"Mistletoe Melody"
"Mistletoe Mission"
By Stacey Weeks
About the Books:
Genre: Contemporary inspirational romance
Release Date: Book 1 (December 1, 2018) Book 2 (December 1, 2019)
Mistletoe Melody:
Quentin Oxford has endured a devastating year. His preteen daughter suffered a stroke, and they’ve grieved his wife’s sudden death, but the Lord coaxes a surprising refrain from Quentin’s heart as God rewrites his and Melody’s score into a holiday love song that will last for Christmases to come.
Mistletoe Mission:
While her own relationships always end up doomed, Emily Colt is still determined to create happily-ever-afters through her wedding and event planning business. In hopes of expanding her business, she enters her latest project–staging the Christmas wedding of the year–into a town-wide contest. But between crossing paths with the first man to break her heart and dodging a saboteur, she doubts even career success is within her grasp.
Jilted pastor, Luca Wilson, fled to the mission field to escape a broken heart. All the hurt rushes back when he returns home to officiate his cousin’s wedding, and he finds Emily, the girl to whom he once promised forever, organizing the celebration. Despite his lost faith in love, their unforeseen reunion rekindles a spark, and Luca vows to help her save her struggling business. But to succeed, they will have to learn what it means to trust each other and believe in the God of Christmas miracles.
My Thoughts:
As short stories usually leave me wanting more, I approached these two books with some trepidation. The description of each of these books sounded appealing, but would I feel satisfaction and complete after reading them? I can honestly say that these short novels quickly overcame my concerns. Whew! I would be able to write positive reviews with complete honesty.
"Mistletoe Melody" was a sweet Christmas tale showing all readers that second chances are always available. All we have to do, is accept them and use a positive attitude to approach the hardships that must be endured. This heartwarming story is certainly not written as a fairy tale where life is full of joy, challenges are easily overcome and the characters live happily ever after. These characters were very real. Their lives involved sickness and the difficulties that must be endured , accepting it and how God can heal us, perhaps not physically but heal our souls so that happiness can reign. I was intrigued with the ability to look beyond one's own struggles to putting others' needs above all else and the resulting joy. A good example that we should all keep in mind.
"Mistletoe Mission" was another sweet Christmas tale that deals with real life situations where not all goes as planned or according to ones's wishes. I enjoyed catching up with my friends previously encountered in "Mistletoe Melody". It is a very different Christmas story, the main character having little hope for herself ever getting married thus throws her efforts into making a friend's wedding a success. When Emily finds some romance which could lead to her dreams coming true, she honestly isn't sure how to deal with it. Do we not always question what God throws in front of us when we least expect it?
Athough the ending of the story was quite predictable, I loved the strength of God's power to gift us with things least expected . I was left with the feeling that complete trust in Him gives us second chances, hope and true happiness for the future.
This book was supplied by CelebrateLit. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.
About the Author:
Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016) and ChasingHoliness (2020), inspirational romances The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), Mistletoe Mission (Dec 2019) and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women’s conferences, teaches writing and bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com
As short stories usually leave me wanting more, I approached these two books with some trepidation. The description of each of these books sounded appealing, but would I feel satisfaction and complete after reading them? I can honestly say that these short novels quickly overcame my concerns. Whew! I would be able to write positive reviews with complete honesty.
"Mistletoe Melody" was a sweet Christmas tale showing all readers that second chances are always available. All we have to do, is accept them and use a positive attitude to approach the hardships that must be endured. This heartwarming story is certainly not written as a fairy tale where life is full of joy, challenges are easily overcome and the characters live happily ever after. These characters were very real. Their lives involved sickness and the difficulties that must be endured , accepting it and how God can heal us, perhaps not physically but heal our souls so that happiness can reign. I was intrigued with the ability to look beyond one's own struggles to putting others' needs above all else and the resulting joy. A good example that we should all keep in mind.
