Finding Father Christmas / Engaging Father Christmas By Robin Jones Gunn Paperback 1455565946 9781455565948 Contemporary Finding Father Christmas / Engaging Father Christmas By beloved author Robin Jones Gunn, two timeless, heartwarming Christmas novellas bound together for the first time in an omnibus edition. In Finding Christmas , Miranda Carsons search for her father leads her unexpectedly to London with only a few feeble clues as to who he might be. Immediately welcomed into a family that doesnt recognize her, and whom shes quickly coming to love, she faces a terrible decision. Should she reveal her true identity and destroy their idyllic image of her father? Or should she carry the truth home with her to San Francisco and remain alone in this world? Whatever choice she makes during this London Christmas will forever change the future for both herself and the family she cant bear to leave. In Engaging Father Christmas Miranda Carson cant wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend, Ian. She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home, and shes sure Carlton Heath will be it, especially when a hinted at engagement ring slips into the conversation. But Mirandas high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ians father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda. Questions run rampant in Mirandas mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world. Then, when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways, Miranda is certain all is lost. And yet . maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all.

But they do thaw out a little Ian s parents are extremely welcoming and understanding I would love to know about their relationship and what happened to Andrew s first wife I liked the setting of a small English village at Christmas The way the traditions of the village were portrayed was fun and interesting I really enjoyed the fact that the village did their own rendition of A Christmas Carol every year and it was always slightly different I recommend this combination of two stories to those who would enjoy a heartwarming Christmas in England with the true spirit of the season revealed This is wonderful Christian series where the True Spirit of Christmas plays an important role in the story If you want to read this book with a group.

