The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury

"A daughter is just a Little Girl who grows up to be your best friend"  Author Unknown

For many fans of Christian fiction, and Christmas Fiction a Karen Kingsbury novel is like cozying up with your favorite blanket and a long lost friend.  Her newest Christmas novel will not disappoint.   Her depth and knowledge of scripture and love of the Lord shine through when she writes.  Her characters are rich and grow as they seek the Lord and His will for their lives. 

In The Christmas Ring we first meet Vanessa Mayfield and her beloved daughter Sadie on a ski trip.   Vanessa is raising her daughter as a widow, having lost their beloved husband and father in the Middle East.  When Vanessa loses her beloved family ring  on the ski slopesthat her great grandfather had found in France on D-day she never loses hope that the beloved family ring will be found.   To her, the ring possesses only great sentimental value.   

Fast forward four years, and Vanessa takes her beloved daughter to college.  Unsure of what to do with herself in this new phase of life, Vanessa decides to take a detour to an antique shop on her way home.  There she meets Ben Miller the owner's son of this unique antique store.   In only a way that Karen Kingsbury is able to do, she weaves together a story of faith, family, hope with God guiding their steps and whispering truth into their lives.   

In circumstances that can only be orchestrated by a sovereign God, Vanessa's ring unexpectedly turns up in the Miller antique store.   It happens as Ben and Vanessa are falling in love and Vanessa and her daughter Sadie are learning to navigate their changing changing mother daughter relationship.  Ben has to quickly convince his father to not sell the ring that is actually worth more than Vanessa had thought.   Kingsbury wraps this story up beautifully and it is a great reminder of Romans 8:28 "And 34 know that for those who love Hod all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  (ESV).

This book is perfect for all those moms like me who are struggling with growing older and watching our beloved children grow up and find their own paths in this world.   I am reminded of words of wisdom from King Solomon , "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6) ESV.  Also we are reminded, that as mother's we will always have a special bond with our adult daughters and that connection and love while it may change never completely goes away.  I challenge you to cozy up with your favorite Christmas coffee (Starbucks has a hazlenut hot cocoa that I am looking forward to trying).  It reminds me of past Christmases with my beloved three daughters and the homemade hot chocolate in special Christmas mugs (dont forget the candy canes and peppermint sprinkles).   

A special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review.  Simba gives this book 4 paws!  It is now available for purchase wherever books are sold

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