Happy Boxing Day! I hope everyone had a happy Christmas. With Winter's First Frost by Kelly Irvin releases on February 5 along with A Rebel at Pennington's by Rachel Brimble. Anne Greene is a Christian author whose books include A Christmas Belle, Marriage by Arrangement, A Williamsburg Christmas, Recipe for a Husband, and Angel with Steel Wings.
Avoiding the Mistletoe by Anne Greene takes us to 1865 in Lowell, Massachusetts. Darcy Davenport wants to become one of Asa
Mercer’s mail order brides and travel to Seattle, Washington. She refuses to go, though, without her
sister, Olivia Rose Baker. Olivia is a
widow who did not find marriage agreeable thanks to her abusive husband, but
there are few opportunities for them in their hometown. When Darcy points out that teaching positions
are available, Olivia reluctantly agrees.
On May 28, 1866, the Mercer Maidens (as they are called) arrive to find
hundreds of men meeting the ship which only has thirty-four women on board. Sheriff Stark Macaulay is instantly smitten
with Olivia when he sees her disembark.
Olivia, though, only sees his gray Confederate uniform which reminds her
of the soldiers who killed her father and husband at Gettysburg. Within a short amount of time, Olivia is the
only woman from the ship who has yet to marry.
While she is teaching at the Central School in town, he insists she fulfill
her contract. Olivia must pick a man to
marry by Christmas or pay back the $300 passage. Or Asa Mercer will pick a husband for
her. If Stark is to win Olivia’s hand,
he will need to show her that he is nothing like her deceased husband.
Avoiding the Mistletoe is a
charming Christian romance. I found it
to be well-written with steady pacing. I
liked the characters in the story. I
thought Olivia was the perfect sister for Darcy. Darcy is flighty and fanciful while Olivia is
down-to-earth and cautious. Stark is a
widower who came to Seattle for a fresh start.
He has dreams for his future and they did not include a new wife until
he sets his eyes on Olivia. It was cute
how the mistletoe featured in the story.
Christian elements included in Avoiding the Mistletoe are the importance
of faith, prayer and trust. Second
chances are possible if you are willing to open your heart to new
possibilities. I enjoyed seeing how
Stark and Olivia overcome the past in the hope of having a rewarding future
together. Avoiding the Mistletoe is a sweet
novella about love, hope and second chances.
Avoiding the Mistletoe along with many of Anne Greene's other stories are available on Kindle Unlimited. Thank you for visiting today. I am departing from the Christmas books tomorrow to share my review of A Woman of Courage: Collectors Edition continues the story of Little Faw by Wanda E. Brunstetter tomorrow. The hard copy is just beautiful. I hope you have a relaxing day. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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