Published by Worthy Publishing on October 13th 2015
Genres: Christian, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 240
Even though it is only October, I have officially read my first Christmas book, and it certainly wasn’t the story I thought I’d read!
While I read this book in just a couple of hours and loved every page, it doesn’t mean the story is too short! Ms. Ruchti certainly gives us a full storyline in this beautiful little novel and the characters are great! The story starts out with Micah, a very tender hearted man proposing marriage to Katie who flatly declines. You would think this would set the tone for the book, but the good news is that it’s just the beginning. What follows is the surprising reaction of the family and the Christmas celebration that warms her.
Katie didn’t have loving family memories from her childhood, so Micah’s family was a big adjustment to her, having to deal with a rowdy close-knit family. But we all know that Christmas always bring out the best in people and somehow, in Katie and Micah’s case, there could just be light at the end of the tunnel waiting for them. I loved the family’s choosing to become better people and learn from their past rather than allowing regrets and mistakes in life stop them or make them bitter. This is defiitely advice all of us need to remember and apply in our own lives.
As I was reading this book, I could imagine it being a “made for TV” Christmas movie later this year. It’s one of those stories where everything seems to go wrong, but then at the end of the day, family bands together and accepts one another’s huge differences and everything is beautiful.
Overall, this is a quick read with a great story. I found myself thinking about the story long after I closed the book. I could see a follow up or “part two” novella being released, and if there is, I would definitely read it. I’m certain if you read this book, you’ll find yourself somewhere in the story, and when it’s over, you will be able to celebrate your own endless Christmas.
Taking multi-tasking to new heights (or depths, depending on your perspective), Cynthia Ruchti is the award-winning author of recent releases “All My Belongings” (novel), “When the Morning Glory Blooms” (novel), and “Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices” (nonfiction). She makes potato corn chowder for her husband of 42 years, loves on her three kids and five grandchildren, recently retired from 33 years of writing and producing a daily radio broadcast called THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME, is past president of the 2,700-member American Christian Fiction Writers and now serves as ACFW’s Professional Relations Liaison, all while working on more book projects in addition to the eight already on the shelves. The year 2010 saw the release of her debut novel–“They Almost Always Come Home” by Abingdon Press (a Carol Award finalist)–and a Christmas collection novella, “The Heart’s Harbor” in A Door County Christmas, a Family Fiction Reader’s Choice, by Barbour Publishing. “His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf is Not,” released Nov 1, 2011. Another novella collection–“Cedar Creek Seasons” (Barbour) released in spring of 2012. “When the Morning Glory Blooms” (April 2013) was followed by “All My Belongings” (2014, also from Abingdon Press). Her books have recently been honored with two Selah Awards, two Christian Retailing’s BEST Awards, and awards from CAN Golden Scrolls and AWSA Golden Scrolls. She tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through writing and speaking, but she gave up knitting, counted cross-stitch, sewing her own clothes, naps, and dusting baseboards a long time ago. You can find Cynthia Ruchti at her Webpage or catch her on Facebook, or even in the kitchen, brewing herself another cup of tea.
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