Child of Hope, book #114

 

 

Aah, the last book of the We Three Kings trilogy.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them and highly recommend you read them.

Love has brought growth to the King family over the past few years, and it has helped to heal the wound that grief had inflicted on their lives. Though their father will always be missed, Hunter and Heather have tried to move forward in a way that brings honor to their dad’s memory.  Hayden King carries a burden that he feels is his alone, and the weight of it is crushing the life out of him. After his last surgery failed to achieve what he’d hoped it would, he rarely leaves his apartment, spending most his days immersed in movies and television.  Paige Cantor has returned to Minneapolis because her life has fallen apart, and she has nowhere else to go. Determined to take care of her disabled son as best she can, she agrees to take on the job of housekeeper to Hayden King, replacing her mom in the position. For several months, she’s watched the man struggle with the turn of events that have left him without the lower portion of his left leg.  When she has no option one day but to take her son to work with her, Paige hopes that Hayden will stay in his room as he does most days. Unfortunately, Hayden walks into the kitchen to find Rylan sitting in his wheelchair at the table.  Meeting Rylan opens Hayden’s eyes, and he finds himself drawn to the young boy and his mom. Though she has cooked and cleaned for Hayden for months, it is only as he interacts with Rylan that Paige begins to see a different side to the wounded man.  Both Paige and Hayden have experienced dashed hopes and discouragement, and neither of them are looking forward to the holidays. But a cheerful little boy helps them to remember the real reason for the season, opening their hearts to the possibility of love and hope for the future… if they’re willing to let go of the hurts and fears of the past. (picture and description from Amazon)

I have one Christmas book left to read fast to make it before 2024, and the, after reading Tamara Alexander's new book, I have to think of a reading plan to work through my VERY LONG "Books to be Read" list!  Any ideas?

Never stop reading ...

Melissa

Child of Love, book # 113

 

Book in the great new series I found by Kimberly Rae Jordan.  In this book, Heather finds love with a car repair man, of all people!  

Christmas joy has been a little easier to find this year for Heather King and her loved ones. But while their grief over the loss of her father has ebbed to some degree, his absence is still a huge hole in their lives that they do their best to fill by carrying on his legacy of love and caring for those who cross their paths.  Heather’s heart and mind finally feel in sync, and she’s ready to focus on the future, which she really hopes includes a love of her own. Unfortunately, while their wealth has been a blessing, it’s definitely a curse when trying to date. Previous experience has shown her that a man’s focus is more likely to be on her money than on who she is.  When Asher Larson stopped to help a motorist on the side of the highway, he had no idea what he was getting into. Already struggling to adjust to the unexpected arrival of his young niece, Ash isn’t sure that he has the time or energy to deal with a wealthy woman who seems determined to be a part of their lives.  Though Heather sees much in the reserved man to be admired, Ash doesn’t seem to be as enamored of her. His niece is adorable but also struggling to find her place in this new life she’s ended up with. All Heather wants is to make things easier for the pair, which means exposing them to the King wealth—clearly something that Ash struggles with.  Ash wants Isla to have a memorable Christmas, different from the kind he had as a kid. However, he’s kind of clueless on how to do that since his own experiences with the holiday have always been of a more bare bones variety. When Heather offers him the help he needs, Ash knows he’d be a fool to turn her down, even though he knows it’s a risk for his heart and the feelings for her that he doesn’t want to flourish.  Will Ash be able to see what they have in common? Or will the differences in their lives keep them from exploring what could blossom between them? Ash comes to understand that Christmas is a time for love as they celebrate the love God showed in sending His Son to the world.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Below is a screenshot from my Kindle that completely sums up the Gospel:

I am well over half done with the third and final book in the series and it is going a little different way than the others so I'm excited to see how it ends up!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Child of Joy, book #112

 

Finally!  A Christmas book I can really get into!  I should have known I could rely on Kimberly Rae Jordan to step it up for me.  I absolutely loved this and can't wait to read the next two in the series!

