Review/Giveaway: Christmas at Harrington's

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Christmas at Harrington's
Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Contemporary Christmas fiction
How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.

Entry deadline: December 10, 2010

Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway.  This is my review copy, so it has been gently read. 

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Publisher:  Revell

Physical Description: 176-page hardcover with jacket
List Price: $15.99
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1925-8
For More Info: http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Synopsis:

Sometimes the best gift is a second chance

Christmas is approaching, and Lena Markham finds herself penniless, friendless, and nearly hopeless. She is trying to restart her life, but job opportunities are practically nonexistent. When a secondhand red coat unexpectedly lands her a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, Lena finally thinks her luck is changing. But can she keep her past a secret?

Reading Christmas at Harrington's, a story full of redemption and true holiday spirit, will be your newest Christmas tradition.

About the Author:

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.

What I Liked:  Another touching Christmas classic from Melody Carlson, this has the elements of family and love and friendship and justice and goodwill towards men.  I appreciated the not-so-common storyline - an exconvict starting fresh in a new town.

I enjoyed the way the author mixed in Santa tradition with Christian beliefs.  I tend to think of Santa as the secular part of Christmas that my family avoids, but this was creatively done, including a little speech about how no matter how hard children try to be good (to be on Santa's list), they are going to make mistakes -

and that's okay, as long as we are sorry and also forgive those who hurt us.

I would definitely recommend this as an addition to your Christmas reading list.

What I Didn't Like:  There's nothing I didn't like.  I will say that I'd recommend this for more mature audiences rather than as a family read-aloud, etc.; the main character is in her 40s.

Thanks to Baker Publishing Group for the review copy of this book.