40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heart-wrenching and Real, August 21, 2009
This review is from: One Imperfect Christmas (Paperback)
Myra Johnson's debut novel, One Imperfect Christmas, puts together all that is perfect about Christmas--family, faith, celebration of life and the birth of Christ. It also gives us a glimpse into life's imperfections--loss, guilt, self-doubt, and the pain of having a loved one suffer in illness.
Natalie Pearce faces the same frustrations many busy women do--the responsibilities of maintaining a home, trying to quell her temper with a husband whose job is top priority, and providing guidance for an adolescent daughter who can be a handful at times. Add to that a budding career for herself and helping out with her retired parents, and it's easy to see how Natalie falls into the "guilt" trap when her mother has a debilitating stroke. Blaming herself for not being there, Natalie erects a wall around herself, alienating her family and giving her father more worry instead of help in caring for the mom who's confined to a nursing home.
One Imperfect Christmas is a family's journey through broken marriage, misunderstood feelings, and the lengths to which a young teen will go to bring her parents together and be the catalyst for healing and peace. Warm and heartfelt, the writing is deeply introspective, and there were times I didn't like Natalie very much, but as we are all vulnerable to life's traumas, she was also relatable. Who among us is always likeable? And even more, who hasn't experienced the need for divine intervention more than a few times in our lives?
Myra's debut book is one to ponder, to reflect on our own relationships, and to celebrate the joys of Christmas.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Imperfect Christmas gives a perfect ending, October 22, 2009
This review is from: One Imperfect Christmas (Paperback)
Myra Johnson's One Imperfect Christmas rings with truth--not every Christmas is a picture-perfect celebration. Sometimes life deals a blow, bringing even strong Christians to their knees. Natalie Pearce turned down her mother's request to help put away her Christmas decorations. When her mother suffers an incapacitating stroke, Natalie is ripped apart with guilt and spirals into depression, driving a wedge that rips her family apart. If you've gone through a heart-wrenching illness or loss of a loved one, you'll identify with the Pearce family as they struggle through their year of trial. Natalie and Daniel's marriage looks doomed to failure, even as their teenage daughter Lissa schemes to keep her family together. In the end, with God's help, Natalie is able to forgive herself, accept life as it comes and the healing love of family, her very own Christmas miracle.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thank you, Myra, October 12, 2009
This review is from: One Imperfect Christmas (Paperback)
Myra Johnson's book, One Imperfect Christmas, was one perfect gift for myself. The holidays are just around the corner and it's always difficult for me since I lost my mother. I was immediately drawn to the characters in this book because their happiness and tragedies mirrored some within my own family. I could empathize with Natalie for the guilt she felt because I'll always worry, "Did I call Mom often enough", "Did I spend enough time with her" and "Did she really know how much I loved her?" Ms Johnson takes the reader into the heart of this family, through the good times and the bad, and reminds us how wonderful it is to be loved. I look forward to reading her following books.
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