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Christmas At Timberwoods
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels crafts an unforgettable story of lives connected and friendship kindled in an action-packed and gripping novel.
It's the most wonderful time of the year. . .and for Heather Andrews, security manager at Timberwoods Mall, undoubtedly the busiest. But this Christmas, Heather has more to contend with than frazzled parents and disgruntled Santas. Angela Steinhart, a young woman who designed the mall's spectacular holiday displays, has had a premonition that tragedy will strike on Christmas Eve. And Angela's visions have a habit of coming true.
Heather would love to dismiss the warning as holiday stress. But the more she gets to know the quiet, lonely Angela, the more she trusts her. In Lex, her boss, Heather finds an ally--and the glimmer of something more profound. And as the days count down, it will take all of her wits, hope, and unflagging courage to stop someone from destroying the season in one split second. . .
It's the most wonderful time of the year. . .and for Heather Andrews, security manager at Timberwoods Mall, undoubtedly the busiest. But this Christmas, Heather has more to contend with than frazzled parents and disgruntled Santas. Angela Steinhart, a young woman who designed the mall's spectacular holiday displays, has had a premonition that tragedy will strike on Christmas Eve. And Angela's visions have a habit of coming true.
Heather would love to dismiss the warning as holiday stress. But the more she gets to know the quiet, lonely Angela, the more she trusts her. In Lex, her boss, Heather finds an ally--and the glimmer of something more profound. And as the days count down, it will take all of her wits, hope, and unflagging courage to stop someone from destroying the season in one split second. . .
362 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
751 people are currently reading
1477 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
424 books6,518 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
November 29, 2011
It takes a lot to make me give a book a 1 star rating. I have tried to write, and I know how hard it is, but this author needed to try a little harder. To be fair I only managed to read the first 100 pages and then I skimmed the ending to see if there were any surprises. There weren't. There are so many things wrong with this book that I almost don't know where to begin. How about we start with the three point of view changes in one page? That's not at all confusing or unnecessary. Then there are the characters that might as well have been named Female Protagonist and Male Protagonist for all of the depth of character development put into them. The large cast of indistinguishable side characters who are defined only by their roles in the "plot" - the money-grubbing, dishonest business owner, the honest, hard-hitting cop, and the evil, anti-social villain. Speaking of the villain, the "author" very carefully points him out in the first couple of chapters just in case you don't want to wait to the end to find out who was going to try to do harm to the cardboard cutouts she substitutes for real characters.
I don't have high standards for Christmas novels. I look for heart-warming, simple stories with only a minimum of writing talent required to keep me from throwing the book away. This one failed to meet even that much. It's going into the first trash can I pass.
I don't have high standards for Christmas novels. I look for heart-warming, simple stories with only a minimum of writing talent required to keep me from throwing the book away. This one failed to meet even that much. It's going into the first trash can I pass.
December 24, 2011
At first this book really had potential to be great. I started this thinking it was a fluff romantic Christmas book, and quickly realized it was not at all.
Timberwoods Mall is being threatened. A note was sent saying that the mall would be blown up by a psycho. At the same time Angela, a girl who has visions , is also trying to warn everyone that she can see this happening. The beginning of the book goes by quickly and I like the fast pace.
After a short while, though, things get awfully confusing....One page changes tbe character point of view three times, and it just tbrows you off. Not to mention you keep switching mini-stories so quickly it's hard to keep up or care what happens. Some people mentioned should have just been left out altogether.
The ending was so rushed compared to the suspense tbe author tried to build, but I didn't mind. At page 150 or so I was already skimming anyway.
If you are looking for a decent holiday book I would say skip this one!
Timberwoods Mall is being threatened. A note was sent saying that the mall would be blown up by a psycho. At the same time Angela, a girl who has visions , is also trying to warn everyone that she can see this happening. The beginning of the book goes by quickly and I like the fast pace.
After a short while, though, things get awfully confusing....One page changes tbe character point of view three times, and it just tbrows you off. Not to mention you keep switching mini-stories so quickly it's hard to keep up or care what happens. Some people mentioned should have just been left out altogether.
The ending was so rushed compared to the suspense tbe author tried to build, but I didn't mind. At page 150 or so I was already skimming anyway.
If you are looking for a decent holiday book I would say skip this one!
September 21, 2015
What a terrible book. When I bought it I was apparently charmed by the blurb on the back, which promised what sounded like an interesting, fun holiday read. What I got when I started reading was poorly executed prose, flat, whiny characters who speak to each other with badly written dialogue, and an overall plot that's listless and is essentially revealed (yet not at all) in the first fifty pages.
This is one of the most poorly written books I've come across, and I'm totally sickened by the fact that this author is "on the bestseller" list. Either people really like this crap, are too undereducated to notice there are many better choices (even for chick lit!), or are like me, fooled into thinking they are getting a sweet (yet not overly sappy) fun little holiday tale.
This is one of the most poorly written books I've come across, and I'm totally sickened by the fact that this author is "on the bestseller" list. Either people really like this crap, are too undereducated to notice there are many better choices (even for chick lit!), or are like me, fooled into thinking they are getting a sweet (yet not overly sappy) fun little holiday tale.
February 25, 2019
The main story was predictable. What I don't understand is why it opened and closed with Heather Andrews who did literally NOTHING throughout the book apart from having a pointless affair with Lex. Gender roles were problematic. Cliches abounded. Parts that I think were meant to be comedy were just irritating. Kinda pointless.
