MY REVIEW:
Rick Denton’s relationship with his step-father was strained so he had not returned home after college but had become a successful businessman in another city. Although he had a ski trip planned for Thanksgiving weekend, he dropped everything to help in the family Christian bookstore after his step-father suffered an aneurysm. Totally out of his element, Rick could not wait to return to his own job. Unfortunately, the seriousness of his step-father’s condition required Rick to extend his time at the bookstore at risk to his own career. Listening to customers talk about his mom and step-dad and spending time with single mom Andrea and her daughter, self-centered Rick slowly began to develop a different perspective about his family and his own role in it. In fact, it was an experience that promised to change his life forever.
‘Remembering Christmas’ is a simple yet powerful story that demonstrates Walsh’s excellent writing skills. Filled with interesting and sometimes quirky characters, true-to-life events, a touch of action and suspense, and a bit of romance, ‘Remembering Christmas’ was a satisfying read. An unexpected twist or two helped to hold my attention. ‘Remembering Christmas’ highlights the importance of family, forgiveness, and redemption without being at all preachy. When I viewed the cover of ‘Remembering Christmas’ I thought of warm and cozy winter nights by the fire after a busy day preparing for Christmas. What I found when I opened the pages and began to read was not at all cozy. In fact I kept waiting to get to the cozy part and that just never happened. I loved the cover (especially since that is MY rocker) but for me it just didn’t depict what I found inside. That being said, I did enjoy ‘Remembering Christmas’ once I realized it was just not going to be a warm and fuzzy story. Although not exactly the kind of Christmas story I was expecting, ‘Remembering Christmas’ was well worth my time.
Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can A Successful Executive See More Than A Single Mom Struggling To Provide Christmas For Her Daughter?
Dan Walsh Returns With Another Christmas Story Full of Nostalgia, Wonder, And Hope
Award-winning author Dan Walsh creates a nostalgic, Christmas story that takes readers back in time in Remembering Christmas (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1979-1, 272 pages, September 2011.) A time not so long ago in 1980 when IBM had not yet launched the personal computer; the Boombox was hot; Reality TV was unheard of; MTV was just launching; Ronald Reagan was president; the Winter Olympics witnessed the USA team defeat the favored Soviet team and win the gold; and Rick Denton was in pursuit of his career goals and climbing the corporate ladder.
During this time, the holiday season only slowed Rick from his frenetic normal pace. For Rick, holiday downtime for everyone else meant extra time to get ahead on goals and returning calls. His goal in life was to work hard, play hard, live life on his terms, and answer to no one.
Then the phone call came from his mother during Thanksgiving weekend informing him about his stepfather’s stroke. His mom needed Rick’s help at the little run-down bookstore they owned. He has never liked Art, his stepfather and resents the man’s presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. Reluctantly Rick agrees to help and when he arrives at the store, he soon discovers that a few days of managing the store turn into a few weeks.
While there Rick meets the patrons of the Book Nook – some quirky, some homeless, some chatty, some hip and cool – and one a lovely young woman who trains him on the job. He tends to judge them all– until a moment of truth and discovery: the true meaning of Christmas.
With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, and The Deepest Waters. 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.
