A TEXAS KIND OF CHRISTMAS
by
JODI THOMAS,
Celia Bonaduce, & Rachael Miles
Celia Bonaduce, & Rachael Miles
Genre: Historical Fiction / Anthology / Holiday Romance
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: October 29, 2019
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: October 29, 2019
Number of Pages: 336 pages
Scroll down for the giveaway!
Scroll down for the giveaway!
It’s Christmas Eve, 1859, and everyone who’s anyone is headed to the glorious St. Nicholas Hotel for the most talked about ball of the season. It’s the kind of Texas night where anything can happen—even love . . . ONE NIGHT AT THE ST. NICHOLAS by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jodi Thomas
To escape her stepmother’s plot to marry her off, Texas heiress Jacqueline Hartman spends Christmas Eve sharing a hideout with an accused bank robber. After a night in Nathaniel Ward’s arms, Jacqueline is certain she has met her match after all. But will his heartfelt promise of love lead to his demise at the hands of the law?
BIRDIE’S FLIGHT by Celia Bonaduce
Seamstress Birdie Flanagan gets the surprise of her life when she receives a beautiful gown—and a sudden invitation—for the ball of the season! Birdie creates a stir from the moment she arrives, capturing the eye of the dashing Captain Douglas Fairbanks. But will a secret from her past keep her from her long-awaited happily-ever-after?
Seamstress Birdie Flanagan gets the surprise of her life when she receives a beautiful gown—and a sudden invitation—for the ball of the season! Birdie creates a stir from the moment she arrives, capturing the eye of the dashing Captain Douglas Fairbanks. But will a secret from her past keep her from her long-awaited happily-ever-after?
SPIRIT OF TEXAS by Rachael Miles
When lovely spinster Eugenie Charpentier makes a trip across the Texas frontier with former Texas Ranger Asher Graham, she dreams of an adventure, and the rough-and-tumble cowboy is happy to oblige. But both Eugenie and the rugged lawman are keeping secrets. Can they find each other—and love—on the dance floor at the Christmas ball?
When lovely spinster Eugenie Charpentier makes a trip across the Texas frontier with former Texas Ranger Asher Graham, she dreams of an adventure, and the rough-and-tumble cowboy is happy to oblige. But both Eugenie and the rugged lawman are keeping secrets. Can they find each other—and love—on the dance floor at the Christmas ball?
I’m on a roll lately with anthologies. This is the third I’ve read in the past 4 weeks. Anthologies for me give more for the buck, with multiple stories in each collection. A Texas Kind of Christmas is even more special. Each distinct story shares a theme of Christmas love and setting of a ball at the St. Nicholas hotel. The hotel and its employees link the whole book together. The heroines of all three stories are self-rescuing; the heroes are the type of men who would easily fit into a Hallmark movie.
One Night at the St. Nicholas by Jodi Thomas: One Night is two sweet love at first sight stories. We have the primary story between Nate and Jacqueline as well as the story between Cody and Katie. Ah Nate. If I were Jacqueline, I’d probably fall for Nate in one night, too. He’s an actor, great a flirting, but most of all, he’s honest from the start with her. Cody, on the other hand, is completely pragmatic about marriage, including proposing to any woman who makes him pie! I did wonder at the beginning of the novel if this might be a love triangle\square situation. But thankfully, the right partners find each other. (See what I did there? Partners. At a dance. Sorry. I couldn’t help myself!) I really enjoyed the ending of this story, but I don’t want to spoil it for you. Let’s leave it at there is a last-minute rescue where the usual tables are turned. And the epilogue is a must read.
Birdie’s Flight by Celia Bonaduce: Birdie walks into the St. Nicholas hotel desperate for work. Luckily, the hotel needs a new seamstress. Captain Newcastle, the hero of this story, is a top-notch charmer and flirt. It’s easy to see why Birdie falls for him, both literally and figuratively. In addition to Birdie and Captain Newcastle’s love story, we also meet Charlotte Rutherford and Sheriff Joey Holden. Charlotte is a hoot, if a bit of a spoiled brat. But she is a great friend to Birdie. For me though, the mystery of why Birdie is on the run is the highlight of this story. Why did she leave her home? And why is a Pinkerton agent following her? That’s what I really want to know! And honestly, I do wish there were more details on the mystery aspect and less focus on which dress Charlotte is planning on wearing to the ball.
Spirit of Texas by Rachael Miles: By far, this is my favorite of the three stories. It’s really a love letter to words, books, and the thesaurus (a stalwart friend of mine!). Asher Graham and his brothers played word games as children with a thesaurus. He’s a man after my own heart!
“Few women – even those born here – would have weathered a tornado with as much sangfroid as you.”
Come on! Who uses words like sangfroid! That’s is a great word that I’ll be working into everyday conversation going forward. (The definition is coolness of mind, calmness, or composure in case you weren’t sure.) Books are also common ground between Asher and our heroine, Eugenie Charpentier, providing many topics of discussion on the long carriage ride to Dallas and the Christmas ball. There is some great banter between the main characters which really drew me into their story. The relationship between Asher and Eugenie grows and develops over time during their journey. I really enjoyed the Texas survival lessons that Asher imparts to Eugenie, including the all-important siesta. Eugenie has grit, as Asher calls it. The two are well suited in my opinion. I will certainly be checking out more books by Ms. Miles in hopes of additional great characters like Asher and Eugenie.
In addition to the main characters, I also enjoyed meeting the hotel staff at the St. Nicholas, especially Cook, Madam Durand, and Miss Quigley, the head seamstress. Cook is the mothering type, making sure everyone is properly fed. I’m pretty sure Miss Quigley has a bit o’ Leprechaun in her, with her Irish heritage and faster than seems possible sewing skills. I imagine both women have some great stories! Along with Mrs. Cockrell, these characters appear in all three stories. I appreciate each author’s perspective on these common characters.
I would read longer versions of each of these stories, new stories with the same characters, or stories featuring the secondary characters. I wholly enjoyed each story in the book and would recommend it for anyone interested in history romance or anthologies.
I received A Texas Kind of Christmas free in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to authors Jodi Thomas, Celia Bonaduce, and Rachael Miles, and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity.
Jodi Thomas is a New York Times bestselling author and fifth-generation Texan who sets many of her award-winning stories in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. A multi-RITA Award winner and member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, she’s written over 50 novels with millions of copies in print. Her most recent releases are The Little Tea Shop on Main and her historical anthology, A Texas Kind of Christmas (Nov. 2019). The first book in her new series with Kensington, Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café, comes out May 2020. 
Celia Bonaduce, also the author of The Venice Beach Romances and the Welcome to Fat Chance, Texas series, has always had a love affair with houses. Her credits as a television field producer include such house-heavy hits as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; HGTV’s House Hunters and Tiny House Hunters. She lives in Santa Monica, CA, with her husband and dreams of one day traveling with him in their own tiny house. She can be found online www.CeliaBonaduce.com.
Rachael Miles is an acclaimed romance novelist and historian specializing in the 19th century, as well as a professor of literary history. A fifth-generation Texan and native of Dallas, she now lives and teaches in New York. Visit her online at www.RachaelMiles.com.
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I loved this book and the history incorporated. It’s one of my favorite Christmas anthologies I’ve ever read.
Thanks, Tonya! I love the history as well!
Excellent marker when you would read longer versions/more stories with the characters in an anthology! Great review!
Thanks, Kristine! and yes – more of these stories would be great!