Book Review: Christmas in Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber

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I found this book in a Little Free Library. If you don't know what a LFL is, check my next post. ~~~~ Two Stories: First, drop in a 5-B Poppy Lane, where you'll get a chance to visit with Helen Shelton, her dranddaughter Ruth and Ruth's husband Paul [total error in the description on the back (or perhaps a spoiler) - Paul is not Ruth's husband]. They'll offer you a cup of mulled cider and the story of how they met - and they'll share Helen's breathtaking adventures during the Second World War. Then drive out to Grace and Cliff Harding's place. They have a small horse ranch not far from Cedar Cove. Mary Jo Wyse and her little girl, Noelle, will be there, too. Join them in reliving their memories of the Christmas Mary Jo came to Cedar Cove, pregnant and alone, and had her baby in the Hardings' stable (well, actually the apartment above it). That's the night firefighter Mack McAfee began to fall for Mary Jo and the idea of a family - with her. ~~~~ The first story is actually the story of Ruth sending a Christmas card to a military man, Paul, who is fighting in Afghanistan. He is coming home for a brief visit and to meet Ruth. Ruth and her family are so against the war and anyone fighting in it. When Ruth takes Paul to meet her grandmother, we hear Helen's own story about life during World War II. A story, and secrets, she never revealed to anyone before. This was a short, sweet 100 page novella that focused equally on Helen's love story as well as Ruth's. It was a nice little unexpected twist. The second story starts with a prologue which completely gives away how the story ends. So does the synopsis. We immediately learn that the baby Mary Jo is pregnant with is a girl, we know her name, we know who she marries. Mary Jo's brothers are certain that Mary Jo was going to have a boy, but we've already been informed she has a girl. The brothers are out to get the guy that impregnated their sister and make him marry her. Mary Jo, 2 weeks away from her due date, decides to get to him before they do. But the real story here is that Mary Jo (are we reminded of Mary and Joseph with this name?) gives birth on Christmas Eve in an apartment above a stable full of animals that had been used in a Christmas pageant. This was a modern day Christmas story based on the original story, the birth of Jesus. Even the brothers, who became lost in the dark, foggy night used a "star" in the sky to guide them to their sister. It was very well written and the comparisons were well done. This was another novella, though double the length of the first one. It was a lovely Christmas read that reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas (published in 2006). I liked the stories, just not the prologues that gave everything away.