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His Mistletoe Family (Men of Allegany County Book 6), by Ruth Logan Herne
PDF Ebook His Mistletoe Family (Men of Allegany County Book 6), by Ruth Logan Herne
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When two orphaned boys and their aunt arrive for Thanksgiving supper at church, retired army colonel Brett Stanton feels his heart tugged. Despite having her hands full, young businesswoman Haley Jennings handles her nephews with a smile. Still, Brett can't get too close to the needy trio. He lost his son and brother to the uniform, and isn't about to set himself up for loss again. Soon sweet Haley and the boys remind him of old dreams—and teach him that new dreams provide the greatest hope for a perfect family Christmas.
- Sales Rank: #520596 in eBooks
- Published on: 2012-12-01
- Released on: 2012-12-01
- Format: Kindle eBook
About the Author
Author of the successful "North Country" series (Steeple Hill, 2010), Ruthy is delighted to release a new 2011 series with the great crew of Love Inspired. Married for thirty-six years to a very patient man, she's taken the characters living in her head and given them homes on paper, much to everyone's relief! Using her strong belief in God's redeeming love, she's unafraid to tackle tough subjects with humor, pathos, grace and remorse. And chocolate, of course.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Despair should never be allowed to rule Thanksgiving Day.
Haley Jennings eyed the two camouflage-clad little boys in her backseat, mentally searching for anything she might have ever learned about children in her twenty-eight years on the planet.
She came up empty. That didn't sound promising for the orphaned nephews now in her care.
Tear tracks snaked a path down three-year-old Todd's round cheeks, a worn, black stuffed kitty named Panther clutched tight against his chest. Five-year-old Tyler slumped against the corner of the car, burrowing, as if hoping to disappear into the upholstery. He shed no tears, but the quiet look of abandonment seemed worse for lack of emotion.
Scared. Uncertain. Handed off as though they were parcel post packages from one place to another. And no doubt hungry, but few restaurants were open this late on Thanksgiving Day, a should-be-glorious holiday of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing.
The thought of homemade stuffing made her mouth water. How much more must two little fellows be longing for a good old-fashioned holiday?
Part of her was glad their maternal great-aunt had found Anthony's will that named her the boys' guardian. Another part longed to run screaming.
She took the turn toward Jamison, knowing she had no food in her recently acquired no-frills apartment and the grocery store had closed mid-afternoon. And with the boys' meager belongings piled and shoved into every corner of her convertible, she had no room for a shopping trip and precious few funds to bankroll extra groceries this week.
Whoever said God's timing was perfect should be chastised, because this situation was about as far from perfect as life could get.
A flashing sign caught her attention as she approached the Park Round, the picturesque town circle surrounded by five country churches and a couple of pastors' homes.
Free Thanksgiving Dinner! Join us from 2:00 till 5:00 on Thanksgiving Day for a friend-filled holiday feast! All are welcome!
An arrow pointed toward the back of Good Shepherd Church. An upgraded older building stood there, caught in the trees, an aged steeple rising white against the late-November drab of damp bark. A chill wind bowed the sticklike trees, but the white-washed hall was surrounded by cars and bathed in light from garden stake lamps below.
Dinner.
Free.
One glance at her dashboard clock said they were nearing the late side of the offer. She faltered, not wanting to subject the boys to any more disappointments on a day that should be filled with family. Fun. Food. Rejoicing.
The word feast turned her hands on the wheel. Or maybe it was the Holy Spirit. In any case, she angled the car up the drive and into a parking spot. She climbed out and tilted the driver's seat forward, banging her head and knee in the process.
Red ragtops weren't designed as family vehicles.
"Where are we going?" Tyler eyed her from his booster seat, glancing around to discern an easy way out of the car. There wasn't one.
"Climb out this way." Haley jerked her head toward her side as she struggled with the puzzlelike latches on Todd's car seat. Who knew you needed a math degree to figure out a five-point latch system? "Once I've got your brother out, that is."
As she pulled Todd from the backseat, she managed to bump his head, too. Not too badly, but enough to start the waterworks flowing, full steam ahead. "Oh, baby, I'm sorry." She crooned the words and rubbed the spot, wishing she'd thought to cushion his head with her hand while extracting him.
Next time, for sure.
