The Christmas Collector

By Kristina McMorris

Previously published in A Winter Wonderland
 
Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Kristina McMorris ignites the spirit of the holidays with a tale of love, change, and the magic of memories—old and new . . .
 
Toss, repair, sell, repeat. Most of the time, people are grateful for estate liquidator Jenna Matthews’ organizing services. Not Reece Porter, her new client’s handsome but grouchy grandson. As far as he’s concerned Jenna is a vulture, picking through his late grandfather’s treasures, during the holidays, no less. Personally, Jenna isn’t one for Christmas nostalgia, or any kind of nostalgia. Plus, she’s just doing her job.
But when she and Reece are drawn together in an emergency, it becomes clear there’s a whole other kind of tension between them, one that’s pure electricity. And when Jenna discovers keepsakes that suggest an intriguing Porter family secret, unwrapping the mystery leads both Jenna and Reese to the greatest gifts of the holidays—and the truth in their hearts. . .
 
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF KRISTINA McMORRIS
 
THE EDGE OF LOST
 
“Compelling, resonant and deeply moving, The Edge of Lost is an absorbing tale of deceit and self-deception, survival and second chances, the ties that bind and the lure of the unknown.”
--Christina Baker Kline, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
 
“Will grab your heart on page one and won’t let go until the end. 
I absolutely love this book, and so will you.”
--Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants
 
“Kristina McMorris takes us on a thrilling ride from the Emerald Isle, to the boroughs of New York, to the ‘Rock’ of Alcatraz. I found myself thoroughly immersed in her richly evocative settings, just as I was captivated by the pure humanity of her characters as they struggled for redemption. This book is a wonderful read!”
--David R. Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of City of Women
 
“I adore everything that Kristina McMorris writes and this book is no exception.”
--Jennifer Robson, author of Somewhere in France
 
“A beautifully told story about a young man’s journey through adversity and loss with an exhilarating ending that I couldn’t put down and stayed up well past my bedtime to finish.”
--Charles Belfoure, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect
 
“An absorbing, addictive read.”
--Beatriz Williams
 
THE PIECES WE KEEP
 
“McMorris’s strong pacing keeps the two stories zipping along and all its many strings connected for a gratifying conclusion.”
--Kirkus Reviews
 
BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES
 
“Impeccably researched and beautifully written.” 
--Karen White
 
LETTERS FROM HOME
 
“An absolutely lovely debut novel filled with endearing characters and lively descriptions. Fans of World War II romantic fiction will definitely enjoy this fast-paced story.”
—Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Release date: Oct 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781420146257

Kristina McMorris

Kristina McMorris is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of two novellas and seven historical novels, including Sold on a Monday with over a million copies sold. The recipient of more than twenty national literary awards, she previously hosted weekly TV shows for Warner Bros. and an ABC affiliate, beginning at age nine with an Emmy Award-winning program, and owned a wedding-and-event-planning company until she far surpassed her limit of "Y.M.C.A." and chicken dances. She lives with her family in Oregon. Visit her online at kristinamcmorris.com; Instagram: @kristina.mcmorris; Twitter: @KrisMcmorris; and Facebook: @KristinaMcMorrisAuthor.

Book preview

Praise for the novels of Kristina McMorris

The Pieces We Keep

"Kristina McMorris’s novel moves masterfully between past and present and locks us straight in the heart with a love story, a story between a mother and son, and a story of healing. The Pieces We Keep gripped me from the first page and didn’t let go.

Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Lost Wife

Readers will have a hard time putting this absorbing book down.

RT Book Reviews

Kristina McMorris has written an utterly absorbing novel, which takes us from present-day Oregon to World War II London, and touches on profound themes. This is a beautifully woven story, at once gripping and uplifting.

Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier’s Wife

An expertly woven and richly satisfying work of historical fiction that will touch any reader who has experienced love, loss, tragedy, or the impact of family secrets.

The Boston Globe

"From the past to the present, The Pieces We Keep is a compelling tale with memorable characters, written in McMorris’ elegant and captivating prose. I didn’t want this novel to end."

Erika Robuck, bestselling author of Call Me Zelda

Combined with true-to-life stories of German saboteurs on American soil from World War II . . . it is a story that is guaranteed to captivate and enthrall readers to the very end.

Times Record News

The past collides with the present in this sensitive and multilayered story where the discovery of long-held family secrets leads to healing. The contemporary twist will be a treat for fans of World War II historical fiction.

Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves

McMorris’s second novel gracefully blossoms through swift prose and rich characters….This gripping story about two ‘brothers’ in arms and a young woman caught in between them hits all the right chords.

Publishers Weekly

A sweeping yet intimate novel that will please both romantics and lovers of American history.

Kirkus Reviews

"Impeccably researched and beautifully written, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a story of loss, triumph, and awakening—and of forgiving those who have injured us the most. I highly recommend this book!"

Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Time Between

"Rich in historical detail, peopled with well-developed characters, and spiced with tension and drama, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a novel to savor, and then to share with a friend."

The Historical Novel Reviews

Fascinating and moving…an absolute pleasure to read.

Whitney Otto, author of How to Make An American Quilt

An unputdownable love story…[McMorris’s] attention to detail is meticulous, the East meets West clash between cultures—revelatory.

Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark

A wonderfully poignant tale, it’s at times terribly dramatic and others beautifully gentle.

RT Book Reviews

A beautiful, timeless love story, rich in detail and emotion, Kristina McMorris’ words reach right off the page and grab at your heart. An altogether comforting and satisfying read.