Where Christmas once brought joy and happiness for the King family, in recent years, it has been overshadowed by sorrow. As they endeavor to carry on their father’s legacy, the King triplets meet people who impact their lives in ways they never expected.  Since his father tragically passed away four years ago, Hunter King has done his best to step into his shoes. That has included being a support for his triplet siblings, Hayden and Heather, and their mom. Christmas is the hardest time of year for the family since it was their dad’s favorite holiday, and he always threw himself into the festivities, both for his family and for people around them, especially those in need.  As Christmas nears once again, Hunter comes across a single mom and her young daughter, who are tenants in a rundown building that has been earmarked for demolition. Hunter feels responsible for their situation since he had bought the building specifically to tear down, so he and his family try to do what they can to help them.  Carissa Jenkins is near rock bottom and desperate to find a new place for her and her daughter, Rachel, to live. When she finds herself with the attention of Hunter King, owner of the building and uber-rich businessman, she isn’t sure what to think. However, her circumstances mean that she has no choice but to accept the help that the King family offers.  As she and Hunter are drawn into each other’s lives, they discover a shared grief. Though Carissa isn’t convinced that she and Rachel are anything but a charity for the Christmas season for the King family, she finds herself falling for the man. Carissa struggles with her feelings because she feels indebted to Hunter and his family after everything they’ve done for her and Rachel and thinks a relationship would be unequal.  Christmas brings healing and a renewed joy for both families. Will it also bring an unexpected chance at love as they discover that not every gift is wrapped beneath the Christmas tree? (picture and description at Amazon)

Hope you all are reaching your reading goals as 2023 comes to a close.  I have blown mine out of the water, but that happens when I read the Bible through.  Even if you haven't don't let that stop you from reading!

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” Mortimer J. Adler

Happy Reading!

Melissa

The Wedding Planner's Christmas Wish, book #111

 

Again, an ok Christmas book, but still not exactly what I was looking for.  Surely there are Christmas books that aren't just Hallmark movie material?

Her Christmas wish? ... the perfect family!  In this Wedding in New York story, wedding planner Alexandra makes every bride’s dream come true! If only she could magic her own fairy-tale ending… After a devastating loss, Alexandra has kept everyone at a distance. Until Drew, owner of New York’s ultimate wedding venue, and his four-year-old daughter come along and steal her heart. This Christmas, will Alexandra let her guard down and accept the happy-ever-after she never dared dream of?  (picture and description from Amazon)

I'm going to go ahead and start our Christmas book for Book Club and hope for the best ...

Keep reading!

Melissa

The Christmas Letters, book #110

 

The reading of Christmas books is taking longer this year, but I finished another one.  Since I can't run to  my local LifeWay store anymore, I've had trouble finding good Christian Christmas books, so I've just been hoping the ones I pick on Amazon are ok.  I started one and said, Nope! so luckily it wasn't too expensive.  We don't even have a local Books-a-Million anymore, only a Barnes & Noble about 30 minutes away and they don't have a Christian fiction section at all (boooo!) So, Amazon it is.

This one wasn't too bad, at least there was no foul language in it and not even too much drinking, but no mention of God or Jesus. I'd probably recommend it if you are looking for a Hallmark Movie type book.

Elizabeth Holloway's sparkling world comes crashing down around her when her boyfriend of seven years drops the bomb that he’s leaving her—at Christmas. In an attempt to piece her life back together, she suddenly finds herself seven hundred miles from her New York City home, trudging through the snow, back at her childhood farm in the Great Smoky Mountains.  And she isn’t expecting to meet visitor Paul Dawson with his dazzlingly blue eyes and warm smile, chipping away at her resolve to focus on figuring out who she is and what she really wants in life.  Just when she starts to think things are moving in the right direction, a stack of letters from Elizabeth’s grandmother will change everything she thought she knew about her family and cause a divide between her and Paul that she never saw coming.  Under the glitter of Christmas trees and bundles of mistletoe, Elizabeth uncovers more than she’d ever imagined. Will the Christmas letters strip her of everything she holds dear? Or will they be the biggest gift of the season? (picture and description from Amazon)

I can probably read about one or two more before I start my Book Club Christmas book!

Keep Reading!

Melissa