By The Book

Gretchen Daniels has recently moved into a condo with her two children to be closer to her mother, Miriam. As they build a life together in their new community, they notice a mysterious young woman, Melissa McCreary, who lives next door. She has few possessions, little personality, and keeps to herself. One day a local landlord who is looking for Melissa knocks on Gretchen’s door for assistance. Melissa’s mother has died and in the coming weeks the landlord needs Melissa to empty her mother’s apartment. Gretchen reaches out and offers to help Melissa, but the apartment is a gut-wrenching shamble of a home. There is little worth saving except for a few photos and a note that is discovered on the crate beside the bed. It is unfinished, but in the two scribbled lines, Melissa discovers secrets about her family that she never could have imagined. Can two very different women embark on a journey that explores a long-buried need for forgiveness, hope, and redemption?

Donna VanLiere lives in Franklin, TN, with her husband, Troy, their children, Grace, Kate and David, two dogs, two cats, and and a host of geese and ducks that use their pond as a pit stop on their way to prettier waters.

My Impressions:

My last Christmas read spilled into the New Year due to a full house, travel and limited walking time (I listen to audiobooks on my morning walks). But soon after January 1, my house became eerily quiet, there were no more road trips and the rains here in the South ended, all leading to time with The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere. What a perfect ending to the holiday season!

VanLiere again revisits old friends (that’s how her characters feel) in The Christmas Note. This time two women are brought together by coincidence and grief to forge an unlikely friendship. Is it really coincidence or God snapping His fingers as one characters states? The book focuses on friendship, family, restoration and healing. Topics such as adoption, child neglect, and wounded servicemen are explored giving this novel depth and texture. If your book club is looking for a Christmas book to schedule next December, keep this one in mind. Good writing, well-developed characters and substance in its plotting make for great discussion. Again, VanLiere does a wonderful job of reading her book.

My Christmas reading is done for this season, but I will be sure to check out more by VanLiere come November 2016.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

Great for book clubs.

To purchase this book, click HERE.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: Christmas, contemporary fiction, Donna VanLiere

Seven years ago Gloria endured a family tragedy that almost shook her faith entirely. Each Christmas she places a card in an envelope on her tree, restating a promise she made to her husband before he died. Now, having moved from her small town and all the painful memories it held, she is building a life by caring for people in need. Whether it’s a young mother who can’t pay her electric bill or a family who needs some extra food, Gloria always finds a way.

Miriam is a thorn in Gloria’s side. Miriam is a constantly critical, disapproving neighbor who looks with suspicion at all the good things Gloria does. When a twist of fate makes them roommates instead of neighbors, it’s the ultimate test of patience and faith.

Chaz has a good job as head of security at Wilson’s Department Store, but each night he returns home to an empty apartment. He longs for a wife and family of his own but realizes that the life choices he’s made have alienated him. He befriends a young boy whose mother has fallen on hard times, giving him a chance to have a life he thought impossible.

In The Christmas Promise, the lives of these characters collide and we learn that even as we move ahead, the past is never far behind. And when we are forgiven much, we love much. In this warmly humorous and deeply poignant story, we are reminded that the Christmas Promise is the promise of second chances.

Donna VanLiere lives in Franklin, TN, with her husband, Troy, their children, Grace, Kate and David, two dogs, two cats, and and a host of geese and ducks that use their pond as a pit stop on their way to prettier waters.

My Impressions:

The Christmas Promise is the second audiobook by Donna VanLiere that I have enjoyed this Christmas. (I am currently listening to number 3, The Christmas Note.) Full of humor and heart, this book’s message of second chances is front and center, whether it’s a grumpy neighbor or an estranged family member or a mom who has made some bad choices. Familiar characters from this series make an appearance making them feel like old friends. VanLiere reads the book herself, and her voices and inflection are a real treat. I listened to this book on a few daily walks and on two plane flights, and I must admit I had to stifle a few laughs and squint back a few tears. This heartwarming novella is perfect for the busy holiday season when time is short and nerves get a bit frazzled. So make sure to make some time for this touching book.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

To purchase this book, click HERE. 

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: Christmas, contemporary fiction, Donna VanLiere