Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls on Thanksgiving weekend begging him to come home after his stepfather has a stroke, Rick is more than a little reluctant. He’s never liked Art and resents the man’s presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. When what was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and running off the homeless man who keep hanging about, Rick’s attitude sours even more.
Still, slowly but surely, the little bookstore and its quirky patrons–as well as the lovely young woman who works at his side each day–work their magic on him, revealing to Rick the truth about his family, his own life, and the true meaning of Christmas. With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.
Dan Walsh’s novels have received popular and critical acclaim, getting rave reviews from USA Today and magazines like Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. His very first, The Unfinished Gift, won 2 ACFW Carol Awards. It’s still in print 5 years later and has sold over 50,000 copies. It’s available in hardback, paperback, Ebook, audiobook, large-print and in several languages. His other books have won numerous awards and appeared on several national bestseller lists.
As of this moment, Dan has 12 novels on the shelves. His 13th novel (the first to be published independently), is called When Night Comes. It releases November 1st. Novels #14 and #15 are finished and scheduled for release in April and September, 2015.
In addition to his writing, Dan also enjoys public speaking and is frequently invited to speak at writer’s conferences, either as a keynote speaker, or teaching workshops and seminars on a variety of writing topics.
My Impressions:
I always try to read a few Christmas-themed novels during the holidays. I have quite a few downloaded on my Kindle, so the choice is sometimes difficult. As I was viewing the titles I had on hand, I found Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh. I had forgotten all about buying this title, so I was excited about this treat by one of my favorite authors. Wow! This one is a great read and one that I will continually recommend.
Rick Denton has a strained relationship with his mother and a non-existent one with stepfather, Art. He feels resentment for all the years he missed with his real father and believes they are the cause. When Art collapses in the family bookstore on the day after Thanksgiving, Rick must return to his hometown to help out. Over the course of the holiday season, Rick makes one discovery after another about his family and himself. What at first is a grudging chore for Rick, running the Book Nook during that Christmas season in 1980 becomes a turning point in Rick’s life.
Remembering Christmas is one of the best Christmas-themed books I have read. Ever. This novella-length tale is filled with wonderful characters, the sights and sounds of a time gone by and a great message of forgiveness and grace. It is also pretty predictable, but that is what I wanted! I wanted the book to end how I wanted it to end, and Walsh delivered for me. I laughed and cried and reminisced. If you can read only one Christmas-themed book this year, then make sure it is Remembering Christmas.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: teens and adults.
(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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