by Sheila Roberts, Melissa Ferguson and Amy Clipston. This is an absolutely charming collection of stories, each one festive, Christmasy, delightful and heart-warming. Though they are short, each story is complete and well fleshed out. Each story has a different topic and tone and provides nice variety.
The first story is feisty and tells the tale of a mean girl who experiences a change of heart and decides to turn over a new leaf with her family and friends. The second story is a beautiful story about a newly single woman who uses the tickets her soon to be fiancé purchased for them both, on a cross-country Christmas train ride. The third story is about a young woman who returns to her home town to help her sister out during a difficult time, and is given a second chance with an old friend and hopeful flame.
These stories are enchanting, clean, sweet romances and the perfect choice for a busy holiday season. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the digital arc of this seasonal new release.
The first story is feisty and tells the tale of a mean girl who experiences a change of heart and decides to turn over a new leaf with her family and friends. The second story is a beautiful story about a newly single woman who uses the tickets her soon to be fiancé purchased for them both, on a cross-country Christmas train ride. The third story is about a young woman who returns to her home town to help her sister out during a difficult time, and is given a second chance with an old friend and hopeful flame.
These stories are enchanting, clean, sweet romances and the perfect choice for a busy holiday season. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the digital arc of this seasonal new release.
August 12, 2022
My thoughts: On the Way to Christmas is a contemporary romance that fans will surely love. My favorite story was Dashing Thru the Snow. It was hilarious. There is absolutely no faith message in any of them though two stories mention going to church at Easter and Christmas (twice a year). I enjoyed all 3 stories and recommend this for romance lovers and Christmas story lovers. Recommended. Preorder your copy now. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.
December 10, 2023
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston
December 22, 2022
This was a great collection of Christmas romances that's sure to get the reader in the holiday spirit. It was actually my first time reading anything by these authors, so I'm excited to check out more from them.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - I didn't think I'd like Darby, but that wasn't the case at all. She's a reformed mean girl who's just returned home for Christmas and has to face the consequences of her former behavior. I loved watching her growth and her attempts at making amends. This was such a feel-good story.
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson - This short story was packed full of goodness, and I loved every second of it. It's my favorite of the bunch. It's a fun, sweet, and romantic adventure. There were plenty of charming and quirky characters who I loved. Willow, Oliver, Clarence, Ian, Jenkins, Elodie... the list could keep going.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - I didn't connect with this story as much as the previous two, but it was still enjoyable. I liked the fact that it was told from both Kacey's and Drew's perspectives. And I loved the town of Splendid Lake.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - I didn't think I'd like Darby, but that wasn't the case at all. She's a reformed mean girl who's just returned home for Christmas and has to face the consequences of her former behavior. I loved watching her growth and her attempts at making amends. This was such a feel-good story.
Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson - This short story was packed full of goodness, and I loved every second of it. It's my favorite of the bunch. It's a fun, sweet, and romantic adventure. There were plenty of charming and quirky characters who I loved. Willow, Oliver, Clarence, Ian, Jenkins, Elodie... the list could keep going.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - I didn't connect with this story as much as the previous two, but it was still enjoyable. I liked the fact that it was told from both Kacey's and Drew's perspectives. And I loved the town of Splendid Lake.
September 26, 2022
3.5 stories
These are three contemporary romance (clean reads) novellas in this charming Christmas-themed collection. Each story can stand alone, as there are no carry over characters, other than the fact that all the stories have relatable and believable characters. The three holiday novellas will help the reader get in the holiday spirit (and it's never too soon for that!). The stories are short and sweet, so they can easily fit into a busy schedule.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
These are three contemporary romance (clean reads) novellas in this charming Christmas-themed collection. Each story can stand alone, as there are no carry over characters, other than the fact that all the stories have relatable and believable characters. The three holiday novellas will help the reader get in the holiday spirit (and it's never too soon for that!). The stories are short and sweet, so they can easily fit into a busy schedule.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
December 16, 2022
More like a 3.5. The first two stories in this collection were not my favorite but A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston was perfection! I love how she draws you in and weaves the characters into your heart! Her writing always leaves me satisfied and filled with joy.
