Reviewing: The Christmas Table by Donna Van Liere

 ...from the publisher...

From Donna VanLiere, the New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Hope series comes another heartwarming, inspirational story for the holidays, The Christmas Table.

In June 1972, John Creighton determines to build his wife Joan a kitchen table. His largest project to date had been picture frames but he promises to have the table ready for Thanksgiving dinner. Inspired to put something delicious on the table, Joan turns to her mother’s recipes she had given to Joan when she and John married.

In June 2012, Lauren Mabrey discovers she’s pregnant. Gloria, Miriam, and the rest of her friends at Glory’s Place begin to pitch in, helping Lauren prepare their home for the baby. On a visit to the local furniture builder, Lauren finds a table that he bought at a garage sale but has recently refinished. Once home, a drawer is discovered under the table which contains a stack of recipe cards. Growing up in one foster home after another, Lauren never learned to cook and is fascinated as she reads through the cards. Personal notes have been written on each one from the mother to her daughter and time and again Lauren wonders where they lived, when they lived, and in a strange way, she feels connected to this mother and her daughter and wants to make the mother proud.

The story continues to from 1972 to 2012 as Joan battles breast cancer and Lauren learns to cook, preparing for the baby’s arrival. As Christmas nears, can Lauren unlock the mystery of the table, and find the peace she's always longed for?

 ...my thoughts...

If you want to read a wonderful Christmas book that will tug at your heartstrings, read Donna Van Liere's The Christmas Table.  I can identify with the time frame between 1972 to 2012 as a young mother and then as a grandmother myself who battled breast cancer.  Time stands still in those periods of our lives, while it races by for others at a clip that gives you pause to wonder how you got to where you are at the present time!  

One handmade table is a constant in this story and if it could talk it would tell you plenty about lives shared around it. Not many tables have drawers so when Lauren discovered the drawer and the recipes it contained the story took off on a new direction of discovery and intrigue.  This is a poignant story and worth all the time spent reading it.  The characters could be your next door neighbor or a member of your church family.  This is one book you want to read for the heartwarming theme and conclusion.