Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport

Book description:

Christmas in Gold
After eighty years, change is nothing new for Astrid. By the time she was twenty, she survived the destructive Nazi regime, caring for her family under brutal circumstances, moving to America, and losing her husband. At forty she was widowed again and left to build a new life with her children. Now, when she faces a move into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up hope through tragedy one more time.

Christmas in Blue
In the wake of a personal loss deeper than anyone realizes, Angela plans to bypass as much of the season as possible and get through her duties as the church organist by going on autopilot. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration. After a mysterious young man arrives, townspeople suspect he is the reason that one set of plans after another disintegrate until little is left of their traditions. Yet Angela warms to Gabe because she suspects they share a secret—his real reason for coming to town. Even when all they have to work with is a garish supply of blue Christmas decorations, Gabe helps Angela discover the hidden beauty of hope.

My review:

 I am a sucker for Christmas books, and have way more than I could possibly read during one Christmas season.... but that doesn't stop me from reading and reviewing new ones that come out each year.

 This is the first Christmas book I have read and/or reviewed this year. It is also the first book I have read by this author. Christmas books often revolve around romance, but neither of the two stories in this book do, though there is a hint of a possible romance in the first story.

 I did enjoy both stories. It was neat the way the author brought the color gold into the first story, and the color blue into the first. Each story deals with a different type of loss, and the main character in each story has new challenges thrown her way. Newport not only came up with an endearing plot for both stories, but also endearing and likable characters. I liked Christmas In Blue better than Christmas In Gold. I thought the plot was better, and there were a lot more characters that made you want to like them and experience Christmas the way they were experiencing it. And that is not to say I didn't like Christmas In Gold.... I did. Both stories show the hope and magic of the Christmas season.

 I don't know if the author has previously written any Christmas books, but this is one she can be proud of and is one I recommend to other lovers of a good Christmas story.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:

Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

Check out her website at www.olivianewport.com.


Colors of Christmas is available from Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of  Barbour Publishing.

Thanks to Barbour for the review copy.