Love's Pure Light

Barbour Books has selected four top-notch authors to write four tales, each centering around a single hand-carved nativity set that is passed down from generation to generation.  Another theme that seemed to run through these stories is that the characters had a hard time pleasing their parents.

Beginning in the late nineteenth century, the nativity set first comes into the possession of Jessalyn who is staying with her uncle during the holidays.   The nativity moves to Stella right after World War I, after meeting Nat Wise on a train.  Nat adds wise men to the set before it gets passed down to Elodie and Benjamin after World War II.  Benjamin adds an angel that he found in a burned out cathedral in France.  The whole set finds its way to the attic of a Bed and Breakfast in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where Benjie and Trevor find it looking for some Christmas decorations.  An Innkeeper had been added to the set, and Trevor carved the innkeeper's wife for the set.

This olio of stories centers around Christmas, but also about the heritage of one family throughout several generations.  It is a five star collection, with two thumbs up, and an heirloom nativity set.

Barbour Books and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.