When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loya...
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Dec 18, 2011
Christine
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Pehaps because it is Christmas tim i think this book is great for YA. This book prtrays the good people in a heartfelt way. Christine is a single mother who works hard to provide for her kids and barely gets by. her story is working around the clock serving mean people just to make a few bucks so that she can offer her kids a decent life. Her good deed is saving an elderly woman's life who actually ends up saving her's. This book is good for middle school kids and high school as well. Perh
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Mar 04, 2010
Rhonda
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If there is a particular time of year that engenders beneficent feelings within us it is the Christmas season. And, adding to the general good spirit of that time are the writings of Donna VanLiere (The Christmas shoes, The Christmas Blessing, The Christmas Hope). Her stories are filled with hope, faith, and love's power, often giving us a boost just when we need it.
Now, The Christmas Secret as read by the author will warm our hearts. This year's holidays may be a stretch for many o More...
Now, The Christmas Secret as read by the author will warm our hearts. This year's holidays may be a stretch for many o More...
Jan 02, 2010
Shonda
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During the holiday season, I enjoy reading a feel-good Christmas story. This season, The Christmas Secret was a perfect fit for me. Christine has been cynical for most of her life. She stopped believing in the miracles of Christmas a long time ago. Struggling to make ends meet, Christmas is now one more thing that will set her back and something she just can't afford. Christine wants to see and feel the beauty of Christmas once again, but unfortunately life and unexpected events have harden her.
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Dec 04, 2009
Dana
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Christine Eisley is a single mother of two small children. She works as a waitress trying to make ends meet as her ex provides little child support. Her ex is not above making her life difficult with his demands to see his children when he wants to use them against her.
When an elderly woman suffers a heart attack at the end of Christine's driveway, Christine helps her and makes sure she is okay before going to work late once again. The inconsistency of baby sitters and this latest i More...
When an elderly woman suffers a heart attack at the end of Christine's driveway, Christine helps her and makes sure she is okay before going to work late once again. The inconsistency of baby sitters and this latest i More...
Jan 01, 2012
Jencey/
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This book came highly recommended to me by my mother. She is an avid fan. I was asked to look at the way the author tells the story.
Synopsis:
Christine has fallen on hard times with the role of single mother to two small children. She has an ex-husband who has yet to pay child support and is constantly hassling her about going to court. One morning as she prepares to go to work a woman pulls up in front of her driveway and stops because she is having a heart attack. Christine More...
Synopsis:
Christine has fallen on hard times with the role of single mother to two small children. She has an ex-husband who has yet to pay child support and is constantly hassling her about going to court. One morning as she prepares to go to work a woman pulls up in front of her driveway and stops because she is having a heart attack. Christine More...
Aug 05, 2010
Noe
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I was at the library when I found this book in the New Reads section, and thought I should try it. The synopsis on the inside cover caught my interest so I checked it out, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a really cute story about second (and possibly third and fourth) chances. The main character is a young, single mom who's endured a lot of hard knocks in her lifetime, and she's angry and pessimistic as a result. After Christine saves a woman life, it seems to set in motion a series of events
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Mar 15, 2010
Doris
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This book is an inspirational story of a struggling young mother trying to keep her home, her job and her children, while fending off the attempts of her wastrel ex-husband to take the children.
Our story opens with Christine late for work due to an overdue, inconsiderate teenager, and precipitates to job loss, home loss, and possible child loss.
The tale moves forward, with mistaken identity and thwarted love.
I didn't think I would like Christine, as we are More...
Our story opens with Christine late for work due to an overdue, inconsiderate teenager, and precipitates to job loss, home loss, and possible child loss.
The tale moves forward, with mistaken identity and thwarted love.
I didn't think I would like Christine, as we are More...
Nov 02, 2009
Nandi
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This is my first time reading a book by this author but I found her very easy to read and by the time I got through I got a great feeling behind it; It is about a young single mom with two kids who help someone in the process of having a heart attack while on her way to work and lose her job in the process of it; Because the family wanted to remember the young lady who helped them, they send the grandson out there to find the lady but there is some problems along the way. First off, the restaura
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Nov 04, 2009
April
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One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is to curl up with a wonderful, touching and inspiring book. Donna VanLiere has become such a tradition for me, or rather her books have. Each year I eagerly anticipate her newest release, which I gobble up within a couple of days and then I am left downtrodden because I know I have to wait another year for another treasure by her.
