Review: Find your Love on Main Street too in this absolute gem of a holiday anthology
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 21, 2013
I love this time of year, no, not just all the spooky decor for Halloween, but the time that the we begin to see the holiday (Christmas) anthology show up in bookstores. Starting in October, we are usually blessed with a choice of anthologies from some of our favorite authors and they usually can be counted on to be lighthearted and fun reads.This year, I received an anthology for review that included novellas by seven authors - Adrienne Bell, Juliet Blackwell, Cecilia Gray, Rachael Herron, Lisa Hughey, Ruby Laska, L.G.C. Smith - some I had read before, some not. What immediately intrigued me was the fact that this anthology was not a set of seven disconnected novellas about the holidays, but actually a complete series of stories about the inhabitants of Snow Creek, a small town in California touched by a bit of holiday magic.After reading the first story by Juliet Blackwell, I couldn't put Love on Main Street: A Snow Creek Christmas down, in fact I was tempted to Google Snow Creek and see if I could check in at the Mitten Inn and scope out rental properties, for a possible move. You see, I feel in love with the town and the people - the three old guys who sit on a bench outside the Magic Shop, no matter the weather; the diner and the brothers who run it; the tattoo artist with the heart of gold. Really, please just find me an air ticket and I'm there, especially in time for Christmas Eve and the annual Fezziwig Ball.Having read many many anthologies, I have to say this was one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to immerse myself in. The stories and characters interconnected seamlessly with each author's unique voice shining, polished like the star atop the Christmas tree.I can't point to a favorite among the seven stories, because frankly, they were all touching. But the ones that standout in my memory 24-hours after closing the book on my Kindle are: Juliet Blackwell's Queen of Hearts, which introduced us to Snow Creek; L.G.C. Smith's The Holiday Snow, that features two single parents who re-discover the true meaning of holidays; Adrienne Bell's Second Chances, who hasn't wanted to see if that first love might still have a chance to reignite: and Lisa Hughey's One Silent Night, where a marriage's fault lines have been exposed, but a small glimmer of hope remains. That's not to say I didn't love the others, but for some reason these three resonated strongly with me at the moment I read them. When I re-read this book, because I plan to, I know that others will stand out equally.I'd recommend that you purchase this book not only for yourself, but also for your best friend, your sister, your neighbor, your favorite waitress. Really anyone who you want to be wearing a smile of sheer pleasure after a fabulous read. This is the perfect holiday gift to give... And I do think I'm going to be looking for the little town of Snow Creek, California, aren't you too?Fab Fantasy Fiction[...][I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]