@Home for the Holidays (Life, Faith & Getting It Right #16) (Steeple Hill Cafe) (Paperback)

by Meredith Efken (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Like its predecessor, Sahm I Am, this charming holiday novel tracks the e-mail correspondence of a group of stay-at-home moms. As Christmas approaches, their stress levels increase exponentially, but they have friendship and much laughter to sustain them. The women deal with humorous things, like children who get Polly Pockets shoes lodged up their noses, but also with weighty issues: unemployment, decreased sex drive, infertility, cheating spouses and the ups and downs of both pregnancy and adoption. Efken nails the characters' various voices and keeps the pacing brisk, lacing some uproariously funny moments amid the ladies' virtual sturm und drang. Her skillful satire of Rosalyn, the self-righteous and controlling list moderator whose own family is secretly falling apart, is delicious, and she offers a balanced and loving take on gender roles, faith and child-rearing. Both stay-at-home and working Christian moms will recognize their struggles here, and feel the novel's lighthearted humor lessening their load. (Oct. 24)
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Review
"Erma Bombeck was a funny lady, but Meredth Efken is even funnier." -- Christy Award-winning author Randy Ingermanson

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Product Details

• Paperback: 390 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373785704
• ISBN-13: 978-0373785704
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #266,121 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meredith Efken has done it again!, December 5, 2006

By	Deborah "Books, movies, and Chinese Food" (Reston, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

She has put out another book that I proceeded to finish in just a few hours. I was actually in the process of reading two other books, but I dropped them both to read this one. It was definitely worth it. I declare it tied for best book of the year!

In @Home, the sequel to SAHM I AM, we again are meeting up with members of the SAHM (stay at home moms) email group. Rosalyn is now on better terms with her sister Veronica but the two are still at it with their sibling rivalry. They propose to hold a contest as to who can have more readership with their posts, while each facing their own personal situations. Dulice finds herself in the position as a working mom while her husband has become a SAHD. Zelia is in the process of adopting two children from Zimbabwe while Brenna is trying her luck with egg donation adoption. Then there's also Jocelyn who's slowly busying herself to death, Paige who has to take over for her pastor husband who's fallen ill, and Marianne, the newest member who finds herself with the baby blues and a very unruly 2 year old. The women still find time to get together and talk about everything through the email loop.

I looooooooved this book. It's so addictive to read because there are no chapters to stop at. I found everyone's story funny, sad, touching, and very very real. The only thing I didn't like was the attitudes of some of the women when Dulcie was talking about her work experience. While it's understandable that things have changed with her life, it still wasn't fair for the group to gang up on her and accuse her for not being true to herself. I don't think it's right for people to tell others what to do simply because that is what work for their own selves. Dulcie enjoyed going to work, the other women should not have put guilt trips on her for doing so. There were some times I wanted to strangle Rosalyn with her snobbishness but at least this time we had Veronica there to tell her off about it. The sisters' relationship was very funny and realistic. I really enjoyed reading this book. It's such a fun and easy and enjoyable read and it helped to get me in the holiday spirit.

(i also must confess that I never got the hang of the Christmas song game and only figured it out after I visited Meredith's website and saw the answer *sheepish look*.)

5.0 out of 5 stars --, April 18, 2009

By	Christian Review of Books - See all my reviews

For this email loop of stay-at-home moms, the weeks before Christmas are anything but jolly. Trying to balance housework, home crises and the husband without losing your mind needs therapeutic help. Better reach for your laptop--and your on-line friends.

Veronica has just learned she's expecting her first baby. She's excited--and scared. Attending her first childbirth class, she's convinced that if she had any inkling of the pain to follow, she never would have allowed her husband to wink at her, much less kiss her. Zelia is battling her mother-in-law about whether to come to Europe or stay at home for Christmas. Dulcie's husband loses his job, and she's forced to go back to work. Will Dulcie even be allowed to stay on the SAHM-I Am list? And when the holidays threaten total madness--will good feelings prevail?

@ Home for the Holidays is the sequel to SAHM-I-Am, but it easily stands alone. It was good to catch up with Dulcie, Zelia, Rosalyn, and the rest of the women on the e-loop. The fighting between Veronica and her sister continue on-line, but the ladies are still there for each other, to support, encourage, and generally offer friendship.

I laughed out loud in several spots of the book and made my husband stop what he was doing to listen. I think every woman needs to be in an e-loop like this where they can form open, honest friendships. And even though this e-loop is fictional, I enjoyed catching up with all the characters and learning what is happening in their lives. I hope that Ms. Efkens has another book planned for this series. @ Home for the Holidays is a book you will not want to miss this Christmas. Discussion questions are included at the end. $13.95. 390 pages.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book, May 14, 2008

By	ham1299 (USA) - See all my reviews

I love Efken. She writes great stories, and the e-mail format is fun. It's a nice change from the usual books out there! ;-) The story is enjoyable, and it's nice light reading. The perfect escape.