Robin Jones Gunn

This series of teen/young adult books follows the life of Sierra Jensen through her last two years of high school and the beginning of college. A Kiss At Sunset Beach catches up with her several years later. The Sierra Jensen character was introduced at the end of the Christy Miller (High School Years) series. These novels focus on Sierra's story, with bits of Christy & Todd's story woven in through their friendship with Sierra. Chronologically, these books should be read between Christy show more Miller (High School) and Christy & Todd: The College Years. I think the Katie Weldon series comes after that, and then perhaps A Kiss at Sunset Beach.

I admire the author's use of descriptive language to create vivid imagery (i.e. two bushy eyebrows looked like caterpillars in a head-on collision). I enjoy the way the author describes the camaraderie and relationships among the characters. I almost feel like I'm a part of the group/family. I love the realistic way she paints each character. There are some really good quotes and bits of wisdom. But... I get kind of fed up with how the girls are always thinking they need a boyfriend, playing jealous little dating games, and bemoaning their lack of social life or the fact that they are 16 and have never been kissed or even asked out on a date. Sierra's father and older brother seem more involved in giving her wise counsel about her relationships than Christy Miller's parents were, cautioning her to not only watch out for her physical purity, but also her emotional purity. But then in the next breath, her dad tells her it's ok to date around in high school and have fun, just don't get too serious about evaluating anybody as a potential marriage partner yet. From my experience and observation, this is not wise advice. In my opinion, it is much better to wait until a person is ready to consider marriage before getting involved in anything more than "buddy" relationships with the opposite sex. Feeding emotional crushes and feeding physical desires with handholding, hugging, and "light" kissing with someone you're not serious about or you're not sure is serious with you (serious = engaged or married) is playing with fire -- you can't help but get burned.

The author gives better advice in her book Praying for Your Future Husband, but her characters in these books don't model it very well. In my opinion. show less

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 show more 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. show less

Emily and her husband and daughter have recently relocated to California, and it hasn't gone as well as they had hoped. Their finances are shaky, their apartment is small, and Emily hasn't connected with any women in the area yet. When she's invited to a Christmas get-together, she hesitates to let these women into her heart, and when the conversation turns to topics that are sensitive to Emily, she feels a strong desire to flee. Can she stick with this warm and welcoming group -- or would show more it be better for their family to return to the east coast?

In this book, Gunn introduces a new main character, but several of her existing characters make an appearance here, particularly Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen. Readers unfamiliar with Gunn's many, many books about Christy can easily follow the plot of this book without fear of missing too much, though it's obvious that this character has a backstory in Gunn's world. I found that this book benefits from better editing than her last trilogy of Christy stories. Readers who enjoy gentle women's fiction in the inspirational genre should find this a pleasant read, and will look forward to more books about these women. show less

Shortbread in the Highlands by Robin Jones Gunn completely swept me away to Scotland! I felt like I was right there enjoying the adventure with Nora and Allie. I love the author’s descriptive writing style because it makes the setting and characters come alive so easily. The story is filled with wonderful life lessons, and my favorite reminder was that secrets always have a way of coming to light. I also loved the faith message woven throughout the book. The mystery kept me interested, and show more I really enjoyed following the journey as everything unfolded. This third book in the Suitcase Sisters series is entertaining, heartfelt, and easy to enjoy even as a standalone. And as a fun bonus, there are recipes for mouthwatering shortbread at the end! This was a delightful, heartwarming escape that left me smiling—and craving shortbread! show less