"Mistletoe Mission" was another sweet Christmas tale that deals with real life situations where not all goes as planned or according to ones's wishes. I enjoyed catching up with my friends previously encountered in "Mistletoe Melody". It is a very different Christmas story, the main character having little hope for herself ever getting married thus throws her efforts into making a friend's wedding a success. When Emily finds some romance which could lead to her dreams coming true, she honestly isn't sure how to deal with it. Do we not always question what God throws in front of us when we least expect it?
Athough the ending of the story was quite predictable, I loved the strength of God's power to gift us with things least expected . I was left with the feeling that complete trust in Him gives us second chances, hope and true happiness for the future.
This book was supplied by CelebrateLit. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.
About the Author:
Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016) and ChasingHoliness (2020), inspirational romances The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), Mistletoe Mission (Dec 2019) and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women’s conferences, teaches writing and bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com
More from Stacey
It is strange, sometimes, what inspires a story. At the time of writing Mistletoe Melody, the ten-year-old daughter of a good friend was on the recovery side of a massive stroke. This young girl inspired Janie, and she gave the character her contagious smile, a mischievous pre-teen sense of humor, and a fierce love for family. You don’t read all of Janie’s story in Mistletoe Melody, but perhaps you will in a later novella.
Melody was the result of my lovely twenty-something niece receiving a shocking diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. She endured painful tests, had hopes raised and dashed, and was blessed when the Lord saw fit to work through a drug trial to ease her suffering. Watching her life, her plans, and the things she assumed were a given for her future get shaken to their core sent me to the Scriptures.
Not too long before drafting Mistletoe Mission (book two set in Mistletoe Meadows), my husband and I travelled to Haiti. As our driver transported us from the airport to the compound on which we stayed for the duration of our trip, he pointed in the general direction of the beach that receives cruise ships and tourists. He said that portion of Haiti is separated from the rest and is considered by some to be the most beautiful section of Haiti. I disagree.
To be fair, I didn’t visit the cleaned-up beach just around the other side of the mountain, but I saw something most tourists do not get to see. I met the people and visited several in their homes. I witnessed the determination and hard work that life requires from them. I observed a light in their eyes, fueled by a love for Jesus. There is nothing more beautiful than a person on fire for the Lord, a person who is ready to be a light in a dark land.
Luca’s character is loosely based on the Director of Missions and Compassion at Hope Bible Church in Oakville, Ontario. He arranged our trip – my first overseas mission trip – and it changed my life. I have huge respect for the work he is doing, and I am thrilled to see how God is blessing the work.
Another real-life connection that made its way into Mistletoe Mission is a business that inspired the fictional start-up I called One Village. Little by Little is a business for mission committed to empowering Haitian parents. Little by Little sells the Morse Code bracelet featured in Mistletoe Mission. I fell in love with the concept of this business, and it was my delight to write a fictional version into the story. You can visit Little by Little’s website and order a bracelet like the one featured in the book (or maybe you’ll win the one I am giving away on this tour!). http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html
Be blessed this holiday as you seek the Lord who has done and is doing great things.
Stacey
Gift From Stacey
Here are a few fun coloring items from Stacey!
Blog Stops
Just the Write Escape, December 20
My Devotional Thoughts, December 20
Blossoms and Blessings, December 21
Blogging With Carol , December 22
A Reader’s Brain, December 23
mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 23
Emily Yager, December 24
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 25
Deanne’s Book Thoughts, December 26
Genesis 5020, December 26
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 27
Remembrancy, December 28
Inklings and notions, December 28
Quiet Quilter, December 29
For the Love of Literature, December 29
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 30
Texas Book-aholic, December 31
janicesbookreviews, January 1
Reading Is My SuperPower, January 2
Batya’s Bits, January 2
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Stacey is giving away the grand prize of the winner’s choice of a Morse Code Bracelet!! (found here: http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful review! These books sound like the perfect holiday read.
ReplyDeletethat was a great review. Now I want to read all of it. Thank you for the introduction to these reads.
ReplyDelete