Customer Reviews

The Christmas Secret (Thorndike Basic)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is to curl up with a wonderful, touching and inspiring book. Donna VanLiere has become such a tradition for me, or rather her books have. Each year I eagerly anticipate her newest release, which I gobble up within a couple of days and then I am left downtrodden because I know I have to wait another year for another treasure by her.

Each of Ms. VanLiere's stories are filled with the greatest of struggles, perseverance, warmth, the greatest of goodness and bonds of selfless friendship. Each and every story has yet to fail to warm my heart and put a smile to my face at the acts of kindness and generosity of the characters.

The Christmas Secret is the story of a young single mother, Christine, who is constantly struggling to make money to feed, clothe and take care of her beloved young children. To make matters worse, her ex-husband is a vengeful man who tries, at every corner, to make Christine's life more stressful and worrisome with threats of taking the kids away from her.

This is a story of one young mother's deep and unyielding love for her children. A mother who would do anything to care for them. Christine's big break seems to come when she is hired by Betty who is the owner of a bakery/restaurant. It is here that Christine meets many new friends and learns the true meaning of faith, bonding and what it is like to belong. Not to mention this is also the place she comes in contact with an obnoxious and overbearing, but very handsome man, who she feels a strange sort of connection with.

The Christmas Secret is full of delightful twists and turns and a few surprises along the way. I have to say that I adored all of the characters and felt a very special adoration for Gloria, one of the most generous and caring woman you will ever meet. Throughout the entire story, I was brought to tears, laughter, warmth and every motion in-between. Ms. VanLiere has such a mind-blowing talent to bring her readers into the story, make them care deeply for the characters and make the characters and actions remain with the reader long after the final word is read.

I actually discovered Donna VanLiere a few years ago and have felt truly blessed by her work ever since. As I had stated previously, hers is one of the new releases that I eagerly anticipate each year and I have yet to be disappointed. For me, the holiday season isn't off to an official start until I have read a novel by this wonderful author.

I highly recommend The Christmas Secret for anyone looking for an excellent and engrossing story. A story that will remain with you for a very long time and turn you into a huge fan of Ms. VanLiere.

OH MY GOSH!!!! This book, is hands down amazing!!!!

>>Before reading this book I thought to myself, there are a lot of books out there that say, "New York Times Bestselling Author"; and so like dude, what book out there isn't...but after reading a few pages and of course the rest of the book, I realized why this book Is "New York Times Bestselling Author" hands down.

>>This book not only has Christmas (which I truly LOVE), in it but also has a deep, true, simple message; if everyone knew about it and did something about it this world would be a better place!!!

>>>I hope they make a movie out of this book and represent it the way it is written and not leave parts out and ruin the book, but have the book stand for what the movie mirrors.

>>>>I love the characters and how they all come together at the end. its like a mystery, but not giving away too much so the audience is still wondering as the plot develops.

truly a great book!!! it will stay in the fam.!!

If there is a particular time of year that engenders beneficent feelings within us it is the Christmas season. And, adding to the general good spirit of that time are the writings of Donna VanLiere (The Christmas shoes, The Christmas Blessing, The Christmas Hope). Her stories are filled with hope, faith, and love's power, often giving us a boost just when we need it.

Now, The Christmas Secret as read by the author will warm our hearts. This year's holidays may be a stretch for many of us, and it is especially challenging for single parents as we are reminded in the fifth of VanLiere's Christmas Hope series.

Single mom Christine Eisley works as a waitress to support herself and young sons 7-year-old Zach and Haley, age 5. Ex husband, Brad, is zero help in child support but still persists in trying to get custody of the boys.

Before Christine knows it she has lost her job and is threatened with eviction. As luck or the angel's would have it she has shown kindness for another by saving the life of a Wilson's department store employee. The owner of Wilson's want to show his gratitude for this unselfish act but the Good Samaritan has disappeared. His grandson, Jason, is sent in search of the mysterious young woman.

Jason's a bit miffed at this assignment for several reasons, but little does he know where his search will lead him. VanLiere's story is a welcome present this year - enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

I have seen Donna VanLiere's books prominently displayed during the Christmas season for the past few years but never picked one up. While I enjoy holiday stories, I was concerned that they would be too sappy and sugary for me. When I saw she had published another one this year, I decided to try it since obviously many people loved her writing.