December 15, 2012
This book was barely readable. I ended up skimming to get to the end, but only because I didn't have anything else to read. If I had something else, I would have just stopped. I didn't think any of the characters weren't likable among many other negative things.
October 20, 2023
Entertaining holiday listening 🎶🔰
This is a kindle e-book novel from the local library.
I picked holiday season novel for something different and I like holiday novels. This is novel about family relationships, personal issues, and sickness.
I would recommend this novel and author to 👍 readers looking for a different holiday season novel 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀☺🏡🎅
This is a kindle e-book novel from the local library.
I picked holiday season novel for something different and I like holiday novels. This is novel about family relationships, personal issues, and sickness.
I would recommend this novel and author to 👍 readers looking for a different holiday season novel 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀☺🏡🎅
March 6, 2013
Review: This was a wonderful book that had a totally different premise than I expected. Instead of a lighthearted Christmas book this one had darkness, a mystery or two to be solved and a lot of angst interspersed with the holiday spirit that tried to shine through and many times did. Angela was a misunderstood only child of parents who had no time for her especially her mother who was climbing the social ladder and didn’t want Angela’s visions and melancholy holding her back. Angela’s visions are what connected her to the characters throughout the book who for the most part wanted to believe in her and her visions no matter how farfetched they seemed.
Angela was able to connect with Maria, the sick little girl she first saw in a vision involving a plane crash. She also connected at times with some of the management at the Timberwoods Mall. The mall played a major role in the story since much of the book’s storyline took place there or were in the characters thoughts even when they weren’t physically there. Eric Summers, who was a detective working at the mall on loan from the police department, had some meetings at his house to try and keep the police out of some of the findings until things could be verified. His pregnant wife, Amy, connected with Angela during one of these meetings. She was the friend that Angela never had which gave Angela a lifeline to humanity that she desperately needed.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it but not as a true Christmas story. I’ve always enjoyed the books by Fern Michaels that I have read.
Favorite Quote: “Don’t Daddy. I understand. I really do. I don’t want to talk about Mother. I’m so glad you’re here. Boy, you don’t know how glad.” She smiled.
“You know something, Angel – I’m glad, too.” Murray sounded suprised, even to himself. “Real glad,” he repeated softly. “Whatever happens, you can’t blame yourself. You know that, don’t you?”
“I know.”
Reviewed by: JoAnne
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Angela was able to connect with Maria, the sick little girl she first saw in a vision involving a plane crash. She also connected at times with some of the management at the Timberwoods Mall. The mall played a major role in the story since much of the book’s storyline took place there or were in the characters thoughts even when they weren’t physically there. Eric Summers, who was a detective working at the mall on loan from the police department, had some meetings at his house to try and keep the police out of some of the findings until things could be verified. His pregnant wife, Amy, connected with Angela during one of these meetings. She was the friend that Angela never had which gave Angela a lifeline to humanity that she desperately needed.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it but not as a true Christmas story. I’ve always enjoyed the books by Fern Michaels that I have read.
Favorite Quote: “Don’t Daddy. I understand. I really do. I don’t want to talk about Mother. I’m so glad you’re here. Boy, you don’t know how glad.” She smiled.
“You know something, Angel – I’m glad, too.” Murray sounded suprised, even to himself. “Real glad,” he repeated softly. “Whatever happens, you can’t blame yourself. You know that, don’t you?”
“I know.”
Reviewed by: JoAnne
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
November 17, 2011
This book was a "read to the end" book without stopping. It really was that interesting. I had to know the end and if the explosion was as real as this young lady imagined. Also I will read almost all Christmas titles during November and December because I love Holiday stories. Michaels is a great author who keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.
March 23, 2023
The book was a bit tough to get into initially, but the bulk of it wanted me to keep reading to see what was next. I am glad the tragedy that was to befall Timberwoods did not come to be, but the ending was a little anticlimactic. All in all a good read about the struggles of family, friends, strangers all linked around the Christmas holiday.
January 3, 2012
I am listening to this on CD. Not sure I will finish it. It is pretty transparent.....and annoying. Okay, I finished it but only because it was an audio book and there really wasn't anything better on the radio. No more Agatha Christie and no more Fern Michaels.
December 17, 2018
Although a little more intense than I prefer my mysteries, this one is very good, very well written. It takes place in a mall at Christmas time … what a delightful, and hectic, and potentially tragic setting. I like that the perpetrator is somewhat obvious, yet the author keeps us guessing throughout the book regarding who or what is behind the crime. Each little side story is well developed without taking away from the main story. All together, a delightful Christmas read, but perhaps not for those with anxiety issues.
June 11, 2021
Enjoyed
December 7, 2023
I love cozy family Christmases but stories like this make me see the appeal of going away during Christmas
April 8, 2024
What a great book
October 19, 2020
I didn’t hate it,or love it...it was too repetitive
December 3, 2020
Angela sees visions of bad things that will happen. She sees one that shows the Timberwoods Mall blowing up. She tries to tell her parents, but they don't listen. She tries to tell the head of security at the mall, but doesn't get too far with that either.
She meets an introverted man, Charlie Roman, outside the mall one day when she is running away from home. She ends up staying with him for a few days and making his life pleasurable with her cooking, cleaning, and company. But, when she has another vision about a plane crashing, she leaves Charlie's house and ends up being unable to get back due to circumstances beyond her control. He jumps to conclusions (thinking she deliberately left him) and decides to go back to his plan to blow up the mall where he works.
