Review: Remembering Christmas

Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh

Publication Date: September 1, 2011
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Genre: Christian Fiction, Christmas
Pages: Hardcover, 264pp
ISBN-13: 9780800719791
ISBN: 0800719794

(Received for an honest review from Revell Books)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, ChristianBook, IndieBound


Dan Walsh on the WEB: website, blog, facebook, twitter


Books by Dan Walsh: The Unfinished Gift (2009), The Homecoming (2010), The Deepest Waters (2011), Remembering Christmas (2011), The Discovery (Coming, April 2012)

Excerpt from Remembering Christmas


Synopsis:


Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls begging him to come home after his stepfather has an aneurysm rick is more than a little reluctant. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and dealing with the homeless guy who keeps hanging around the store. The one bright spot is the lovely and intriguing young woman who works at his side each day.


As Christmas nears, Rick's old life beckons, the hurts from his past loom large, and the decisions he makes will determine more than just where he spends Christmas Eve. 


Thoughts:


Just in time for the holiday season, author Dan Walsh brings readers a heart-warming tale of family and forgiveness. Remembering Christmas is a book readers won't soon forget! With its compelling characters, humor and even a touch of romance this story will remind us of the true spirit of Christmas, while taking us on a walk down memory lane. 


Christmas has become hectic. We travel from one place to another, always on the go, never taking time to savor the moments. It's all about who gets the biggest or most expensive gift. Who has best Christmas light display and who can cook the most extravagant meal. Dan Walsh reminds readers that there are often more important things afoot at this time of year than who can buy the most toys. In his latest book, Remembering Christmas, Walsh draws readers into Rick Denton's life. 


Rick is his own man. He does what he wants and he doesn't answer to anyone. Since his father abandoned him at age 12, and his mother moved on with life with another man, Rick has been on his own and he's happy with his life, so he thinks. Unexpectedly, his mother calls with the news that his stepfather has fallen ill and she needs him at home. Walsh portrays Rick as a man who has distanced himself from his family, because he was hurt and felt unloved and abandoned and he has made a life for himself which doesn't require him to get to close to anyone who could hurt him ever again. He is a complex character with a lot of layers and Walsh is able to bring him to life for the reader. He starts out hard and cold, but as Christmas draws closer he begins to melt a little. The walls around is heart start to soften, and I think readers will love his transformation. Walsh does a fantastic job of giving readers a character to root for. 


I sometimes have a hard time believing  that men can write a good romance. There are however, a few exceptions to that rule, most notably Nicholas Sparks and in my opinion Dan Walsh. Walsh generally writes Christian fiction and does that very well. He isn't pushy and his message is subtle and not overwhelming. He does the same in this book, but he adds another dimension when he brings Rick and Andrea together, working side by side in his families book store, the Book Nook. Walsh is able to show this reawakening that Rick is having from the male perspective and I thought it was very interesting to see his take on how Rick was feeling as his relationship with Andrea becomes deeper and in a sense more complicated. I liked Walsh's easy, slow build up and found that this book had some twists and turns that even I didn't expect!

Though this book is set during the holiday season, the story and the message are timeless. This is a book I would recommend to all of my readers not just the Christian fiction fans. Rick's journey back to love and hope is enchanting and heart warming. His relationships with all the characters including the homeless man who hangs out near the store is deep and full of meaning. A great holiday read or just one to remind us how important family truly is!

Remembering Christmas is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, and The Deepest Waters. A member of American Christian Fiction Writes, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.