Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples
do--in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four
years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.
Mattie
Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have
both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is
disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her
dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.
Then a
winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl
home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from
different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love
this Christmas?
Excellent book. I really liked all the characters in this book, even though they all had their issues. Jamie was so involved in her grief over her mother's death, and trying to be the daughter her father wanted, that she couldn't see what it was doing to her marriage. CJ loved Jamie, but he was having trouble reaching her anymore, and was afraid that he was losing her. Mattie was so filled with despair over her inability to get pregnant that she was trying to control everything around her. She was being overprotective of her son and critical of her husband. Sol couldn't make Mattie see what she was doing to Danny, and was frustrated by her inability to see that Zach was going further down the wrong road. Zach was confused about what he wanted, and kept getting into trouble just for the attention. Thanks to the snowstorm, they were all thrown together. Because of a crisis, each was able to move ahead and see where they belonged to each other.
Raised in a Pennsylvania Amish community, young mother Rachel Yoder has
led a simple life within her close-knit family. Widowed three years ago,
she has moved back in with her parents, attempting to raise her
daughter, Katie, without further emotional upheaval. Meanwhile, four
hours and a whole world away in New York City, Ellie Lawrence is
laser-focused on a high-powered public relations career, with too little
time for her family, her friends, or even her boyfriend.
Then one fateful day, these two very different women receive shocking
news of a mistake made three decades earlier and long kept hidden:
Shortly after their births, the two were accidentally switched in the
hospital. Shaken to the core by this momentous news, Rachel and Ellie
are plunged into an exploration of who they are and where they really
belong. While Ellie is eager to learn more about her Amish family and
their life in the countryside, Rachel cannot help but feel jealous as
she watches the only mother she has ever known bonding so easily with
her natural daughter. But Rachel also knows that her own biological
family is out there, and with Katie at her side she heads for Manhattan,
where she establishes a connection with the raucous, spirited
Lawrences.
As Ellie and Rachel make their way through unfamiliar landscapes, they
face life-altering challenges and grapple with a crucial question: Will
their old conventions and desires give way to new customs and yearnings?
With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, it takes the love of two
families for Rachel and Ellie to discover their own paths to fulfillment
and happiness.
A different twist on the switched at birth story. It was very interesting to see how the two women coped with the idea of having a different family, and one so different than the way they were raised. After the initial shock, both families welcomed the "new" daughter. Meeting her Amish family gave Ellie a sense of herself that had been missing for awhile, and gave her the courage to make a major change in her life. Rachel had also frequently felt like she didn't quite fit in with her family. Ellie left her job and moved to Pennsylvania to spend time with Rachel's family. There she began to live a simpler life that felt much more rewarding to her. Rachel took Katie and went to live in Ellie's apartment in New York, and spent time with the Lawrence family. It was very hard for them in the city, especially Katie. Rachel also learned some things about herself. I really enjoyed seeing the two women as they grew and adapted to their new families.