No characters are fully fleshed out. No history of Charlie Roman helps the reader understand why he is the way he is. A poorly written book.
She meets an introverted man, Charlie Roman, outside the mall one day when she is running away from home. She ends up staying with him for a few days and making his life pleasurable with her cooking, cleaning, and company. But, when she has another vision about a plane crashing, she leaves Charlie's house and ends up being unable to get back due to circumstances beyond her control. He jumps to conclusions (thinking she deliberately left him) and decides to go back to his plan to blow up the mall where he works.
No characters are fully fleshed out. No history of Charlie Roman helps the reader understand why he is the way he is. A poorly written book.
January 2, 2023
I strongly disliked the way Angela's mother treated her.
More of a mystery than I expected.
Had a few technical difficulties that distracted me from the story.
Listening length eight hr 30 min
More of a mystery than I expected.
Had a few technical difficulties that distracted me from the story.
Listening length eight hr 30 min
Read
May 18, 2018Heather Andrews was the head security manager of Timberwoods Mall. Angela Steinhart, designer of the mall's Christmas displays, stopped by to talk to her. Angela had been having visions for years and this time she had seen the destruction of the mall by an explosion. Angela felt she could trust Heather to do what she could to try and stop her vision from becoming a reality.
Heather went to see Felex Lassiter in public relations about Angela's dream. Together they went to see Heather's boss. Lex was attracted to Heather and took advantage of the situation to ask her out on a date to which Heather accepted. Lex was determined to keep Heather close and they soon became intimate with each other.
Angela's mother, Sylvia refused to listen or accept what Angela said she saw. She had been sending Angela to numerous psychiatrists since she was young. Sylvia refused to accept the reality of Angela's visions and she also didn't want to be bothered by them. She found psychiatrists who thought that something was wrong with Angela just like she did. Sylvia was considering having Angela committed with this latest episode. They fought and Sylvia left house. Angela stopped up all the upstairs sinks and toilets and let the water run. She ruined the carpets and flooring in the house. Sylvia was gone and came home to the mess. She then called Angela's father in London and demanded that he come home and deal with Angela himself this time.
Charlie Roman worked at the mall and helped corral the kids for Santa. He resented the job and his treatment by others when he was working on the building of the mall. He liked Heather but didn't have the nerve to ask her out and he got upset when he saw her with Lex. He was determined to get revenge at others in general by placing explosives around the mall and especially in a pipe that he had gotten stuck in from gaining too much weight while he was working as an electrician for the mall. He had been teased and was still angry.
He and Angela bumped into each other just outside the mall as he was coming to work. Angela felt somehow drawn to him. She had returned to the mall after arguing with her mother and asked him to meet her for coffee during his break. They didn't stay together long because neither of them knew what to say.
Heather and Lex went to see Harold Baumgarten, chief of security to tell him about Angela's vision. Eric Summers was a policeman on loan for the holidays and was assisting Harold. He and the owner of the mall, Dolph Richards, had a running feud going. Dolph was known for sleeping around and he was too greedy to accept the visions as real and close the mall for the shoppers and tenants safety. Summers first thought regarding the visions was that Angela was somehow involved in setting off a bomb. With Dolph's objections, Summers contacted the police and asked for more men and help with the bomb threats that had been sent to the police department. Now they seemed to have a suspect, Angela.
Charlie continued to work and noticed the extra security. He wasn't worried because he knew that nothing would be found. He went home and was surprised when Angela came to see him. She asked if she could stay with him for awhile. She didn't tell him that she and her mother had fought and couldn't go home because of the damage she had caused there. Charlie liked having Angela around and felt like he might be falling for her. He liked having someone to come home to. Angela liked cleaning his house and cooking for him. They picked out a Christmas tree and decorated it together. Charlie felt like maybe he could put aside his revenge for awhile. He wasn't so angry with Angela around.
Angela decided to take a trip to the mall and one of the security guards chased her and arrested her. She was afraid that her mother had sent cops after her. She was surprised to find out that she was wanted just to talk to the head of security. The cop took her to Summers house where he was having dinner with his pregnant wife. She was upset when she saw Angela because she had run through mud trying to get away and was very dirty. His wife fed Angela and let her take a bath before she was questioned. She tried to call Charlie but he didn't answer the phone. She stayed after she was questioned by being hypnotized and tried to call Charlie again. Still no answer.
The mall was being checked thoroughly for bombs. A couple of the cops spotted tanks on the roof but it was cold and they left them there. They were small and they didn't think of them as being an explosive.
Charlie was really upset when he got home and Angela wasn't there. He felt like he had been left again and all his anger returned. He headed back to the mall to check his explosives. He dressed as Santa and went onto the roof. He was once again immersed in the details of the detonation of the explosives he set. He didn't answer the phone because it thought it was work calling to ask him to help clear snow.
Angela had told the security group of the mall about another vision she had about a plane crash. They did some checking and found out that the vision had indeed come to pass. There was a plane crash and a little girl was left without a donor she needed because of the crash. The group believed in Angela's vision even more now.
A little girl in the hospital tried to tell her mother that she had seen Santa on the roof of the mall but her mother didn't believe her. She wasn't looking where her daughter was when Charlie was spotted while on the roof dressed as Santa. She did see Charlie dressed as Santa a few days later.