ROBIN JONES GUNN has written than 100 books with over 6 million copies sold worldwide Her Father Christmas books have been made into three Hallmark Christmas movies The timeless Christy Miller series now continues in Christy Todd The College Years Married Years Baby Years and the Haven Maker series Robins novels and non fiction works include Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman Victim of Grace Praying for Your Future Husband and Before You Meet Your Future Husband co authored with Tricia Goyer Her books have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups Many of Robins books are in eBook audiobook large print and foreign editions Robin does a weekly Podcast called Women Worth Kno ROBIN JONES GUNN has written than 100 books with over 6 million copies sold worldwide Her Father Christmas books have been made into three Hallmark Christmas movies The timeless Christy Miller series now continues in Christy Todd The College Years Married Years Baby Years and the Haven Maker series Robin s novels and non fiction works include Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman Victim of Grace Praying for Your Future Husband and Before You Meet Your Future Husband co authored with Tricia Goyer Her books have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups Many of Robin s books are in eBook audiobook large print and foreign editions Robin does a weekly Podcast called Women Worth Knowing with Cheryl Broderson Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in California site_link By beloved author Robin Jones Gunn two timeless heartwarming Christmas novellas bound together for the first time in an omnibus edition In Finding Christmas Miranda Carson s search for her father leads her unexpectedly to London with only a few feeble clues as to who he might be Immediately welcomed into a family that doesn t recognize her and whom she s quickly coming to love she faces a terrible decision Should she reveal her true identity and destroy their idyllic image of her father Or should she carry the truth home with her to San Francisco and remain alone in this world Whatever choice she makes during this London Christmas will forever change the future for both herself and the family she can t bear to leave In Engaging Father Christmas Miranda Carson can t wait to return to England for Christmas and to be with her boyfriend Ian She has spent a lifetime yearning for a place to call home and she s sure Carlton Heath will be it especially when a hinted at engagement ring slips into the conversation But Miranda s high hopes for a jolly Christmas with the small circle of people she has come to love are toppled when Ian s father is hospitalized and the matriarch of the Whitcombe family withholds her blessing from Miranda Questions run rampant in Miranda s mind about whether she really belongs in this cheery corner of the world Then when her true identity threatens all her relationships in unanticipated ways Miranda is certain all is lost And yet maybe Father Christmas has special gifts in store for her after all Finding Father Christmas Engaging Father ChristmasLovely storiesIt s been years since I ve read a book by Robin Jones Gunn But this one or two I suppose didn t disappoint A sweet set of stories with twists and turns just enough to keep me interested but not stressed about what would happen next I see there is another follow up book and I might have to read that one as well English This little collection is one I can see myself rereading I loved how it was written in first person and I really enjoyed the authors writing style Gunn has a way with words that had me highlighting many sections and phrases It was a classy magical read for me 4. 5 stars English Come in Come in and know me better A fitting description for the first novella in this compilation when Miranda finds herself in a small English village looking for the identity of her father based on an old photo and a playbill of her mother s She ultimately finds her heavenly Father is the one she really needs and He has arranged for her a series of events to lead her to the truth The second book Engaging Father Christmas starts a year later with Miranda returning to the same English village near Christmas to reunite with her new love The truth of who her father was has leaked out somehow and upset the peace of her family reunion She longs to find grace and peace to all who enter as it says over the doors of her friend s home I really enjoyed both of these books They are everything I like in a Christmas story touching meaningful with a faith element and a sweet romance in the second one Both are set in England too in a small village that puts on A Christmas Carol each year so the references to the play in each one take on a special meaning for Miranda The need for forgiveness family supportand acceptance is key to finding hope and peace in her life Knowing that God accepts her and sees her as His own is a highlight in the stories Recommend these to anyone looking for a tender meaningful story set at Christmas 4. 5 stars An e copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest original review English I originally read Finding Father Christmas and Engaging Father Christmas in 2007 and 2008 when the books first came out I fell in love with the beautiful story of a lonely young woman searching for her father The stories were engaging and endearing but beyond that they were filled with the true meaning of Christmas. This year the Hallmark Movies Mysteries Channel put out a film version of Finding Father Christmas It was a combining of the two novels There was nothing wrong with the movie in fact it was a fun Christmas themed movie full of romance Unfortunately it just didn t give me the same feeling that I had when I had first read the books So I decided to re read them Oh my friends you must treat yourself to reading these stories Finding Father Christmas is so moving it brought me to tears at times The story has the framework of Dicken s A Christmas Carol Miranda is on a quest to find out who her father is Not only does she find her father she also finds the Father Engaging Father Christmas continues the story of Miranda and her newly found family It takes place a year later and even though there is a lot of happiness due to Miranda s relationship with Ian there is also a lot of tension because of who Miranda is I loved this novel just as much as the first In this story we see the power of redemption and the healing that it can bring. I m excited because there is a third book in the series Kissing Father Christmas I am just getting started on it so stay tuned for my reaction If the first few chapters are a hint it s going to be good I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review English With the publishing of Kissing Father Christmas this year Faithworks released the first two books together in this trilogy published 2007 and 2008 respectively for those who might have missed them I had not read any of these books so quite enjoyed this volumeIn Finding Christmas we meet Miranda an American who is searching for her father She was raised by her single mother not knowing who her father was On the death of her mother she comes across clues a picture of a young boy sitting with Father Christmas showing the name of the studio that took the picture The studio is in a small village in England and even the street name is given She also has her birth certificate that lists her father s name as Jay Ames With nothing to lose and not wanting to spend another Christmas alone Miranda books a last minute flight to England to see if she can locate the photography studio to see if they remember anything about the people in the picture She ends up in a quaint village just in time to see their production of Charles Dicken A Christmas Carol She meets some very friendly and welcoming people who invite her to stay for Christmas While enjoying their Christmas hospitality friendly natures and loving families she finds information that will change her life. In the sequel Engaging Father Christmas Miranda has returned to England for Christmas a year later She s met by Ian her boyfriend who is also the son of one of the close friends she has made in the village she visited Miranda s dream of an idyllic Christmas with the man she deeply loves is upset when his father ends up in the hospital with a heart attack She is staying in the home of her newly discovered family but all do not welcome her with open arms There is some tension radiating from one member of her new family Along with finding her family Miranda has discovered the love of God and his son Jesus Christ She had never been a church goer and she was surprised when this feeling snuck up on her unexpectantly She embraces this and uses her newfound faith to help her cope with the feelings and tensions she encounters in her new life I enjoyed these stories The characters pulled at my emotions Because neither of these stories is very long Miranda is the only character that is fully developed We learn about her life from infancy to the present The other characters are well written we just do not get the opportunity to know them as well I really enjoyed the character of Julie Miranda s newly discovered niece She is sweet uninhibited and honest from the beginning Her mother is very similar and it is refreshing to see their relationship is so innocent The other British characters show some of the stereotypical personalities of the highborn Brits it includes Reading Group Guides at the end of each novella A great Christmas find I am now going to read the last one in the trilogy The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley English