December 4, 2022
Absolutely loved each story! Making amends, unexpected adventures, and reclaiming missed opportunities await!
October 21, 2022
Heartwarming Christmas stories.
I loved the first story by Sheila Roberts and the last story by Amy Clipston. I didn’t care for the second story by Melissa Ferguson. Just seemed strange to me and I couldn’t get into it.
I loved the first story by Sheila Roberts and the last story by Amy Clipston. I didn’t care for the second story by Melissa Ferguson. Just seemed strange to me and I couldn’t get into it.
December 6, 2022
Fun, clean Christmas rom com novellas.
September 18, 2023
Cute fast story
August 9, 2023
A delightful and festive collection of stories that will warm every heart! My favorite authors weaving stories that were hard to put down, and definitely helped get me in the Holiday mood!
August 31, 2022
Nice collection of short stories for those who love a sweet, lighthearted Christmas romance. In A Christmas Do-Over, Darby is home for the holidays after she is fired from her job. She comes to realize just how much of a mean girl she was growing up and works at becoming a better person. This was my least favorite of the three stories. I appreciated the storyline but personally wasn't crazy about the writing style.
In Dashing Through the Snow, Willow is dumped by her boyfriend just before they were to leave on a romantic two-week train trip. She decides to go alone and with the help of the train conductor, an elf, and an aging world adventurer, her heart begins to heal and she gains confidence in herself and a new purpose in life.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas is my favorite of the three stories and was also the first book I've read by Amy Clipston. I didn't realize that she was writing anything other than Amish books, (not my favorite genre) so I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. I was pleasantly surprised and will be reading more from her. In this story, Kacey goes home to help her sister during a family crisis. She runs into Drew, a former friend and classmate. Their friendship is renewed and both want more but he loves the small town life and she loves the big city. They have to figure out how to overcome this big obstacle.
**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.**
In Dashing Through the Snow, Willow is dumped by her boyfriend just before they were to leave on a romantic two-week train trip. She decides to go alone and with the help of the train conductor, an elf, and an aging world adventurer, her heart begins to heal and she gains confidence in herself and a new purpose in life.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas is my favorite of the three stories and was also the first book I've read by Amy Clipston. I didn't realize that she was writing anything other than Amish books, (not my favorite genre) so I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. I was pleasantly surprised and will be reading more from her. In this story, Kacey goes home to help her sister during a family crisis. She runs into Drew, a former friend and classmate. Their friendship is renewed and both want more but he loves the small town life and she loves the big city. They have to figure out how to overcome this big obstacle.
**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.**
December 10, 2022
This book contained 3 stories by 3 different authors so I treated/rated them all separately and boy am I glad that I did because I felt very differently about each one. To get the rating for the whole book I just averaged the ratings for all 3 stories. I’ll start by giving my short version of how I felt about each story and below I will give full reviews for each of them.
Short reviews:
I hated the first story and my review for it ended up being a rant (oops). I LOVED the second story. The last story was decent but I didn’t like the writing. Overall, the only story worth it for me in this collection was Dashing Through The Snow and it really saved this book!
Long reviews:
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - 1 star ⭐️
For such a short story (94 pages), I made a lot of notes as I read this because I was just so confused and annoyed. It took me a while to figure out how old the main character and her siblings were supposed to be. They are written like teenagers (the whole story seemed very “YA” which isn’t my thing but also just the way the characters spoke/thought seemed very young and immature) but I knew the main character couldn’t be a teen based on her life so that confused me. Literally all the characters just communicated through terrible insults, ex: “well at least I’m not *insert dumb insult here*”. The main character multiple times says “Fa-la-yuck”… what the hell is that? And I lost it when someone who was supposed to be in their late 20s spoke with hashtags. I’m just going to go out on a limb and say the author is not in their late 20s and hates all 20-somethings and thinks they are all the same because every character in this book was written exactly the same and completely awful 😂 The main character was super shallow and selfish and kept saying “I know I’m so awful, I’m going to change” but never really changes… The worst part is the main character is supposed to be this amazing writer and a wizard with words but it just doesn’t come across that way at all! Everything happened so fast in this story and the character development was absolutely atrocious. I liked the Christmas-y moments and it was a fast-paced, easy read but the characters were just so annoying and unlikeable that I can’t give this more than 1 star.