Christine Eisley is the main character and she is really struggling through life. A young, single mother of two children, life has been hard and a mean ex-husband continues to make it even harder. Trying to hold down a waitressing job while raising her children and paying all the bills (ex-husband can't pay child support since he bought himself a motorcycle) she is tired and scared for her small family. Some of the most unlikely people offer support and help her when everything seems to be just too much. Christmas is upon them and the kindness of friends and family give her hope that this will end up being a happy season after all.

One must view this through the lens of this genre. While sweet and often predictable, there are some twists and turns that still make it interesting. Not the best writing in the world since certain events are just too convenient for reality, but still a very enjoyable read for the season. I will be going back and reading other books by her.

If you like Debbie Macomber, you'll probably find Donna VanLiere a good choice.

Another terrific Christmas story by Donna VanLiere. I pre-order her books every year and read each of them two or three times throughout the year. They are heartwarming and a constant reminder that if we treated others like we want to be treated the world would be a much better place. My Christmas season always begins with her book. This year is no exception and worth it once again.

What a sweet, warm-hearted story for this time of the year. This is the first book I have read by Donna Van Lier and quite different from the books I usually read.The Christmas Secret was a pleasant surprise.

It is the story of Christine, a single mother struggling to keep her head above water enough to give her kids a nice Christmas. Things just don't seen to be going her way until an unexpected emergency changes everything. And it is also about Jason, who has decided to work at his grandfather's store over the holidays to make some much needed money since being laid of from his accounting job. He feels the job is beneath him but with the influence of his grandfather's goodness and the people he meets he finds something better than making lots of money.

The way the lives of these two characters and the others intertwine was believable and completely engaging. This was a hard book to put down. It was a quick, light read that made for perfect weekend reading.

This book shows how just the briefest interaction can change the direction of a life. It also helps to remind us that no matter how bad things are - they're much worse for someone else. It does all of that while still being an enjoyable light romance.
Invest in this one - you'll want to read it again and again!

Found this "remaindered" at a local bookstore and bought it right before Christmas, along with this year's Christmas novel by Ms. VanLiere and the previously reviewed "Wishin' & Hoping". Am behind in my reading, just finished this and haven't started "The Christmas Note" yet.

I like Ms. VanLiere's writing and this is more or less up to par for her. If I have any complaint it is that there were too many characters for me to keep track of, but then keeping up with names has never been my strong suit. That said, I enjoyed this short easy read and it showed a few "twists" towards the end that seem to abound in most Christmas novels.

This is not great literature, so don't read expecting it. It does accomplish; however, what I believe it sets out to do. And, that would be providing an uplifting story of what we all want to believe Christmastime is about and should be about. No super surprises or "Ah-Hah" moments, but if one reads simply for the enjoyment of reading, give it a try. You'll find it a pleasant diversion

Such a good book, I can not say enough good things about it. I read almost the whole entire book in one day. It was a very touching story, and one I will recommend to everyone. Great book!

Angelia Christine Eisley's husband left her two and a half years after the `I Do's'. She had settled for the wrong man, and now she's a single parent raising a son and a daughter. She puts up with irresponsible babysitters and she isn't getting one penny of child support from her ex. Nothing ever goes right or if something does work out there is another problem right around the corner - this is what she believes. But then, she gets a job as a waitress at Betty's Bakery & Restaurant -that's after she loses her job at Patterson's , because coming to a woman's aid had made her late for work again - and gradually things begin to turn around.

I felt for Christine (the name Angelia preferred) because she was struggling so much as a single parent. And her immature ex-husband wasn't making the situation any easier for her with his constant harassment. There was a choice she made, though - one that could have endangered her children's safety - that I didn't think was necessary. If I remember correctly, she was working for Betty by this time and as kind a Betty was, all Christine had to do was ask for help. She did find lots of help, eventually. Or I should say that helped found her. The job at Betty's Bakery & Restaurant didn't just provide her with the money she needed to buy her children what they needed; it also blessed her with good friends who were willing to lend a helping hand.

This is Book #5 - the second book I've read in The Christmas Hope series. The Christmas Promise (Book #4) was a good read; however, I thought this one was better. It wasn't the whole thing with Christine and Jason that kept the pages turning, though. I liked reading about Gloria and Miriam. They were just getting to know each other in The Christmas Promise, and in this story it seemed they got the kinks out of their relationship. Even though they had their disagreements, they seemed to like each other. I love these characters. They remind me of Lucy (Lucille Ball) & Ethel (Vivian Vance).