Book Review - The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

Title: The Christmas Blessing
Author: Donna VanLiere
Genre: Holiday (Christmas)

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Book Around the States Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Read Your Own Books 2010, TBR Challenge 2010, Reading From My Shelves Project 2010, 100 + Reading Challenge, Romance Reading Challenge 2010, Audio Book Challenge 2010, Romance Challenge 2010, Pages Read 2010, Every Month is a Holiday 2010, Contemporary Romance Challenge in 2010

Rating: 5/5
No. of Pages: 224 (Audio)
Published: 2003

Back Cover: In The Christmas Shoes, young Nathan Andrews was a child who lost his mother to cancer. Now his deepest wish is to become a doctor. When a stranger named Robert gave him the money to buy his mother a pair of shoes for her last Christmas, both Robert and Nathan learned the deepest lessons of love and giving. Now a medical student in his third year, Nathan realizes there are still things to be learned about faith, blessings, and sacrifice. Lessons he will learn from Meghan Sullivan-a young woman born with a hole in her heart that has not kept her from becoming a champion runner. And lessons learned from a young boy named Charlie, who teaches how to live a life of true courage. Together, they will help guide Nathan through the darkest period in his life. The Christmas Blessing is an inspiring about hope existing in the darkest places, and love is always the greatest gift of all.

Mine: In the continuation of The Christmas Shoes, Nathan is now grown up and a medical student with a crisis of conscience (is he really cut out to be a doctor).

He runs into Robert (not knowingly at first) as he visits his mother at the cemetery as he leaves the shoes. Robert notices and tries to track him down.

Meghan Sullivan is a friend of Charlie’s and a patient that Nathan has to deal with. Meghan meets Nathan as she is looking for people to sponsor and participate in a charity race. Meghan and Charlie teach Nathan the meaning of Christmas and the gift of giving and faith again. Nathan thought that this was forever lost.

2nd Challenge 2010

This challenges was previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog. When J. Kaye kindly offered to let Royal Reviews take over running this host we were very excited.

The great thing about this challenge is that it's not just for your second in a series books, but the second time you've read an author as well. This encourages you to give authors another try if you haven't liked the book you've read or simply another excuse to read a book by an author you loved.

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious – Read 3 novels that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Fascinated – Read 6 that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Addicted – Read 12 novels that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Obsessed – Read 20 novels 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the 2nd Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.