Dashing Through The Snow by Melissa Ferguson - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At first I didn’t like the writing in this and I found it slightly confusing but my opinions might have been tainted coming off the last story. This one got really good though! The main character didn’t start out great but all of the characters ended up being super charming. My favorite thing about this story was the setting of the Christmas express train. It was the cutest and gave the story so many good Christmas vibes. I know it’s only a shorter story but it skipped parts that I would have loved to read about! This would have made a great 300 page book in my opinion! I was going to give this 4 stars (accounting for the couple things I didn’t like and that this would be better and a true 5 stars, if it were a 300 page book, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I loved it and had to give it 5 stars.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The writing in this was very bizarre. The dialogue was very matter-of-fact and it spelled everything out that would normally be given to the reader as narrated background information. I have never read dialogue that was so unrealistic and stiff. Like always, I loved the Christmas-y elements and this story was full of them! Overall, I didn’t love or hate this story but it was decent and fast-paced (sometimes too fast-paced). This is more like 2.5 stars but I don’t give half stars and 2 stars seems too harsh.
Short reviews:
I hated the first story and my review for it ended up being a rant (oops). I LOVED the second story. The last story was decent but I didn’t like the writing. Overall, the only story worth it for me in this collection was Dashing Through The Snow and it really saved this book!
Long reviews:
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - 1 star ⭐️
For such a short story (94 pages), I made a lot of notes as I read this because I was just so confused and annoyed. It took me a while to figure out how old the main character and her siblings were supposed to be. They are written like teenagers (the whole story seemed very “YA” which isn’t my thing but also just the way the characters spoke/thought seemed very young and immature) but I knew the main character couldn’t be a teen based on her life so that confused me. Literally all the characters just communicated through terrible insults, ex: “well at least I’m not *insert dumb insult here*”. The main character multiple times says “Fa-la-yuck”… what the hell is that? And I lost it when someone who was supposed to be in their late 20s spoke with hashtags. I’m just going to go out on a limb and say the author is not in their late 20s and hates all 20-somethings and thinks they are all the same because every character in this book was written exactly the same and completely awful 😂 The main character was super shallow and selfish and kept saying “I know I’m so awful, I’m going to change” but never really changes… The worst part is the main character is supposed to be this amazing writer and a wizard with words but it just doesn’t come across that way at all! Everything happened so fast in this story and the character development was absolutely atrocious. I liked the Christmas-y moments and it was a fast-paced, easy read but the characters were just so annoying and unlikeable that I can’t give this more than 1 star.
Dashing Through The Snow by Melissa Ferguson - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
At first I didn’t like the writing in this and I found it slightly confusing but my opinions might have been tainted coming off the last story. This one got really good though! The main character didn’t start out great but all of the characters ended up being super charming. My favorite thing about this story was the setting of the Christmas express train. It was the cutest and gave the story so many good Christmas vibes. I know it’s only a shorter story but it skipped parts that I would have loved to read about! This would have made a great 300 page book in my opinion! I was going to give this 4 stars (accounting for the couple things I didn’t like and that this would be better and a true 5 stars, if it were a 300 page book, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I loved it and had to give it 5 stars.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The writing in this was very bizarre. The dialogue was very matter-of-fact and it spelled everything out that would normally be given to the reader as narrated background information. I have never read dialogue that was so unrealistic and stiff. Like always, I loved the Christmas-y elements and this story was full of them! Overall, I didn’t love or hate this story but it was decent and fast-paced (sometimes too fast-paced). This is more like 2.5 stars but I don’t give half stars and 2 stars seems too harsh.