The mall security group tried talking to the Mall store owners to see if they would agree to closing the mall but they didn't. They didn't want to lose the money they would make on the last few days before Christmas.
Charlie home up sick the last shopping day before Christmas. The mall had a big sale going on and a Christmas parade inside the mall. Eric Summers was at the mall and so were Heather and Lex. They all felt like something was about to happen. Angela and her father arrived and felt the same way. Angela found out that Mrs. Summers was in the mall and went to find her to see if they could convince her to go home. They ran into Charlie and Angela realized that Charlie was the one who was going to set off the bomb. She and her father followed him through the mall to see if they could find out what he was up to. Angela's father, Murray, gave Angela a knife and she slashed one of the tires in a parade float to stop the parade. Angela saw the little girl in her vision. Maria had leukemia and had come to the mall to see Santa before her bone marrow transplant. She was weak and hoping to live through the holidays. Heather and Lex were watching on camera and saw Angela slash the parade float tire. They were surprised and left their office to find and arrest her.
Angela realized that Charlie was beyond reach. He was so angry and out of his mind. He saw Angela and grabbed her. He headed with her to the roof. He was almost stopped by Murray but he choked Murray and left him passed out by the door to the room. Angela still had her knife and planned to use it if she got a chance. She had a vision of hand over hand and didn't know what it meant. Charlie told her that he had made a bomb and took her to see it. She pulled out a cell phone and told her that he had set her number in it and then through it off the roof. He had another phone that he intended to use as a detonator for the bomb. He intended to for someone to find the other phone which would let them know they had a connection and blame her for helping set off the bomb. Angela grabbed him by the hand and knocked the phone onto the ground. She then went to her knees and told him she was praying. He looked down and asked her what she was doing. Eric had arrived and surprised him by saying he should join her in prayer and knocked him out. Angela had kicked the phone into the snow. Charlie wasn't all the way knocked out and reached to try and get the phone when Eric hit him again.
Eric called the bomb squad in and a tied up Charlie. Angela and her father were taken to the hospital and she was told that Maria was there too. Angela was told about Maria being put in isolation before her transplant surgery and Angela went to see her through the window. Angela had told Maria when she was in the mall that she had designed the angel display there. Angela had a vision of Maria older and playing. Angela felt much better knowing that Maria would survive the surgery and do well.
Lex took Heather on a walk through the mall after Christmas and had prepared a display in one of the jewelry stores to have an engagement ring on display. He asked Heather to marry him and asked if a years engagement would work for her. She agreed.
Murray took Angela on a trip to London. Angela would live there with him and divorce Sylvia. He'd had enough of her dismissing Angela and trying to get her admitted to a psychiatric hospital. They were over. Angela was getting a fresh start with her father.
Eric and his wife had a healthy baby girl.
Heather went to see Felex Lassiter in public relations about Angela's dream. Together they went to see Heather's boss. Lex was attracted to Heather and took advantage of the situation to ask her out on a date to which Heather accepted. Lex was determined to keep Heather close and they soon became intimate with each other.
Angela's mother, Sylvia refused to listen or accept what Angela said she saw. She had been sending Angela to numerous psychiatrists since she was young. Sylvia refused to accept the reality of Angela's visions and she also didn't want to be bothered by them. She found psychiatrists who thought that something was wrong with Angela just like she did. Sylvia was considering having Angela committed with this latest episode. They fought and Sylvia left house. Angela stopped up all the upstairs sinks and toilets and let the water run. She ruined the carpets and flooring in the house. Sylvia was gone and came home to the mess. She then called Angela's father in London and demanded that he come home and deal with Angela himself this time.
Charlie Roman worked at the mall and helped corral the kids for Santa. He resented the job and his treatment by others when he was working on the building of the mall. He liked Heather but didn't have the nerve to ask her out and he got upset when he saw her with Lex. He was determined to get revenge at others in general by placing explosives around the mall and especially in a pipe that he had gotten stuck in from gaining too much weight while he was working as an electrician for the mall. He had been teased and was still angry.
He and Angela bumped into each other just outside the mall as he was coming to work. Angela felt somehow drawn to him. She had returned to the mall after arguing with her mother and asked him to meet her for coffee during his break. They didn't stay together long because neither of them knew what to say.
Heather and Lex went to see Harold Baumgarten, chief of security to tell him about Angela's vision. Eric Summers was a policeman on loan for the holidays and was assisting Harold. He and the owner of the mall, Dolph Richards, had a running feud going. Dolph was known for sleeping around and he was too greedy to accept the visions as real and close the mall for the shoppers and tenants safety. Summers first thought regarding the visions was that Angela was somehow involved in setting off a bomb. With Dolph's objections, Summers contacted the police and asked for more men and help with the bomb threats that had been sent to the police department. Now they seemed to have a suspect, Angela.
Charlie continued to work and noticed the extra security. He wasn't worried because he knew that nothing would be found. He went home and was surprised when Angela came to see him. She asked if she could stay with him for awhile. She didn't tell him that she and her mother had fought and couldn't go home because of the damage she had caused there. Charlie liked having Angela around and felt like he might be falling for her. He liked having someone to come home to. Angela liked cleaning his house and cooking for him. They picked out a Christmas tree and decorated it together. Charlie felt like maybe he could put aside his revenge for awhile. He wasn't so angry with Angela around.
