Christmas in Bethel by Richard Paul Evans

 

Title:  Christmas in Bethel

Author:  Richard Paul Evans

Narrated by:  Helene Maksoud

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 5 hours and 28 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio. 

Do you have a “must read” author for the holidays?  It’s not Christmas for me without reading a new Richard Paul Evans book for the season.

Beth has had a hard life and finds herself alone and depressed. She picks up a book called Bethel.  The story changes her life and brings hope back into her days.  She feels an immediate attraction to a mysterious man she meets in a coffee shop.  She soon finds out that he is author J.D. Harper, (real name Lee) the author of her favorite book, Bethel.  What follows is a whirlwind romance.  Will Beth be able to put her past behind her and find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The story seemed like a fairy tale.  A famous author wines and dines you, whisks you away on trips, and asks you to stay at his mansion.  I think everyone would love it if this dream came true for them in their single days.

·       I loved the mysterious mansion hat Lee lived in with his reclusive brother.  I also liked learning more about his brother.

·       The audiobook narrator was great, and I thought of her as the voice of Beth.

·       The holidays are in the background of this novel but are not the focus.

·       It was a very sweet romance.

·       I liked the theme that even when life doesn’t go well for you, there is always hope and light at the end of the tunnel. 

·       There was a third act surprise that I wasn’t sure how it would be resolved.  I had guessed the surprise before it happened.

·       The novel contained a story that was just in Richard Paul Evans’ recent memoir, Sharing Too Much as a real event that happened in his life.  As a child he called his dog Daisy from across the road and witnessed her being hit by a car.  His mother yelled at him, and he still had to go to school.  It’s a tragic story that brings a tear to my eye every time.

Overall, Christmas in Bethel was a sweet Christmas romance about the power of second chances.