not to sure about this book. it is not what i would call a normal western. very good writing and overall a good book, just not what I expected.

Two well written historical romances. I enjoyed each selection and enjoyed the plots. I have always been drawn to westerns. I highly recommend this book.

Gate to Eden: Maddie Campbell and former sheriff Scotty McSween are magnetic together. Readers will have trouble putting their kindle’s down til the end.

Christmas in Paradise: Millie Berinhard and William Dunlap share a relatively short but sweet story story.

Two very good stories that I enjoyed reading. Story one is The Gate to Eden that once I started I was not putting down, Maddie Campbell and former sheriff Scott McSween's kept me turning pages. Story two Christmas in Paradise is Millie Berinhard and store manager William Dunlap this is a short story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I liked both these stories. They showed both ways that mine owners could choose to treat their miners. In The Gate to Eden, it showed the cruel way some mine owners behaved, without a care for the miners and their families. I liked how Maddie and Scott interacted with each other. She was a strong lead character and I liked how the author didn't make her weak and needy.

The Christmas in Paradise book showed how some mine owners took care of the miners and their families. The romance between Millie and William was sweet and believable.

At first glance, I was very tempted to say "poorly" written, but then could not settle on what that might mean? Either the editor should go back to fast food or possibly learn her craft. Grammarly or like software may be of use. Sentence with phrases repeated? Homonyms that were guessed on correctly. Misspelled words were myriad. All in all, I was distracted from enjoying the book.

The story behind "Gate to Eden" was good and thought-provoking. I had not thought about what would happen to the families of miners who were killed in cave-ins or accident. There was mystery and suspense. A whole lot of situational ethics, is it ever wrong to steal to feed your family and more especially a child. A madam gives up her son because in her line of work cannot properly raise him. Greed is taken to a new level and becomes contemptible. There was texture which I appreciated. The villian in the end dies, the maiden does not get tied to the railroad tracks, the white had hero claims the widow and her special needs daughter

Christmas in Paradise was little more than a short story, 14% of the book according to Kindle. The above issues were still present but to a lesser degree, form over against from multiple times in the last few pages. This "book" was literally forgettable. I had to re-look at it after only a couple of days. A young woman has lost her mother and been forced to relocate to balmy Arizona where there will more than likely be no snow for Christmass. Her father is a miner and they are yet again living in a WWI mining town. The heroine is 18 years old and of course, is supposed to be getting married but she is not convinced. She is being pushed towards the manager of the company store, but she is not so easily convinced. The store manager, William, is definitely interested in Millie.

They spend an enjoyable night together at the Christmass dance, They endure hard times working through a cave-in. William is very protective of her physically and emotionally. William buys Millie a very special Christmass present. Of course this has to be an HEA!

Title: The Gate to Eden and Christmas in Paradise Box Set
Author: Cathy McDavid
Publisher: C.M.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

First Story....."The Gate to Eden and Christmas in Paradise" by Cathy McDavid

My Thoughts.....

"The Gate to Eden" was quite a interesting read in that it proved in the end that everything can be made right. For Maddie Campbell had a hard life and even more after her husband had died leaving her with a beautiful daughter. However, for Maddie had even more on her shoulders...'three hundred other widows and orphans who had been left homeless and penniless after a horrific mining accident.' This will be quite a intriguing story in how this situation seemed to be headed for Maddie along with her 'merry band who had been getting cleanly away with their thefts until a certain former sheriff Scott McSween comes to their mining town.' Why was McSween there and who was that horrible person her worked for? Well it seems like he had been hired to find how out who was responsible for these robberies. Who would have thought that Maddie and her merry band would have been responsible for these robberies? However, it seems like there was a reason for this madness, however, it also seems like Maddie had caught McSween's eyes and oh how he was very interested in getting to know this Maddie Campbell. But it will be hard for McSween to get to know Maddie especially in 'The Gate to Eden.' Now why was that? Any way this story will go on where there will be a meeting, then on to hot steamy kisses and more that then by the time all of the secrets have come out it seems like Maddie may have gotten into more trouble than she was able to get out of without help. So, in the end we find that McSween will have to 'choose between the woman he loves and the law he's sworn to uphold.' To find out how this engaging story will all come out you will have to pick up "The Gate to Eden" to find out how well this author delivers brings it all out to the reader. It was indeed a good read that will keep your attention to the very end.

Second Story...Christmas in Paradise

Why wasn't Millie Berinhard happy about living 'in the desert community of Paradise? Millie's father had moved to this area after his wife died and Millie was lonely for her mom and didn't really like living in a mining town definitely missing the snow in the winter. Millie was at the age for marriage but it seemed like there was no interest in the miners even though her sister [Alice] 'had married and expecting. Well, it seems like Millie's father thought that it was time for her to get interested in marriage and invited a certain William Dunlap [who wasn't a miner but a store manager] for dinner. During this time Millie was surprise how well this dinner had gone and William also invited Millie to a Christmas party that was being hosted by The Copper King Mining Company and she excepted a dance with him. Is Millie beginning to have feelings for William?

From that visit the story will take a turn with there being an explosion at mines that will cause quite a scare however, all seems to have come out OK from this situation. What had Millie really missed from being back in her home town of Morgan County?

What will William Dunlap do for Millie for Christmas? Well, it will be very special gift for her in that this was what she had truly missed mostly from the area where she used to live. Will Millie find happiness this "Christmas in Paradise?' To find out what it was you will have to pick up this short well written beautiful story of "Christmas in Paradise" to see how this author gives the reader.