Thirty-two-year-old Amy Denison volunteers at Glory’s Place, an after school program where she meets seven-year-old Maddie, a precocious young girl who has spent her childhood in foster care. Unbeknownst to Amy, Maddie is a mini-matchmaker& Maddie sets her sights on Gabe who she has a special relationship with at Grandon Elementary School.
Both Gabe & Amy have been through a lot & are now emerging through the other side. An easy to read faith based book that’s ideal for the festive season. The book is well written & the characters well portrayed. I enjoyed the book but it wasn't an engrossing read for me, Gabe & Amy whilst likeable didn’t reach out to me & I found the chemistry was missing

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

De nuevo me embarqué en un libro que es parte de una extensa serie, pero en esta ocasión no me di cuenta de ello hasta que iba a comenzar a leerlo. En ese momento no me preocupé mucho porque sé que es posible leer este tipo de historia contemporánea sin necesidad de conocer la historia de fondo.

Comenzamos la historia conociendo a Gabe, el hombre de mantenimiento en la primaria donde va Maddie, una niña de 7 años que fue abandonada en un hospital al nacer y que solo ha conocido hogares de acogida. La chiquilla es muy alegre y tiene una gran relación con Gabe y quiere que conozca a una nueva voluntaria que acaba de llegar al centro donde Maddie pasa sus tardes. La niña quiere hacerla de casamentera y aunque este tipo de situaciones no es mi favorito, la pequeña es tan agradable y su forma de ser tan sincera que solo me hacía sonreír.

Había otra pareja central en la historia que al parecer viene del libro anterior. No sé si esto sucede en toda la serie o solo fue en este. Travis y Lauren tienen una bonita relación ya cementada y en The Christmas Star continuamos lo que me imagino, sucedió en el octavo libro, The Christmas Town.

Toda esta serie se centra en la época navideña y como es de esperarse, tienen ese sentimiento de esperanza y amor que la época siempre evoca. No es una novela larga pero te llena de momentos tiernos que me llenaron de espíritu navideño aún estando en octubre.

Lo único que no me encantó fue que la narración está en tiempo presente. Como que estoy más acostumbrada al tiempo pasado y es el que prefiero. Y en general la narración no fue la mejor, a veces sentía que solo te pasaba de una cosa a otra como si en lugar de estarte contando una historia te leyera una lista de actividades:: "pasa esto y luego esto y luego esto..."

Creo que a veces si se pierde un poco al no conocer las demás historias porque hubo personajes que se nota que tienen su historia pero que aquí solo vemos superficialmente. Aún así fue una lectura muy linda con personajes entrañables y un hermoso (aunque esperado) final.

I have not read any of Donna VanLiere's stories before, and although this is Christmas Hope #9 this did not affect my reading of this book at all.

Amy and Gabe's story is sweet and cute, a whole lotta the Christmas spirit and a manipulative (in a good way, not a bad way) 7 year old who will steal your heart.

I will say, I kinda had a guess where part of this story was going to go, but there were still some surprises in stall for me too.

There are lots of secondary characters in this story (whom probably have their own stories in the series) that make this a well rounded out group of friends. Some made me laugh, some got me frustrated, but together they all made me laugh.

A bit too much of the God stuff than I would like, but don't let this stop you from reading.

A good sweet feel good Christmas story with romance.
It about a little girl and her friends at Glory Place.
She tries to play matchmaker to help her friends find happiness and love
Enjoyed reading
Voluntarily reviewed

This book was a wonderful follow-up to The Christmas Town. It's a very heartfelt book centered around a 7-year-old girl who wants to try to play matchmaker with the custodian from her elementary school and the newest volunteer at Glory's Place.

The other characters from the previous book also get tied in as well and have their own smaller story lines. Overall, this is a cheery, feel-good read that is perfect for the upcoming Christmas season.

"The Christmas Star" by Donna VanLiere
I loved this story. I laughed and there were times my eyes sprung a leak or two. A clean, sweet, contemporary, romance, and a journey of faith, all wrapped up with a circle of friends. I need to go back and re-read Christmas stories I have previously read by this author... and should I find I have missed one... I will need to read that story also. I was gifted a copy of this story by the publisher via NetGalley.. and I am thankful for this gift. A holiday must read story. But a good read any time of the year.