Angela decided to take a trip to the mall and one of the security guards chased her and arrested her. She was afraid that her mother had sent cops after her. She was surprised to find out that she was wanted just to talk to the head of security. The cop took her to Summers house where he was having dinner with his pregnant wife. She was upset when she saw Angela because she had run through mud trying to get away and was very dirty. His wife fed Angela and let her take a bath before she was questioned. She tried to call Charlie but he didn't answer the phone. She stayed after she was questioned by being hypnotized and tried to call Charlie again. Still no answer.
The mall was being checked thoroughly for bombs. A couple of the cops spotted tanks on the roof but it was cold and they left them there. They were small and they didn't think of them as being an explosive.
Charlie was really upset when he got home and Angela wasn't there. He felt like he had been left again and all his anger returned. He headed back to the mall to check his explosives. He dressed as Santa and went onto the roof. He was once again immersed in the details of the detonation of the explosives he set. He didn't answer the phone because it thought it was work calling to ask him to help clear snow.
Angela had told the security group of the mall about another vision she had about a plane crash. They did some checking and found out that the vision had indeed come to pass. There was a plane crash and a little girl was left without a donor she needed because of the crash. The group believed in Angela's vision even more now.
A little girl in the hospital tried to tell her mother that she had seen Santa on the roof of the mall but her mother didn't believe her. She wasn't looking where her daughter was when Charlie was spotted while on the roof dressed as Santa. She did see Charlie dressed as Santa a few days later.
The mall security group tried talking to the Mall store owners to see if they would agree to closing the mall but they didn't. They didn't want to lose the money they would make on the last few days before Christmas.
Charlie home up sick the last shopping day before Christmas. The mall had a big sale going on and a Christmas parade inside the mall. Eric Summers was at the mall and so were Heather and Lex. They all felt like something was about to happen. Angela and her father arrived and felt the same way. Angela found out that Mrs. Summers was in the mall and went to find her to see if they could convince her to go home. They ran into Charlie and Angela realized that Charlie was the one who was going to set off the bomb. She and her father followed him through the mall to see if they could find out what he was up to. Angela's father, Murray, gave Angela a knife and she slashed one of the tires in a parade float to stop the parade. Angela saw the little girl in her vision. Maria had leukemia and had come to the mall to see Santa before her bone marrow transplant. She was weak and hoping to live through the holidays. Heather and Lex were watching on camera and saw Angela slash the parade float tire. They were surprised and left their office to find and arrest her.
Angela realized that Charlie was beyond reach. He was so angry and out of his mind. He saw Angela and grabbed her. He headed with her to the roof. He was almost stopped by Murray but he choked Murray and left him passed out by the door to the room. Angela still had her knife and planned to use it if she got a chance. She had a vision of hand over hand and didn't know what it meant. Charlie told her that he had made a bomb and took her to see it. She pulled out a cell phone and told her that he had set her number in it and then through it off the roof. He had another phone that he intended to use as a detonator for the bomb. He intended to for someone to find the other phone which would let them know they had a connection and blame her for helping set off the bomb. Angela grabbed him by the hand and knocked the phone onto the ground. She then went to her knees and told him she was praying. He looked down and asked her what she was doing. Eric had arrived and surprised him by saying he should join her in prayer and knocked him out. Angela had kicked the phone into the snow. Charlie wasn't all the way knocked out and reached to try and get the phone when Eric hit him again.
Eric called the bomb squad in and a tied up Charlie. Angela and her father were taken to the hospital and she was told that Maria was there too. Angela was told about Maria being put in isolation before her transplant surgery and Angela went to see her through the window. Angela had told Maria when she was in the mall that she had designed the angel display there. Angela had a vision of Maria older and playing. Angela felt much better knowing that Maria would survive the surgery and do well.
Lex took Heather on a walk through the mall after Christmas and had prepared a display in one of the jewelry stores to have an engagement ring on display. He asked Heather to marry him and asked if a years engagement would work for her. She agreed.
Murray took Angela on a trip to London. Angela would live there with him and divorce Sylvia. He'd had enough of her dismissing Angela and trying to get her admitted to a psychiatric hospital. They were over. Angela was getting a fresh start with her father.
Eric and his wife had a healthy baby girl.
December 10, 2011
I purchased Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels, as it was the December, book of the month selection for a Goodreads group. It is a romantic suspense novel, with events that take place in the days before Christmas. The central story involves a young woman who suffers from visions and her attempts to stop a horrific event from occurring. The tale unfolds as Michaels changes points of views between key characters.
Heather Andrews, security manager at Timberwoods Mall, is approached by Angela Steinhart, a young woman who has visions and some major baggage. Angela attempts to share her visions with Heather. She sees blood, red, fire, screaming children, wounded patrons, and explosions. Angela is a wreck because she knows her visions always come true. She is lonely, scared, depressed, and needs someone to listen to her. Heather unsure of what to do turns to her boss Lex. Together they take steps to determine the credibility of Angela’s story. The two develop a romance, but it is secondary to the other plots. Fans looking for a detailed romance will be disappointed.
Charlie Roman, works for the mall and has recently been downgraded due to health issues. He has a crush on Heather, but is too shy to make a move. He sees her relationship with Lex as the last straw in a series of perceived slights. Michaels takes us into his fragile psyche, as she changes points of view. He is a lonely, awkward man and clearly disturbed, but you will end up feeling sorry for him. When a relationship develops between Charlie and Angela, it appears his plans to blow up the mall, killing everyone may be averted. Their relationship is strange and appears to give each the emotional connection they desire. Unfortunately, when Charlie feels Angela has abandoned him, he sets his plans into motion.
