The Christmas Heirloom by multiple authors

This is a collection of four Christmas romance novellas by four different authors*. The first is set in the 1700's in England and is about Sarah Gooding who is the hired companion to an older aristocratic woman.  Sarah finds herself falling in love with the woman's grandson, but knows the match is impossible because she, as a hired girl, is below his station as a gentleman.  The old woman, who herself married for love, gives Sarah a brooch that gives her the courage to follow her heart.

In the second, Sarah's granddaughter, Ruth, has inherited the brooch but has to use it for collateral when her husband dies and she doesn't have the money to secure housing for her and her daughter in the frontiers of Texas. As Sarah works to earn enough money to get the broach back, her landlord begins to see what a remarkable woman she is.

The third and fourth novellas also follow the romance of the granddaughter of the previous story's heroine.  The third woman is a sharp shooter in West Virginia, in the 1950's and the fourth is a woman in modern times. Each finds the man of her dreams at Christmas time with the help of the brooch. 

Ok, I read this back in March during all the COVID-19 crisis.  I was super stressed at work and needed total cotton candy escapism to get my mind off of my work troubles for just a few minutes each day.  This set did the trick.  Each of the stories features a Christian heroine, who prays for help and guidance as she makes difficult choices.  It is all super sappy, but was just the right thing for me right then in my life.  This a a great choice for those ladies out there who watch the Hallmark Christmas Specials all during December.  (Has a man ever read this book?  I doubt it.) (2018, 386 p)


*the authors in order
Kristi Anne Hunter
Karen Witemeyer
Sarah Loudin Thomas
Becky Wade