CHRISTMAS HOPE Hardcover – 25 Oct. 2005

I bought this book after watching the TV movie which I loved. The book is a perfect Christmas read, engaging characters, easy plot and filled with the usual Christmas spirit of hope, love and family. Really can't go wrong with this book. Very nicely written.

This is the second book I have read by Donna VanLiere and on the strength of these books I have ordered the rest of her books. This is very well written and one of those books you just don't want to put down. The story is about Patricia, a Social Worker, who has had tragedy in her personal life. In her work life she places vulnerable children in foster homes so they have a better life than the one they have been used to, or that tragedy has occured so they can't stay in the family home. One evening Patricia gets a call to take Emily, a 5 year old girl, whose mother has tragically died, into care. Meeting this child changes Patricia's life forever. Don't let this review lead you into a false sense that this is all gloom and doom, this is a story of love and healing and had me in tears. This certainly brings out the true meaning of Christmas Spirit and Hope.

A warm-hearted, feel-good story for the Christmas holidays. A nice one for a teenage girl.

great

5 starsI am an emotional wreck after reading this book. Genuinely, it takes a lot for me to cry during a book yet I was a blubbering mess after this. It pulled on all my heartstrings. It was heartbreaking, beautiful and a giant hug!This story takes place in 2012 but also in 1972. These two families in two different timelines have one thing in common, a wooden table. When Lauren and her husband Travis buys a second-hand wooden table they didn't realise the history the purchased along with it. When Lauren discovers old family recipes in one of the drawers, she is determined to hunt down the rightful owners. Could they be closer than what they thought?This book is filled with joy, sorrow, grief and hope. I loved every second of reading this. I loved every single character and I can't remember the last time I thought that about a book. Each character and family were different from their circumstances, however, they had a connection. This has an "everything happens for a reason" philosophy about it. I was hooked from the very beginning. I would smell the cooking and I cried with the characters, I was that invested in their story. In saying that, I smiled A LOT too, once or twice I even laughed out loud.This book has the perfect balance of happiness and sadness. It is genuinely an amazing read and I highly recommend it to everyone.

In June 1972, John Creighton determines to build his wife Joan a kitchen table. His largest project to date had been picture frames but he promises to have the table ready for Thanksgiving dinner. Inspired to put something delicious on the table, Joan turns to her mother’s recipes she had given to Joan when she and John married. In June 2012, Lauren Mabrey discovers she’s pregnant. Gloria, Miriam, and the rest of her friends at Glory’s Place begin to pitch in, helping Lauren prepare their home for the baby. On a visit to the local furniture builder, Lauren finds a table that he bought at a garage sale but has recently refinished. Once home, a drawer is discovered under the table which contains a stack of recipe cards. Growing up in one foster home after another, Lauren never learned to cook and is fascinated as she reads through the cards.I really enjoyed this Christmas in July story & how it’s set in two different times forty years apart. A well written read that was heart warming & the addition of some of the recipes at the end was appreciated. Strong characters & a gentle pace made for a relaxing readMy honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I'll be honest The Christmas Table isn't my usual read, in fact it's nothing like the books I tend to lean towards. So, I was a little sceptical going in, especially as this is a faith-based story, and that's not my thing. But I can't deny it was heartwarming, feel-good and easy to read, and I really liked the idea of it being about two women from very different generations who are linked together through a table and family recipes.And Donna VanLiere has certainly created a well-written, descriptive story. That is bursting with love, family, friendship and goodness. And whilst I wouldn't necessarily read The Christmas Table again, I did find it engaging, and if you're a fan of the author or women's fiction in general, then you should certainly give it a try, as it truly is a heartwarming Christmas tale.**I was kindly provided with an ARC by St Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review**