There are several mini-plots in the novel. Two in particular that I found touching were the stories of a little girl with cancer and a couple expecting their first child. Michaels, has tightly entwined all of these sub-plots into the story. While it makes the action face-paced, some readers may feel slighted by the lack of depth in them. Some characters surrounding the key players are worth mentioning, as they will evoke many different feeling from the reader. You will hate Angel’s mother, want to slap her father and perhaps run over the obnoxious mall manager and shop owners.
Overall, I enjoyed Christmas at Timberwoods and would recommend it to fans of suspenseful tales with a splash of romance.
Heather Andrews, security manager at Timberwoods Mall, is approached by Angela Steinhart, a young woman who has visions and some major baggage. Angela attempts to share her visions with Heather. She sees blood, red, fire, screaming children, wounded patrons, and explosions. Angela is a wreck because she knows her visions always come true. She is lonely, scared, depressed, and needs someone to listen to her. Heather unsure of what to do turns to her boss Lex. Together they take steps to determine the credibility of Angela’s story. The two develop a romance, but it is secondary to the other plots. Fans looking for a detailed romance will be disappointed.
Charlie Roman, works for the mall and has recently been downgraded due to health issues. He has a crush on Heather, but is too shy to make a move. He sees her relationship with Lex as the last straw in a series of perceived slights. Michaels takes us into his fragile psyche, as she changes points of view. He is a lonely, awkward man and clearly disturbed, but you will end up feeling sorry for him. When a relationship develops between Charlie and Angela, it appears his plans to blow up the mall, killing everyone may be averted. Their relationship is strange and appears to give each the emotional connection they desire. Unfortunately, when Charlie feels Angela has abandoned him, he sets his plans into motion.
There are several mini-plots in the novel. Two in particular that I found touching were the stories of a little girl with cancer and a couple expecting their first child. Michaels, has tightly entwined all of these sub-plots into the story. While it makes the action face-paced, some readers may feel slighted by the lack of depth in them. Some characters surrounding the key players are worth mentioning, as they will evoke many different feeling from the reader. You will hate Angel’s mother, want to slap her father and perhaps run over the obnoxious mall manager and shop owners.
Overall, I enjoyed Christmas at Timberwoods and would recommend it to fans of suspenseful tales with a splash of romance.
November 1, 2011
Heather is facing the busiest time of the year for a mall, Christmas. Being the security manager, Heather handles all kinds of issues for the mall. She's seen just about everything and is prepared to face it once again until a young woman shows up unannounced at her office. Angela, the young woman, is frantic and telling Heather about a situation that will occur at the mall. Heather's unsure at first whether to believe her or not. Angela came across as sincere, but there was something about her. Heather decides to keep the information to herself until Angela shows up again. Now she has no choice but to share the information with her bosses and others at the mall. The story that follows will keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat. Trying to deal with normal Christmas time issues and this added problem plays on everyone's nerves. It brings some together and tears others apart.
I loved this book because you can almost visualize the whole thing at your local mall. You can see in your mind's eye the situations described and the people involved. It's very real life in that way. The characters are well defined and mostly likable people. You'll be rooting for some and booing for others. Fern Michaels hits another one out of the ball park with this book. It will make you look at families, Christmas and your local mall in a whole new way. I felt sad for some of the characters but as this story is so real to life, I understand why these characters were necessary. The only problem I saw was that Angela seems bipolar or manic on top of her other talents. I thought it was unnecessary to portray her in this light. It made it more difficult to accept anything she said as the truth. I think it could have been handled in a different way and still maintained the spirit of the book.
I loved this book because you can almost visualize the whole thing at your local mall. You can see in your mind's eye the situations described and the people involved. It's very real life in that way. The characters are well defined and mostly likable people. You'll be rooting for some and booing for others. Fern Michaels hits another one out of the ball park with this book. It will make you look at families, Christmas and your local mall in a whole new way. I felt sad for some of the characters but as this story is so real to life, I understand why these characters were necessary. The only problem I saw was that Angela seems bipolar or manic on top of her other talents. I thought it was unnecessary to portray her in this light. It made it more difficult to accept anything she said as the truth. I think it could have been handled in a different way and still maintained the spirit of the book.
December 26, 2014
This is one of the Christmas fiction novels I won from a contest Christmas in July.
When I looked at the cover and even read the description of the book I thought I was going to be reading a light hearted Christmas novel. I was wrong. It's about a young emotionally unstable woman who has visions and this Christmas Angela Steinhard has a premonition that the shopping mall where some of her artwork is displayed will be bombed on a busy shopping day Christmas Eve. She reports this to security at the mall, police and her parents. I feel sorry for Angela because she is a very lonely person with no friends but rich parents that don't pay attention to her. Her mother's character is someone I would never want to meet . All she thinks of is putting Angela in a mental institution and what will other people think. Her father is ok just busy with his job, flying to other countries. The security manager Heather does believe Angela.
Heather tells her boss Lex and together they determine the credibility of the story. The two develop a romance but it is a very minor portion of the story. That's it for romance in this book if that's what fans are looking for in this novel.
Angela does meet a friend at the mall Charlie Roman. He works at the mall in maintenance. During the Christmas season he helps Santa with the children. He is a very lonely man who has been bullied almost all his life. Angela steps into his life as a friend and his idea of blowing up the mall seems to dissipate.