Each of Ms. VanLiere's stories are filled with the greatest of struggles, perseverance, warmth, t More...
Each of Ms. VanLiere's stories are filled with the greatest of struggles, perseverance, warmth, t More...
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Nov 22, 2009
mari
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What a sweet, warm-hearted story for this time of the year. This is the first book I have read by Donna Van Lier and quite different from the books I usually read.The Christmas Secret was a pleasant surprise.
It is the story of Christine, a single mother struggling to keep her head above water enough to give her kids a nice Christmas. Things just don't seen to be going her way until an unexpected emergency changes everything. And it is also about Jason, who has decided to work at his More...
It is the story of Christine, a single mother struggling to keep her head above water enough to give her kids a nice Christmas. Things just don't seen to be going her way until an unexpected emergency changes everything. And it is also about Jason, who has decided to work at his More...
Mar 08, 2010
Linda
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**Spoiler **When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love. Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet,
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Mar 11, 2011
Rayni
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It was definitely an un-put-downable book. I read this in one sitting or as close to one sitting as I could get. I found it in the library, came home & sat in the car until it was too dark to see. I did have to put it down to do the mundane, go to the grocery, fix supper, check on my mother.
I felt like I was out of the loop though … people were mentioned & I didn't know where they fit in. A name would be mentioned & I would have to stop & search the data bank of my memory, "Who More...
I felt like I was out of the loop though … people were mentioned & I didn't know where they fit in. A name would be mentioned & I would have to stop & search the data bank of my memory, "Who More...
Jan 01, 2010
Mishel
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Earlier this year I read and reviewed a non-fiction book titled Finding Grace that Donna VanLiere wrote. I enjoyed Donna's "voice" and the style in which she wrote but I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed her fiction writing as well. I suppose you could classify her books as Christian/Inspirational reads. I myself have never really gravitated toward the genre. However, reading THE CHRISTMAS SECRET was honestly just a lot of fun and it gave me a nice and, yes even warm feeling w
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Nov 10, 2009
Amanda
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Book #96 of 2009
A super quick read, even for me. I finished this in one evening. Still, it was a cute book.
Christine has had a string of bad lucker. Her ex-husband keeps calling and threatening to take away her kids even though he's late on the child support payments. She's been fired from her job and given an eviction notice. When she gets a new job at a bakery in town, her luck begins to change and she meets the people who quickly become her friends and help her More...
A super quick read, even for me. I finished this in one evening. Still, it was a cute book.
Christine has had a string of bad lucker. Her ex-husband keeps calling and threatening to take away her kids even though he's late on the child support payments. She's been fired from her job and given an eviction notice. When she gets a new job at a bakery in town, her luck begins to change and she meets the people who quickly become her friends and help her More...
Dec 21, 2010
Holly
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Dec 12, 2011
Novella
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Sweet book with a loveable main character who you cheer and hope for throughout the book. I loved the town and all the townspeople who took her in, cared for her and loved her as a family she never knew she could have...if she opened her heart and life story. It's hard to believe in this day and age how rare it seems to be for kindness to be given so freely. I want to work at Betty's and have friends like Betty, Gloria, Miriam, or be lucky enough to be related to Marshall. I wish I could be surr
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Jan 01, 2011
Katrina
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Angelia Christine Eisley’s husband left her two and a half years after the ‘I Do’s’. She had settled for the wrong man, and now she’s a single parent raising a son and a daughter. She puts up with irresponsible babysitters and she isn’t getting one penny of child support from her ex. Nothing ever goes right or if something does work out there is another problem right around the corner – this is what she believes. But then, she gets a job as a waitress at Betty’s Bakery & Restaurant –that’s after
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Dec 02, 2009
Melissa
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I discovered Donna VanLiere a couple of years ago and now patiently wait for her newest book to release right before Christmas each year. Each story is heartwarming at this time of year and The Christmas Secret is no different. Each Christmas novel introduces a few new characters, yet the old ones enrich the lives of the newest until you become so familiar with them all!
Christine and her two young children, Zach and Haley, are the stars of The Christmas Secret. Christy is a single More...
