MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This was one really awesome Christmas read! When Natalie Pearce chose not to go help her mom take down her Christmas decorations, she never dreamed what the year ahead held for she and her family. When her mom suffered a stroke that left her helpless, Natalie blamed herself for her mom's condition. A string of events lead to Natalie leaving her husband and daughter, accepting a job that would require most of her time, and leaving her with strained relationships that may not be fixable.

Most of the time we like to think that all is perfect at Christmas time, but it is usually not. Life situations just doesn't look at our calendar first before they happen. It was heartbreaking, yet refreshing to read One Imperfect Christmas because it was sad to see Natalie and her family going through what they had to endure with her mom, yet it was comforting to know that everyone has difficult situations during the Christmas Season, some not as bad as others, but we all have our heartaches. But I really like how Myra Johnson weaves everything together, good and bad, and brings an ending to the story that will give you peace, and make you smile. Not an ending that the Pearce family wanted, but one that gave them hope. This is an amazing debut novel for Ms. Johnson, and yes it was written a few years ago, but the message is still the same. I can't believe I haven't read it before this year. I really want to encourage you to pick up a copy of One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson for a few hours for delightful entertainment. You will be glad you did!

How could the story of a mother's stroke, a daughter's emotional abandonment of her own child,

a loving marriage ship-wrecking on the rocks, and one very wise young girl who sees what needs to be done, how could that be a Christmas story, you ask?

Well, think about what Christmas is all about. Jesus Christ, Son of God, entering this broken world and putting on a body of our fallen flesh, living among us, identifying with us and saving us.

It was in the darkness, sadness, lostness that we all live with that the Light was born.

And it's the same in this story. One imperfect Christmas is not a fluffy holiday comedy, and it is not a book of heavy despair either.

One Imperfect Christmas is a wonderfully real, very human, and dearly beautiful tale.

Reading this was an experience.

It made me sad, it made me get a little misty-eyed, it made me irked at some of the characters choices, and it made me cheer for some of the character's decisions.

I like the way Myra wrote this story, going back and forth between Natalie, her husband Daniel, and their daughter Lissa as their world fell apart.

Blaming herself for not being there the day her mother had a stroke while she was trying to pack away Christmas decorations, Natalie falls into an emotional and psychological whirlpool that sucks her aways from everyone she loves and threatens to drown her.

Daniel doesn't know how to reach his wife. Her focus is on researching strokes and working, not helping Lissa adjust to the new reality of Grandma being in a nursing home.

And Daniel feels like nothing in his power to help her is good enough.

After months with no change, he gives Natalie a shocking ultimatum: be fully present here or leave.

And his wife leaves.

In the center of it all is Lissa, a girl who might just hold the key to some of Grandma's healing and whose knows that her mother and father have a chance for restoration if only they'd try!

How much does a promise mean?

What do you do when you just want out of a situation where you can't see hope?

How much will you risk for the people you know you love?

That is the story of One Imperfect Christmas, one of my favorites of 2013!

Thank you Abingdon for my review copy.

Myra Johnson in her new book, "One Imperfect Christmas" published by Abingdon Press takes us into the life of Natalie Pearce.

From the back cover: Only love makes a Christmas perfect.

Christmas is the season of miracles, but when blame and guilt keep two people apart, sometimes a miracle needs a helping hand.

Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves–most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear

What are the ingredients of Christmas? If you think about it certainly not snow, colored lights, evergreens and brightly wrapped presents. I think the real answer is family and friends. Myra Johnson has not given us the syrupy sweet Christmas stories that you get on the television at Christmas time. Instead Ms. Johnson has given us a story about a real multigenerational family that has some real problems that they have to deal with. That is what makes it imperfect. Natalie, Daniel and Lissa are not the perfect family but they are a family and it great to hang out with them, to suffer when they suffer, cheer when they cheer and, honestly, get mad at Natalie when she deserves it. Ms. Johnson has given us a very interesting Christmas book that will give you new thoughts about Christmas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Who this book is for:

Those, like myself, who enjoy contemporary fiction - specifically women. Those who are struggling in a marriage.

What I liked:

Positive message.

Touching.

I really felt like I got to know the characters.

What I didn't like:

There is nothing in particular that I didn't like.

My Conclusion:

Overall, this was a really good read.

I give One Imperfect Christmas 5 out of 5 stars.

*I received this book free to review through a blog tour from the publisher

Belinda and Bram Morgan have been married for almost 50 years and have set the example for all their children to follow in what makes love work in a marriage. They celebrate Christmas the same way now that their children have grown beginning with the celebration of Natalie's birthday and then trimming the tree. But for Natalie, those are high expectations to have even within your own home. She is far from the perfectionist her mother is and often procrastinates more than she should. That's why her husband Daniel asked her to take down the decorations before his own parents arrived later that afternoon. So when Natalie's mom called enlisting her help to take down their decorations she had the perfect excuse. Her mother wanted to help since Bram and their oldest son were on a trip leaving her alone to begin the task if she didn't want to wait.

So when Natalie told her she couldn't help today due to the visit from Daniel's parents she told her mom to simply leave all the boxes in the guest room downstairs and she would over later this week to put them in storage for her. She often worried that her mom did too much now that she was older and suffering from the effects of arthritis. What Natalie didn't expect when she hung up with her mother, was to receive a phone call later that evening that would forever change her life. Her mother had suffered from a massive stroke and since she had been alone at the time, the damage was far too great for her mother to return to her former self.

Now plagued with guilt for simply being glad that she didn't have to join her mother that afternoon and instead had a day for herself, Natalie pours herself into her free lance job trying to earn money she knows her father will need to pay for her mom's medical expenses. This drives a wedge between her and Daniel as he tries to fix things between them, and Natalie avoids dealing with their own marriage issues trying to make up for not being there for her mother. She feels if she had only been there, this would have never happened. Will Natalie find a way to restore her own marriage or will this be the first imperfect Christmas to rock her family?

I received One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson compliments of Abingdon Press as part of the Christmas Blog Tour for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely LOVED this novel based in part to being able to relate to Natalie's character so much. Often times when the holidays are upon us, we feel like we are expected to do our best and meet all family obligations despite having to manage our own. I could relate to the guilt that Natalie felt upon hearing of her mother's stroke and understood the need to do everything to make amends to her what she felt was her mistake. The resolution that evidently comes is believable and everything doesn't come wrapped up in a pretty bow like you would expect. This is real in my opinion and thus why I would rate this a 5 out of 5 stars.