This collection of short stories take place in the fictional town of Avalon, Illinois. More character than plot driven, they are a beautiful and heartwarming stories. The stories are connected not only by being set in the same town, but some characters are in more than one story, and events are often referenced that took place in previous stories.The author's writing style reminds me of the stories by Fannie Flagg. The characters are authentic, and as soon as I finished one story, I couldn't wait to read the next one. This a good book to curl up with on a cold night with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea.The stories really make you feel the true spirit of the Christmas season without being religious or preachy. This is a delightful collection of short stories woven together to form a novel. The book begins and ends in the same setting--a senior living facility--and even though each story can stand alone, it is connected to the others by characters that appear in other stories or references to things that happen in other stories. The structure of the book brilliantly conveys the concept that even though it appears that we live separate lives, our lives are connected with other lives in ways we don't fully comprehend. Each story contains a touching example of the importance of relationships. The writer subtly developed each character and fleshed him or her so that the reader could fully empathize. The author also weaves in the theme that food is often a key ingredient in breaking down barriers and developing relationships. This is an excellent book to read by the fireplace on a cold winter evening, a cup of tea or hot chocolate close at hand. The only reason it didn't get five stars is that there are several glaring typos, added and missing words, and grammatical errors in this electronic book. These things tended to distract me from an otherwise delightful read. I highly recommend this book for your holiday reading.
What do You think about An Avalon Christmas (2000)?
Delightful shorts about people in the town of Avalon. Guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit.
—ddneace
Loved it! The story reminded me of the other Avalon stories I have read and why I like them so much.
—gloria
A group of seemingly single stories all tie into one heart warming Christmas story.
—ioa1995
