Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Adult fiction, Christmas
Published: 2005
Source: Library
Genre: Adult fiction, Christmas
Published: 2005
Source: Library
Summary: Joy's life has turned upside down. She found her husband and sister in bed together, and now they're getting married and having a baby. Since her life is in upheaval, she decides to step away from it all, at least for the holidays. She boards a plane for Hope, which inexplicably crashes and blows up, right after she walks away from it. Finding herself in an unknown town, she stumbles across an old fishing lodge where she meets Bobby, a young boy who believes in magic, and his father Daniel, a recently widowed man. While her and Bobby instantly connect, Daniel seems aloof and disinterested at best. Soon, Joy realizes things aren't what they seem, and that maybe she should believe in magic too.
My Thoughts: Though this was categorized as a Christmas book, I think it could really be enjoyed any time of the year. I sort of guessed the "surprise" midway through the book, as less than subtle hints were often dropped, but I still found myself racing through to the end to discover how it would all turn out. I enjoyed this story tremendously, and especially liked that Joy was a librarian! Woohoo! I was so frustrated at times with her sister and ex-husband, and Joy's eventual attempt at forgiveness. I understand it was Christmas and all, but it was such a nasty betrayal! Ah, well. I really liked her connection with Bobby, who struggled a great deal during his first Christmas without his mother, and a father with whom he'd lost his connection. He latched onto Joy, and their relationship was really sweet. They found each other during a time when they each needed someone the most. I also really enjoyed the fantastical elements of this story. I went into it expecting a realistic read, but was pleasantly surprised by the magic of the story. All in all, this was a really nice story about love, hope, and forgiveness. It's also about believing in the power of magic.
My Rating: 4/5
This does sound like a lovely read. I have to confess that I've been looking for a good Christmas-y type of read and couldn't for the life of me find any. Even though Christmas is now over, I definitely think I'd give this one a go :) Lovely review!
ReplyDeleteI read Kristin Hannah for the first time this year -- her book coming out in March, Night Road. I loved it and will definitely read more from her.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I absolutely love that cover! Second of all, this book sounds like a lot of fun! I'll have to check out over the holidays next year!
ReplyDeleteThis one has been on my list for a while. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I know that if you enjoyed it, I'll probably like it too!
ReplyDeleteAlso, new background? I think it's really pretty!
I just recently finished this book and also loved it! I just found your blog because I've been trying to find discussion questions for this one for my book club but nothing has come up yet.
ReplyDeleteI love Kristin Hannah and this book made me appreciate her even more as an author. This book really touches readers. It'll make you sad and happy all at the same time. This is a wonderful book!
ReplyDelete