I was determined to finish A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson by Christmas night. I failed, LOL! I did finish it prior to my immediate family’s Christmas get-together so I count that as a win. While you may think it’s past time for a Christmas-y novella, I recommend you take a look at this one. It has a great message of reaching out to others with hurts, challenges, and needs. At least put it on your TBR list for next December 😉 .
Christmas should be celebrated with family. But for Vera Swanson, that’s not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one–until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town, Fiona enlists Vera’s help, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has a special request–a Christmas quilt for Mama.
Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all–and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way.
Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites you to cuddle up this holiday season with this cozy story of giving, forgiving, and a little bit of romance.
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.
My Impressions:
The Queen of Christmas Novellas has done it again. A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson is a feel-good story about reaching out of our own lives to others who are hurting and facing challenges. Four strangers are brought together to create a quilt for Vera’s neighbor. Prompted by the precocious 4 year old Fiona, the four very different women forge friendships, and in one case an uneasy alliance, to help a family in need. The book is quick to take off as novellas do, but is filled with poignant moments and a few chuckle-inducing scenes. Friendships are made, a romance is kindled, and hearts are softened. It was the perfect book for holiday reading due to its Christmastime setting, but would make a great weekend read any time of the year.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
I have the book and plan to read it even though Christmas is over for a while.I loved the idea of people working together to do something nice for someone else and forging friendships in the process.
I always enjoy Melody Carlson and this one sounds especially good.
Hope you love it!