Book Review - A Christmas Homecoming

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Seven Christmases have passed since Sonia Pettit last heard from her daughter Jody. Since Jody's departure, Sonia's world has been turned upside down. Her husband has died of a broken heart, and her son, bitter over his sister's destructive actions, has become rebellious.

Her greatest desire is to have her family together at Christmas, but after what Jody has put them all through, can Sonia truly forgive her daughter?

Jody Pettit O'Dair ran away to experience a life of adventure and excitement, but since her departure, her world has been turned upside down. She's been abandoned by the man she met and married, lost her job, and is unable to care for her two children. With nowhere else to turn, this prodigal daughter begins the long journey home and prays she will be welcomed after walking away so long ago.

Will Jody find forgiveness in the arms of her family as easily as she received it from God?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio loves God, people, children, and dogs, in that order. She also is passionate about story and its power to transform the human heart. Dr. MaryAnn, as she is affectionately called, writes compelling fiction that deals with the deepest issues of life. She is Adjunct Online Professor of Fiction Writing for Regent University and coaches writers on their journey to publication. MaryAnn and her husband Dominic are the blessed parents of two wonderful daughters and a fantastic son-in-law.
Find out more about MaryAnn at http://maryanndiorio.com/. 

MY REVIEW:

This was such a beautiful story and so incredibly fast to read because it was such a lovely story. I read it in one evening and loved every word of it. 

Sonia is a mom of two children. Her oldest child, a daughter left home seven years earlier and has never returned nor has Sonia heard from her again. Jody, her daughter, left her father, mother and younger brother, Ben, to wonder what happened to her and longing to see her again.

As the story opens, it is almost Christmas and Sonia is again wondering about her child she hasn't heard from for so long. She thinks how it has affected their little family in so many ways - the most profound is that her husband passed away, seemingly from a broken heart. Her son is on the road to rebellion and his anger toward his sister is eating him up.

Jody is on the other side of the world and is also thinking of her family. A lot has happened to her in the seven years since she left her childhood home. She realizes her pride and ignorance has changed her life in profound ways.

This is truly the story of the prodigal son and, yes, we've seen that story done in so many ways over the years, but this story truly grabbed my heart and it was done in such a beautiful way. I absolutely loved the ending. It was beautiful how she created the healing of the family through the father who had passed away years earlier. This is a quick read yet you will be thinking of those characters for weeks afterward. Just a beautiful story - plain and simple - and I highly recommend reading this book! 

You can read more reviews of this book HERE

This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group