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Laura Banner has everything going for her. She has three lovely
daughters, a devoted husband, wonderful friends and a moderately
successful home business. The only thing she doesn't have is one more
day to live.
On
the very night of her fourteenth wedding anniversary, Laura is stricken
with a blinding headache. Shortly afterwards, she finds herself in a
hospital, and the doctor tells her the bad news – she doesn't even have
twenty-four hours left to live. Twelve short hours will mark the rest
of her life, twelve hours in which to tell her children how much she
loves them. Twelve hours to mend the rift that has formed between her
and her mother. Twelve hours to say the last words that her friends
and family will ever hear from her.
Twelve hours is just not long enough, but those short hours are the
basis for Christmas, Present. In this slim little novel,
Jaquelyn Mitchard tells the poignant story of a mother's last minutes
with her daughters, a sister's last words with her siblings, a wife's
last intimate whispers with her husband and a daughter's last chance to
hear her mother say the words she's waited for her whole life: "I love
you."
Ms. Mitchard weaves a skillfully wrought story that will make you weep
with empathy. This heart-wrenching, tear-jerking novel will have
everyone thanking the powers that be that they, unlike Laura, have
another day to spent with their loved ones.
How many days do we have left to give our children hugs and kisses, to
see them grow and bloom from babies to adults? Will we all find the
time to savor every moment spent with our husbands? With our friends?
With our brothers and sisters? Christmas, Present is a powerful
reminder that we do not, as we so often surmise, have another day
looming before us tomorrow. It serves as a reminder that we may not
live to see another sunrise, or another toothless smile, or another
perfect snowflake fall from the sky to kiss our toddler's rosy cheek.
We may not live to see another Christmas, New Year or Valentine's Day.
Eternity could fade away into forever before we could feel the brush of
a lover's lips against our own again. Tomorrow could bring the end of
life to anyone! Christmas, Present will remind us all that there
are no guarantees, and we had better cherish and enjoy every moment that
is granted to us.
This book is terribly sad, but the message it sends is a good one. I
highly recommend this book – especially to those who might need a
little reminder of just how precious every single minute is – just be
sure to have a box of Kleenex on hand!
Reviewed by
Janean Nusz
for Road to Romance
February 11, 2004
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