The Doctor's Christmas (Love Inspired #232) [Mass Market Paperback]

Marta Perry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

A Season Of Miracles . . .

God could not have chosen a worse time to send Dr. Grant Hardesty to Button Gap. Three abandoned children were depending on Maggie Davis's clandestine care until their mother returned. Maggie didn't think she could trust the by-the-book doctor with her secret. Until she got a glimpse into his soul . . . and God's mysterious ways became as clear as a starry night.

Maggie knew her trust was well placed as this once-aloof doctor opened his heart to the children . . . and her. But as Grant's time in Button Gap ended, she prayed for one more miracle. Could God make this man who seemed to have everything recognize that it all meant nothing without Maggie's love?

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373872429
• ISBN-13: 978-0373872428
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,966,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I realized I wanted to be a writer at age eight, when I read my first Nancy Drew novel, The Secret of the Old Clock. Most little girl reach the end of that book wanting to be Nancy. I wanted to be the person who created the story!
The dream lay hidden for years while I became a teacher, married, had children...all the usual things. But eventually it re-surfaced, and I began to write, beginning with short children's stories for Sunday school take-home papers. It seemed a long time until that first acceptance, but eventually I began to sell. After some three hundred published short stories, I finally found the courage to work on the novel I'd always wanted to write.
Thirty-some published novels later, I still feel the same excitement every time I begin a new book--a mix of not believing I can do it combined with an overwhelming urge to see the story on the page.
A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and my own Pennsylvania Dutch roots eventually led me to the books I'm writing now about the Amish. The Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books are longer, more complex emotional stories with Amish main characters, while my forthcoming HQN suspense novels are more adventure-filled books set in Pennsylvania Dutch country. I'm also writing a Love Inspired series, The Bodine Family, set on the South Carolina coast where we have a second home.
When I'm not writing, I'm busy with church activities, traveling, and spending time with my three children and six beautiful grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars get into the holiday spirit!, November 30, 2003

By 

bas91107 "bas91107" (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Doctor's Christmas (Love Inspired #232) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have a personal unwritten rule that I never read Christmas Books before Thanksgiving. This book I started the day after Thanksgiving and it went far to put me in the holiday spirit!

Maggie Davis is an extremely likable person. She's overcome a difficult upbringing and has returned to her home town in the back-of-beyond rural mountain town of Button Gap. She has spent the last five years as the Nurse at the free clinic. She basically runs the clinic. The clinic also has a volunteer doctor. These doctors come in for a one month term of service. December's doctor is Grant Hardesty. Maggie would like Grant if it wasn't for her secret. She's hiding 3 children until their mother can get her life together and return to them. If Grant finds out about them, he might turn them over to the social service system. Unfortunately the Social Service worker that serves Button Gap is not the loving, caring individual we would like to see in such a position. Maggie feels determined to keep the children together until their mother returns.

Grant has his own reasons for going to Button Gap. He wants a partnership in a Baltimore practice, and this clinic is a pet project of the Senior partner. The Senior Doctor sends Grant to Button Gap to "get some passion" into him. Grant has held himself aloof since his vibrant young brother died. It's fun watching the rich, well-polished Grant adjust to small town life. (no restaurants? patients pay in pies and sausages?) Of course, the town does put some life into him. Grant also re-discovers the God he had left behind at his brother's death.

The town of Button Gap could also be described as a main character in this story. Typical of Marta Perry's writing, there is a wise elderly person, in this case the town's "Aunt" Elly. I wish I could sit down and visit with Aunt Elly. She is full of God's grace and wisdom.

The book has enough romance to make me happy and even a few suspense-filled scenes. The Happy-ever-after ending is too good to be true, but isn't it nice to have everything all tied up neat and tidy?

This is a great book to curl up with on a cold winter's evening. Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, July 11, 2007

By 

Donna K. "bookcrosser" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Doctor's Christmas (Love Inspired #232) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a great story - I loved the way the characters interacted with each other, especially the three young children. I loved the supportive community and how they rallied as a group to take care of each other. And I loved accompanying both protagnosts on their journey of personal growth. This was an awesome book to inspire the Christmas spirit and keep it buring throughout the year.

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Story, June 11, 2011

By 

M. Palmer "Michelle P." (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Doctor's Christmas (Love Inspired #232) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a sweet love story. If you are looking for a lot of romance and kissing, this is not the book to read. It was pretty subtle...a few stolen kisses, but not many. The book held plenty of interest and wonderment, but it lacked the romance I love to read in these books...

I was able to read this bok through in a day, but it was more because I just wanted to get through it...at times I had to force myself to pick it up...it seemed slow in some places, and I didn't have the heart-fluttering like I do in so many...

But this is a sweet story full of God's love, and the discovery of love between a doctor and nurse...