Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

holidays

Holiday reading with a side of suspense: Review of All is Calm, All is Bright by Colleen Coble

‘Tis the season for holiday entertainment, and if Hallmark channel movies are your thing, I’ve got a book to recommend.

all is calmAll is Calm, All is Bright by Colleen Coble is a two-novella collection set in two of the author’s most popular fictional settings, Bluebird Ranch and Hope Beach. Though I have not personally read many of the stories set in either place, I enjoyed these two short stories. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review.) They are short and sweet reads to get you in the holiday spirit.

In All is Calm, Lauren flees to the ranch she remembers fondly from childhood to escape danger surrounding a death she witnessed. There, she meets Brendan, a friend of the ranch’s owner, who is recovering from a military injury. Together, they try to get to the bottom of the mystery, and in the meantime, they discover a mutual attraction.

In All is Bright, Delilah is in the midst of planning a friend’s wedding when her car is run off the road. Connecting that incident with the strange phone calls she’s been receiving, she is forced to admit there is more to the threats than a simple prank. Helping her uncover the source of the threat is Tom, the local sheriff, a widower who has been interested in Delilah for a while. He aims to keep her safe from danger and offer her an unforgettable gift on Christmas, if she survives till then.

Both stories remind me of why I’ve enjoyed Coble’s writing in the past. Sweet romance with a side of suspense makes for a page-turning read. Throw in the holiday settings and you’ve got a great recipe for Christmas reading.

 

Don’t know what to do about Christmas cards? A helpful guide

I’m notoriously bad about sending Christmas cards. During those rare years when I actually completed my list, I sent out a ridiculous number of cards. In past years, I’ve overcompensated (or undercompensated) and sent a grand total of zero cards. If you’ve ever been on my Christmas list, it’s not you, it’s all me. It can be overwhelming to narrow down a list and figure out who gets one and who doesn’t.

If you’ve yet to send yours this year, or you want to simplify for next year, check out this flow chart the folks at Grammarly created. You  might find it helpful, and even if not, it is entertaining, something we need in the midst of a season that can be stressful and make us frazzled. Just one more week till Christmas!

And read on below the chart for some fun facts about holiday cards through the years.

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Did you know?

  • Americans send 1.6 billion holiday cards annually [source]
  • Women purchase an estimated 80% of all greeting cards [source]
  • E-cards have become an environmentally friendly alternative to paper cards [source]
  • Christmas cards originated in London, where Sir Henry Cole commissioned the first in 1843. [Source]
    • Two batches totaling 2,050 cards were printed and sold that year for a shilling each. [Source]
  • Despite the separation of church and state, it’s customary for the President and First Lady to send White House Christmas cards each holiday season. [source]
    • Calvin Coolidge issued the first official Christmas message to the American people in 1927. [source]

 

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