Christine and her two young children, Zach and Haley, are the stars of The Christmas Secret. Christy is a single More...
Nov 01, 2009
Nytetyger
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A sticky sweet and adorable Christmas themed romance story that offends no one and charms you as you read it. Even cynicism vanishes when you read a tale told by an author who really BELIEVES in the goodness and magic of Christmas as VanLiere seems to do; yes, she makes snotloads of money doing so, but hell, the book made me tear up at the end and I can be as curmudgeonly as they come. In short, I could care less that she is raking in the cash as long as she writes the way she does.
Dec 28, 2010
Brooke
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I just finished last night. It was really good. Not bad, but i do like The Christmas Blessing better. I liked how when Jason came he wasn't intested in anything and didn't wanna be a part of anything but then he got nicer, and finally when he married Christene he loved it there. I also liked how it had Wilson's department store in it and it actully went into detail about it and it is like a big part of the story. I think Natalia would really enjoy this book!!
Nov 22, 2009
Bradley
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I liked this one much better than the last two in the series, I think I found the story more reasonable and although it contained the same crazy number of connections between seemingly random people it was easier to fathom. Also no one has to die to prove the point of Christmas miracles. I think the main character is also easy to identify with, the single mother trying to make ends meet when it seems the world is against her when fate makes a big sweeping change in her life.
Dec 15, 2009
Georgiann
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When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly women , she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty and determination.Life isn,t easy for her . she has two children too support and a dead beat ex husband and christmas is right around the corner.than one after another things start going wrong in her life. But when she saves the life of the women things start to turn around for her.
Dec 08, 2009
Clockstein
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The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere is the fifth installment in the popular Christmas Hope series. Christine Eisley is having a heck of a holiday season. A single mother of two, she's facing her ex's demands and abuse, the loss of a job, and eviction at the end of the month. Everything changes when she saves a woman's life, maybe she'll end up saving her own as well. VanLiere has an incredible talent for creating sympathetic characters who grab hold of a reader's heartstrings and don't let go
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Jul 09, 2010
Catherine
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This book is #5 of the Christmas Shoes series. This series is one of the best I've ever read. Donna VanLiere is one of my favorite authors. I was so excited when she came out when this book since I didn't know she was writing another one for this series. It's so neat how everything all comes together in her books. I highly recommend these at Christmastime or anytime!
Dec 20, 2011
Shauna
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This is just the kind of feel good, everyday miracles, more than coincidence, everything works out in the end kind of book that I love to read at Christmas time. Although some parts of the story were predictable, others caught me by surprise. And knowing that everything was going to turn out okay kept the sadder parts of the story from bogging me down.
Dec 30, 2010
Christine
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The story of a struggling single mom, having problems with her ex-husband as life is catching up with her all too quickly. It doesn't help that it's Christmas time and Santa Claus is being eagerly awaited. A good story to remind us to keep our eyes open to see if we need to lend a helping hand.
Aug 31, 2010
Jeannie
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This was a lovely gentle Christmas story. It even had a touch of a mystery miracle that never gets answered. The romance doesn't run smoothly nor is there only one.
I truly enjoyed this book and suggest women literature enthusiasts pick up a copy. Also would make a great Christmas gift.
I truly enjoyed this book and suggest women literature enthusiasts pick up a copy. Also would make a great Christmas gift.
Dec 30, 2010
Clacie
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really liked this one. this was not only a cute love story, but an inspirational "do good unto others" story. just like the ones before the message was simple. think of others and not just yourself.
i liked the series as a whole as well. i especially liked the way Donna VanLiere included recurring characters. i was really hoping that nathan andrews would be in this one, but he wasn't.
i liked the series as a whole as well. i especially liked the way Donna VanLiere included recurring characters. i was really hoping that nathan andrews would be in this one, but he wasn't.
Dec 27, 2009
Maggie
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I love, love, love Donna VanLiere. She takes real life and just puts it out there. I laugh, I cry, I relate. I love the way all of her characters are somehow related through circumstance only. Here stories (all of them) are all heart and sentiment. Super author.
Nov 23, 2010
Elizabeth
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I had no expectations of this book and read it quickly so I could donate it to the library but I really enjoyed it. There was a nice twist at the end and it is nice to read a book about even though life is hard there are lots of people who are kind.
