More Christmas at the Library!

Meg Hobart has everything: a happy marriage to a handsome, successful husband, a beautiful home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and three wonderful children. But it all comes crashing down around her the day she learns that her husband, James, has been living a lie--and has brought the family to financial ruin. Penniless and homeless, the Hobarts pack up what little they still possess and leave behind their golden life for good. But it's not the material things Meg finds herself mourning. Instead, she misses the certainty that she should remain married to James, who has betrayed her trust so thoughtlessly. Worse, she is suddenly very aware of just how spoiled her children have become. Meg wonders what her family has really sacrificed in their pursuit of the American dream.

A frightening twist of fate forces the Hobarts to take refuge with a kind Amish family in Pennsylvania, where they find themselves in a home with no computers, no cell phones, nothing the children consider fashionable or fun. Her uncooperative brood confined to the Amish world of hard work and tradition, their futures entirely uncertain, Meg fears she can never make her family whole again.

Celebrating life's simplest but most essential values, packed with laughter and tears, this is a story of forgiveness and the power of love. You will never forget the special moment in time that is An Amish Christmas .

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From the author of An Amish Christmas and A Plain & Fancy Christmas comes a heartwarming novel of marriage and family, new beginnings and poignant homecomings--just in time for the holidays.
 
After her husband, Shep, loses his latest job, Jennie Davis is grateful to be in a car en route to beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Shep has inherited a house from a distant cousin, along with the cousin's long-established bicycle shop. The move gives Jennie, Shep, and their two children a welcome chance for a fresh start.
 
While Shep dives into his new venture at the bike shop, Jennie carefully restores their broken-down house. She loves being a stay-at-home mom but yearns to find some fulfillment outside of her family--particularly as they struggle financially. On morning walks, she forges a friendship with her Amish neighbor, Mattie Fisher, who opens up about her modest way of life. Mattie's unswerving good character in the face of adversity encourages Jennie to seek practical solutions to her own difficulties. A passing remark by Jennie's son transforms desperation about their finances into inspiration, leading her to embark upon a candy-making enterprise.
 
Soon, Jennie's newfound purpose collides with Shep's growing stress at work and long-simmering tensions between husband and wife rise to the surface. As the holiday season approaches, their family is challenged as never before--until an unexpected visitor arrives to give Jennie the greatest gift of all.
 
Praise for Cynthia Keller's heartwarming Amish novels
 
An Amish Christmas
 
"This little book is a holiday charmer young and old will find appealing."--Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
 
"[A] sweet, poignant story."-- USA Today
 
A Plain & Fancy Christmas
 
"[This novel] does what a good holiday tale should; it invites readers to turn off the cellphone and television and wrap themselves up in a warm, compelling story."-- Lincoln Journal Star
 
"A wonderful read for the Christmas season."--FaithfulNews

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Christmas has never brought out the best in the MacDougal family. Still, year after year, they gather together in the Blue Ridge Mountains to try to make the season merry and bright. But this year is an especially strained one, with Shayne's impending divorce, Morwenna's slavish devotion to work and Bobby's reluctance to face what life has to offer. They've never felt less like a family.

Then, in the midst of a snowy sibling shouting match, a mysterious stranger appears. He could be a criminal, a madman--or something far more unexpected. Despite their fears and the growing danger in the dark woods around them, the MacDougals take a leap of faith. But when another stranger arrives on the mountainside, they don't know which of them to believe. One of these men can't be trusted. And one is about to bring Christmas into their hearts.

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Spiritual beings populate the stories of Scripture. Angels singing. Demons infecting. Heavenly hosts fighting . . . Ignore the armies of God and Satan and you ignore the heart of Scripture. Ever since the snake tempted Eve in Eden, we've known: there is more to this world than meets the eye.

In this classic Christmas novella, best-selling author Max Lucado imagines the spiritual conflict that surrounded the coming of Christ. Surely there was much. If Satan could pre-empt Christ in the cradle, there'd be no Christ on the cross.

