The holidays are a time for cherished traditions and warm memories of Christmases past. But for some, Christmas also offers the gift of new beginnings.

THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTOR by Kristina McMorris
Jenna Matthews has made a career of decluttering other people’s lives. After a childhood marked by her mother’s hoarding, it feels satisfying to sort and evaluate possessions. Some items, however, defy simple categories—like the shoebox of WWII memorabilia she finds in an elderly client’s home. Nestled alongside a Bronze Star is a photograph of a blushing army nurse and an adoring young serviceman. Estelle Porter, the box’s owner, becomes curiously tightlipped at Jenna’s discovery. Even Estelle’s grandson, Reece, knows nothing about this secret in her past. But as Jenna delves deeper, she pieces together Estelle’s heartrending story—one that paves new, unexpected paths for many.

GIFTED by T. Greenwood
Christmas Eve in New York City is a portrait in holiday cheer. Yet Alex, a young ballerina who’s just been ousted from her ballet company, is contemplating a bittersweet homecoming—until she crosses paths with a stranger. At eighty, Simone’s memory is rapidly failing, but something has led her back to the place where she began her career as a professional violinist. Different as they may be, both women understand the nature of ambition and self-doubt, joy, and regret. And in a moment of grace, in a place where journeys begin, each will be reminded of what matters most . . .