Christmas Secret

By Donna VanLiere

Book Overview

Donna VanLiere's The Christmas Secret is a novel for anyone who wants to see how love is a gift that keeps giving back; that hope is a treasure that never runs dry, and that faith is a miracle that is reborn with each new day.

The Christmas Secret is now a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original film. Watch it this holiday season

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, but her job is in jeopardy because she's often late to work due to the unreliable teenage sitters she's forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson's department store, the owner of Wilson's wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious "Christy." Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is "above" working at Wilson's. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312558368
• ISBN13: 9780312558369
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

The Christmas Secret

It is a lighthearted story to read. It just makes you feel good inside, and how things will turn out for the better.

Worth waiting every year for!!!

Another terrific Christmas story by Donna VanLiere. I pre-order her books every year and read each of them two or three times throughout the year. They are heartwarming and a constant reminder that if we treated others like we want to be treated the world would be a much better place. My Christmas season always begins with her book. This year is no exception and worth it once again.

Beyond amazing!

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, the greatest of goodness and bonds of selfless friendship. Each and every story has yet to fail to warm my heart and put a smile to my face at the acts of kindness and generosity of the characters. The Christmas Secret is the story of a young single mother, Christine, who is constantly struggling to make money to feed, clothe and take care of her beloved young children. To make matters worse, her ex-husband is a vengeful man who tries, at every corner, to make Christine's life more stressful and worrisome with threats of taking the kids away from her. This is a story of one young mother's deep and unyielding love for her children. A mother who would do anything to care for them. Christine's big break seems to come when she is hired by Betty who is the owner of a bakery/restaurant. It is here that Christine meets many new friends and learns the true meaning of faith, bonding and what it is like to belong. Not to mention this is also the place she comes in contact with an obnoxious and overbearing, but very handsome man, who she feels a strange sort of connection with. The Christmas Secret is full of delightful twists and turns and a few surprises along the way. I have to say that I adored all of the characters and felt a very special adoration for Gloria, one of the most generous and caring woman you will ever meet. Throughout the entire story, I was brought to tears, laughter, warmth and every motion in-between. Ms. VanLiere has such a mind-blowing talent to bring her readers into the story, make them care deeply for the characters and make the characters and actions remain with the reader long after the final word is read. I actually discovered Donna VanLiere a few years ago and have felt truly blessed by her work ever since. As I had stated previously, hers is one of the new releases that I eagerly anticipate each year and I have yet to be disappointed. For me, the holiday season isn't off to an official start until I have read a novel by this wonderful author. I highly recommend The Christmas Secret for anyone looking for an excellent and engrossing story. A story that will remain with you for a very long time and turn you into a huge fan of Ms. VanLiere.

Would make a good movie

There are thousands of Christmas movies already, but this really would make a great movie. It has a little bit of a slow start, but once it picks up, it takes you right along with it. For a wonder, the main character isn't a super-achiever with a high-pay, high-profile job, but rather a normal, single mom trying desperately to take good care of her two children and keep their worthless father from getting custody of them. There are some things you saw coming and some that you wouldn't have expected and you're left with a nice, but not too nice, Christmasy feeling. I would have liked just a little more at the end as to how it all worked out, but it was still a great read.

Donna did it again

I absolutley loved this book. Donna has done it again. This was a wonderful story. I stayed up reading very late one night as I could not put the book down. I can't wait till her next book which will be in The Angel of Morgan Hill series. Thank you Donna and keep up the good work.

The Christmas Secret

OH MY GOSH!!!! This book, is hands down amazing!!!! >>Before reading this book I thought to myself, there are a lot of books out there that say, "New York Times Bestselling Author"; and so like dude, what book out there isn't...but after reading a few pages and of course the rest of the book, I realized why this book Is "New York Times Bestselling Author" hands down. <br /> <br />>>This book not only has Christmas (which I truly LOVE), in it but also has a deep, true, simple message; if everyone knew about it and did something about it this world would be a better place!!! <br /> <br />>>>I hope they make a movie out of this book and represent it the way it is written and not leave parts out and ruin the book, but have the book stand for what the movie mirrors. <br /> <br />>>>>I love the characters and how they all come together at the end. its like a mystery, but not giving away too much so the audience is still wondering as the plot develops. <br /> <br />truly a great book!!! it will stay in the fam.!!