When Lisa Marsh is roped into serving Thanksgiving dinner at the local community center, she encounters hundreds of children, lively teenagers, stubbornly independent veterans, eccentric elderly people, and a particularly rude and scruffy homeless man named Pete. The evening ends in disaster, but when her best friend challenges her to reach out and help other people, Lisa decides to take on the project of reforming Pete – whether he likes it or not.
Her plan is simple: Help him find a job and become respectable. All he needs is a helping hand and some guidance. And a shave. Definitely, a shave.
Pete is willing to work, especially if it means spending time with the pretty volunteer, but her tactless determination to “reform” him makes him dig in his heels. Her creative ideas for employment become increasingly outrageous, but every time he tries to put an end to her meddling, she charms him with her good intentions and willingness to serve others.
Lisa finds herself unaccountably attracted to her vagabond protégé and irresistibly entangled in the lives of the other people she meets at the community center. Before she knows how to stop it, her one small service project snowballs into an extraordinary Christmas ministry that just may change her life forever.
my point of view:
How about a little “Christmas in July”?? need to beat the heat where you are at? I think you will enjoy this refreshing story that takes place during the holiday season in a nice snow filled romance!
This story truly touched my heart. I have had a lot of experience in ‘serving’ Thanksgiving meals at homeless shelters, so I could totally relate to Lisa’s first time doing that! I was so taken with her huge heart and desire to help, even though she felt so reserved and nearly frightened by the prospect. The true depth of this story is honestly much greater than the description above.
Lisa is a heroine with a lot of past heart ache she is still learning to deal with. Kids today may refer to it as “baggage” but I am not a fan of that term. To me the trials of our past makes us the people we are today, whether they were good trials or hard, we are forged in the fire so to speak, of God’s love. Lisa is no exception to this, the circumstances surrounding her husband’s passing certainly makes her anxiety issues understandable! But her big heart and her sister in laws prodding get her back out into the world of the living and humor lightens this story up a great deal with a classic mistaken identity theme that had me literally laughing out loud at times!
Luckily my hubs has gotten used to this from me over the years, lol! Enter…Pete…our delightful, somewhat goofy, hero in need of rescuing, or so Lisa believes. Thank goodness Pete sees the potential of Lisa’s plans for the homeless, and he reluctantly ‘plays’ along for a good cause! I could talk for many more paragraphs on this delightful story, but I don’t want to give away the whole story, lol, so please forgive me!
I already own this ebook but haven’t read it yet. It sounds delightful. Thanks for the reminder, I’m starting it today. I love to read Christmas books any time of the year. I love reading about the joy of Christmas although my Christmas seasons are nothing like what I read in books. (No need to enter me in the drawing, of course.)
That is so great, Sherri – I know you will enjoy it! Thank you so much for sharing!
I hope you enjoy it, whether you read it now or at Christmastime!
I would love to start reading about Christmas now that we will be hitting the near 100’s this weekend. I have already started thinking about about Christmas with a Nine year old boy going to be apart of my life. Christmas is my favorite part of the year. I hope I get the One who get the book.
We are in the 100’s here in Florida too, Tammy – ugh!! Praying for you to have a wonderful Christmas with a nine year old boy! That is such a great age!
Our 9 yo grandson has been staying with us for the past week. My husband and I are empty-nesters, so it’s quite a change in our quiet life! I haven’t got any writing done, but we’ve crammed lots of fun activities into the days so far.
Christmas in July Christmas romances remind me of cooler crisp days, the magic of Christmas—while I’m sweltering in 99 degree humid weather. Calgon (Christmas in July) take me away!
LOL, Kathee!! I totally remember the Calgon commercials! I completely enjoy these cool weather stories about now too, thank you so much for dropping by!
I won’t object to the hot weather! Summer is all too short in WIsconsin. <3 Still, it's a good time to read about snow and Christmas.
Wow, Paula, another new to my author, and you make me want to pick up the book!! Thanks, again!! The book does sound like a good one for laughing out loud!
Hope you get the chance to read it, Trudy!
I hope you enjoy it!
I love Christmas!!! All year around. I love the hustle and bustle of getting things ready, The tree decorations, the presents, the meals and the family gatherings.
Most of all, I love the fact that I am called to remember what Christmas is all about. The Baby in the Manger, Who grew up to die on the cross. May I keep Christmas in my heart all year long.
Besides I would rather think about the season of Christmas with the snow that comes then actually have the snow that comes with the season.
I am with you on the snow, Beverly – wouldn’t mind having a little here in Florida though, lol! I miss the family meals and gatherings, my Christmas is now just me and hubs…….but the most important part is remembering the reason, as you said!
I have to admit… I’m pretty pleased with the nativity play scene near the end of this book. It’s sort of sweet and funny and touching, if I do say so myself. LOL
It is good to be exposed to topics like this, as oftentimes people prefer to only want to read about things they are familiar with….and this is definitely an arena many have not been around.
It also sounds like a great time of year to escape the heat and pretend like it is winter time! LOL
Thank you for sharing your insight, Susan, it is always refreshing to hear from you!
It was good for me to explore the topics in this book. I have a couple family members with severe anxiety, and I think it helped me understand them better. The book addresses homelessness (or near-homelessness), the issues confronting elderly people, and the plights of homeless and troubled veterans. PTSD is addressed more in Hope for the Holidays, a stand-alone sequel to Snow Angels. I was particularly appalled by the statistics about homeless female veterans. For some reason, I hadn’t really considered them.
Still, as sad and “deep” as this book is, I still find it mostly funny and even laugh out loud at parts of it. Some parts of it make me cry.
I loved this book. We need this book. This book is important for all the communities Cathe mentions, but also for caregivers, pastors, community organizations and organizers.
Excellent point, Andrea, thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you, Andrea! You are always so kind and encouraging to me!
Snow Angels sounds like a great book!
I read Christmas themed books all year long. Even though we should live our lives like every day is Christmas so often the hustle & bustle shoves the feelings to the side. I have found that reading an occasional Christmas themed book can sort of reenergize my Christmas feelings. So, even though my family thinks I’m batty, I happily crack open those books regardless of the season!
Good! I agree… there’s something special about Christmas in July – or other off-season times.
I agree, Erica, its always a good time today read a Christmas story!❤️
Not only in July…but all year round we should celebrate the birth of Our Savior 🙂
I love Christmas! And Christmas stories!!!
Cathe, thank you so much for the Love Letters reminders 😉
Blessings!!!
Thank you for the encouragement! I love writing and sending those emails.
Amen, Natalya! Thank you for sharing!❤️
Hi, I love, love Christmas so I do not care what time of year it is, a Christmas book is Always welcomed in my hands! ! 🙂 Honestly, I love Christmas stories anytime of the year. Your book sounds like a very good book and the cover is beautiful, it really sounds like a story I would enjoy reading, I will be adding this book to my TBR list. God Bless you.
Thank you, Alicia, I feel the same way!
Thank you, Alicia. I hope you enjoy it!
I like to read Christmas books in July because I like the hopeful, happy feeling they give me. It is also nice on a week of super hot weather to think of snow and holidays with family.
Yes – they evoke all the best feelings!
Same here, Lori! It’s only July and the heat has me melting!
I alove everything Christmas. Christmas in July is awesome. just finished reading Christmas Camp.
I haven’t read that. Was it good? Who wrote it?
That sounds interesting, Kristy…a camp for Christmas! Thank you for sharing!
Sounds great..as well as in life helping people who need it.
This one woild be great
Thank you so much for sharing, Melinda!