If this was a story that if it would have taken place any other time than Christmas I believe I would have enjoyed the book more. Never judge a book by it's cover.
When I looked at the cover and even read the description of the book I thought I was going to be reading a light hearted Christmas novel. I was wrong. It's about a young emotionally unstable woman who has visions and this Christmas Angela Steinhard has a premonition that the shopping mall where some of her artwork is displayed will be bombed on a busy shopping day Christmas Eve. She reports this to security at the mall, police and her parents. I feel sorry for Angela because she is a very lonely person with no friends but rich parents that don't pay attention to her. Her mother's character is someone I would never want to meet . All she thinks of is putting Angela in a mental institution and what will other people think. Her father is ok just busy with his job, flying to other countries. The security manager Heather does believe Angela.
Heather tells her boss Lex and together they determine the credibility of the story. The two develop a romance but it is a very minor portion of the story. That's it for romance in this book if that's what fans are looking for in this novel.
Angela does meet a friend at the mall Charlie Roman. He works at the mall in maintenance. During the Christmas season he helps Santa with the children. He is a very lonely man who has been bullied almost all his life. Angela steps into his life as a friend and his idea of blowing up the mall seems to dissipate.
If this was a story that if it would have taken place any other time than Christmas I believe I would have enjoyed the book more. Never judge a book by it's cover.
December 27, 2011
Many readers will read this book and think, what a cute story. I found the story tragic because the two focal characters, Charlie and Angela, were in mental breakdown for most of the story.
Charlie was a man who had no friends and had been bullied all his life. When he finally gathered his nerves to approach the woman he’d had a crush on, he saw her getting into a car with another man. To get payback for all the miseries he’d suffered throughout his life, he decided to blown up the mall where he, the woman, and the man she got into the car with, worked.
Angela was a woman with no friends and who had been trying to get her mother to see her since her thirteenth birthday while at the same age, Angela’s ability to predict the future surfaced. Angela’s mother wanted to institutionalize Angela but Angela’s father put his foot down and said no to his wife. This didn’t sit well with Angela’s mom because if it got out that Angela had the ability to predict the future, she’d lose face amongst her well to do friends. Angela, to get her mother’s attention became destructive.
While entertaining us Fern Michaels showed us what people look like when in mental breakdown.
Tanya Eby did a very good job at storytelling.
November 15, 2011
I read this book pretty fast. It was a fast and pleasant read. I did think it was going to be more "Christmasy" but overall I did like the story. Although there wasn't a lot of action, the characters did bring out emotions in me. I for one disliked Sylvia, Angela's mother. She came across as a ignorant self centered woman. Angela's father needed to grow some balls he was a wimp! I surprisingly did feel sorry for Charlie I found him to be a lonely man who wanted to be loved. There was a touchy moment for me in the book when Maria was spoken to by the ice skating woman. It touched my heart that a simple act from a human being could brighten her day. My heart really went out to that little girl.
This is the first Fern Michaels book I have read. Overall I liked it. I give this 3 stars... I only wish there would have been more action. Maybe I am just used to my Patricia Cornwell type of books hahaha.
This is the first Fern Michaels book I have read. Overall I liked it. I give this 3 stars... I only wish there would have been more action. Maybe I am just used to my Patricia Cornwell type of books hahaha.
December 5, 2019
I love Christmas stories. This is not one I'll come back to next year.
The plot was ...odd. The summary led me to think the story would be completely different. The entire 7 discs was about a societal misfit who wants to blow up the mall and a young girl who had a vision of this. If course she befriends him, not realizing he is the bomber. The characters were not interesting and had no depth to them. And there were a LOT of characters.
The narrator was not very good. I was unable to differentiate between the characters. All the men sounded exactly alike and the same goes for the female characters.
I do not recommend this book.
The plot was ...odd. The summary led me to think the story would be completely different. The entire 7 discs was about a societal misfit who wants to blow up the mall and a young girl who had a vision of this. If course she befriends him, not realizing he is the bomber. The characters were not interesting and had no depth to them. And there were a LOT of characters.
The narrator was not very good. I was unable to differentiate between the characters. All the men sounded exactly alike and the same goes for the female characters.
I do not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2014
Nothing spectacular here . . . and, of course, there are dogs!! 5 out of 10 for me.
November 13, 2014
Delightful book about another psychic Angela, who saves the day!
August 31, 2016
I Love This Book. I Love All Of Her Books. Its A wonderful book. Would Highly Recommend It.
December 16, 2020
I hate to give a book 1 star, but there were several characters in this book I didn't like and several scenes I thought were ridiculous.
I listened to the audiobook and I couldn't tell whether it was the narrator or the book or both, but it sounded flat and stiff. The first main character, Heather, was a mall security supervisor who we are told got her job because she is pretty and has good legs. This turned me off right at the beginning. Then, a 20-year-old girl, Angela, comes to see Heather in the mall and gives some vague story about having visions that come true and how the mall is in danger. Heather tells her coworker (Lex?), who basically supports her because he wants to ask her out. Then, the story starts following the 20-year-old who acts like a spoiled child because her rich parents don't listen to her. She intentionally floods her parent's house where she is living, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Her mother is very upset about this, but her father blows it off (what's $20,000 in damage)? Heather and Lex question Angela at her home, she tells them about her visions, they believe her, and they go to the owner of the mall and tell him he needs to close the entire mall days before Christmas because people might die. Several other unbelievable things happen. Then, we don't hear much from Heather again after that because the main character seems to shift to Eric, a police officer.