Sarah Jio, author of The Violets of March

"Readers of World War II fiction will devour Kristina McMorris’s Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, a poignant, authentic story of Japanese and American lovers crossed not only by the stars but by the vagaries of war and their own country’s prejudices."

Jenna Blum

Letters from Home

This sweeping debut novel is ambitious and compelling….will appeal to historical fiction fans hungry for a romance of the ‘Greatest Generation.’

Publishers Weekly

The tale is emotionally moving and the end is heartwarming. This is a tough book to put down!

RT Book Reviews

"Letters from Home is an absorbing debut, combining the emotional power of The Notebook with the stirring history and drama of Saving Private Ryan. An evocative and compelling storyteller, Kristina McMorris gives us a novel to savor and remember."

Ben Sherwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

McMorris gives readers a poignant and resonant ‘Greatest Generation’ story of love and loss during wartime.

Booklist

McMorris writes of the people and the period with a great deal of insight and compassion. Through the three heroines she captures a cross-section of the myriad experiences and coping mechanisms of the women left behind with their hopes and dreams and fears.

The Historical Novels Reviews

This poignant novel digs deep into the emotional and physical effects of war and is well written and well researched….highlight[s] the harsh realities of both war and human nature.

New York Journal of Books

A tender and heartfelt glimpse of a time long past. While wholly original, it’s filled with characters as beloved as your own grandparents. Propelled by the epic sweep of world war, yet warmed by intimate human moments, this story will linger in the reader’s memory long after the last page is turned.

Susan Wiggs

Books by Kristina McMorris

LETTERS FROM HOME

BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES

THE PIECES WE KEEP

THE EDGE OF LOST

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTOR

Kristina McMorris

LYRICAL PRESS

Kensington Publishing Corp.

www.kensingtonbooks.com

To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

LYRICAL PRESS BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.

119 West 40th Street

New York, NY 10018

Copyright © 2017 by Kristina McMorris

This title was originally published as part of the anthology A WINTER WONDERLAND, copyright 2012 Kensington Publishing Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

All Kensington titles, imprints, and distributed lines are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotion, premiums, fund-raising, educational, or institutional use.

Special book excerpts or customized printings can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write or phone the office of the Kensington Sales Manager: Kensington Publishing Corp., 119 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018. Attn. Sales Department. Phone: [phone].

Lyrical Press and Lyrical Press logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

First Electronic Edition: October 2017

eISBN-13: 978-1-4201-4625-7

eISBN-10: 1-4201-4625-4

Printed in the United States of America

Note from the Author

Dear Reader,

Only upon completing this novella did it occur to me that my literary journey has indeed come full circle. After all, it was a family Christmas gift that had sparked the idea for my debut novel, Letters from Home. The fact I had borrowed two characters from that story in order to create The Christmas Collector, though now as their elderly versions, seems all the more fitting.

You see, I was in the midst of interviewing my grandmother for the biographical section of a homemade cookbook, intended as a Christmas present for the grandkids, when she revealed a shocking detail: She and my grandfather had dated merely twice during WWII before uniting in a marriage that lasted until his passing, fifty years later. Until then, I had no idea their courtship had blossomed almost entirely through heartfelt letters, each of which Grandma Jean then retrieved from her closet to share.

Captivated by their relationship and a fading era, I soon sat down to pen my first novel, based on the question: How well can you truly know someone through letters alone? What formed as a result was Letters from Home, in which a WWII soldier falls deeply in love through a yearlong letter exchange, unaware that the girl he’s writing to isn’t the one replying. Unique cases of loved ones separated by war have since continued to fascinate me, as proven by my second novel, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. Again inspired by a true account, the story follows a Caucasian woman who, refusing to be separated from her Japanese American husband, moves to an internment camp by choice. In many ways, the struggle of living between worlds, seeking out one’s true identity, is a common thread among my books—as are themes of redemption and forgiveness, loss of innocence, the complexities of family, and the importance of memories. I hope you enjoy The Christmas Collector for all these reasons and more!

With warm holiday wishes,

Kristina McMorris

For 1940s holiday recipes, special book club features, and excerpts from the letters by Kristina’s grandfather, visit www.KristinaMcMorris.com.

Chapter 1

She tried to ignore him throughout dinner, but the squatty monk held Jenna’s focus in a fisted grip. He seemed to be mocking her with a half smile curled into round rosy cheeks, his hand resting on the wide shelf of his belly. Traditionally a symbol of self-sacrifice and frugality, he instead radiated sheer overindulgence.

The fact he was a mere saltshaker didn’t lessen Jenna Matthews’s anxiety. She shifted in her seat, forced down another bite of instant mashed potatoes. She knew without question the Friar Tuck collectible was new to her mother’s house. In a brown robe, his hair forming a silver wreath, he stood amid the Thanksgiving dishes as if staking his claim. A matching pepper shaker and sugar bowl flanked him on the dining room table. Candlelight flickered over the trio, casting shadows across the floral vase and oval doily.

New vase. New doily. New condiment holders. All signs that Jenna’s mother, Rita, had potentially relapsed.

But the woman gave no other indications. Over their holiday meal of turkey TV dinners—her mom’s standard menu, now accustomed to cooking for one—she was rattling on about a film she had seen with a friend from her days in group therapy. Jenna feared those sessions might now be needed again.

I just don’t know why they insist on doing that. Her mother used a melodramatic tone for emphasis. It ruins a perfectly good movie, don’t you think?

At the expectant