If your parent had abandoned you when you were a child, would you search for him/her for two years when you were an adult?
That’s the premise for Christmas Roses by Amanda Cabot. Mark Williams was abandoned by his father when he was a child. Now, he’s determined to find his dad, trying to discover why he’d left his mother alone to raise Mark. Mark’s mother had told Mark that his father had died when he was a youngster. However, after his mother’s death, he discovers that his mother had not been telling him the truth about his dad.
Mark goes on a two year search from town to town, trying to find his dad, using his carpentry skills to make a living. When he stops in a small Wyoming town, seeking lodging while he continues his search, he meets Celia Anderson. Celia, a Swedish woman, is raising her daughter alone since her husband was killed in a mining accident one year ago. Celia is drawn to Mark, however, he’s bitter against his absentee father, and he’s also bitter against God. It appears that there’s no way that a relationship could work between them.
This was a light read that you can finish in a few hours. The story was refreshing. I felt that the conflict between the characters was deep and realistic. I also loved the small, close-knit, religious town. The townspeople socialized together, enjoying a group dinner on Thanksgiving. It’s heartwarming to see an entire town celebrating a holiday with one another. I thought it was interesting that Celia was Swedish. You learn a bit about Swedish customs, plus, there’s a great-sounding Swedish pound cake recipe in the back of the book!
Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy!
So, if your parent had abandoned you when you were a child, would you search for him/her for two years when you were an adult?