October 16, 2023
On The Way To Christmas by Sheila Roberts, Melissa Ferguson, and Amy Clipston
321-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Holiday Fiction - Christmas, Romance, Christian Fiction, Novella Collection
Featuring: Novellas, Starbucks, New York City, Seattle, Washington; Childhood Friend, Second Chance Trope, Home For Christmas Trope, Titled Chapters [DRTS], Christmas Train, Bakery, North Carolina, Cats, School Teachers, Discussion Questions, About Authors, Other Works by Authors
Rating as a movie: PG
Songs for the soundtrack: "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill, "Joy To The World," "Please Come Home For Christmas" by Charles Brown, "Silver Bells" by Bing Crosby, "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Baby It’s Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalbán, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, "Frosty the Snowman," "Sleigh Ride," "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night," “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⅓🎄⛪️
A Christmas Do-Over ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Dashing Through the Snow ⭐️⭐️½
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 🔄 A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - This story was okay. I don't know why every Sheila Roberts book I read has a nightmare scene, and this one was no exception. This story was like an AA member making amends. I'm going to rest my eyes and go to bed. I'm hoping the other stories are more upbeat. Page 99 of 321
🌨Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson - I've had an ambivalent journey with Melissa Ferguson's books. I abandoned The Cul-De-Sac War, loved Meet Me in the Margins, and didn't care for Pining For You from This Time Around. Once again she's the lettuce on the sandwich, this story was odd. I loved the idea but the characters and execution made it a perplexing read. Page 191 - but I only stopped to review.
🎄A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - Amy has done it again this story was predictable but very good, I wish it were a novel so I could spend more time with the MCs, but that would defeat its purpose.
All in all, this is a decent collection, they put the lull or excitement, depending on your taste, in the middle and started and ended with well-rounded, classic, second romance stories.
Recommend to others: Yes this is a laid-back easy read and would work for a quick read or palate cleanser.
321-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Holiday Fiction - Christmas, Romance, Christian Fiction, Novella Collection
Featuring: Novellas, Starbucks, New York City, Seattle, Washington; Childhood Friend, Second Chance Trope, Home For Christmas Trope, Titled Chapters [DRTS], Christmas Train, Bakery, North Carolina, Cats, School Teachers, Discussion Questions, About Authors, Other Works by Authors
Rating as a movie: PG
Songs for the soundtrack: "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill, "Joy To The World," "Please Come Home For Christmas" by Charles Brown, "Silver Bells" by Bing Crosby, "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Baby It’s Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalbán, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, "Frosty the Snowman," "Sleigh Ride," "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night," “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⅓🎄⛪️
A Christmas Do-Over ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Dashing Through the Snow ⭐️⭐️½
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 🔄 A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts - This story was okay. I don't know why every Sheila Roberts book I read has a nightmare scene, and this one was no exception. This story was like an AA member making amends. I'm going to rest my eyes and go to bed. I'm hoping the other stories are more upbeat. Page 99 of 321
🌨Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson - I've had an ambivalent journey with Melissa Ferguson's books. I abandoned The Cul-De-Sac War, loved Meet Me in the Margins, and didn't care for Pining For You from This Time Around. Once again she's the lettuce on the sandwich, this story was odd. I loved the idea but the characters and execution made it a perplexing read. Page 191 - but I only stopped to review.
🎄A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston - Amy has done it again this story was predictable but very good, I wish it were a novel so I could spend more time with the MCs, but that would defeat its purpose.
All in all, this is a decent collection, they put the lull or excitement, depending on your taste, in the middle and started and ended with well-rounded, classic, second romance stories.
Recommend to others: Yes this is a laid-back easy read and would work for a quick read or palate cleanser.
October 11, 2022
Title: On The Way To Christmas: Three Stories
Authors; Sheila Roberts; Melissa Ferguson; Amy Clipston
Publishers: Thomas Nelson--FICTION, Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"On The Way To Christmas" [Three Stories]: Sheila Roberts; Melissa Ferguson; Amy Clipston
My Assessment:
"On the Way to Christmas" was three entertaining short stories, each about the holiday.
We find the first story: "A Christmas Do-Over," was about how a mean girl finally changes her ways and, after returning home, puts it into practice letting the reader see if she had changed her ways. It will be good to see if Darby can make amends, ask forgiveness, and get second chances and maybe a HEA. We find Darby needed forgiveness from her sister...and her friend Gregory. I will stop there and say pick up this read and see how it all comes out. Let's see if Darby will be able to eat humble pie and make amends?'
