The Christmas Promise was another great Christmas story from Donna VanLiere. The first three books in the Christmas Hope series embodied a sense of sadness with death taking center stage in each of them. While I loved all those books, it was nice to have one with a more whimsical tone where no one dies or is struggling mightily with someone else's death. There are some heavy themes, such as loneliness, alcoholism, domestic abuse and a missing child, but there was enough humor and lighter moments to keep those things from becoming depressing. This book also had more of an ensemble cast than the first three with several characters playing significant roles. Overall, The Christmas Promise was a heartwarming Christmas story that I would recommend to anyone needing to lift their spirits this holiday season.

As with the other books in this series, The Christmas Promise is written in alternating first and third person POV. The first person narrator this time is Gloria aka Miss Glory. She is a retired widow whose adult son has been missing for seven years. He left home just before Gloria's husband, his father, died, and she hasn't seen or heard from him since. She somewhat recently moved to the unnamed small town that has been the setting for all the Christmas Hope books. In an effort to keep busy and to help others in lieu of helping her son, she collects and sorts donations of food, clothing, household items, and even the occasional car, which she them redistributes to the needy in the community. I have to say that Gloria has my dream job. Being a philanthropist is something I've always longed to do. Gloria is a very kind-hearted and loving woman who cares about everyone she meets and helps, maybe a little too much, as it takes her a while to figure out that she can't always help everyone in the way she would like to. Still she is generous to a fault with the only possible exception being her next-door neighbor Miriam. The woman is something of a snob, who always threatens to call the city on Gloria each time someone leaves donations in her driveway. Even Miriam has her own story though. Gloria just hasn't heard it yet. They've spent so long as rivals, she hasn't really taken the time to get to know the other woman, but that all changes when an unfortunate incident leaves the two of them living together temporarily. It was really fun to see these two develop an appreciation for one another and a deep friendship after feuding for so long.

Then there is Chaz who just moved to town and got a job as a security guard at Wilson's Department Store. At first, he's very much a loner and a drifter, who only intends to stay long enough to earn a little money. He obviously harbors some secrets he doesn't want anyone else to know and on top of it all, is a functioning alcoholic who spends all his free time at the bottom of a bottle. He isn't exactly the most likable character initially, but things begin to slowly change for him as he discovers a caring side to himself he didn't realize existed. He works the night shift, and the turnaround starts with him caring for the little boy of a cleaning lady, who had nowhere else to take him and so brought him with her to work. Chaz develops a strong friendship with the little boy, Donovan, and to the extent she will let him into her life, the boy's mother, Carla, who is being abused by her boyfriend. Chaz also begins to feel a connection to Mike, the homeless man who sometimes stands outside Wilson's, and worries when Mike is hit by a car. Last but not least, Chaz falls in love at first sight with Erin, a pretty but very pregnant young woman who Gloria is helping.

What impressed me most about The Christmas Promise is how the author manged to seamlessly weave together all the lives of these characters until it was like they became one family unit. She even brought back a few favorites from past books like Robert Layton (The Christmas Shoes) and Jack and Nathan Andrews (The Christmas Hope). The Christmas Promise was very much a story of new beginnings. Each one of the characters in the book received some sort of second chance after life had thrown them a curveball. This time they chose the right path, but it wasn't without the help of strangers. The one thing I loved most about this book is the serendipitous nature of the characters' meetings which underscores the It's a Wonderful Life principle that each person's life touches so many others in ways that we often don't even know. The Christmas Promise is simply a warm, feel-good story that was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. ( )

3.5 ⭐

I'm reading VanLiere Christmas books every year after I discovered [b:The Christmas Shoes|42172|The Christmas Shoes (Christmas Hope, #1)|Donna VanLiere|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1434144615l/42172._SX50_.jpg|1085294] ❤️. I still haven't found another that I love as much, but this book was a lovely Christmas read. ( )

Another heartwarming Christmas Story by Donna VanLiere. Gloria, also known as Miss Glory works with the homeless and/or single parent, low income families. She teaches classes, takes in donations that she later passes out and offers more than just her moral support. These people are like family to her. Her husband died 7 years earlier and her youngest son left home a week before he died. She still leaves the porch light on for him. We meet her surly, uppity neighbour Miriam, a young homeless pregnant woman named Erin, an alcoholic young drifter named Chaz, a battered woman and her young son as well as a homeless man named Mike among others. Can Christmas bring a miracle to the many people Miss Glory touches? Brings a tear to the eye. ( )

The Christmas promise by Donna VanLiere
Love how each chapter starts out with words of wisdom from other famous people-touching!
Starts out with the past when she lost her son and husband within a few short weeks of one another.
Grace will prevail. Story then goes back a year and we find Gloria and she's been a widow for 7 years cleaning out a frigerator that one has dropped off in her driveway.
She cleans it out and then donaes it to another in town who is in need of one=she has contact with a church in town.
Love hearing of how things work in this town-it's a community effort.
She gets others in town to donate huge boxes of clothes to those in need and she loves that she's able to do this for others.
Love memory of Mt. St. Helens as we've visited there-new life all around.
Like hearing from the author herself about how this book and series came about. Books that help others, they reach out to you.
Love the characters and how they turn out during the Christmas stories. Promise of love and grace that makes Christmas.
From NLS for my BARD ( )

The Christmas Promise is the second audiobook by Donna VanLiere that I have enjoyed this Christmas. (I am currently listening to number 3, The Christmas Note.) Full of humor and heart, this book’s message of second chances is front and center, whether it’s a grumpy neighbor or an estranged family member or a mom who has made some bad choices. Familiar characters from this series make an appearance making them feel like old friends. VanLiere reads the book herself, and her voices and inflection are a real treat. I listened to this book on a few daily walks and on two plane flights, and I must admit I had to stifle a few laughs and squint back a few tears. This heartwarming novella is perfect for the busy holiday season when time is short and nerves get a bit frazzled. So make sure to make some time for this touching book.

Recommended.

Audience: adults. ( )