Colors Of Christmas
by Olivia Newport
Christmas in Blue
Angela just wants Christmas to be over. Instead, she finds herself
in charge of the town’s celebration, and everything goes from
bad to worse. Can she rescue Christmas for the town—and herself?
Christmas in Gold
When eighty-year-old Astrid moves into an assisted living community
and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves
to stir up Christmas hope one more time.
Genre: Contemporary Christmas
Release Date: October 1, 2017
by Olivia Newport
Christmas in Blue
Angela just wants Christmas to be over. Instead, she finds herself
in charge of the town’s celebration, and everything goes from
bad to worse. Can she rescue Christmas for the town—and herself?
Christmas in Gold
When eighty-year-old Astrid moves into an assisted living community
and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves
to stir up Christmas hope one more time.
Genre: Contemporary Christmas
Release Date: October 1, 2017
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My Review
Two women face change and loss at Christmastime...
I'm not usually the biggest fan one way or another of Christmas books and movies. But Colors Of Christmas sounded like such a different kind of Christmas book that I wanted to check it out. Olivia Newport is not a new author to me, I've read, and enjoyed, two or three of her other books. She is quite versatile, penning everything from historical to Amish to contemporary holiday stories like this one.
Colors Of Christmas was certainly a different kind of Christmas book, two novellas about women facing disappointments and grief during what many people would call 'the happiest time of the year'. But reality says that there are a lot of people hurting for a myriad of reasons at Christmastime. In Christmas In Blue Angela learns what Astrid already knew in Christmas In Gold, joy can be rediscovered by the simple act of helping someone else and in accepting the kindnesses of others.
In this pair of novellas Olivia Newport delivers a message of hope, peace, and a Christmas miracle or two just in time...
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Colors Of Christmas by Olivia Newport a 4 Bark rating.
I'm not usually the biggest fan one way or another of Christmas books and movies. But Colors Of Christmas sounded like such a different kind of Christmas book that I wanted to check it out. Olivia Newport is not a new author to me, I've read, and enjoyed, two or three of her other books. She is quite versatile, penning everything from historical to Amish to contemporary holiday stories like this one.
Colors Of Christmas was certainly a different kind of Christmas book, two novellas about women facing disappointments and grief during what many people would call 'the happiest time of the year'. But reality says that there are a lot of people hurting for a myriad of reasons at Christmastime. In Christmas In Blue Angela learns what Astrid already knew in Christmas In Gold, joy can be rediscovered by the simple act of helping someone else and in accepting the kindnesses of others.
In this pair of novellas Olivia Newport delivers a message of hope, peace, and a Christmas miracle or two just in time...
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Colors Of Christmas by Olivia Newport a 4 Bark rating.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
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Guest post from
Olivia Newport
We All Have a Story
I’m younger than most of the people I exercise with. It started when I had a lot of pain in my feet and needed low-impact classes with the option of sitting down and learned I didn’t have to be a senior citizen to take their classes at my gym. Then I discovered how tough most of them are. Years later, though my feet are better, these are still my people.
A couple of years ago, while we waited for the younger and allegedly-but-not-really-tougher crowd to clear out of the group exercise room so we could invade it, a woman I would not have guessed to be 80, because she could out-cardio and out-lift me any day of the week, mentioned she had been widowed since she was 39. And she’d been widowed the first time at 19. And she’d grown up in Germany while Hitler was intent on destroying Europe and life was not easy.
Then the changing of the guard happened and I was left with my mouth gaping. I knew I had to hear this story. The next week after class, we went across the parking lot to Culvers for lunch and I scribbled notes on the backs of a pile of brown napkins while Astrid talked. Later she let me read the account of her life that she had written herself.
Astrid faced so many tragic circumstances, but she would be the first to tell you that God was with her even before she knew how to call on him. Many people with her life story would have found plenty of reason to wallow and stagnate. But not Astrid. Truly she is one of the most hopeful people I know.
Her story was the beginning of Colors of Christmas, which includes two stories. Astrid’s is “Christmas in Gold,” and the other is “Christmas in Blue.” Astrid inspired me to write about hope for a time of year when the Christian message resounds with hope yet so many people struggle to grasp hope for themselves. I pray these stories will help many recover a sense of hope afresh.
A couple of years ago, while we waited for the younger and allegedly-but-not-really-tougher crowd to clear out of the group exercise room so we could invade it, a woman I would not have guessed to be 80, because she could out-cardio and out-lift me any day of the week, mentioned she had been widowed since she was 39. And she’d been widowed the first time at 19. And she’d grown up in Germany while Hitler was intent on destroying Europe and life was not easy.
Then the changing of the guard happened and I was left with my mouth gaping. I knew I had to hear this story. The next week after class, we went across the parking lot to Culvers for lunch and I scribbled notes on the backs of a pile of brown napkins while Astrid talked. Later she let me read the account of her life that she had written herself.
Astrid faced so many tragic circumstances, but she would be the first to tell you that God was with her even before she knew how to call on him. Many people with her life story would have found plenty of reason to wallow and stagnate. But not Astrid. Truly she is one of the most hopeful people I know.
Her story was the beginning of Colors of Christmas, which includes two stories. Astrid’s is “Christmas in Gold,” and the other is “Christmas in Blue.” Astrid inspired me to write about hope for a time of year when the Christian message resounds with hope yet so many people struggle to grasp hope for themselves. I pray these stories will help many recover a sense of hope afresh.
Olivia Newport
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Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is. |
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Janices book reviews
Singing Librarian Books
Reading Is My SuperPower
Moments Dipped in Ink
October 19
A Simply Enchanted Life
G.O. & D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
Bigreadersite
October 20
Reader’s cozy corner
Have A Wonderful Day
Reflections from my bookshelves
October 21
Blogging With Carol
Just the Write Escape
Zerina Blossom’s Books
October 22
A Greater Yes
Mary Hake
Daysong Reflections
October 23
A Baker’s Perspective
Ashley’s Bookshelf
Baker Kella
Smiling Book Reviews
October 24
The Fizzy Pop Collection
It’s Storytime With Van Daniker
Remembrancy
October 25
Carpe Diem
autism mom
Bibliophile Reviews
October 26
A Reader’s Brain
By The Book
The Power of Words
October 27
With a Joyful Noise
Pause for Tales
Splashes of Joy
October 28
Jeanette’s Thoughts
Christian Chick’s Thoughts
Karen Sue Hadley
October 29
Vicky Sluiter
To Everything a Season
Pursuing Stacie
October 30
Just Jo’Anne
Tell Tale Book Reviews
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
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