Journey back in time to the very throne of God ... and witness firsthand the glory, the wonder, and the battle that took place on the very first Christmas.

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Journey back to a simpler time, to a small English village where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. Except at Christmas time. That's when a mysterious angel suddenly appears in a lowly candle maker's shop. When the holy and the human collide in a way that only God could imagine. Glowing bright with a timeless message, The Christmas Candle will warm your heart with a surprising reminder of God's bountiful love.

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"An annual treat," declared The Wall Street Journal of Anne Perry's Victorian-era holiday mysteries. Now she continues this magnificent tradition with A Christmas Garland, a yuletide tale set in exotic India. This time the mistress of mystery tells the story of a terrible crime that sets the stage for another: accusing an innocent man of murder.
 
The year is 1857, soon after the violent Siege of Cawnpore, with India in the midst of rebellion. In the British garrison, a guard is killed and an Indian prisoner escapes, which leads to yet more British deaths. Cries for revenge are overwhelming. Despite no witnesses and no evidence against him, a luckless British medical orderly named John Tallis is arrested as an accomplice simply because he was the only soldier unaccounted for when these baffling crimes were committed.
 
Though chosen to defend Tallis, young Lieutenant Victor Narraway is not encouraged to try very hard. Narraway's superiors merely want a show trial. But inspired by a soldier's widow and her children, and by his own stubborn faith in justice, Narraway searches for the truth. In an alien world haunted by memories of massacre, he is the accused man's only hope.
 
The trial of John Tallis equals the white-knuckle best of Anne Perry's breathtaking courtroom dramas. And thanks to a simple Christmas garland and some brilliant detective work, Narraway perseveres against appalling odds, learning how to find hope within himself--and turn the darkest hour into one full of joy and light.
 
PRAISE FOR THE CHRISTMAS NOVELS OF ANNE PERRY
 
A Christmas Homecoming
 
"Could have been devised by Agatha Christie . . . [Perry is] a modern master." --Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Vastly entertaining . . . uplifting and thought-provoking by turns." --The Star-Ledger
 
A Christmas Odyssey
 
"[Perry] writes with detail that invades the senses." --Lincoln Journal Star
 
A Christmas Promise
 
"Poignant . . . should be on the Christmas stocking list of anyone who likes a sniffle of nostalgia." --The Washington Times
 
A Christmas Grace
 
"[A] heartwarming, if crime-tinged, complement to the holiday season."-- Booklist
 
A Christmas Beginning
 
"Intriguing . . . Perry's use of period detail is, as always, strong and evocative." --The Seattle Times

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Now a holiday tradition, this new Christmas mystery from New York Times-bestselling author Perry tells the chilling story of a storm-wracked coastal village that hides a terrible secret.

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Anne Perry has dazzled readers for decades with her gripping Victorian novels and has won new fans with her acclaimed World War I series. Perry's thrilling Christmas novels, recent additions to her unique repertoire, are set in the most joyous season of the year.

In A Christmas Guest, Mariah Ellison, better known as the vinegar-tongued Grandmama from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, makes a stunning appearance in a bracing story full of devious delight . . . and certain death.
For Grandmama Ellison, Christmas is no reason to celebrate. And when her daughter and son-in-law plan a Christmas vacation to Paris sans hers truly, the cantankerous Grandmama is forced to stay elsewhere--and travels to the chilly, windswept Romney Marshes to spend the holiday with Charlotte Pitt's parents, Caroline and Joshua Fielding.

Grandmama is immediately miserable. For starters, Christmas with the Fieldings is nothing like the cultured life to which she's accustomed, and the Romney Marshes are unbearably provincial. When Joshua's cousin Maude Barrington arrives, Grandmama is at her wit's end. Although Maude is well traveled and friendly, Grandmama thinks she's improper and strange. But when Maude is found lifeless in bed, Grandmama senses foul play and takes it upon herself to assume the role of amateur detective--uncovering not only the truth about Maude Barrington but some startling truths about herself as well.

