Christmas Novellas for 2010

This is my continuing series on new Christmas books for the season. The following are some novellas that have released this year...these are generally my favorite reads for the season!

The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry
About the Book: In the tradition of Debbie Macomber’s A Cedar Cove Christmas, comes a romantic holiday novella from New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry. Jimmy Sullivan has been living on the road with his brother, Jack, and his band. Without a place to call home, they lead a nomadic life filled with music and anonymous cities. When they return to their old hometown Jimmy falls in love with Charlotte Carrington.

With his soul now filled with hope, Jimmy writes his first love song. When he performs it the lyrics are dubbed the "Perfect Love Song," so much so that Jimmy finds himself on tour with country music stars, catapulted into a world where the trappings of fame and fortune reign supreme. All too soon, the hope that inspired Jimmy to write such genuine lyrics is overshadowed by what the song can do for his career, and his ties to Charlotte are slipping away. Is it too late for Jimmy to find his way to love?
Available now from Vanguard Press


The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover
About the Book: In this new holiday classic, Tim Slover crafts a marvelous, magical novel about how Santa Claus became the man he is today. After reading The Christmas Chronicles, you’ll believe all over again in the magic of the season.

Snow is falling, and the clock ticks toward midnight on Christmas Eve while countless children, too excited to sleep, anticipate the arrival of Santa Claus. But in Tim Slover’s deeply charming and utterly thrilling new novel, that’s the end rather than the beginning of the story. In this richly imagined tale of Santa’s origins, the man in full finally emerges. The Christmas Chronicles is at once an action-packed adventure, an inspiring story of commitment and faith, and a moving love story.

It all starts in 1343, when the child Klaus is orphaned and adopted by a craftsmen’s guild. The boy will grow to become a master woodworker with an infectious laugh and an unparalleled gift for making toys. His talent and generosity uniquely equip him to bestow hundreds of gifts on children at Christmas—and to court the delightful Anna, who enters his life on a sleigh driven by the reindeer Dasher and becomes his beloved wife.

Still, all is not snowfall and presents. Klaus will be shadowed by the envious Rolf Eckhof, who will stop at nothing to subvert him. But in the end, Santa’s magic is at last unleashed, flying reindeer come to his aid, and an epic battle between good and evil is waged in the frosty Christmas skies.

By turns enchanting, hair-raising, and inspirational, The Christmas Chronicles is a beguiling tale destined to become a holiday favorite for the ages.
Available now from Bantam


The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts
About the Book: On a blustery afternoon, Kylie Gray wanders into an antique shop and buys a beautiful snow globe. “There’s a story behind that snow globe,” the antique dealer tells her, and explains that the original owner lost his wife and son right before Christmas. When he received the handcrafted snow globe as a Christmas present, the grieving widower saw the image of a beautiful woman beneath the glass—a woman who would eventually come into his life, mend his broken heart and bring him back to the world of the living. For years, the snow globe has passed from generation to generation, somehow always landing in the hands of a person in special need of a Christmas miracle.
When Kylie shares the story with her best friends—two women with troubles of their own—they don’t believe it. But they’re about to discover that at Christmastime, sometimes the impossible becomes possible and miracles really do come true.
Available now from St. Martin's Press


Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid
It is the winter of 1962, and Kansas is hit with one of the worst blizzards in its history. It is during this cruel season that twelve-year-old George is called upon to endure more than even most grown men could withstand—the death of his father and the upkeep of the family farm that is his legacy.

When his mother and sisters leave for Minnesota, George has only his grandparents and the companionship of Tucker, an Irish setter, to help him persevere through these most difficult challenges. Can he find the strength to walk the road that leads to healing, finding his true self and ultimately becoming a man? A coming-of-age story for readers of all ages, Christmas with Tucker is a classic Christmas story about a young man’s love for his dog, his family, and his farm.
Available now from Random House

Are there any other new ones you've read this year?

Check out more Christmas books of the season: Christmas Mysteries, Christmas Amish Books, Christmas Romance