A sweet story about a man who returned to his hometown after making a disaster of his life. Gabe’s turned it around and is working at the local elementary school as a janitor while going to school at night/online to become a teacher. Maddie, a foster child and one of the students, has made it her mission to find him a sweetheart.

Amy volunteers at the after school program attended by Maddie so you can see where this is going. She just wants them together.

A warm if a little farfetched story of life and love.

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for the review.

This is the one if you're looking for a happy ending! Maddie is a foster child who despite everything still sees good and hope in everything. Right now she's focused on Gabe and Amy, both of whom are healing. Gabe is a recovering alcoholic working as a janitor while getting his degree and Amy had a marriage got kapow. Neither thinks they are ready for love but Maddie and the denizens of Glory's Place are determined. There's a lovely cast of supporting characters who will be familiar to those who read earlier books in the series, which I had not but no matter- I enjoyed it. There'a a faith element here but it's not overwhelming. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. A good book for the season.

This was such a “feel good” novel! I recommend it to all of you who want to get into the Christmas spirit. The characters were very real and well defined. I can see this as a Hallmark movie in the future. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Gab has changed his life. After his wife divorced him, he realized he needed to better himself & he became the custodian at the school. Maddie is a foster child that has managed to worm her way into his heart with her sunny personality & quick smile. When she wanted him to meet another “single” friend, he couldn’t turn her down.

Amy has just started volunteering at a program providing help to school children called Glory’s Place. While she’s working there, she opens her heart to Maddie. She feels this enforces her decision to foster children. When Maddie decides to try to set her up with her friend Gabe, she decides to humor her. Boy was she in for a shock.

This was a cute heartwarming story about a young foster child and her quest to make things better for the adults around her. Gabe has received a second chance & is determined to make up for the jerk he was younger in life. Amy doesn’t want hurt again & isn’t sure if she should give him a chance. There is a secondary plot thread running through the story about a wedding, the star on the gazebo, a young lady & a wedding dress. This is really a sweet Christmas story.

It seems like I am reading and reviewing a lot of Christmas books lately. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I like reading books that put me in the holiday mood. Especially when it is the middle of October, in the mid to high 80’s and as humid as it is in mid-August. So, yes, I enjoyed reading The Christmas Star.

The Christmas Star is a cute second chance romance, even though it isn’t billed as one. Amy is volunteering at an after-school program called Glory’s Place. It is there that she meets Maddie, an adorable 7-year-old who has spent her entire life in foster care. Gabriel is a custodian at a local elementary school. He knows Maddie from school and has become fast friends with her. Maddie is not so subtle about them meeting. And when they do, surprise doesn’t even cover what they both felt. See, Amy and Gabriel were married and had gotten divorced. They try to stay apart but life keeps throwing them together. What will happen to them? Will they rekindle their romance? Or will they go their separate ways?

What I Liked About The Christmas Star:

What did I like about The Christmas Star? Hmmm, let me think for a minute. I liked reading this book and finding myself smiling during certain scenes. Mainly the ones with Maddie in them. I loved that little girl. I liked most of the characters. I liked that it was set during Christmas (duh…lol). I also liked that it was a second chance romance, even though it wasn’t billed as one. But, what I liked the most, is that there was no sex in this book at all. It was 100% a clean book. I also liked that this book was a Christian book. I liked that Christianity was discussed but not pushed down my throat.