Enlivened with bold characters and vivid, witty writing, A Christmas Guest is yet another holiday novella with the perfect combination of mystery and murder mixed with a generous helping of yuletide cheer.

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Anne Perry's "vastly entertaining" ( The Star-Ledger ) holiday novels are "as delicious as mince pie and plum pudding" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ). A Christmas Hope is just as delectable--the gripping story of an unforgettable battle between goodness and evil in Victorian London--and a lonely woman's search for meaning in her life.

Although she lacks for nothing, Claudine Burroughs dreads the holiday season for forcing her to face how empty her life has become. She no longer expects closeness with her coldly ambitious husband, and she has nothing in common with their circle of wealthy, status-minded friends. The only time she is remotely happy is when she volunteers at a woman's clinic--a job her husband strongly disapproves of. Then, at a glittering yuletide gala, she meets the charming poet Dai Tregarron and finds her spirits lifted. But scarcely an hour later, the charismatic Dai is enmeshed in a nightmare--accused of killing a young streetwalker who had been smuggled into the party.

Even though she suspects that an upper-class clique is quickly closing ranks to protect the real killer, Claudine vows to do her utmost for Dai. But it seems that hypocritical London society would rather send an innocent poet to the gallows than expose the shocking truth about one of their own.

Nevertheless, it's the season of miracles and Claudine finally sees a glimmer of hope--not only for Dai but for a young woman she befriends who is teetering on the brink of a lifetime of unhappiness. Anne Perry's heartwarming new holiday novel is a celebration of courage, faith, and love for all seasons.

PRAISE FOR THE CHRISTMAS NOVELS OF ANNE PERRY

"Perry's Victorian-era holiday mysteries . . . are for many an annual treat."-- The Wall Street Journal

A Christmas Garland

"In Anne Perry's gifted hands, the puzzle plays out brilliantly."--Greensboro News & Record

A Christmas Homecoming

"Could have been devised by Agatha Christie . . . [Perry is] a modern master." --Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Christmas Odyssey

"[Perry] writes with detail that invades the senses." --Lincoln Journal Star

A Christmas Promise

"Poignant . . . should be on the Christmas stocking list of anyone who likes a sniffle of nostalgia." --The Washington Times

A Christmas Grace

"[A] heartwarming, if crime-tinged, complement to the holiday season."-- Booklist

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Katherine O'Connor often spends her days at a cozy café on Blossom Street in Seattle--where she writes Christmas letters for other people. She's good at making their everyday lives sound more interesting. More humorous. More dramatic.

But for Dr. Wynn Jeffries, who also frequents the café, Christmas means lies and deception. In fact, the renowned child psychologist recommends that parents "bury Santa under the sleigh." Katherine, however, feels that his parenting philosophy is one big mistake--at least, based on her five-year-old twin nieces, who are being raised according to his "Free Child" methods.

She argues with Wynn about his theories, while he argues that her letters are nothing but lies. They disagree about practically everything--and yet, somehow, they don't really want to stop arguing.

As the days--and nights--move closer to Christmas, Katherine and Wynn both discover that love means accepting your differences. And Christmas is about the things you share....

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From the New York Times-bestselling authors comes a story of Cape Light Christmas surprises. In a town like Cape Light, there's always room in the inn. But when hardships bring people together under one roof, things don't always go smoothly.

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Experience the spirit of Christmas brought to life in the latest Cape Light novel.

Reverend Ben has been ignoring his health recently and it's finally caught up with him-he's developed a heart problem, and requires bypass surgery. Since Ben will need six weeks' recuperation and physical rehab, interim minister Isabel Moran is assigned to the congregation.

Is this health setback a sign from above that it's time for Ben to move on to a new phase of his life? As Ben grows stronger and gets back to his old self, he starts to wonder if he's really ready to celebrate his final Christmas as pastor of the church in Cape Light that has been his life's work. After all, Christmas is a time for giving, but retiring and presenting Isabel with his much treasured job might be the biggest test of faith Ben has ever had to face...