"I hate this car." Tyler made the pronouncement as he finagled his way across small bags and totes shoved into the backseat.
"I'm not all that fond of it myself at this moment," Haley assured him. "But it's paid for and it runs and at one time it was a status symbol. Cute blonde chick in blazing hot red convertible with mag wheels."
"It's dumb." Tyler brushed off his five-year-old knees with an air of impatience. "And we don't fit."
There lay the crux of the problem. Todd and Tyler hadn't "fit" in a long time. These two little boys had lost their mother and father in the past two years and they'd been shuffled around to various homes for months—way too much change for a level-headed grown-up.
Two boys, aged three and five?
Ridiculous.
But possibly made more outlandish by her half brother's will naming her their legal guardian. Anthony scarcely knew her. She barely knew him. They shared a father and a legal relationship recognized by courts. Other than that? They'd met half a dozen times over the years, mostly at weddings and funerals.
What was he thinking?
The door to the hall swung open and a couple of old-timers stepped out. "Ma'am, may I hold the door for you?" An old man dipped his head in courtly fashion, a shock of white hair dancing in the wind. "That wind's a breath-stealer, sure enough."
She hesitated, not wanting to ask if there was still food, not daring to get the boys' hopes up only to dash them again. "I, urn…"
"Plenty of good eats in there, miss, and I think those two boys are just the thing for them folks inside. Nothin' like bein' 'round a couple o' young-uns to remind us why we keep on keepin' on."
His words eased her path. Did he see the hunger? Or the fear? Or both?
In any case, Haley grasped a boy's hand in each of hers and walked the last twenty paces. "Thank you, sir."
"Jed, have a mind, will you, and close that door," bossed a woman's voice from within. "My tablecloths are being tugged every which way!"
The old guy exchanged a grin with Haley, winked at the boys and hollered back, "Customers, mother! We've got two young soldiers in need of a bite."
Haley stepped inside, Todd on her right, Tyler on her left. Silence descended as she and the boys moved from the front room into the gathering area, as if few in the room imagined little boys coming to Thanksgiving dinner at the church hall.
A tall man stepped forward. Fortyish. Good-looking. Square-shouldered. Broad-built. Dark hazel eyes matched military-cut hair, walnut-toned with hints of light. His assessing gaze went liquid brown while he pondered the boys at her side, as if recognizing something perfect and precious. He blinked and the look was gone, but the integral air of quiet authority and respect remained. Haley had the oddest urge to salute the big guy. Or maybe just hug him. Right about now, she could use a hug.
A pleased murmur stirred an air of delight through the room. "Look at them!"
"Aren't they marvelous?"
"Oh, they are!"
"Who are they?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter. It's just so nice to see such handsome little boys at our feast!"
A tiny smile quirked the man's left cheek, just enough to show amusement tempered with respect, bookend qualities that few men in Haley's age range possessed.
This man had both and more, his take-charge attitude calming the confusion within her without speaking a word. He squatted to the boys' level, but didn't invade their space. His sensitivity loosened their grip on Haley's hands, her arms, as if willing to meet the big guy halfway. A neat trick, all told.
"You hungry, boys?"
"Yes." Todd nodded, emphatic.
"Starving." Tyler sent a bullish look Haley's way. "She drove all day and didn't want to stop anyplace."
"Ah." The man appeared to weigh Tyler's words. "Traveling on a holiday can be tough. Stores close early. Some restaurants don't open at all."
"Really?" Tyler poked his head closer to the man, then hooked a thumb back to Haley. "That's what she said, but I figured she was making it up."
The man's gaze traveled up, and not all that quickly, as if appreciating the journey. Deep hazel eyes locked and held her attention long enough to make her heart trip faster. "Does she have a name?"
"Aunt Haley." Tyler said the words with more than a little distrust.
"She's pwetty." Todd leaned closer to the man, too, following his brother's lead. "And I like her yellow hair."
"It's drop-dead gorgeous," the man agreed easily. He spiked that crooked smile up to Haley and had no idea what his gentle manner was doing to her. He winked at her, stood, reached for the boys' hands, and to Haley's surprise, they moved forward. "You guys ready to have Thanksgiving dinner with us?"
"Yes!"
