I love a box set!  The best part is discovering new authors.  I read and enjoyed the first 2 books, even though I haven't read any other books in the Carolyn brown series, it was really sweet and heartwarming.  I've read a pine before and always enjoyed them. The 3rd book I couldn't get into and skipped, and then the 4th book was also enjoyable, another new to me author.  Even though book 3 was a miss for me, the other 3 books were still good enough for me to recommend the set. You might not love them all, but you'll find something positive

Loved reading Landon and Dixie's story and so very sad for the series to end as I have truly enjoyed it =-) now on to the rest of these books and the lovely authors that wrote them - all are favorites of mine too!

What a pleasant why to get into the Christmas spirit with these 4 short tales of love!
The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown is another of her wonderful cowboy romances, a full story in short form! This story bring the Longhorn Canyon Ranch series to an end with the story of Landon, Dixie and sweet little Sally. Landon is just the right man for the single mother, a truly sweet story with humor, feels and seam!
A Christmas Cowboy at Heart by A.J. Pine, new to me author I enjoyed this tale of the golden boy coming home from the big city to be mayor of his small hometown. Sweetheart crushes, pining and humor and Christmas spirit fills this story wonderfully. Deputy Daniela was crushed when Peyton looked over her in high school but when he comes home and as mayor tries to cut out the Christmas spirit well it's a double offense. But of course the joyful season with ease into his heart and so will Daniela! Can their love hold? Lovely Christmas story.
Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers, another new to me author-what a great way to discover new authors in a collection-Wonderful story about two single people with baggage from the past meet by chance at a club to find that the chemistry between them is strong. Neither is ready for anything series, both have demanding lives in different directions, a simple one night met, Until you find out the charismatic guy turns out to be your best friend's brother. Holiday plans and more follow but all isn't smooth sailing. Real entertaining read.
Joy to the World by Hope Ramsay is a wonderful tale of mature love. Both Brenda and Jim are older, both with grown children so their a great story of love at any age is lovely. Brenda has become known as a Grinch around town, for good reasons to her but Jim sees through her and his positive outlook-not to mention he's easy on the eyes!-knows she'd be perfect for the role of choir director for the Christmas Gala. You'll laugh, you'll sigh and maybe shed a tear or two as this to people fall in love. Very entertaining read!

Anthologies are always hit or miss for me. I picked this one up since it’s such a weird year and I can’t even think about the Christmas spirit so I thought this might help. I definitely enjoyed the first two novellas. Even though I haven’t read Carolyn Brown’s series that her contribution was from. I still liked the town and the characters and didn’t feel like I was missing anything. AJ Pine’s novella from the Meadow Valley series was a fun edition to the series. I loved this enemies to lovers story about a Grinch and a woman who LOVES Christmas. The last two novellas weren’t for me. It could have been the length, the writing style, or the characters but I’m not sure I’ll be picking up any books from either of these authors.

I don't really care for short stories. there are only a few authors that can really grab your attention and make 9 to 10 chapters feel like a whole book. I like anything Christmas themed. I liked The Perfect Christmas, little Sally made me laugh. I also liked Cowboy Christmas. quick fun read

Overall these have the theme of small town. Some are more Christmas-y than the others. Novella can be hit or miss and a couple of these were miss for me as they were too short. 
The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown is the last story in her Longhorn Ranch series but can be read as a standalone but might like the others before. This one worked for me and had her normal fast pace love story. Light on the steam.

Cowboy Christmas at Heart by A.J. Pine
This is also in a series but can really be read as a standalone- Meadow Valley. I enjoyed this one as well and had cute backstory of HS miss with a second chance. This had a bit of steam. Very cute meet cute and story line over the Holiday Parade! Favorite of the bunch. 

Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers
This one was small town but not a huge amount of Christmas and a lot to do with military and pasts. This was just okay - did have some closed door steam. This one didn't really match with the others. 

Joy to the World by Hope Ramsay
Older love story romance- small town. Local doctor gets the music teacher to help with the Christmas pageant. Closed door steam.

This book contains 4 novellas. 

I have really all of them earlier in the month and yes I did enjoy all of them.  Fantastic stories that kept me reading and entertained.  A good read for light reading that will keep your mind off things. 

I recommend

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

I was going to review these separately but they all fell under the same number of hearts so I figured I would combine them.

These are sweet holiday romances that perfectly put you in a holiday mood. Since they are short novellas they are great for a quick read. 

