The Christmas Stranger is a short story tied into A Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz.

This was such a neat story. This was a quick read and is perfect for the holidays! I really enjoyed reading this!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Erin lives in the small town of Jewel Bay where her family has run the local merchandise store for generations. With Christmas approaching, Erin and her family do all they can to ensure everyone is town has something to celebrate. When she helps a stranger that stops in town on a whim, he helps the town more than anyone could imagine. A wonderful short story for the holiday season.

"The Christmas Stranger" is a short story released in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Food Lovers Mystery series. The story is included in "Carried to the Grave and Other Stories." It is a short, quick read that evokes the feeling of a Hallmark Christmas movie—one without any dead bodies. I'm thinking of The Hallmark Christmas movies that leave you feeling good. I highly recommend this if you’re a fan of the series.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A nice, quick read for the holidays. Includes some recipes along with the reminder that one simple act can have an effect on many.

This is such a lovely story. It's sweet and traditional, but written in a completely modern setting. Merc owner Erin Murphy is just as busy during the Christmas hustle and bustle as we all are, but when she does a small kindness for a stranger, it snowballs into lovely results. It might just be the Christmas aspect of it that makes me more amenable to what should be a very schmaltzy story. I don't know. But I know and like the main characters already from this series, and this just feels like a little gem of a story to get in the holiday spirit. Okay, I read it after the holidays, but it still put a little of that spirit in me :>)

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this book up as a quick read during our ridiculously busy Christmas season. It is a quick read, one of those stories that reads as if it has been passed down in a family as a Christmas story. A kind of modern-day fairy tale. It’s somewhat like the film ‘A Wonderful Life’. It was just what I needed to read a chapter or two before going to sleep during the business of Christmas. Recommended to read at Christmas or any time you need a hopefully pick me up. I feel inspired to write a version of my own based around my family or community and tell it as an aural story during the festive season.

Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was a Christmas-time short story by an author I like, having read several of her Spice Shop Mysteries. Although it’s now January, my Christmas decorations are still up so it was easy to justify reading while I continue to enjoy the holiday mood.

This quick and entertaining read was a great opening to the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, as it introduces readers to the characters and setting of that currently five-book series. The publisher explains that “to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, we’re bringing out stand-alone editions of readers’ favorite short stories.”

I think this would be a great story to read any time of year – it’s a heartwarming mystery that ended too soon. I'm thankful I can spend more time with the characters in the Food Lovers’ Village series. I’ve just put a few more books on my TBR list 😊

This was a cute short story. This takes places in the community of Jewel Bay, Montana at The Merc. It takes place around Christmas and is such a cute story. I really love the characters and the mystery was well done. It was nice to revisit the characters and the town.

Well that was just about the sweetest short story. And oh sigh the ending. It just about broke my heart. I’ll definitely be checking out more by this author.

This is a sweet Christmas story. Sometimes people don’t know what they really need until they receive it.

This was a great Christmas read. It fully brings out the Christmas spirit. I really enjoyed this. A mystery stranger and a gift. Just delightful.

A short and mild short story that you would only really get into if you read her other things. It was obviously a quick read, but it was still difficult to get into

This is a short story, not even a novella, just a very short story. I could have read it faster, but I started it over a busy weekend, so it did take me a few days, but I really could have read it in just an hour so if I'd had the time in one day. It had a cute premise and a little mystery that the main character is trying to solve, but then it ends so abruptly that I was left wondering why that was the end. It could have used a bit more development for that ending, but it was still an enjoyable story about miracles and good deeds.

Content: Clean.

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, we’re bringing out stand-alone editions of readers’ favorites from Carried to the Grave and Other Stories . Our second selection, after An Unholy Death , is the holiday short story “The Christmas Stranger.” This is a story of Christmas Magic/Christmas Angels. When Erin receives a valuable stamp as a thank you, she sets out to find the mysterious benefactor. Along the way, she meets others who have been the recipient of his generosity. It brings the Christmas Spirit to life. A short, but sweet story full of Christmas Magic.

This is a perfect Christmas short story. A mysterious stranger performing good deeds. This will get you in the Christmas spirit. Great short read!

The Christmas Stranger

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“ Amid the holiday rush of keeping the shelves stocked and filling orders for the Merc, the grocery her family has run for more than a century, proprietor Erin Murphy treasures the way her tight-knit community of Jewel Bay seems to grow even closer during the Christmas season. And this year, when she slows down to do a simple favor for a mysterious stranger, he shows his thanks with a small, quiet gesture—a gift that changes lives, and so much more . . ”

Loved this little heart warming short story. It was so good for spreading some Christmas cheer. Kindness goes a long way and this book really showed that. I recommend this book and will be checking out the rest of this series.

Sweet short story that is perfect for the holidays. It waa such a sweet story. I've never read this series before but now I want to, reas the other books in this series.

A short story about a mysterious stranger doing good deeds, encompassing the spirit of Christmas and charity. Enjoyable read

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for gifting the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this extremely short, short story. I am definitely in all of my Christmas feels and am off to find more Christmas books. I’d recommend this to those who want a quick read, and who want to read about being in the spirit of Christmas (surrounded by friends and family and helping those in need).

This is a very short, sweet story about coincidences and timing and someone watching over you. It takes place in a charming town right before Christmas. For the length of the story, the pacing seemed off and some of the details were erroneous, making it seem like more could have come out of this one. The ending, also, seemed a bit too abrupt. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the complimentary copy!