Patricia Knoll

The title is kind of a misnomer since Carly Joslin didn't seem to think much about her ex-husband Luke Sanderson until he showed up in town (which was early in the book). Once that happened, he was pretty much always around which would have made it hard to forget him. Plus, he's working on adjacent property that could threaten the farm she's worked so hard on (and which is one of the sources of her livelihood).

I'm tired just thinking about all Carly does: she harvests her produce, sells show more some produce at a roadside stand (which is often worked by area teens), delivers some to area restaurants or other locations, searches for furniture and other items she can reclaim to sell, refinishes the pieces she finds and either lists them on her website or takes them to the store her two friends convince her to open in town to sell, takes over the care of Dustin (a teen) for her elderly neighbor when the neighbor gets sick . . .

As far as Luke and Carly go--it seems they had quite a bit going on when they split up. They had just lost their baby and both were grieving that. Carly also had postpartum depression on top of it. Plus Luke's dad coming to her and threatening the land Carly's family had bought for him unless she left Luke. Then Carly's parents and friends enveloped her in their protectiveness--which was good for her, but it also kept Luke from seeing and talking to her at the time so that they could have cleared up some of their misconceptions. show less

I LOVE this collection! I've read 8 of the 14 stories and have nothing but good things to say. If sweet holiday reads are what you enjoy then this is definitely the collection for you! Each story will tug at your heart and get you in the holiday spirit!

rabck box from svoight 03/11; light romance. Ginny and Bret married young and in haste. Bret doesn't change his freewheeling bachelor days and Ginny doesn't know how to express her unhappiness, so they divorce & Ginny moves back to her hometown. Now a year later, Bret comes to work for her father's paper & they find the sparks are still burning bright

Woman finds love in the West.