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3.5 Stars

This book contains two Christmas novellas by prolific female writers of historical fiction. I loved McMorris's Sold On a Monday and I have read everything that T. (Tammy) Greenwood has ever written so it's no surprise to me that I enjoyed her story a lot more. I can't round up because the stories really aren't about Christmas, they just happen to take place around the holidays and the first story was such a non-starter.

The Christmas Collector: 3 Stars
This story didn't stick with me much, in fact, I had to go back and read the synopsis to remind myself what it was about, that's never a good sign. Jenna cleans out homes for a living, as in she prepares them for estate sales. While working for Estella and her family Jenna uncovers some secrets and then proceeds to fall for Estella's grandson and vice versa. Yeah, this didn't do much for me with the exception that it is based on the author's own grandparents.

Gifted: 4 Stars
This one is about a mother-daughter relationship between ballet dancer Alex as she tries to live up to her mother's expectations. We also have Sophia, an aging woman, who was once an accomplished violinist, who put her career ahead of her daughter. Alex and Sophia's lives collide in a beautiful way at the end of this story. Alex learns she has to do what's best for herself while Sophia learns she wasn't such a terrible mother after all. I got more out of this story because I was a working mom and I quit dance as a kid (after winning a gold medal for tap) so I could go on to play ice hockey. Greenwood too used her own family as inspiration as her daughter is a professional ballerina. She has a novel coming in February of next year called The Still Point . It's about ballet dancers and I am really looking forward to it.121 s41 comments Darcia HelleAuthor 30 books722

The Season of Second Chances gives us two feel-good novellas set during the Christmas season.

The first story is The Christmas Collector by Kristina McMorris. I really enjoyed the way this one explored our attachment to material things and the uniquely personal reasons why we collect or save them.

The second story is Gifted by T. Greenwood, which beautifully delves into the complexities of mother-daughter relationships.

These stories are completely different but equally poignant.

*Thanks to BiblioLifestyle and Kensington Books for the free copy.*
fiction holiday-reads review-copies3 s Suzi (Lil Bit Reads)591 46

The Season of Second Chances is a compilation of two Christmas novellas from talented authors Kristina McMorris and Gifted by T. Greenwood. If youÂ’ve read these authorsÂ’ other works, you know that they both excel at emotional family stories. This collection brings us two beautiful holiday stories with a historical fiction flair.

The novellas are totally different and yet perfectly paired. Both stories resonate with themes of love, forgiveness, and finding your heartÂ’s desire. Complex mother-daughter relationships are beautifully depicted throughout. McMorris shines with her focus on WWII history and the WomenÂ’s Army Corps. T. Greenwood brings her lyrical and moving prose to a musical story about maternal expectations. Both stories are compelling in their own right, but together, they create the perfect heartfelt holiday read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.netgalley3 s Maria Lew335 11

This book consists of two wonderful short stories during the Christmas season about life giving us a second chance.

"The Christmas Collector"

We meet Jenna Matthews, while working decluttering homes for estate sales she comes across a shoebox of her client Estelle Porter. Inside holds her past WWII memories. In the process of trying to find out what to do with this box Jenna learns that Estelle's family knows nothing about this past during the war. We will discover that there is a little romance from the past & in the present that makes love & hope for new beginnings and second chances beautiful. I truly love the way Kristina McMorris expresses her thoughts into words.
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