Book Review: Silver Bells

by: Lucinda Brant, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Lu Ann Brobst Staheli, Annette Lyon, and Becca Wilhite

This collection is fun and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! As I've been listening to Christmas music for weeks already, this was the perfect book to continue my holiday mood :) I've ranked my favorite short stories as follows:

1. A Taste of Home - I love Claire's excitement at going home and the detail that is spent on her Christmas memories. I love Will's hesitation that isn't fully explained at the beginning. They are both their own person and the story develops over a short period of time, but, unlike most romances, it is almost believable. This book could do with a stronger editing though, unless Will really did dip Claire's "brains" in white paint ...

2. A Christmas Promise - This book reminds me so much of the Christmas song, "Christmas Day" by Dido. However, unlike the song there is quite the happy ending in store for these characters. Starting out with a narrator was a little awkward, but it reminded me of "The Princess Bride" in a good way. Sean is a hardworking, sweet guy whose ego gets the better of him and luckily, Maeve was there to save him.

3. My Modern Girl - This one just made me laugh. How many times have we gone out of our way to have fancy French chocolates and when we got them, thought that Hershey's bars were even better? That is the moral of this story, sometimes what's right in front of you really is the best thing. I loved seeing Macy's and the Thanksgiving Day parade from an "insider's" perspective and this book felt a little like the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" which was really a good thing (I love that movie).

4. A Fairy Christmas - This was really the only story that didn't feel rushed in the collection. Time was spent on character development and the storyline. I think much of that has to do with the fact that this story takes place during a single evening. Sweet and classic.

5. A Fezziwig Christmas - What is up with that last name? Aside from being hung up on the terribleness of the name, I couldn't really get into this story. Too much happened with too many characters in too few pages. I couldn't remember who I wanted to get the girl and who I didn't.

My only overall hesitation, as with most short stories, is that they felt so rushed. Four out of the five stories felt like too much happened in a few pages. I find this to be the case with most short romances, but they are still a challenge to fully enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy, but the review is my own.