The next holiday read, 'Dashing Through the Snow,' was a different kind of read where one will find it exciting and engaging fantasy story, "Dashing Through the Snow" deals with a Christmas-theme Polar Express train trip for grownups" which was a very creative story. What will happen when Willow has been Dumped by her boyfriend [Jonas] of seven years and meets a few other interesting characters on that train ride? The story involves 'taking chances, new beginnings, and maybe a HEA.'
The last holiday read was 'A Perfectly Splendid Christmas,' where two childhood best friends [Kacey & Drew] meet up again in their hometown. Will they be able to express their love for one another this time? The story was somewhat predictable but still a good holiday read. There was so much enjoyment in how these family and friends got together during the holidays and had a wonderful holiday. But will Darcey and Drew get what they want in the end?
How will things work out for the three-holiday stories? The reader will have to pick up this good package and well-written read to see how well these three authors bring out these sweet Christmas stories to the reader.
Thank you to NetGallery and Thomas Nelson for the reads and my giving my opinion for each of the three short reads.
Authors; Sheila Roberts; Melissa Ferguson; Amy Clipston
Publishers: Thomas Nelson--FICTION, Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"On The Way To Christmas" [Three Stories]: Sheila Roberts; Melissa Ferguson; Amy Clipston
My Assessment:
"On the Way to Christmas" was three entertaining short stories, each about the holiday.
We find the first story: "A Christmas Do-Over," was about how a mean girl finally changes her ways and, after returning home, puts it into practice letting the reader see if she had changed her ways. It will be good to see if Darby can make amends, ask forgiveness, and get second chances and maybe a HEA. We find Darby needed forgiveness from her sister...and her friend Gregory. I will stop there and say pick up this read and see how it all comes out. Let's see if Darby will be able to eat humble pie and make amends?'
The next holiday read, 'Dashing Through the Snow,' was a different kind of read where one will find it exciting and engaging fantasy story, "Dashing Through the Snow" deals with a Christmas-theme Polar Express train trip for grownups" which was a very creative story. What will happen when Willow has been Dumped by her boyfriend [Jonas] of seven years and meets a few other interesting characters on that train ride? The story involves 'taking chances, new beginnings, and maybe a HEA.'
The last holiday read was 'A Perfectly Splendid Christmas,' where two childhood best friends [Kacey & Drew] meet up again in their hometown. Will they be able to express their love for one another this time? The story was somewhat predictable but still a good holiday read. There was so much enjoyment in how these family and friends got together during the holidays and had a wonderful holiday. But will Darcey and Drew get what they want in the end?
How will things work out for the three-holiday stories? The reader will have to pick up this good package and well-written read to see how well these three authors bring out these sweet Christmas stories to the reader.
Thank you to NetGallery and Thomas Nelson for the reads and my giving my opinion for each of the three short reads.
January 1, 2023
4/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Every year I tell myself I'm going to read more Christmas books in December and then I somehow forget about it. This year, I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC of this Christmas anthology, so it was like reading three Christmas books in one go!
When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect as I'm only familiar with one of the authors. However, it ended up being a great read to get me in the Christmas spirit!
A Christmas Do-Over: This story was a little difficult to read as it's not what I expected from a Christmas story. It was about a girl who used to be mean and horrible trying to become a better person. She goes home for Christmas and does her best to make amends. I think I might have enjoyed this one more if it had been longer or if we got to know the characters better.
Dashing Through the Snow: This story was my favorite and I would give it a 5 if it was its own book! I'd love a full-length novel with these characters! Willow just got dumped by her boyfriend, but she still had the tickets for the Christmas Express train she was supposed to ride with him. She decides to go alone, even though it was really meant for couples, and it ends up being a wonderful experience for her. I thought it was super sweet and actually tried looking up Christmas trains afterwards (they do exist!!)