I picked this up because of the novella by Hope Ramsay but enjoyed all four of the stories equally. 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Though the stories in this boxed set are short, they do not lack for an emotional connection. Each story features a second chance at romance, each delightfully sweet (some with just an added touch of spice), intriguing and captivating. The characters in each story are real to life and fascinating, and more than one will pull hard on your heartstrings. The joy of the season, and love rekindled or found again is illustrated in each of these charming stories.

The Perfect Christmas features a handsome, hardworking cowboy, Landon, with a heart of gold and a touch of wanderlust, and Dixie a young single mother struggling to provide for herself and her infant daughter. He is determined to give mother and daughter a sweet, unforgettable Christmas they will never forget.  Loathe to reveal her growing feelings to a man who will soon be leaving town, Dixie does her best to safeguard her heart and just enjoy the holidays with Landon. Their Christmas activities are simple, homespun and heartwarming and Dixie’s young daughter is a heart stealer.  Dixie is not the only one smitten. Landon comes to realize that both mother and tiny daughter have stolen his heart and that his future may not turn out as he has planned. Will he choose love or wanderlust?

In Cowboy Christmas at Heart, Dani, a deputy sheriff, tomboy and town sweetheart all in one comes face to face with the person who broke her heart when they were teenagers. Peyton, the town’s new mayor, has just come back to town after a long absence and he is determined to revitalize the family property as well as the town. He has never forgotten the girl who was his teenage crush, Dani, but she never gave him the time of they then, and has take to calling him Grinch now. Christmas is painful for him, and though he can’t  cancel Christmas festivities for the town, he is doing his best to minimize and downplay them. Dani challenges his decisions, keeps him on his toes and forces him to confront the emotions and pain the holiday season bring. As they work together, their mutual attraction is sparked and they give into their desires. Secrets from the past are revealed, and decisions loom. Will they choose each other?

Home For The Holidays brings pastry chef, Iris, and soldier, Collier together. She is a new resident to the island, while he is a favourite son of the island on leave from military duty for the holidays. They meet at a nightclub and, attraction smouldering between them, end up a her apartment, where her painful past and his honourable code of conduct lead to nothing more than shared kisses. When they meet again, they discover they have an unexpected connection....his sister, her best friend. Close proximity over the holiday season allows them to get to know each other, their attraction to deepen and to give into their desires. Though they both know that his stay is temporary, they both begin to yearn for something more, until one dangerous and painful incident forces them apart. Will they find their way back to each other?

In Joy To The World, former music teacher Brenda is coerced into being the stand in choral director for a Christmas charity function that will benefit the local medical clinic. Jim, a doctor at the clinic, doesn’t want to take no for an answer, but he is perceptive enough to realize that emotional trauma is at the heart of Brenda’s reasons for wanting to avoid all things Christmas. Unable to withstand the pressure, the guilt and name calling heaped on her by fellow townspeople and her own mother, Brenda agrees to direct the chorus. Jim discovers the reasons behind her aversion to all things Christmas and takes it upon himself to help her rediscover the joy of the season. Along the way, they grow closer, emotionally and physically, much to the dismay and amazement of the townspeople and his son. Though they are middle aged, and have loved and lost before, love can still be sweet the second time around. 

I would recommend this set of books to all lovers of romance. I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review

Thank you NetGalley, Carolyn Brown; Rochelle Alers; A.J. Pine; Hope Ramsay and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC of A Little Country Christmas.  This is my personal review in  exchange for this ARC.
What a wonderful set of Christmas stories to enjoy each on its own. They all gave me a sweet and comfortable feeling as read them.
Thank you to each of these authors for giving me a wonderful start to my holiday reading season.

A very good collection of Christmas novellas.  I enjoyed each selection.  All were well written.  I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I struggled with this anthology. The four stories were so different - the only common thread was being set in small towns during the holidays. Two of them were set in South Carolina, which to me didn't go along with the country title. One story was friends to lovers, one was a second chance romance, and the last two were about couples where one or both had been married before and the characters were near 40-50. Characters in each of the stories seemed to have had some sort of traumatic experience, death in the family, abuse, or other heavy topic. The stories were a bit heavier than I expected.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley, this is my honest review. 

I really enjoyed reading these Christmas stories. You’ll definitely want to pick of this book and endulce in these sweet Christmas romances. 

I have read several books by Carolyn Brown and AJ Pine, and they were the big draw for me. I was very pleased with the stories written by the other two authors as well.  Each story is unique with its own set of characters and plot. Consider it an early Christmas present from these great authors!

What a delightful collection!

I knew I had to read this one when I saw that two of the included novellas were set within series that I had previously read, so I was familiar with these characters. I loved both those stories, and I enjoyed the visits to their familiar settings. The two new ones were also terrific, and I plan to read more by those authors.

