Review: Where Treetops Glisten

The day that I received this book in the mailbox, I walked out in jeans and a sweater. It wasn’t hard to imagine snow floating down from the sky in Michigan. Michigan’s weather is notorious for drastically changing, and a week later, when I’m reading this book, the sun in shining and I am comfortable in shorts.

Fortunately, fall in Michigan means lots of apple goodies, and apple pie is among my favorite. It was also a Christmastime staple growing up. So, a novella collection, and warm pie to accompany it might just help me get in the Christmas (and winter, since the snow will probably fly sooner than later) spirit, even it if it only the end of September.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

**I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review**

The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories, filled with the wonder of Christmas Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana. In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help. Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew? In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart. The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future?

White Christmas by Cara Putman:

Cara Putman’s novel is the first one in this collection, and I was instantly caught up in the lives of Abigail and Jackson. While, WWII is pretty much in the background of this novel, it has a subtle impact on their lives. Jackson’s story starts out with a bit of mystery and is really the line that moves this story forward. Abigail’s story is more along the emotional side as she deals with wanting to protect her heart. While I enjoyed the story quite a bit, I didn’t feel swept away in it.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Sarah Sundin:

Precocious children have a way of bringing humor into a story. The child in this story, Linnie, had me laughing out loud while reading this novella. Sundin’s novella included such a wonderful message, about how we all have a God-sized hole in our hearts, and only He can fill it. The struggles that Pete and Grace have in their lives and they ways they look to find peace in their lives are the fodder for a wonderful story to unfold with plenty of Christmas romance. I adored this story, and fell in love with the characters in it.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Tricia Goyer:

Tricia Goyer’s novel had an interesting premise, and I was interested to see how it would all play out. The story has a strong focus on the gifts and blessings that God places in our lives and how much better off we are when we choose to accept those gifts. It was an interesting story that takes readers to the Netherlands near the end of the war and also a bit into the Dutch Resistance.

Overall, I really enjoyed this collection of novellas. The three stories are sandwiched between a prologue (written by Sarah Sundin) and an epilogue (written by Cara Putman) that are from the grandmother’s perspective, while the three stories belong to each of her grandkids. I loved the flow of the stories and how they each took place at a different point of time in the war. With three different authors writing, each character seemed to take on a fully different personality in a way that doesn’t happen as strongly when one author writes a variety of stories in a collection like this. This is a great novella collection that I would consider adding to your list of books to read this Christmas season.

I would love to hear from you! I know it is a bit early to think about, but what are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

For more on these authors or this book, please check out the following links:

• Tricia Goyer’s Website
  • Visit Tricia Goyer on Facebook
  • Follow Tricia Goyer on Twitter
  • Read what Tricia Goyer is reading on GoodReads
• Cara Putman’s Website
  • Visit Cara Putman on Facebook
  • Follow Cara Putman on Twitter
  • Read what Cara Putman is reading on GoodReads
• Sarah Sundin’s Website
  • Visit Sarah Sundin on Facebook
  • Follow Sarah Sundin on Twitter
  • Read what Sarah Sundin is reading on GoodReads
• Check out Where Treetops Glisten on Amazon

 

*   *   *   *   *   *   *