Set in the late 1800’s, The Christmas Cactus is a charming story. What will become of Katie Jo and her young siblings when they face a new town and home without knowing anyone or having a way to provide for themselves? Hard working Katie Jo is determined to keep her family together. Will she accept the help of a stranger?

The author has done a great job describing the lifestyle of living “out West” and all that is involved in just putting food on the table. I was tired out just reading about all the food that Katie Jo would make in one day in order to give her family a special meal! I felt like I was living life right next to Katie Jo and the rest of the characters in this book as the author had brought each character to life.

I loved The Christmas Cactus. Wholeheartedly. Christy Martenson created a world of love and joy, introducing her readers to characters who become friends and crafting a storyline that was beautifully full of family, strength, and perseverance. In addition to all that, it passed the real test of a wonderful story: my own emotion kept leaking out in laughter and tears as I celebrated and mourned and giggled along with Katie Jo.

What a charming story in the style of Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series. This story gripped my attention and wouldn’t let me go! Katie Jo is immediately relatable and I felt for her as she battled to keep her family together. Jamie, the hero, and his gentle ways won my heart. Christy’s best novel yet!

Christy's stories are wholesome for the soul and spirit, and The Christmas Cactus is her most delightful work yet. Her characters are so obviously drawn from realistic personalities that they truly live on the pages, and their struggles and development is superbly true-to-life. There are many stories, particularly romance stories, that feel canned, stale or simply scripted emotionally, but Christy's work never falls into that category.

The romance in this story is so gentle and real, it almost sneaks up on you as you read! The relationships and personalities are genuine, the story and character development is excellent, and the characters provide superb role models for young adults; the heroine, Katie Jo, is a beautiful picture of true, deep, tender & God-fearing womanhood, and I look forward with much eagerness to share this treasure of a book with my future children.

The plot twist surprised me! I couldn't put the book down, wanting to find out the ending.
Christy created characters so likeable in Katie Jo and Jamie that I wish I knew them in real life.

The Christmas Cactus is one of the sweetest stories I have ever read. Mrs. Martenson has created a story reminiscent of Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and Little House on the Prairie. In short, I loved it.