"I am." Tyler nodded, firm, obviously trying to contain his excitement. His reaction told Haley he was accustomed to disappointment. Her heart broke because she knew that feeling all too well.
"Haley? Haley, is that you?"
The little woman who helped run the mom-and-pop convenience store at the interstate junction bustled out from the kitchen and hurried their way. She flapped her apron and grinned, her high-wattage smile enough to make everything seem almost all right. "LuAnn."
"And Charlie's here, too," the older woman fussed, her silver hair dancing sparks from the fluorescent lights above. "He's going to be so excited to see you, dear, but who are your friends?" LuAnn Simmons bent low and stuck out a hand, but Haley noticed she handled the boys with deference, like the man had done, hanging back, not encroaching their space.
"My nephews," Haley explained.
The man palmed Tyler's head in a sweet gesture, but he moved back as LuAnn stormed in. He didn't smile but his eyes grazed Haley, LuAnn and the boys. He dipped his chin slightly, noting the white-haired woman. "You're in good hands. No one goes hungry with Charlie and LuAnn around."
Haley knew that. She was a constant customer at their little store, its proximity to her new business venture ...
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Enjoy a 5-Star `Joy of Christmas' Story with the Most Heartwarming Characters You'll Meet this Season!
By Vince
Author's Unique Treatment of Conflict Makes "His Mistletoe Family" a Nail Biting Joy to Read!
"His Mistletoe Family"
Ruth LoganHerne
Love Inspired
Print or Kindle
Romance fans and other writers will love it! This is the kind of story that was made for Christmas. The major characters in the book are the most sympathetic and deserving of happiness as any you're likely to find outside of the Christmas Carol.
A good indication of why, "HisMistletoe Family," has such endearing characters can be found in the author's "Dear Reader" letter at the very back of the book. I think it helps if the reader reads this message first:
"Dear Reader:
On Memorial Day in 2010 I stood alongside a tall, strong forty-something soldier. I didn't know him. He didn't know me. He watched that small home-town parade with grave intent. On the back side of his military cap were tiny yellow ribbons, marking two memories in a quiet, private way.
"I knew I had to write a story about him. Whoever he was. That stoic soldier became the basis for Colonel Brett Stanton, retired, U.S. Army. And those two ribbons became symbols for Ben and Josiah. Most of us are honored when others emulate us, but when that example leads loved ones to an early grave, the resulting guilt weighs heavy, especially at holiday time."
With this kind of genesis one can understand how the feelings in this book are so genuine and heartfelt. The characters are rich enough for the author to employ a unique approach to the novel's conflict. Normally in a romance the conflict stands between the hero and heroine. The reader wonders how these two could ever overcome the obstacles that are keeping them apart. Often even more obstacles are thrown into the mix as the story progresses. This makes the resolution of the conflict itself the central focus of the story. This is not the case in "His Mistletoe Family".
The Hero
The hero, Colonel Brett Stanton, has become almost a recluse since he retired from the Army. Few people even see him in town. His son and younger brother both entered the Army to emulate his example. They died because of it. He may have a case of survivor's guilt. He was not a good father. He was always gone. He's a good and noble man. He served his country well and he paid a very high price for his service. When the heroine comes to town with two young nephews she just inherited, he immediately comes to her rescue time and time. He would like nothing better than to have a second chance to be the husband and father he should have been the first time around.
The Heroine
The heroine, Haley Jennings, is almost thirty. She's single and has had a horrible childhood with a father who abandoned the family to start another family. She is also over-worked trying to start a new business. Against her selfish mother's advice, Haley accepts the guardianship of her half-brother's two sons who are three and five years old. She has no idea how to be a mother or what a happy family would look like. When the hero offers to help her in many ways she reluctantly agrees because she needs that help.
Apparent Conflicts
The apparent conflict here is that the hero may be seen as too old for the heroine and the heroine may seem to have too much baggage with two children she must raise. But this isn't a real conflict because the heroine would love to have a strong, older, father figure as a husband and father for her nephews. The hero views the two children as God's way of giving him a second chance to be a good father.
Soulmates? Perhaps.
The hero and heroine start the story as ideal solutions to each other's problems. Brett is the key to Haley's lock. They are a perfect match. While they just met as the story opens, there is no doubt that given a decent interval of time they will fall in love and marry. But there is always doubt in life.