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Renowned for her acclaimed Victorian novels as well as a stunning new series set in World War I, Anne Perry consistently dazzles us with stories rife with emotion, intrigue, and psychological depth. She recently expanded her talents with the delightfully rendered novella, A Christmas Journey , which USA Today called "one of the best books to brighten the joyous season." Now she has given readers another gift--a yuletide offering full of holiday magic . . . and murder.

The Dreghorn family is gathering for an anticipated reunion in the Lake District of England. The blissful tranquility of the snowbound estate, however, is soon shattered by what appears to be an accidental death. The victim's distraught wife, Antonia, summons her godfather, distinguished mathematician and inventor Henry Rathbone--one of the most beloved characters from Perry's bestselling William Monk series. But questions about the tragic event turn into whispers of murder, sending shock waves among members of the Dreghorn clan, who haven't seen each other in ten years.

Now Rathbone must put his analytical and creative capacities to the test as he assumes the role of an amateur investigator. But while searching for clues and mulling over potential motives, he cannot help but wonder: Will another poor soul meet the same untimely end--and be silenced like the night?

In this Christmas novella, featuring a colorful, somewhat eccentric cast of characters and an irresistible plot as twisty as a ribbon, Rathbone rescues the holiday with a grace that would impress William Monk himself.

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Two widows find-in separate, endearing stories-that the true meaning of Christmas includes helping others.

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The best holiday surprises occur underneath the mistletoe in these delectable tales from #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels.
a
MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT
Melanie McLaughlin desperately wants to adopt two orphaned siblings and give them a real home for Christmas. A just-for-the-holiday marriage to Bryce Landry fits her plan perfectly . . . until unexpected sparks have Melanie dreaming of forever by his side . . .
a
MISTER CHRISTMAS
A week before Christmas, attorney Claire O'Brien is summoned to Ireland to change her wealthy client's will-only to encounter resistance from his handsome nephew. Will Claire be forced to spend the holidays up close and personal with her irresistible Irish nemesis?
a
A WINTER WONDERLAND
Angelica Shepard left New York for Christmas in Colorado to relax and unwind-but an out-of-control snowboarder almost had her laid to rest. When she wakes up in the hospital, all she remembers is the handsome angel who saved her . . .
a
CANDY CANES AND CUPID
All private investigator Hannah Ray wants for Christmas is a quiet day at her Florida beachfront condo. When her biggest client insists she join him on a Colorado ski trip, she has little choice-but what she finds on her arrival could melt the coldest heart . . .

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Just in time for the holidays! Knopf Canada publishes four Christmastime murder stories by P. D. James (two featuring a young Adam Dalgliesh), which together add up to an unexpected gift following her death in 2014.


As the acknowledged "Queen of Crime," P. D. James was frequently commissioned by newspapers and magazines to write a special short story for Christmas. Four of the best have been collected together for the first time in one volume in a beautiful hardback edition.
P. D. James's understanding of human nature illuminates each of these stories, making them ideal reading for the darkest days of the year. Each treats the reader to her masterfully atmospheric storytelling, a mystery to be solved, and enjoyable puzzles to keep the reader guessing. With wry humour, she pays tribute to her English crime-writing forebears, delighting in the secrets that lurk beneath the surface at enforced family gatherings and in old country houses--from the title story about a strained family reunion on Christmas Eve, to another about an illicit affair that ends in murder, and two cases that introduce James's poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh as a young detective sergeant.

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From "The King of Christmas," Richard Paul Evans, comes the next exciting holiday novel perfect for "fans of Debbie Macomber" ( Booklist ) in his New York Times bestselling Noel Collection.

Maggie Walther feels like her world is imploding. Publicly humiliated after her husband, a local councilman, is arrested for bigamy, and her subsequent divorce, she has isolated herself from the world. When her only friend insists that Maggie climb out of her hole, and embrace the season to get her out of her funk, Maggie decides to put up a Christmas tree and heads off to buy one--albeit reluctantly. She is immediately taken by Andrew, the kind, handsome man who owns the Christmas tree lot and delivers her tree. She soon learns that Andrew is single and new to her city and, like her, is also starting his life anew.

