Donna Van Liere The Christmas Hope

The Christmas Hope

Donna Van Liere

St. Martin's Nov 2005, $14.95, 224 pp.

ISBN: 0312334508

In spite of their love for one another the death of their son Sean at eighteen threatens to kill the marriage between social worker Patricia and pilot Mark Addison as she has not been able to move on and he can no longer take it as he has grieving to do too. He is leaving her, but she fails to even react to that missive.

Five years old Emily Weist's mother died in a car accident; currently she resides with nice foster parents, but they are leaving town to say their good-byes to his dying father. With no place to put Emily except in a group setting, Patricia decides to bring the little girl to her home for Christmas breaking every rule of the Department of Family Services. Instead of leaving as he planned at that time, Mark pitches in with caring for the little girl. Soon the miracle of Christmas brings these three lost souls together along with an adopted newborn as a loving family with hope for the future.

Donna Van Liere always provides an uplifting tale and her fans will celebrate her latest holiday good cheer. The people starring in THE CHRISTMAS HOPE seem genuine as each struggle in their own way in a world that seems so filled with misfortune at least for them until they connect over on Yuletide season. As with the CHRISTMAS SHOES and THE CHRISTMAS BLESSING, this is an inspirational tale that gives hope for all even when life seems out of control and so dark that no light is imminent.

Harriet Klausner