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The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson | Book Review

When she receives the news in late 1944 that her baby’s father was shot down in the South Pacific, Amelia Richards loses hope. Jobless and broke, she has nowhere to turn for help but her infant’s paternal grandparents. The only problem is, they don’t know that she–or their grandson–exists. When Amelia discovers that the family is wealthy and influential, dare she disclose the truth of her relationship with their son? Or could the celebration of the arrival of another unexpected baby nearly two thousand years ago be the answer to her dilemma?

Beloved author Melody Carlson pens a story of love, hardship, and reconciliation that will leave readers filled with Christmas joy.

I have been loving WWII books lately, so I was excited to read The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson! At the beginning of the story, Amelia has to make the hard choice to leave her home to try to make a better life for her baby, but her determination is tested and she is faced with an even harder choice. Ultimately, she has to decide to do whatever it takes to provide for her baby, even when it’s the hardest thing she’s ever done…but the story doesn’t end there! You’ll have to read the book to see how it all works out 😉 But you can rest assured that it has a happy Christmas ending!

The book is pretty short and is probably considered a novella; usually I’m not crazy about novellas, since it doesn’t give as much time for the characters and plot to develop, but I think Melody Carlson really struck a good balance with this one. Christmas is the perfect time to read about faith, family, second chances, and happy endings, and this book doesn’t disappoint! If you’re looking for a good story to read curled up by the fire this Christmastime, this one is a great choice!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to give a positive review.

- Jen Leave a comment

Justice Buried by Patricia Bradley | Book Review

Justice Buried Book Review | Grace to Grow Blog

The genre of Christian suspense/thriller has been one of my favorites to read for a long time, so I was excited to read Justice Buried by Patricia Bradley. It’s the second book in her Memphis Cold Case series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel. In fact, I didn’t even know it was the second until after I read it!

This is a good, clean mystery with plenty of suspense and action. The plot isn’t farfetched like suspense can be sometimes; it’s something I could imagine actually happening, but at the same time it’s very unique, which makes it keep your attention! It isn’t an overly intense or complex plot, so it’s easy to follow the characters and keep track of what’s happening. The main characters, Kelsey and Brad, are real and relatable, with a good solid friendship. Although the book is technically romantic suspense, it’s definitely more suspense than romance. The faith aspect is also pretty subtle, although it fit well with the story and doesn’t feel preachy when it shows up. Overall, this is a really good book! I would recommend this book to fans of Irene Hannon or Terri Blackstock.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own; I was not required to give a positive review.