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas: This story gave off Hallmark movie vibes. Kacey returns to her hometown to help her sister out at her bakery, and she ends up running into her high school friend Drew. The two hit it off again, but they both know Kacey doesn't plan on sticking around for long. I thought the story was cute, but I was a little frustrated by it. It seemed like everything worked out too conveniently, but I was rooting for the characters by the end.
I enjoyed all three of these stories, though I liked some more than others. Each one is clean and uplifting, so it was a great book to read before Christmas. If you enjoy clean romances and positive themes, I think this would make a wonderful Christmas read for you!
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Every year I tell myself I'm going to read more Christmas books in December and then I somehow forget about it. This year, I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC of this Christmas anthology, so it was like reading three Christmas books in one go!
When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect as I'm only familiar with one of the authors. However, it ended up being a great read to get me in the Christmas spirit!
A Christmas Do-Over: This story was a little difficult to read as it's not what I expected from a Christmas story. It was about a girl who used to be mean and horrible trying to become a better person. She goes home for Christmas and does her best to make amends. I think I might have enjoyed this one more if it had been longer or if we got to know the characters better.
Dashing Through the Snow: This story was my favorite and I would give it a 5 if it was its own book! I'd love a full-length novel with these characters! Willow just got dumped by her boyfriend, but she still had the tickets for the Christmas Express train she was supposed to ride with him. She decides to go alone, even though it was really meant for couples, and it ends up being a wonderful experience for her. I thought it was super sweet and actually tried looking up Christmas trains afterwards (they do exist!!)
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas: This story gave off Hallmark movie vibes. Kacey returns to her hometown to help her sister out at her bakery, and she ends up running into her high school friend Drew. The two hit it off again, but they both know Kacey doesn't plan on sticking around for long. I thought the story was cute, but I was a little frustrated by it. It seemed like everything worked out too conveniently, but I was rooting for the characters by the end.
I enjoyed all three of these stories, though I liked some more than others. Each one is clean and uplifting, so it was a great book to read before Christmas. If you enjoy clean romances and positive themes, I think this would make a wonderful Christmas read for you!
October 5, 2022
I should like to start by thanking Amy Clipston and Zac Weikal for my copy of this book. I loved every second of this 5 star book and didn't want any of the stories to end.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts I so enjoyed your story. I loved Darby and Erika and what a true relationship you depicted there. Of course the romance was wonderful and all in a terrific setting and at my favorite time of year. I definitely have to read more of your books. I remember reading and loving On Strike for Christmas and enjoying it so much.
Dashing through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson your story was the first of your writing that I have read and I promise it won't be the last. What a wonderful journey the story took us on. If such a trip really existed I think I would have to take it. I loved your characters and I laughed until I cried and then I even cried a little with happiness. A perfect Christmas tale.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston ... my dear friend and one of my favorite authors ever. Thank you for taking us back to Splendid Lake and I really hope this won't be our last visit there. As always your characters were so believable and the pictures you painted with your words had me right there in Splendid Lake. If I closed my eyes...I could hear Joy to the World. I have loved everything of yours that I have read and I look forward to reading many more of your books and being part of your wonderful Bookworm Bunch.
To all three of you...this was a truly delightful book with three wonderful stories. I am going to highly recommend this book and hope that many put it on their Christmas lists and their letters to Santa because it is so worth reading and would be very sad to miss.
A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts I so enjoyed your story. I loved Darby and Erika and what a true relationship you depicted there. Of course the romance was wonderful and all in a terrific setting and at my favorite time of year. I definitely have to read more of your books. I remember reading and loving On Strike for Christmas and enjoying it so much.
Dashing through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson your story was the first of your writing that I have read and I promise it won't be the last. What a wonderful journey the story took us on. If such a trip really existed I think I would have to take it. I loved your characters and I laughed until I cried and then I even cried a little with happiness. A perfect Christmas tale.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston ... my dear friend and one of my favorite authors ever. Thank you for taking us back to Splendid Lake and I really hope this won't be our last visit there. As always your characters were so believable and the pictures you painted with your words had me right there in Splendid Lake. If I closed my eyes...I could hear Joy to the World. I have loved everything of yours that I have read and I look forward to reading many more of your books and being part of your wonderful Bookworm Bunch.