The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown

This was a sweet, low-angst novella about finding a reason to put down roots. Landon is the surprise brother to two of the cowboys in the Longhorn Canyon series, and we met Dixie in one of the earlier books. It was so great to see both these familiar characters find their HEA, and especially nice to see them together.

A Christmas Cowboy at Heart by A.J. Pine

This selection was the best of the collection in terms of character and emotional development. Dani and Peyton had an almost-thing back in high school, and now that he's back in Meadow Valley they have a chance to pursue that still-simmering connection. There's a bit of a tragic back story that is gently addressed as the major internal conflict. I really enjoyed the way the community came together to celebrate the holidays, and their HEA was especially satisfying.

Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers

Iris considers but ultimately walks away from a one-night-stand with the handsome stranger despite their intense chemistry, only to find out the next day that he's her best friend's brother home on leave for the holidays. Her past makes a new relationship difficult at best, and Collier's plans also prevent him from settling down for a while, so their HEA requires that they address and resolve several major issues first. I loved the double family merger with the secondary romance. Her family really conveyed the spirit of the holidays.

Joy to the World by Hope Ramsay

This compelling novella focuses on an older couple in their late 40s/early 50s with grown children, which was a refreshing change. Jim is tasked with convincing Brenda to lead the Christmas Chorale, despite her long-standing, deeply emotional aversion to all things Christmas. My only complaint with this story was Jim - the local doctor - and his relaxed discussion of his patients' ailments as they related to his availability, a clear HIPAA violation by today's standards. Other than that, this was a wonderful romance with a heartfelt HEA.

Altogether, this is a substantive anthology that highlights all the best aspects of the Christmas holiday, and I heartily recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

A selection of four holiday romances from various authors and featuring a variety of themes and locations.

This collection was fine, but possibly just not for me. I enjoy small towns and Christmas, but I didn't care for some of these. Rochelle Aers' one, the one I most look forward to was the hardest to get into. And two of the four stories are about rediscovering holiday spirit, which feels so cliche. I did really like the first story and Landon and Dixie bonding over her little girl though. That one is a keeper.

I enjoyed all 4 of these short Christmas romances.  Each had its own tale but they went together perfectly.  I wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.

Four novellas about finding the spirit of Christmas for one person in each story and how love can bring the spirit back into their lives.  

In The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown, a young mother who has never had a Christmas, is shown by a young handsome cowboy how to have a Christmas to remember for her and her child. How the little things can bring the joy of the season when love comes with Santa.   

This was a wonderful heartwarming story and you felt the spirit of the season with every word that only Carolyn Brown can bring to a cowboy Christmas.  it’s a story that fills your heart with love and laughter of the season.  

In Joy to the World by Hope Ramsey, a retired music teacher who has had the joy of the season and music not playing the in her heart is asked to do the one thing this Grinch, as she is called by the towns people, to lead the Christmas Chorale and the handsome doctor who’s clinic is the recipient of the proceeds of the concert, shows her how to have the joy and spirt of the season back in her heart along with the love and family too. 

Hope Ramsey brings out the love and heart of a women who has lost the joy of Christmas and makes her “Grinch” heart grow with music and the love she never thought she would have again.   

In Cowboy Christmas at Heart by P J Pine, It’s a hard sell for Deputy Sherrif Dani Garcia to get the Mayor to light up the town for Christmas.  The Mayor is also her high school crush, so she has to work her magic to help him find his way back to Christmas and light up him from the inside out.  She can do that by showing him that Christmas can still be a time of friendship and love and that they can spend the rest of their lives helping each other to trust and love again.  

I will admit that I had a hard time getting into this story, but once the truth comes out about why the Mayor has denied himself the pleasure of Christmas this story took off for me.  

In Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers, Iris Nelson is a gal who loves to bake and puts all her skills into her dream of owning her own shop one day, but before this comes true, she is looking forward to her first Christmas in Cavanaugh Island and hosting her family and friends. But her best friend has invited her brother to come along and it turns out that he is someone one she already knows... She is very much attracted to him and this joy and love of the holiday season just might bring more than she asked for from Santa! 

I enjoyed this story. It was heartwarming and gave you a good feeling when you finished the story.  The joy of the season was felt on each page.  

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this lovely Christmas novellas.

I enjoyed this Christmas anthology. These are light easy reads to get you in the mood for Christmas. Fans of these authors and western romance will enjoy this book.

