Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology by Lucy McConnell, Cami Checketts, Rachelle J. Christensen, Connie E. Sokol, and Heather Tullis

Title: Christmas Kisses:  An Echo Ridge Anthology
Author: Lucy McConnell, Cami Checketts, Rachelle J. Christensen, Connie E. Sokol, and Heather Tullis

Read by: Tanya Eby & Kate Rudd

Publisher: Blackstone Audio

Length: Approximately 18 hours and 14 minutes (I only had 4 hours and 37 minutes)
Source: Blackstone Audio Digital Review Copy through Audiobook Jukebox – Thank-you!

I had an audiobook tragedy last week.  I had been listening to an anthology, Christmas Kisses, and was riveted listening to a story when it suddenly stopped.  I thought something had happened to my phone only to discover that it said the book had ended.  NOOOO!!!  I had troubles downloading this audio file and apparently didn’t have all of the pieces of it.  I will have to find the rest of the audiobook somehow to finish my listening experience, but I can at least review what I have listened to thus far.

Christmas Kisses is an enjoyable anthology with clean, light romance stories set in the town of Echo Ridge.  The stories have different characters, but are all interrelated.  Below is a review of the two stories I listened to.

The Candy Counter Heiress by Lucy McConnell

Reese Gates is the heiress of the old fashioned candy counter at Kenworth’s department store.  In her mid-twenties, Reese longs to make a different herself and be given more responsibility in the family business.  She works with her Grandmother and Mother at making chocolates within their home and then selling them at the store candy counter.  As her Grandmother is starting to fade from dementia, Reese feels she can help the business by expanding it to an online presence.  There have also been rumors that the manager of Kenworth’s wants to get rid of the family owned candy counter. She enlists her friend and secret crush, Andy Edwards, to set up a webpage.  They work together and sparks fly.  Unfortunately keeping the webpage a secret makes it so that Reese has problems with both her family and Andy.  Will she be able to save the candy counter and find love?

I really enjoyed this audiobook story.  It had a wonderful narrator was very engaging to listen to on my daily commute.  I really identified with this story as I worked in an old dime store during my teenage years that had a candy counter . . . although the candy was Brach’s and not hand dipped.  I loved it!  The story was so sweet and a good clean story.  It had a great Christmas spirit.

Christmas Makeover by Cami Checketts

Chelsea Jamison is a high school gym teacher that loves Drew.  Drew and Chelsea were best pals back in high school as they shared a love of sports.  Unfortunately for Chelsea, Drew has always considered her one of the guys.  Now almost ten years later, Chelsea is still in their hometown of Echo Ridge enjoying life as a gym teacher and her laid back fashion choices of spandex and a t-shirt. Drew has become a successful businessman and has returned to town to visit.  Sparks begin to fly between the two, but Chelsea also has a new teacher interested in her. Chelsea also has her self-doubts about what happens when Drew leaves.  What will happen between the two?  I’m not sure as my audiobook stopped before the end of this story!  The narration of this story was fantastic and I was enjoying it immensely.

Overall, Christmas Kisses is a good, clean set of romance stories that are interlinked.  The characters and stories were enjoyable and the narration was excellent.  It is a perfect audiobook to enjoy during the winter, especially in the hectic time before Christmas.