Oh...my...what a story! I truly loved this book and although it is my first experience with Richard Paul Evans writing, I am not a lifelong fan and am on the hunt for the rest of his work!About the Book:
From the author of the beloved classic, The Christmas Box, comes another inspiring story of the power of love and the wonder of Christmas.
"There are stories, Christmas stories that are stored away like boxes of garlands and frosted glass ornaments, to be brought out and cherished each year. I've come to believe that my story is a Christmas story. For it has forever changed the way I see Christmas."
The Christmas season is supposed to be full of joy, but not for Mark Smart. Life had dealt him one blow after another until one snowy November night, when he finds a beautiful young woman who will change his life forever. Macy Wood has little memory of her birth parents, and memories she'd rather forget of her adopted home. A Christmas ornament inscribed with the word "Noel" is the only clue to the little sister she only vaguely remembers, a clue that will send her and Mark on a journey to reclaim her past, and her family.
About the Author:
When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written eleven consecutive New York Times bestsellers. He is one the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has won several awards for his books including the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. His books have been translated into more than 22 languages and several have been international best sellers. My Thoughts:
Like I mentioned before, I really loved this novel. I picked it up on a whim at the public library as a quick Christmas read and I am so glad that this book fell into my hands.
This story is touching...and encompasses the idea that love and family come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes we need to look beyond our own losses and hardships to find true happiness and love. The main character, Mark, really is a unique perspective to write a novel from - a man who is down and meets the woman he knows is the love of his life but must give her up so that she can deal with her own demons.
Macy, Joette, and all of the other supporting characters add so much to the novel, even the Hummels! And perhaps one of the best parts of this book is the relationship between Mark and Stu because that storyline is central to Mark's experiences. I loved how the author weaved all of the stories together to create a real work of art.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the excerpts that the author introduces each chapter with from Mark's journal. These became stepping stones for me as a reader and I marked pages down so that I could go back and write them down later...little snippets of wisdom from a regular guy, but so profound that they make a reader pause and ponder them.
Kudos to Richard Paul Evans...I had already heard he was a fantastic author but finding out or myself was a real pleasure!
Just read most of Richard's books over the past few months. All of them were checked out from my local library. Very good author and very good stories.
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