Finding Father Christmas / Engaging Father Christmas By Robin Jones Gunn

1455565946

9781455565948

English

352

Paperback

I am still reading Christmas themed books even though it s now February and this two in one volume is really the way to go Because when I finished Finding Father Christmas I couldn t wait to continue the story of Miranda and the Whitcombe family It was as easy as turning the page and beginning Engaging Father Christmas So I m reviewing this as one book since they easily flow together. This was a heartwarming story of a young American woman who doesn t know who her father is since her Bohemian actress mother never shares even a clue with Miranda Orphaned at age 11 Miranda is then raised by a quirky older woman As a young adult she finds a photo among her mother s things that leads her to England to search for her father The first novel tells the story of how she connects with a family of relatives who don t know who she is and what happens when they discover her real reason for meeting them. The second novel continues the story as the characters and their relationships develop and there is romance for Miranda Both stories take place at Christmas time with warm fireside gatherings lovely Christmas trees gift giving plus costumes and Charles Dickens play A Christmas Carol In addition the Christmas nativity scene contributes symbolism that meaningfully connects things for Miranda I don t want to give anything away so I have intentionally been vague as to how the plot and relationships develop but let me just encourage you to read this sweet well written story which is touching and satisfying regardless of the time of year I have only read one of Gunn s nonfiction books and this was my introduction to her many novels I just found out there s a third Father Christmas in the series so I ll be reading that soon English I have a soft spot for holiday romance stories with happily ever after s so when I was given the opportunity to read Finding Father Christmas Engaging Father Christmas I was beyond happy The first thing that grabbed my attention was the charming cover for the book The colors remind me of a vintage Christmas card and it just has that cozy holiday feel to it The stories themselves did not disappoint as I found myself caught up in a lovely and heartwarming story of love faith and the true reason of the holiday season I was instantly caught up in Miranda s story from the very beginning and was ecstatic that both novellas were combined in one book right at my fingertips so that I could continue right along without a pause These two charming and heartwarming stories are perfect for not only the Christmas season but for any day of the year Ms Gunn s style of writing is elegant and so beautifully detailed that I felt as though I could actually visualize the story unfolding right before my very eyes I fell in love with the charming English village and the characters as Miranda searched for the father she never had the opportunity to know and the revelation that her true Father was always with her providing her with the courage needed to find the truth and discovering so much Grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage seat in your favorite chair next to a roaring fire and enjoy both of these clean inspiring and enchanting stories that will be sure to get you in the Christmas spirit and give you that warm and cozy feeling that we all crave and desire English This series should be read in order English Until she was 9 Miranda knew that Eve Carson the actress was her only parent After all you can t just make up a story about a star from heaven giving you a baby She never had the opportunity to go to school and her mom s actor friends weren t telling her any different Then one day her baby sitter told her the truth and they found her birth certificate proof that her father did exist somewhere out there When her mom dies 2 years later her new guardian tries to find out who Jay Aames is going off of a picture of a child on Father Christmas lap and a playbill from the Tempest but to no avail When she herself dies a few years later Miranda forces herself to grow up and lie about her age to gain employment supporting herself at the age of 15 Flash forward than a decade later and Miranda is using the one hint in the photo of the man she believes to be her father to try and find him at Christmas time Hoping she s not on a fools errand she flies to England and goes to the village of Carlton Heath where she learns far about her paternal family then she ever thought possible. A year later when the second story starts Miranda knows that Ian is the One Everyday she is thankful that life brought her to Carlton Heath where she met the family of Ian Back in England for Christmas with her newly discovered family she feels like she still might not be full accepted by them but hopes this trip will change all of that and hopefully by the end she will have a ring that gives her reason to move to England permanently But then their secret gets out and suddenly she finds herself front page of all the papers Maybe she shouldn t follow her heart maybe it just leads to disaster. I really enjoyed this book Robin Jones Gunn is one of my favourite authors and I ve read most of her books but somehow this Christmas series had escaped my attention until she started filming the movies a couple of years ago I finally got a chance to read this double novel and then the third book as well and fully enjoyed them Most of the first book is spent in Miranda s thoughts but the second one has dialogue There was one inconsistency I noticed in the firs tone she said she refused to step foot in a theater after discovering her mother had been lying to her and in the second it said she was in the theater when her mother died but it s hardly a fact that ruins the book English I very much enjoyed this two book compilation by Robin Jones Gunn Miranda s character and unusual upbringing touched my heart with her deep longing to find her father and connect with family Her encounter with her Heavenly Father refreshed my spirit too Indeed Ms Gunn writes with an artist s palette describing everything around Miranda with rich detail and colorful imagery I felt as if I was traveling along with Miranda experiencing all she experienced Finding Father Christmas ended very quickly leaving me wonder about Miranda s ending encounter with Ian However I was pleased to find that her relationship with Ian is filled to brimming in Engaging Father Christmas Both stories are poignant and refreshed my thoughts about the meaning of the Christmas story The questions at the end make this a good book club choice and encourages readers to consider than just a happily ever after story English .