Sweet, touching Christmas novella -- Restoring Christmas

I'm a sucker for a sweet, feel-good Christmas story.  Cynthia Ruchti's Restoring Christmas is every bit of that . . . but so much more.  In fact, it is one of the most touching stories I've read in a long time.

Cynthia has such a gentle way with words, and she definitely worked her magic in this one.  Alexis, Gabe, and Elsie -- as well as the other characters who show up -- are all very intriguing, both as individuals and as the unexpected, mismatched company they become.  Cynthia packs so much into this short book, using her limited pages to fill in the back stories of her characters, stories so important in understanding their perspectives on Christmas and the all-important, heart-deep restoration needed by each one.

The book has laugh-out-loud moments and times when you will likely wipe away some tears.  As the story reaches its resolution, there are beautiful elements which especially pull at the heartstrings.  The only bad thing in the book was that I wasn't ready to see the end.

Restoring Christmas is a must read to help get your mind and heart ready for Christmas and beyond.  Thanks to Cynthia for sharing a copy of her story.  I am excited to share my thoughts with other readers.

About the Book: 

Alexis Blake set out to restore a neglected building. What she didn’t expect was to restore a life…

Alexis has one chance to land her own show on the Heart-and-Home Network, and nothing–not an uncooperative client, a job site without indoor plumbing, or a challenging videographer–is going to stand in her way.

Elsie Raymond, at seventy-plus, is far from the ideal client, but she knows exactly what she wants her fieldstone house to look like, and no designer can tell her otherwise.

Gabe Langley, the man with the camera, is caught in the middle and it is his wisdom and warmth that just may be the bridge that will bring these two women together. Can they restore more than just a house and save Christmas memories from being lost forever?

About the Author:

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in hope. She's the award-winning author of 17 books and a frequent speaker for women's ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. She lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.