Remembering Christmas

Remembering Christmas!

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!

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Just the book to get you in the mood for Christmas!

Remembering Christmas is one of those books that though, simple in it's telling, packs a powerful punch emotionally. Dan Walsh proves yet again that he is a master storyteller, with his latest release of forgiveness and family.




What I love about Mr. Walsh's books is how deep all of his characters are, and there is always more than what first meets the eye. Every character is complex and miles deep, each with their own struggle, and yet Mr. Walsh weaves all the ends in beautifully (yet not painlessly) in such a way that though you might not have seen it coming you couldn't imagine it any other way.




The story is well told, and the pages turn rapidly, though at times it's an inner battle between speeding through the book to find out what happens next, or slowing down and savoring every word.




This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed from cover to cover, and that doesn't happen often. With Christmas fast approaching this is the perfect book to get you in the mood, or to give as a gift. You could even give it to yourself!




Overall, I would highly recommend this book to just about anyone, whether it's Christmastime or not, Remembering Christmas is a satisfying read, that will tug at your heartstrings :)




Final Rating: 5 out of 5




ISBN: 978-0-8007-1979-1

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Good for the soul-Easy,relaxing read with a message.

I enjoyed reading Dan Walsh's fourth book as much as the other three. I thought it would be a predictable story but loved the suprise twist I didn't see coming!

Must read

This book had me laughing and crying before the end. It was a refreshing book about a guy that had lost his way. It is amazing what others belief in you will do to your spirit and get you to belief in you self. And he found his path again around christmas time.

Wonderful!

I truly enjoyed this book! Perfect story for the Christmas holiday season.

Good book

Good Christmas story..

Recommended

This is my second Dan Walsh book. I will continue to read his books. This definitely makes you think aboit how you should treat those less fortunate and make you thankful for what you have been blessed with.

Regrets turn to Healing and Reconciliation in this Inspiring Holiday Tale

We all have regrets from our past but what we do with them determines our paths going forward. Rick finds this out the hard way in Walsh's holiday offering. However the holidays also find Rick accepting the past for what is and seeing the present more clearly so that he can move forward into a future of healing and reconciliation as well. You'll have to read the book to find out how he finds his way back. Along the way you'll meet Walsh's engaging characters and find yourself drawn into a story you'll be reticent to lay down before reaching the last page. Once you find yourself at that last page you'll be protesting that this story ends much too soon. I'm hoping there will soon be a chance to revisit Seabreeze via Walsh's books. Thanks to Revell for a review copy.

I like the way this guy writes!!

Set in the 1980¿s this story is a little step back in time, before everyone was lost texting on their cell phones and becoming addicting to social media. People actually had to talk face to face, share stories with each other, communicate on a personal level. It is a wonderful story of a family coming together at a time of need and realizing they need to be involved in each others lives more than on holidays and a few telephone calls a year.

The story has a wonderful message without being preachy. It is heartwarming and enlightening. A little twist brought a tear to my eye. I think it would make a great Hallmark holiday movie. This is my first experience with this author but it won¿t be my last. I love the way this guy writes!!

Heart warming

Recommend

Loved this story. didn't want it to end. I want more from this author. Was a good christian read and not sappy.

Fantastic

Dan is a wonderful storyteller. This book restores faith and hope in mankind and brings hope to this reader. This was a fantastic story so glad that I found this . Have your tissues handy!!

When miracles happen, lives change.

Just when Rick Denton is in control and doing fine, a call from his mother will forever change his life. Dutifully he responds to her request to come home and help when his stepfather¿s life is on the line. From big city living to a small beachside community Rick is taken back in time and the past and the future are seen through changing eyes. Dan has created a wonderful holiday read full of unique characters, reluctant hearts, and the need for understanding and love. The spirit of Christmas flows from the pages and will surely warm the coldest heart. A splendid seasonal read to lift your spirits!.

Christmas story with heart, twists, and a bit of 'tude

In Remembering Christmas, Dan Walsh writes with humor and a fun bit of attitude - and still writes a heartwarming tale. The story delighted me, and one twist completely surprised me. Realistic and lovable characters - even shallow Rick - and the refreshing Florida beach town setting make this a memorable Christmas story. I loved Dan's previous novels, The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, and The Deepest Waters. Remembering Christmas is sure to please his fans and to enthrall new readers as well. I highly recommend this novel.

Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future - a Classic!

Often, in the Christmas rush, we look to the new things we will get, and fail to recognize gifts we already have.

I love stories that stay with me because the characters' lives meaningfully change. Walsh's story of renewal is like that - a gift of entertainment with unpredictable events sure to keep you reading, yet more. Subtle surprises and poignant characters struggle to find restoration from Christmas past, a place to slow down and savor Christmas present and a hope for Christmas future.

Rarely do I read Christmas books before the season, but I'm glad Revell sent an advanced reader copy so early because this is a classic that will be read again, this year and next.

Sure to be an annual reading tradition!

One of the best things about this novel is the fact that, despite much conflict--a life-threatening health emergency, strained relations between the hero and his stepfather, a tenacious homeless man planted outside the Book Nook, a single mom struggling to make ends meet--the book just makes you feel good. Perhaps that's because you know the hero is surrounded by so many good people, it's hard to imagine his heart won't eventually soften. And when you become acquainted with why his heart hardened in the first place, you root for that softening to happen. Walsh subtly draws the reader in, avoids predictability, and provides a satisfying, believable ending. I can see this book being enjoyed time and again during the Christmas season.

rich, satisfying, and full of hope

This is a great read and not just for the holidays.
Though it's a serious look at family relations and growing up long after we become adults, there are many light moments in this book. It's a story of a young man who comes home to help his mother when his stepfather becomes ill, and the pages are full of details from a time not so long ago. A fast pace with well-drawn characters, I was charmed.

Walsh helps you to see your family, and even strangers, in a different light. Remembering Christmas is rich, satisfying, and full of hope.

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