As their friendship develops, Maggie slowly begins to trust again--something she never thought possible. Then, just when she thinks she has finally found happiness, she discovers a dark secret from Andrew's past. Is there more to this stranger's truth than meets the eye? This powerful new holiday novel from Richard Paul Evans, the "King of Christmas fiction" ( The New York Times ), explores the true power of the season, redemption, and the freedom that comes from forgiveness.

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When someone buys the old Honeycutt house, Nora Bonesteel is glad to see some life brought back to the old mansion, even if it is by summer people. But when they decide to stay through Christmas, they find more than old memories in the walls.On Christmas Eve, Sheriff Spencer Arrowood and Deputy Joe LeDonne find themselves on an unwelcome call to arrest an elderly man for a minor offense. As they attempt to do their duty, while doing the right thing for a neighbor, it begins to look like they may all spend Christmas away from home.In a story of spirits, memories, and angels unaware, Sharyn McCrumb revisits her most loved characters who know there is more to this world than the eye can see, especially at Christmastime.

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What would make your Christmas perfect?

For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.

What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a di[fb03] cult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.

Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all--and she's finally ready to meet her match.

But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!

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The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber released on Sep 23, 2003 is available now for purchase.

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel from Debbie Macomber.
 
Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.
 
Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a megabestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.
 
Digging deep into Finn's past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.
 
Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

Praise for Starry Night
 
"Contemporary romance queen Macomber ( Rose Harbor in Bloom ) hits the sweet spot with this tender tale of impractical love. . . . A delicious Christmas miracle well worth waiting for." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
"[A] holiday confection . . . as much a part of the season for some readers as cookies and candy canes." -- Kirkus Reviews
 
"A sweet contemporary Christmas romance . . . [that] the best-selling author's many fans will enjoy." -- Library Journal
 
"Macomber can be depended on for an excellent story. . . . Readers will remain firmly planted in the beginnings of a beautiful love story between two of the most unlikely characters." -- RT Book Reviews (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
 
"Macomber, the prolific and beloved author of countless bestsellers, has penned a romantic story that will pull at your heartstrings with its holiday theme and emphasis on love and finding that special someone." -- Bookreporter
 
"Magical . . . Macomber has given us another delightful romantic story to cherish. This one will touch your heart just as much as her other Christmas stories. Don't miss it!" -- Fresh Fiction

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There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber released on Oct 25, 2005 is available now for purchase.

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Continuing in a festive annual tradition, Debbie Macomber returns with a new original holiday novel full of romance and cheer--and the magical prospect of finding love in the most unexpected places.
 
Friendly and bubbly, Julia Padden likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor, Cain Maddox, presents a particular challenge. No matter how hard she's tried to be nice, Cain rudely rebuffs her at every turn, preferring to keep to himself. But when Julia catches Cain stealing her newspaper from the lobby of their apartment building, that's the last straw. She's going to break through Cain's Scrooge-like exterior the only way she knows how: by killing him with kindness.
 
To track her progress, Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas. Her first attempts to humanize Cain are far from successful. Julia brings him homemade Christmas treats and the disagreeable grinch won't even accept them. Meanwhile, Julie's blog becomes an online sensation, as an astonishing number of people start following her adventures. Julia continues to find ways to express kindness and, little by little, chips away at Cain's gruff fa#65533;ade to reveal the caring man underneath. Unbelievably, Julia feels herself falling for Cain--and she suspects that he may be falling for her as well. But as the popularity of her blog continues to grow, Julia must decide if telling Cain the truth about having chronicled their relationship to the rest of the world is worth risking their chance at love.

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When Christmas Comes by Debbie Macomber released on Oct 25, 2004 is available now for purchase.

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With the holidays approaching Sisterhood member Maggie Spitzer wants to bring joy to a teacher from her past, while Toots and the Godmothers investigate a mystery surrounding a designer at an exclusive Charleston firm.

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