Sunday, August 30, 2015

The Christmas Joy Ride


My sister sent me a link to the cutest tennis shoes.  My family loves Ohio State University (we are from Columbus, Ohio and my father actually worked at OSU).  Our den has all kinds of OSU memorabilia (clocks, signs, the mascot, throws, pillows, books, shirts). I also have a winter OSU coat.  So these shoes would be perfect for me.  Aren't they adorable?  My favorite color:  Red!


The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson is her latest Christmas story.  Ms. Carlson comes out with a new Christmas story every year and I look forward to reading them.  Joy Jorgenson is eighty-five years old and is moving out of her home.  She is relocating to Phoenix, Arizona to an assisted living facility to be near her sons.  However, she has plans for one last adventure.  Joy has a blog called Christmas Joy.  Her neighbor and friend, Miranda Fortner helped her set it up.  Joy ran a contest on her blog to find people that needed Christmas cheer this year!  Joy has picked six winners.  She has everything planned out, but she just needs to convince Miranda to come along.  Miranda is resistant at first, but she cannot let her friend go from Chicago to Arizona in a RV by herself during winter.  Miranda feels she might as well go. She does not have a job (having lost it six months earlier), her husband left for another woman, and her home is about to be foreclosed upon.  Joy and Miranda decorate the RV for Christmas and set out on their adventure.  Joy wanted to travel Route 66 (which is called different names now) and Miranda handles the navigation thanks to Miss Morris (their GPS).

Their first stop is a nursing home that is in desperate need of Christmas cheer.  They also stop at a diner, a hair salon, a family with six children, and a rehab facility.  Joy gets more tired as they progress on their journey.  Joy may not be able to finish the journey and make it to the last stop.  The last stop on their journey will be in Flagstaff, Arizona.  A little girl named Emily wrote in with the help of a neighbor.  Ever since her mother died when she was three, Emily’s father, Marcus has not celebrated Christmas.  Emily wants a real Christmas and Joy is going to make sure she gets it.  I am sure that Joy will find a way to make sure Miranda finishes the last project.

I found The Christmas Joy Ride to be just delightful.  What a wonderful book.  It is well written, with lively characters, and a lot of Christmas spirit (and hope).  This book made me smile and, in some places, laugh.  I wish there were more people like Joy in the world.  She is a true inspiration.  This book will get you ready to get out your Christmas decorations and make some cookies.  I give The Christmas Joy Ride 5 out of 5 stars.  This is one of those books that I will definitely read again each year at Christmas (to get me in the mood).  The Christmas Joy Ride came out early (August 25 instead of September 1).  


I received a complimentary copy of The Christmas Joy Ride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The review and opinions expressed are my own.

I am currently reading Keeping Christmas by Dan Walsh (a lot of Christmas books come out September 1).  I am going to relax and get ready for Big Brother and Masters of Sex. Have a lovely, relaxing Sunday evening and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader


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