The Christmas Wish

Spoiler Alert!

If you like a sweet, sappy, whirlwind, romance story where everything that was wrong seems be made right, then this may be a story for you. This short story is well written and engaging, but, if you are practical and realistic, then it may be hard to really enjoy the “Aww, how sweet!” parts of the story.

A woman who has been trampled upon by men since she was small and doesn’t think much of herself, or her dreams, finally meets a man who sees more than just a body and an opportunity for pleasure. She is treated with the respect and dignity that should be given to any woman. She falls in love with him. A man who failed at protecting his sister from an abusive boyfriend meets a woman who is abused and used by other men. show more He wants to protect her and make her believe in herself and her dreams. He falls in love with her. They barely know each other at all and then next thing you know, they are engaged and sleeping together. This all happens within the Christmas season. They believe they have true love, and maybe they do. But, too often in real life, this kind of situation usually ends up with an unhealthy relationship or a bad ending. Just because life has been cruel does not mean it is a good idea attach oneself right away to the first person that is decent, or needs protection, without first spending time to get to know them. For me, a longer timeline for their pre-engagement relationship and descriptions of how they got to know each other, more than the most basic of background information, would have been more romantic and enjoyable. It was too perfect and too fast to be believable as a “happy ending”. show less

A sweet and inspiring Christmas novella. I read it straight through in one sitting (by staying up well after I should have been asleep) and really enjoyed it.

I particularly appreciated that Tess and Lucas aren't unattainably perfect — neither one is supermodel-gorgeous or a gifted genius or rolling in money, and neither has lived an unblemished life — so they feel genuine and accessible.

Overall, it's a touching and inspirational romance, best to read around Christmas for the seasonal good cheer it brings.

The message? Don't judge people on their looks or reputations, and having hope for the future is more important than being defined by one's past.

Favourite quote? "I’m sorry other guys dumped on you and used you and didn’t stick show more around to figure out how damn wonderful you are, but you’re not my bus stop, you crazy-making woman. You are the destination."

How I found this book? I won it in a holiday giveaway event.

4 stars • a definite keeper, highly recommended, totally gripping and very well done show less

A sex symbol becomes a thing.... I just hate to be a thing. - Marilyn Monroe, Ms. magazine, p. 40 (August 1972).

The kind see kindness; the wise see wisdom. - Anonymous

The Christmas Wish is a short story, only 15K words, but the impact of those 15K words is tremendous. Books seldom make me cry cleansing tears, but this little story did.

Lucas Flynn is an ex-con, just out of prison and trying to rebuild his life. Tess Branson is a waitress at the cafe where Lucas works. Tess is sweet and compassionate, with a heart as big as Montana, though people in Gardiner treat her like trash. Lucas is carrying a burden that no man should ever carry, a burden of pain and loss and loneliness.

With Christmas only days away, is it possible that a show more simple wish upon a star could change both their lives?

Highly recommended!

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I received a copy of this story from the author. This fact does not influence my review. show less

Aww, shucks! "The Christmas Wish" was a quick, romantic story about two people who were frowned on by society and felt unworthy because of their circumstances. However, Tess and Lucas had warm, loving hearts and I liked how the author brought them together. They were both wonderful characters, especially Lucas, who won me over with the way he treated Tess - such a gentleman.

The ending was sweet and left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling knowing that Christmas wishes can come true.

This is a well written novella set in Gardiner, Montana and part of a series that is being written by Katy Regnery. I was lucky enough to snag a copy to read for review and have to say that this Christmas story is a keeper. The local girl with round heels is wooed by an ex-con with a heart of gold. Their love story is charming, loving and filled with just what the holiday spirit is all about. I loved this book and look forward to reading more books by this author. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a Christmas story filled with good cheer and warm believable characters.

This is the first Novella I have read and I was surprised to like it as much as I did as I normally prefer longer novels that take weeks to read but it was a nice change to start and finish a book so quickly. The characters were developed in such a way that it was easy to become involved in their stories and feel like you had just enough information. I particularly like how the information about them was spread throughout the story and not delivered in full at the start.
An enjoyable afternoon's read especially with the Christmas season approaching, I look forward to reading more of Katy's work in the future.

I received this book from LibraryThing.

"The Christmas Wish" is a tender love story. It is about two broken people who, despite all the things that have been thrown at them, still have the courage to hope.Tess is a waitresss in a small Montana town. Her past is plagued by bad decisions concerning men, earning her the nickname "Fast Tessie". Lucas Flynn, an ex-con, is the short order cook at the same restaurant. Lucas's sister was the victim of domestic violence. He hates to see a woman treated disrespectfully. After three men insult Tess and she douses them with a pitcher of ice water, she heads out the back door of the restaurant to compose herself. Lucas, concerned about her, follows her outside. Lucas is the first man to treat Tess show more with any respect, a new experience for Tess. He encourages her to make a wish on a star. Slowly these two wounded souls find their way to each other.

This is a wonderful story of gentle love and new beginnings. show less