From the New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Hope series comes another heartwarming, inspirational story for the holidays.
Thirty-two-year-old Amy Denison volunteers at Glory's Place, an after school program where she meets seven-year-old Maddie, a precocious young girl who has spent her childhood in foster care. Unbeknownst to Amy, Maddie is a mini-matchmaker, with her eye on just the right man for Amy at Grandon Elementary School, where she is a student. Amy is hesitant - she's been hurt before, and isn't sure she's ready to lose her heart again - but an unexpected surprise makes her reconsider her lonely lifestyle.
As Christmas nears and the town is blanketed in snow and beautiful decorations, Maddie and the charming staff at Glory's Place help Amy to see that romance can be more than heartache and broken promises.
In The Christmas Star, Donna VanLiere delivers yet another sweet, joyous story that is sure to capture readers' hearts.
Release Date: October 16, 2018
St. Martin's Press
Inspirational
Christmas Hope #9
Review copy provided by publisher
Liza's review:
The Christmas Star is the 9th book in the popular Christmas Hope series of books from Donna VanLiere. The Christmas Star is a sweet inspirational story that will get readers ready for Christmas.
I have to say that having a young child as a main character of a story doesn't always work for me. However, I really did fall in love with Maddie the mini-matchmaker. She was so precious and I loved she wanted to get her friend Mr. G married off to the new volunteer at Glory's Place. Of course she has no idea the Gabe and Amy not only already know each other, but also were once married to one another. Both Amy and Gabe have changed so much since their divorce, but Amy understandably has trust issues when they first see one another again.
The slow build to Amy and Gabe finding their way back to one another was done very well. I did see it coming well before they started spending more time together, but it was still sweet to see this couple not only rediscover each other, but find a way to accept the changes that occurred while apart and let go of the past. Maddie was really sweet to keep trying to throw them together in the beginning, but I liked the adults took it into their own hands pretty quickly.
My only real issue with the story was I felt like it was more of a surface story than one the delved into all their feelings about the past and present. I really did want Gabe and Amy to discuss the changes that have come about in their lives. I felt like they accepted the changes really quickly, and I would have liked them to talk a bit more before they made long-term choices.
The Christmas Star was an enjoyable read. Readers who enjoy sweet inspirational stories will fall in love with this book. Maddie is absolutely delightful and her joy and enthusiasm is part of the reason I enjoyed the story as much as I did.
Rating: 3 Stars (B-)