A lot of the scenes were about whether or not they believed Angela and how they had to close the mall. Several of the characters were just too much. The owner of the mall was too much of an asshole. Angela was an obnoxious, spoiled, and naive 20-year-old child. Her mother was too much against her. The police officer Eric's wife, Amy, was too bossy and butts in while her husband is trying to do his job. There are several different male characters in various security roles at the mall. After a couple chapters, I couldn't remember which character was which and I stopped caring.
Also, the ending was not very Christmasy.
I listened to the audiobook and I couldn't tell whether it was the narrator or the book or both, but it sounded flat and stiff. The first main character, Heather, was a mall security supervisor who we are told got her job because she is pretty and has good legs. This turned me off right at the beginning. Then, a 20-year-old girl, Angela, comes to see Heather in the mall and gives some vague story about having visions that come true and how the mall is in danger. Heather tells her coworker (Lex?), who basically supports her because he wants to ask her out. Then, the story starts following the 20-year-old who acts like a spoiled child because her rich parents don't listen to her. She intentionally floods her parent's house where she is living, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Her mother is very upset about this, but her father blows it off (what's $20,000 in damage)? Heather and Lex question Angela at her home, she tells them about her visions, they believe her, and they go to the owner of the mall and tell him he needs to close the entire mall days before Christmas because people might die. Several other unbelievable things happen. Then, we don't hear much from Heather again after that because the main character seems to shift to Eric, a police officer.
A lot of the scenes were about whether or not they believed Angela and how they had to close the mall. Several of the characters were just too much. The owner of the mall was too much of an asshole. Angela was an obnoxious, spoiled, and naive 20-year-old child. Her mother was too much against her. The police officer Eric's wife, Amy, was too bossy and butts in while her husband is trying to do his job. There are several different male characters in various security roles at the mall. After a couple chapters, I couldn't remember which character was which and I stopped caring.
Also, the ending was not very Christmasy.
November 20, 2020
I found this quite an interesting story, perhaps not wholly realistic, but largely possible and suspenseful. I wasn't sure until the last scene if the writer was going to have it end with a huge explosion or not.
There were a number of characters and, as other reviewers have stated, abrupt changes in point of view. A few places it took me a bit to realize who was speaking or thinking because of the quick head-hop. Not a "clean read" as far as some of the characters' comments are concerned.
One thing I found odd is that a number of characters seem to have never heard of "second sight" or premonitions. There have been some pretty famous instances so I thought the concept should be common knowledge by now. Angela's mother (one of the villains) was in complete denial.
I thought Angela's parents were pretty stereotype. These days I see many MCs' mothers portrayed as dissatisfied, demanding social climbers lacking in normal maternal affection, especially for a daughter. I'd like to meet a nice mother now and then! Angela's father was the standard somewhat distant, usually absent rich businessman. I'm glad he finally saw the light and wanted to change that relationship.
Though the book isn't perfect, I'm going to give it four stars for interesting, possible, and peopled with some realistic characters I'd like to get to know a little better, if there were a sequel.
There were a number of characters and, as other reviewers have stated, abrupt changes in point of view. A few places it took me a bit to realize who was speaking or thinking because of the quick head-hop. Not a "clean read" as far as some of the characters' comments are concerned.
One thing I found odd is that a number of characters seem to have never heard of "second sight" or premonitions. There have been some pretty famous instances so I thought the concept should be common knowledge by now. Angela's mother (one of the villains) was in complete denial.
I thought Angela's parents were pretty stereotype. These days I see many MCs' mothers portrayed as dissatisfied, demanding social climbers lacking in normal maternal affection, especially for a daughter. I'd like to meet a nice mother now and then! Angela's father was the standard somewhat distant, usually absent rich businessman. I'm glad he finally saw the light and wanted to change that relationship.
Though the book isn't perfect, I'm going to give it four stars for interesting, possible, and peopled with some realistic characters I'd like to get to know a little better, if there were a sequel.
December 10, 2019
Angela's visions are full of Christmas terror. She sees an explosion, fire, and blood. She hears the screams of men, women, and children. Haunted by these vivid dream-like images that take place at the mall where her artwork is on display, Angela realizes she must try to warn mall security of the impending disaster. Revealing her psychic abilities is difficult enough, but having already been labeled as troubled by her mother and an army of therapists, she knows her outrageous warnings may get her institutionalized.
As the story unfolds, Angela's contentious relationship with her mother drives her out of her home and into the path of Charlie Roman. While their friendship unfolds, the mall security team is busy preparing for the mayhem Angela insists is still going to happen despite the CEO's refusal to take the visions seriously.
There's some tension in this book, but things are pretty self-evident from the moment the characters are introduced. It also didn't give me warm, fuzzy feelings that I'd expect of a Christmas-themed story.
So...it gets a middle of the road three star rating from me.
As the story unfolds, Angela's contentious relationship with her mother drives her out of her home and into the path of Charlie Roman. While their friendship unfolds, the mall security team is busy preparing for the mayhem Angela insists is still going to happen despite the CEO's refusal to take the visions seriously.
There's some tension in this book, but things are pretty self-evident from the moment the characters are introduced. It also didn't give me warm, fuzzy feelings that I'd expect of a Christmas-themed story.
So...it gets a middle of the road three star rating from me.
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