To all three of you...this was a truly delightful book with three wonderful stories. I am going to highly recommend this book and hope that many put it on their Christmas lists and their letters to Santa because it is so worth reading and would be very sad to miss.
December 5, 2022
I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.
This book is made up of three novellas. All of which take place between Thanksgiving and Christmas. All of them have really nothing to do with Christmas.
The first is A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts. This takes place in the state of Washington. Darby has flown home after she lost her job in New York City. She basically tries to make up to all of the people she treated poorly as a "mean girl" prior to leaving for New York. Will her family and friends forgive her? This is the story I enjoyed the least.
The second novella is Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson. Willow's boyfriend dumps her before they are to go on a two-week train trip on the Christmas Express. Willow meets all kinds of people including the trainer owner, conductor, and bellhop. The rest of the people on the train are couples. This is the best of the stories.
The final novella is A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston. In this story, Kacey leaves Charlotte, NC to visit home and regroup after her roommate gets married. She teleworks from her hometown until she finds a new roommate or a place of her own in Charlotte. While home, she runs into a good friend Drew who she always liked but never hooked up with. Drew loves Splendid Lake and his job in Splendid Lake. Kacey loves Charlotte. The woman or the city? Predictable.
This book is made up of three novellas. All of which take place between Thanksgiving and Christmas. All of them have really nothing to do with Christmas.
The first is A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts. This takes place in the state of Washington. Darby has flown home after she lost her job in New York City. She basically tries to make up to all of the people she treated poorly as a "mean girl" prior to leaving for New York. Will her family and friends forgive her? This is the story I enjoyed the least.
The second novella is Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson. Willow's boyfriend dumps her before they are to go on a two-week train trip on the Christmas Express. Willow meets all kinds of people including the trainer owner, conductor, and bellhop. The rest of the people on the train are couples. This is the best of the stories.
The final novella is A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston. In this story, Kacey leaves Charlotte, NC to visit home and regroup after her roommate gets married. She teleworks from her hometown until she finds a new roommate or a place of her own in Charlotte. While home, she runs into a good friend Drew who she always liked but never hooked up with. Drew loves Splendid Lake and his job in Splendid Lake. Kacey loves Charlotte. The woman or the city? Predictable.
December 8, 2022
What a cute novella collection! So much festivity and cheer - guaranteed to lighten your mood!!! Typically with novellas, there will be one or two I like more than others, but I really enjoyed all three of these.
A Christmas Do-Over (Sheila Roberts) - 4 stars
I’ve never read anything by this author, but I liked Darby, the reformed “mean girl.” I thought Gregory was a sweetheart and I liked seeing Darby come to see things differently and make amends to those she insulted. For a novella, there was a lot of character growth, which is always a good thing.
Dashing Through the Snow (Melissa Ferguson) - 4 stars
I’ve read two books by this author, and I really enjoy her somewhat quirky writing style. This story was a lot of fun because it takes place on a Christmas train! (How cool is that?!?!?) I would say this was the most festive, with plenty of fun, Christmassy activities on the train.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas (Amy Clipston) - 4 stars
I didn’t know going in, but this story is set in Splendid Lake (the setting of another book by this author). The setting was so vibrant and fun and I was really happy to go back to that charming place.
A Christmas Do-Over (Sheila Roberts) - 4 stars
I’ve never read anything by this author, but I liked Darby, the reformed “mean girl.” I thought Gregory was a sweetheart and I liked seeing Darby come to see things differently and make amends to those she insulted. For a novella, there was a lot of character growth, which is always a good thing.
Dashing Through the Snow (Melissa Ferguson) - 4 stars
I’ve read two books by this author, and I really enjoy her somewhat quirky writing style. This story was a lot of fun because it takes place on a Christmas train! (How cool is that?!?!?) I would say this was the most festive, with plenty of fun, Christmassy activities on the train.
A Perfectly Splendid Christmas (Amy Clipston) - 4 stars
I didn’t know going in, but this story is set in Splendid Lake (the setting of another book by this author). The setting was so vibrant and fun and I was really happy to go back to that charming place.
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