Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls begging him to come home after his stepfather has an aneurysm, Rick is more than a little reluctant. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and dealing with the homeless guy who keeps hanging around the store. The one bright spot is the lovely and intriguing young woman who works at his side each day.
As Christmas nears, Rick's old life beckons, the hurts from his past loom large, and the decisions he makes will determine more than just where he spends Christmas Eve.
With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have you remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.
My review:
Dan Walsh totally captivated me with his first book, also a Christmas novel, The Unfinished Gift. This not a review of that book, but if you haven't read it, you need to - totally awesome. It is possibly the best Christmas novel I have ever read.
This is a totally different story, but it was a terrific and very moving story also. Walsh has again created some great and likable characters. The story also has some very unexpected twists and turns.
Remembering Christmas is a book that would be great to sit by a fire with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. It gets at the heart of Christmas: giving, family, and God. There is a slow progression of change in the main character, and a lesson that he learns that would be good for all of us: we should be careful of how we treat the people that cross our path, for they might not be who we think they are. (Read the book to see what that means).
I enjoy a good Christmas story and jump at the chance to read and/or review one. And this one did not disappoint. Walsh has written another great Christmas story that is sure to entertain, move, and help focus on the real meaning of Christmas.
Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, The Deepest Waters, and Remembering Christmas. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.
Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Thanks to Donna at Revell for the review copy.
2 comments:
After reading The Unfinished Gift, I decided to give my dad three of Dan's books for Christmas...and then I intend to borrow them!
Mark,
I set a Google Alert to catch as many of the reviews for Remembering Christmas as I could during the Blog Tour.
Glad I did, especially after reading yours. Thanks so much for the kind words. And for bringing up The Unfinished Gift (still so close to my heart).
It's hard to believe, this week I'm working on my 8th novel already, the first book of the fiction series I'm starting with Gary Smalley.
Book 5 is a book that just came for Guideposts (not available retail, just through their online store). But Book 6, The Discovery, comes out in April. Next fall Book 7, The Reunion. Both are already finished, and in the pipeline.
Hope you'll get a chance to review them when they release. And I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Dan
PS Annette, thanks SO much for buying the books for your Dad. Drop me a line after you get your hands on them and tell me what you think :)
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