Wait Until Next Year!
It's like being a Yankee fan and the Yanks are in the seventh game of the World Series and they score eight runs in the first inning. This is not a tie game that could go either way. No, this game is now a Yankee `win'. It's their game to lose -- if they blow it. If you love the Yankees, this kind of game can be the most nerve wracking kind. As a fan you know that every hit by the other side could spell disaster...could mean the floodgates are about to open. The Yankees could lose the game and the World Series. As a fan watching such a game you are afraid of losing what you already consider yours: a victory. This can cause more stress than watching a tie game which neither side ever considered won.
The Importance of Sympathetic Characters
To successfully employ this unique type of conflict the author must create absolutely sympathetic characters the reader will love and root for. Since the central focus is not on overcoming existing conflicts, the author has the time to create the most genuine and endearing characters. This is what Ruth Logan Herne managers.
When It's Not A Close Game
Consider why this is so important. If you loved the Yankees in the above example, the game would be a real nail biter. You'd worry about every hit and wish the game would end soon before things could go wrong. But what if you did not favor either team? Let's say you liked another team not in the World Series. You might very well find a lopsided game not worth watching while a tie game going into the last inning could hold your attention. This is the same with the novel. If you didn't really care a lot about the characters you would miss the traditional conflict which captures the typical romance fan's interest.
A Greater Risk. A Greater Reward.
What I am saying is that the author has taken a huge risk using this type of conflict. It worked! It's great. It's highly emotional. It's exceptionally satisfying. The last time I felt this good after reading a Christmas story was when I first read the "Christmas Carol".
"A Mistletoe Family" Is The One Christmas Romance You Don't Want to Miss Reading this Season.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Family is Where the Heart is
By P. Romance
Haley Jennings had just found out she was granted guardianship of her 2 nephews and she was out of her depth. Luckily, her new town was there to help her. Especially, Brett Stanton.
A simple and sweet romance. I greatly enjoyed the wonderful cast of characters. But the main attraction was definitely the hero. Colonel Brett Stanton epitomized what a true hero really can be. He had many hardships in his life but he didn't let it get in the way when it came to the heroine. He cared more for her welfare than his need to suffer in solitude. That only made you love him more. Haley Jennings can be off-putting at times but I totally get her. But you know what, for every 1 step back, she managed to take 2 steps forward. Her struggle in becoming an instant single parent was very relateable. Her nephews played a major role in the story and helping develop the couple's relationship. So, if you don't like children in your romances, you have been warned. The plot was not riveting per se. But there was always something going on that encouraged the reader to press on. And it definitely helped that the chapters were not too long or short. The writing was well done. Not too wordy. There wasn't much romantic courtship. It was more of being a shoulder to cry on and being there when you are needed.
All in all, a sweet story that might not be a cup of tea for everyone. The lack of drama and romance can be off-putting for some readers. If you like a simple Christian, Christmas story of finding the meaning of family, this is perfect for you. Others? I suggest passing this one by. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because even though I liked it, I wouldn't pick this book up again.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Holiday Happily Ever After
By Kathleen L. Maher
I really enjoyed this sweet story about a retired Army Colonel and a young entrepreneur in Upstate NY who find romance and comfort in one another's arms. Haley Jennings loves a challenge in business--she has started a co-op in her grandfather's old factory right during the Christmas rush, which would be a daunting task for the most focused among us. But then, a monkey wrench is thrown into her life--her brother has left his two young sons into her care.
With a five and a three year old in the back seat of her convertible, Haley must find time, food, and resources on a cold Thanksgiving night when her search lands her at a church meal, locking eyes with a handsome and mysterious man--Brett Stanton. Brett hides his pain by hiding from the world. He has lost family in the war and has shut himself off from relationships--until something about the beautiful lady and her two young wards tug at his heartstrings.
As a resident of upstate NY who has traversed these same small towns--Bolivar, Jamison, Wellsville, Olean. . . I found this book to be a delightful trip through my memories of beautiful countryside and warm-hearted people. This writer captures small town hospitality and the rugged, pull-together aspect of these communities. Her characters are believable and sympathetic, and their stories resonate in the heart.
Even though Christmas is past, the snow is still white on the ground, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this holiday happily ever after.
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