Book Info
Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages
Expected publication: September 29th 2020 by Forever
ISBN 1538735776 (ISBN13: 9781538735770)
Edition Language English
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB

From matchmaking carolers to a festive lights competition, four bestselling authors explore the magic of the holidays in these heartwarming small towns.


The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown
Rugged cowboy Landon Griffin can't help being smitten by single mom Dixie Boudreaux and her baby girl. To help win their hearts, he wants to give them both the perfect holiday at Longhorn Ranch -- baking cookies, trimming the tree, building snowmen, and the whole works. But when nothing seems to go right, he might need a Christmas miracle to help him out of the mess.

Joy to the World by Hope Ramsay
Retired music teacher Brenda McMillan has lost her holiday spirit, but reluctantly agrees to fill in for the director of the Magnolia Harbor Christmas Chorale -- even though Dr. James Killough, the town's biggest Christmas enthusiast, is the group's accompanist. Will he have enough Christmas magic to mend her broken heart?

Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers
Pastry chef Iris Nelson is looking forward to spending Christmas on Cavanaugh Island with her best friend's family. But she wasn't expecting to celebrate with their very handsome visitor on leave from Afghanistan. Is their attraction just the glow of the season or a gift to enjoy forever?

Cowboy Christmas at Heart by A.J. Pine
For Deputy Sheriff Daniela Garcia, no hometown tradition makes her happier than the Meadow Valley Holiday Light Parade. This year she's planning for the sheriff's office to have the most dazzling lights. But when the new mayor -- and certified grinch -- threatens to cancel the event, Dani will have to show him the true meaning of Christmas.

My Thoughts

The Perfect Christmas by Carolyn Brown

Author Carolyn Brown introduced the characters of Dixie Boudreaux and her daughter Sally to readers in the full length books of her Longhorn Canyon series.

This is their own Happy Ever After Story which is as sweet as the mother/daughter duo are!

The journey for all was full of firsts as well giving Dixie, Landon and Sally special memories of their first Christmas together, but not the last!

Characters fans know and love are guests who add their own elements to this tale of romance.

As others have said sad to see the series end but the stories will be around for future readers enjoyment for years to come.

Cowboy Christmas at Heart by A.J. Pine

Mayor Peyton Cooper and Deputy Daniela/Dani Garcia have different memories of their time in high school together 15 years ago.

In the here and now that this story is set those recollections still color Dani’s feelings at first for the man who left her beloved town of Mountain Valley all those years ago.

As the two get to know each other as adults however both Dani and Peytons prior perceptions change, growing quickly into something neither expected but both need.

During this story events unfold that test the pairs tenuous new bond, but in the end Christmas works its magic as expected.

Home for the Holidays by Rochelle Alers

After being prey to an abusive husband, but now divorced, moving to Cavanaugh Island and finding work as a pastry chef turns out to be the best decision that Iris Nelson had made in her life.

The move came about because of events in her past that still trigger bad memories for Iris, memories she hates thinking about much less talking about with anyone.

Collier Ward has spent 20-years in the military, the last tour which left him with bad memories of his own.

Meeting Iris when he stopped into the islands local nightclub on ladies night gave him something else to dream about after they parted ways.

Although they allow themselves to grow closer both Iris and Collier hide their particular secrets from each other.

A course of action that becomes regrettable when the pair least expect it to do so.

Can a Master Sergeant and a Pastry Chef with trust issues overcome their pasts to create a new future together?

This short story answers that question and gives the reader some insight into the minds of each character along the way that will leave them possibly rethinking a few things once the novella is over.

Not my favorite of the four offerings as it did not exactly work into what I expected once reading the first two stories.

Joy to the World by Hope Ramsay

The main thing I thought of when reading this story were the tales of Ebeneezer Scrooge and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

The reason why is simple because the main character, Brenda McMillan, was compared to both numerous times by the people of Magnolia Harbor due to her initial refusal to step in as director of the towns annual Christmas Chorale.

Tasked with the effort of getting the against-all-things-Christmas Brenda to accept the volunteer job is Dr. James Killough, Dr. Jim to his patients.

The town doctor whose own personal holiday trials 20 years ago are not forgotten but they have been circumvented as he embraces all things Christmas related with joy, an emotion that Brenda herself has not felt in many years.

The effort is rewarded with side benefits that of course the reader sees coming, and indeed expects, as Christmas waves its proverbial magic wand one more time!

A collection of novellas with 2 authors have read before and 2 have not read works of.

Enjoyed them each individually but as a whole 1 of the offerings did not quite fit with the other 3 so not a total love affair all the way through.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.