To Recap:

Certain scenes made me smile
Most of the characters
It was set during Christmas
A second chance romance
Zero sex. Not even kissing!!
A Christian book but didn’t overwhelm me as I read it.
What I Disliked About The Christmas Star:

There were things that I didn’t like about this book. I was confused about why Amy and Gabriel’s relationship ended. There were two explanations. One was dumbed down to a 7-year-old (I wasn’t a good husband). The other one was when Gabriel was thinking about the past (I was a bad husband and I drank too much). I figured Gabriel drank too much but what else happened? I also didn’t like that Lauren and Travis’s story took over the book. That is something I cannot stand when I am reading a series of books. Those characters and that storyline should have been regulated to the background. I also didn’t like how happy Amy’s parents were about certain things that happened at the end of the book. Even though Gabe talked to them for 5 hours, it still struck a chord on my BS meter. And the last thing: The adoption. I know people who have adopted out of foster care before and it took months (even uncontested). There were so many hurdles that they had to jump through it wasn’t even funny. So to have one go through in under a month didn’t ring true to me.

To Recap:

Confused about why Amy and Gabriel’s relationship ended
Lauren and Travis’s relationship being one of the main storylines
How happy Amy’s parents were about what happened at the end of the book
The adoption. Not a realistic situation
What I rated the book and why:

I gave The Christmas Star a 3-star rating. I enjoyed reading the book and thought it was a sweet story. I loved that it was set around Christmas. I also liked this book was 100% clean. There was no sex. Don’t get me wrong, I loved me some sex but in this case, the book didn’t need it. But there were some things that I didn’t like about this book. The main thing, which affected the rating, was the adoption at the end of the book. It was not realistic. My other reasons were what I felt personally about certain things in the book and listed above.

I would give The Christmas Star an Older Teen rating. There is no sex or sexual situations. There is no language. There is no violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Christmas Star. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends

Other stuff:

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Christmas Star.

All opinions stated in this review of The Christmas Star are mine.

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Christmas Star?
Love it?
Hate it?
Meh about it?
Let me know!!!

Can it be an official holiday season without a Christmas book from Donna VanLiere? I think not. We return to places we know well, with characters old and new. Nothing too complicated, easy to read during the busy season, but heartwarming and uplifting, a gift from the author to her readers.

This book is a quick read. I personally did not like all the religious references in this book, it was way too much. If that doesn't bother you then this book is for you. Also I feel the book was based more on Lauren and Trent and not Amy and Gabe. I believe Amy gets over her past too quickly with everything that has happened in it. Maddie steals the book and if it could have been all about her I would have loved this book. I am not saying this is a bad read, it just wasn't the right one for me.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

A very good book. It is number nine in the series but can be read as a stand alone without a problem. This is a story of hope and second chances. I enjoyed reconnecting with characters I look forward to reading about each year.

While this book is part of a series, I have to say I was not lost. It was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. I’m in so much Christmas spirit now !

As all of Donna VanLiere books are fabulous this one is too. Tears of joy and sadness as well as family occasions during Christmas make her writing good. This is a Christmas Star of a book.

The Christmas Star By Donna VanLiere

Written in present tense. 9th book in the Christmas Hope inspirational series. Can be read as a standalone.
A young foster child plays matchmaker in this holiday romance. A lit Christmas star is the focus of various family and couple moments.
Lots of feel good, ahhhh, moments. Maddie, the child, is adorable.
Special, peaceful and a bit spiritual.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

The Christmas Star is the ninth book in the Christmas Hope series. I was excited to read this latest installment as these books by Donna VanLiere have become a Christmas tradition for me. I was not dissapointed! This story is my new favorite Christmas book. It weaves the themes of the holiday perfectly. If you haven't read this series, it's not too late, grab them today. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and net galley in exchange for my honest opjnion in this review.

I'm so in the Christmas spirit and cannot wait for the holiday season. This book for sure did not help calm my excitement!!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I love Christmas! This book is a very sweet story, with all of the feel good things happening that we all need a dose of these days. Maddie is a 7 year old child with a knack for matchmaking. Gabe (Mr. G) is a single custodian for the school she attends, and helps out at Glory's Place, the after school program she is also in. Enter Amy, a single volunteer at Glory's, and well, Maddie gets down to the business of working her magic. Unbeknownst to her, there will be a wrench thrown in her plan, but nothing will stop her as she is determined to have them together. It is simply too obvious the way they look at each other that they are meant to be. If you need a book that just gives you all the feels, this is one I highly recommend!