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CHRISTMAS ON INTERSTATE 80
Bonnie Kate Keller—divorced late in life, and still in shock from it—just can’t face Christmas alone in her home this year. When she fails to persuade…then pester…then guilt-trip her adult children to bring the grandchildren and come home for the holiday, she impulsively hits the highway. Bonnie’s Holiday Road Trip doesn’t start out with a specific itinerary or even destination (she was just doing it for distraction, after all), but she finds herself revisiting the scenes of her family’s happiest memories—all in a looming blizzard. Bonnie’s Christmas wish—which she had given up on—is fulfilled in a most unlikely location, proving that it’s not the place, it’s the people.
- GenresHoliday
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 17, 2014
16 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 18, 2017
I confess that it was the title. I was curious, especially since I grew up along Interstate 80 just on the opposite end.
A middle-aged divorced woman is terribly lonely and hurt when her kids all give her the brush off for Christmas so she hits the road, spreading Christmas cheer and reliving good times. In the end, her little pilgrimage brings her just where she most wants to be.
At first, I wasn't sure I would like this one, thinking it would be a bit of a downer. But no, Bonnie might have been sad and a little depressed, but she picked herself up and went out there to shine like a Christmas star for others. Her three grown up children all start to get a taste of their own medicine when she isn't where and how they expect.
I enjoyed the blend of little moments with strangers, memories, and family togetherness. It ended more open-ended than I would have liked, but it was still a lovely, heartwarming quick Christmas read.
A middle-aged divorced woman is terribly lonely and hurt when her kids all give her the brush off for Christmas so she hits the road, spreading Christmas cheer and reliving good times. In the end, her little pilgrimage brings her just where she most wants to be.
At first, I wasn't sure I would like this one, thinking it would be a bit of a downer. But no, Bonnie might have been sad and a little depressed, but she picked herself up and went out there to shine like a Christmas star for others. Her three grown up children all start to get a taste of their own medicine when she isn't where and how they expect.
I enjoyed the blend of little moments with strangers, memories, and family togetherness. It ended more open-ended than I would have liked, but it was still a lovely, heartwarming quick Christmas read.
December 20, 2017
Christmas on Interstate 80 by John Bensink
Starts out with Bonnie, the mom of 3 grown and moved out kids and she's decorating her house from top and bottom and then some.
Reminds me of me in a past life and even parts in the present as I go around tipping people for the services they provide, while on the road.
She's doomed-none of them will come home for Christmas, lame excuses, so she heads out, to maybe see them but gets turned down so he invents her own journey.
Love where it takes her as we've been to similar jaunts in our lifetime together. She's all alone Love after she leaves voice messages she turns her phone off.
Really enjoy the locations she travels to as we just recently had visited one that I'd love to see and enjoy again some day. Awesome memories as she's experiencing.
What struck me the most was usage of words-never seen/heard them lumped together like that but you knew exactly what they meant without an explanation.
Christmas decorations are so descriptive you can picture yourself there watering eyes as the colors are so bright and vibrant. Whole book is very detailed, would be a great movie!
Love where this story goes and wish there was more to it. Will be searching for more works by this author because of the terminology used-wicked good!
Starts out with Bonnie, the mom of 3 grown and moved out kids and she's decorating her house from top and bottom and then some.
Reminds me of me in a past life and even parts in the present as I go around tipping people for the services they provide, while on the road.
She's doomed-none of them will come home for Christmas, lame excuses, so she heads out, to maybe see them but gets turned down so he invents her own journey.
Love where it takes her as we've been to similar jaunts in our lifetime together. She's all alone Love after she leaves voice messages she turns her phone off.
Really enjoy the locations she travels to as we just recently had visited one that I'd love to see and enjoy again some day. Awesome memories as she's experiencing.
What struck me the most was usage of words-never seen/heard them lumped together like that but you knew exactly what they meant without an explanation.
Christmas decorations are so descriptive you can picture yourself there watering eyes as the colors are so bright and vibrant. Whole book is very detailed, would be a great movie!
Love where this story goes and wish there was more to it. Will be searching for more works by this author because of the terminology used-wicked good!
December 14, 2017
E
John loved the reference to all the places we all have been to or know where they are, ending was expected. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
John loved the reference to all the places we all have been to or know where they are, ending was expected. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
December 11, 2019
While I enjoyed reading this book because it started out as somewhat realistic portrayal of today’s senior holiday experience, I felt the story progressed into too much of a Hallmark Christmas movie for my taste.
December 21, 2019
Disjointed
The story never really goes anywhere. Not happy or sad or moving, just depressing and disjointed. Characters all very shallow.
The story never really goes anywhere. Not happy or sad or moving, just depressing and disjointed. Characters all very shallow.
July 23, 2015
Full disclosure: the author is a friend of mine and we've worked together on numerous writing projects over the years. (I owe my membership in the Writer's Guild of America to John for bringing me on to a screenwriting job.)
This potential basis for bias notwithstanding, this novella is a very sweet Christmas read, a compelling mix of nostalgia and family dynamics about siblings and parents who moved apart from one another--some with deliberate animosity, others by distraction--and are brought back together by the gravitational pull of a mother's spur-of-the moment urge to experience a different sort of Christmas.
A wonderful Christmas gift for anyone who reads eBooks.
This potential basis for bias notwithstanding, this novella is a very sweet Christmas read, a compelling mix of nostalgia and family dynamics about siblings and parents who moved apart from one another--some with deliberate animosity, others by distraction--and are brought back together by the gravitational pull of a mother's spur-of-the moment urge to experience a different sort of Christmas.
A wonderful Christmas gift for anyone who reads eBooks.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews