Book
The Christmas Hope
Author
Donna VanLiere
Review
Up until last month (December 2005), I had never heard of Donna VanLiere. The truth is, I’ve been so busy reading non-fiction books that
I hadn’t picked up a novel in years and I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about indulging in the guilty pleasure of reading for well…
pleasure!
But, as fate would have it, this book showed up on my doorstep and I knew I’d have to take the time to not only read it, but review it.
Truth be told, I’m a sucker for heartfelt stories of hope, love, and faith. I’ll stop for a good Lifetime® or Hallmark® movie any day of
the week, but reading for pleasure...that is another story.
I began reading The Christmas Hope—a novel,
while waiting for my children to finish a game of video poker with their grandmother. Four hours later, I finished the book. Yes, it was
that good!
The Christmas Hope—a novel was simply remarkable.
Plot
Patricia and Mark Addison are having marital problems. It’s unclear what those problems are in the beginning, but you sense something
tragic has happened because despite their cold, but polite, behavior towards one another, they still seem to be connected to each other.
Patricia is a social worker and despite what appears to be a closed heart, you can tell she loves those kids. Mark is an airline pilot
who spends most of his days away. They’ve not only drifted apart, but their considering divorce—or at least legal separation.
Then one day the unthinkable happens…Patricia’s heart melts for a little girl who loses her mother to a terrible car accident. As the
story unfolds, you learn why the couple drifted apart and through tear-filled eyes, you watch (through your mind’s eye) as the little
girl’s acts of love, trust, and compassion remind the couple what it means to be a family again.
Before long the couple begins to communicate on a level they haven’t been able to do for years, they’re excited about Christmas and what
it has to offer, and through the miracle of a child’s love, they rediscover each other and deal with the tragedy that tore them apart in
the first place.
Lesson Learned
The Christmas Hope—a novel is filled with raw emotion. Emotion so real that those who’ve experienced the loss of a loved one will
recognize, with great pain, the feelings of anger, bitterness, depression, loneliness, and sadness that keeps them isolated from everyone
they hold dear.
But, just as everything in life must come to an end, those feelings of grief begin to disappear and become replaced with feelings of hope,
forgiveness, joy, and happiness as God brings new experiences into their lives…things or people that will forever alter their world and
remind them that there truly is a life out there worth living.
Whether your loss is the death of a loved one, deteriorating health or something material, The Christmas Hope—a novel is sure to remind
you of the magic of Christmas, help you embrace the good things in your life (regardless how small), and probably even get you thinking
about foster care and/or adoption.
As you begin to prepare for next year’s Christmas, I encourage you to remember the true meaning of Christmas and look for ways to be good
to yourself and those around you!
Order The Christmas Hope today!
About The Author:
Alyice Edrich is a freelance writer with a love for light-hearted Christian novels about love, friendships, and family.
Visit her blog, AlyiceEdrich.com, to learn about real life on the prairie.
* This article is available for your publication, for a F-E-E.
This article may NOT be reprinted without monetary compensation and written permission from the author.
For reprint rights or comments/questions about this article, please contact the author.
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