Simple Gifts: Four Heartwarming Christmas Stories (Holiday Classics) (Holiday Classics)

click here for more details, find new or used items	Judith McNaught, Jude Deveraux Our price £7.99 New from £2.48 Used from £0.01 Pages: 416 (Mass Market Paperback) ISBN: 0743442237 Pub: Pocket Books Pub date: 2001-11-27 Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 179703

Reader Reviews:

A good quality piece of romantic escapism. (61/61 people found this helpful)

First of all big fans of Judith McNaught and Jude Deveraux should be aware that all four stories in this collection have been published before, in 'A Gift of Love' and 'A Holiday of Love' - these are not new stories guys! Having said that some of them do bear a repeated reading.
Both of these authors have produced some top quality romantic fiction in the past, but I would have to say that Judith McNaught has always been my favourite. However, even I have to admit that Jude Deveraux outshines her in 'Simple Gifts'. Karen, the heroine in 'Just Curious', is a believable and sympathetic character, a widow who deserves to find love but at the same time can stand up for herself.It's also nice that the heroine in 'Change of Heart' is not your typical romantic heroine but rather a plump single mother called Randy (don't snigger British readers). Both the heroes are members of the Taggert clan who have featured in some of the authors novels, so fans will feel at home.
The two stories by Judith McNaught are good, but perhaps only worthy of three stars. In 'Miracles' we revisit Regency London, a favourite period of the authors. A lovely young girl drinks too much at a party (haven't we all) and lands herself in a sticky situation. Fans will find the character Nicholas DuVille familiar, but I felt he was worthy of a more inspiring story than this. 'Double Exposure' links up with McNaught's novel 'Remember When', although it wouldn't matter if you hadn't read the book. It is a nice enough tale concerning a young girl's crush on an older boy and how it affects their lives years later, but doesn't show the author at her best.
Taken as a whole 'Simple Gifts' is a good quality piece of romantic escapism, and, speaking as the mother of two young children, it is easy to pick up and put down. The two stories by Jude Deveraux are the more gripping of the four and my personal favourites, quirky modern-day romances which, although not particularly believable, are very enjoyable (isn't that what romantic escapism is for?) and the reason why I gave 'Simple Gifts' four stars.

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