Library Journal
Continuing the tradition begun by Arabesque in 1994 with Spirit of the Season, this compelling and occasionally unexpected trio of winter holiday romances by some of the genre's more popular writers centers on Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year's. An admirable young woman who is single-handedly raising her orphaned nephew and a sensitive woodworker find love when they meet at a Christmas pageant rehearsal in Mason's "The First Noel"; a heroine struggling with suicidal depression learns to live and love again when a handsome psychiatrist helps her plan a Kwanzaa celebration in Margie Walker's unusual "Kwanzaa Kupendi"; and in Brenda Jackson's "Truly Everlasting," a little boy's letter to Santa results in a relationship between his mother and an old high school friend that unexpectedly turns to marriage when her former in-laws threaten a custody battle. Although these enjoyable stories focus on the African American experience, they will bring holiday cheer to readers of all backgrounds and should not be considered a niche-market item. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.