Customer Reviews

One Holy Night

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
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A heart-wrenching story of a war few believed in, a son's duty, a mother's fight to survive cancer, and the devastating results of prejudice. One family's faith is tested to the limit...and beyond.

One Holy Night is a story of true forgiveness, but not easy forgiveness. Frank McRae's losses span over 20 years and go so deep that he will probably never change and he doesn't want to change. His family won't give up hope though, and they continue to pray for this devoted husband and family man. What they need is a miracle, a true miracle of the heart. Set in the Vietnam War era, One Holy Night takes you back to the real story, not the protests or the politics, but the story of a family with a son and brother on tour of duty in Nam. J.M. Hochstetler weaves a captivating and often heart-wrenching story that is well worth the read.

Provocative and insightful, One Holy Night shows in rich detail how God can use the most trying circumstances to bring people around until they see how much they need each other, and need Him. This life-changing story will move you to tears as you experience the humility of a young Vietnamese woman, her husband's desire to see his father heal, and the trials that bring them together in one desperate attempt to save another's life.

One Holy Night is a stunning first release from Sheaf House, a new boutique publisher based in Tennessee. One of the best things about this book is its reader friendly design. The font size and legibility, along with premium paper, contribute to easy reading, even in low light. Kudos to the design team at Sheaf House!

Since savoring the last page of J.M. Hochstetler's story, I have found myself revisiting the characters regularly as if they were members of my own family. The rich characterization and lush description place the reader comfortably in the midst of the story setting: the heartland of America near the end of the Vietnam War. Any reader who can't relate to this turbulent era in U.S. history will grow in understanding, and those who lived during that time will be reminded of the division it created.

Amazingly, Hochstetler tackles several big issues--love, loyalty, war and death--while maintaining a positive thesis. Family can survive. Human love is grander in weakness than in strength. And faith is, by necessity, stronger in tragedy than in triumph.

One Holy Night is a soon-to-be-classic "miracle story" with an inspirational message that will warm your heart with love. It is a wonderful statement of faith and a gift of hope.

J.M. Hochstetler makes another mark on Christian fiction with ONE HOLY NIGHT, a moving and inspirational tale of family, love, war, prejudice, and heartwrenching loss. Though I'm not usually interested in stories set during the Vietnam war, I quickly became caught up in the lives of Hochstetler's characters and felt their joy, pain, and struggle to either hold tight to their faith or open their heart to God. Warning: The deeper you journey into this painfully honest tale, the more you'll need a ginormous box of tissues close by. Very recommended!

You might think this is a Christmas story. And it is. Yet, it's more than that. It is a poignant portrayal of one family during the pathos that was Viet Nam, when, in 1966, a son goes off to war.

Mike McCrae writes from Viet Nam that he has met, fallen in love with--and married--a young Vietnamese girl. All the pent-up hatred for all people Asian erupt in Mike's father, Frank, who's memories of his WWII experience in the South Pacific and the unspeakable treatment meted out, have turned him into a bitter, brittle shell of a man. Frank disowns his son. It doesn't help that Frank's wife, Maggie, is fighting a war of her own--against cancer. Frank tries to bargain with a God he's not sure he even believes in for Maggie's life. And Mike's sister, Julie, tries desperately to hold the family together.

This is a gripping and poignant story about a family torn apart by the inner and outward conflict of war, bitterness, pain and anger, and loss. What ultimately happens on a bitter winter night during a horrible blizzard is so touchingly depicted you'll not soon forget it.

An excellent read no matter what time of the year, One Holy Night is a strong, moving story about forgiveness, hope and healing, and redemption. Highly recommended.

ONE HOLY NIGHT is a powerful, thought provoking tale of the battles many of us are faced with at some point in our lives - war, health, ingrained prejudices, overcoming heartache and loss, and, inevitably, the significance of having a Christian faith. I was deeply moved by the parallel J.M. Hochstetler created between the ongoing battle with Maggie's cancer and the battles her son fought in Viet Nam. I was also touched by Hochstetler's character Terry, and how she used him to illustrate to her readers that our soldiers are never the same once they've gone off to war. But God heals all wounds, even if a scar remains. The same is true for Frank who has gone through so much in his life. It was especially satisfying in the end to witness God's miraculous transformation of Frank and to see Romans 8:28 fulfilled to the highest degree! Well done, Ms. Hochstetler!

The debut release from Sheaf House, Hochstetler does not disappoint with this heartrending tale of loss and new life. Frank McRae has lived for decades with a deep-seated hatred and prejudice against Asians due to the things he witnessed -as well as the loss of his brother - while fighting in WWII. He had no interest in God despite his wife's prayers for countless years. But the loss of his wife and son, and the discovery of his half Asian grandson, will shake his world, and bring him from complete hatred and despair to a new life and hope in Christ. I can't wait to see what comes next from Ms. Hochstetler!

One Holy Night offers a poignant look into the lives of one family touched by war and loss. The McRae's are a real-to-life family, struggling to cope with the range of emotions and experiences that humans encounter. While Maggie (mother) battles cancer, Mike (son) fights for his life in Vietnam. While Dan and Julie (daughter) teach their parishioners and community to love through their ministry and example, Frank (father) struggles with deep-seated bitterness and hate that threatens to tear them all apart.

Each member of the family has his or her personal demons to face, while working to relate to the family as a whole. The plotlines combine to create a touching story with characters that you will feel like you know.

Be prepared with tissues. You will need them as you follow their stories through to the end.

Not only did this book give me a thoughtful glimpse into a time of struggle for our country, it gave me the gifts of laughter and tears. You can't read One Holy Night and not examine your own life. It compels the reader to think about honor, family and forgiveness. Don't we all need a reason to think on those things? This is a great book-I have already recommended it to many family and friends.