The Christmas Child

Redemption River #4

by Linda Goodnight

In Redemption, Oklahoma, a young boy is found huddled in a Dumpster, clutching a Christmas book. Scared and refusing to speak, he captures undercover agent Kade McKendrick's guarded heart. Kade brings the child home until he can track down his family—and his story. All Kade has is a name, Davey, and the boy's trust of sweet, pretty teacher Sophie Bartholomew. With her kindness and faith, Sophie helps both the boy and the battlescarred cop to smile again. And as they uncover the mystery of a very special child, a family is formed—just in time for Christmas.

Genres: Love Inspired, Christmas, Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian Romance, Christian, Contemporary

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2011

About the author

NY Times and USA Bestseller, Linda Goodnight writes novels of faith and family that point to hope through Christ. Her emotional stories have won the RITA , the Carol, the Reviewer’s Choice, and numerous other industry awards. Her two great passions are faith in Jesus and her large extended family. (And pie. she loves pie.)
Readers may connect with Linda through her website at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook.

Reviews

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Linda Goodnight last year and I have been trying my best to work through her back list. She has a wonderful talent and manages to convey incredible emotion in her books. She creates characters that nearly jump off the page into the reader’s heart. I am a forever fan.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: In Redemption, Oklahoma, a young boy is found huddled in a Dumpster, clutching a Christmas book. Scared and refusing to speak, he captures undercover agent Kade McKendrick's guarded heart. Kade brings the child home until he can track down his family—and his story. All Kade has is a name, Davey, and the boy's trust of sweet, pretty teacher Sophie Bartholomew. With her kindness and faith, Sophie helps both the boy and the battle-scarred cop to smile again. And as they uncover the mystery of a very special child, a family is formed—just in time for Christmas.

REVIEW: This story is heartwarming and the setting of Redemption Oklahoma is charming. There were serious moments as Kade remembers his previous dealings with exploited/trafficked children, yet tender moments with both Davey and Sophie. The author does a good job of developing all 3 of these characters. I especially liked Kade's great aunt,Ida June and her gems of wisdom and old sayings. This is the first book I have read in the Redemption River series but I will definitely return to this series. Linda Goodnight writes easy to read, clean books that definitely carry a faith thread.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "Love is its own excuse for being. No matter what happens, even if the other person never loves you in return, loving is always a good thoing. Love fills you up and makes you a better person every single time."

"...love never fails. Whether the other person accepts it and returns the feelings or not love never fails."

"I thought He'd (God) let me down. Bad things happened to kids and He didn't stop them. I think I get it now. He hated what happened as much as I did."

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kade, a Chicago police officer, is staying with his feisty Aunt Ida Jane in Redemption, Oklahoma. He is recovering from a rough undercover assignment, dealing with a lot of guilt and regret. The last thing Kade expected was to find a young, mute boy, Davey, in a dumpster. Also in on the rescue was Sophie, a local elementary school teacher. Sophie is sweet, kind and a big fan of all that is associated with the Christmas season. Kade avoids all the trappings of Christmas, struggling in his belief in God. Kade and Sophie bond in the care and concern over the scared little boy, who despite his silence manages to communicate his needs. Kade uses his skills as a police officer to search for Davey's family. But the longer Davey stays with Kade and Ida Jane, the more Kade, Sophie and Davey grow to love one another. Supported by the wonderful townspeople of Redemption, hope and healing are found. The story will make you believe in the magic of Christmas and the power of faith.

[Lynnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this story was not as syrupy sweet and far-fetched as most romances I've read. It was an engaging, well told story.

[Robin Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linda Goodnight is one of the two authors who first got me hooked on the Love Inspired line of books (the other being Jillian Hart). Her stories are heartwarming, the settings charming (love the town of Redemption), and the characters well drawn out and easy to connect with.

Kade, staying temporarily with his aunt in Redemption, is the ultimate wounded warrior, an undercover cop who's faith has been shaken by the human horrors he has witnessed on the job in Chicago. Sophie is an optimistic and upbeat teacher who loves Christmas and winter and snow and pretty much everything that comes along. Including a lost little boy and a lost man, both of whom she longs to take care of. One is eager to accept her love, one is not.

As Kade throws himself wholeheartedly into the search for Davey's family and for answers to how and why the little boy ended up alone in a dumpster, cold and hungry and unable to talk, he also finds himself doing some soul searching about his own life and whether he really wants to go back to Chicago after the holidays. Kade is a wonderful hero who I was a little in love with from the first chapter. The banter between Kade and Sophie was amusing and I smiled a lot while reading this book.

[John Hanscom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet but little substance.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet little story about a boy found in a dumpster and the man and woman who come together to help him.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kade & Sophie meet as they try and help Davey, a young boy Popbottle Jones finds in the dumpster in Redemption. A good Christmas miracle story!

[K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars
I purchased a copy of Triple C Cowboys Box Set: Calypso County, Texas Series Books 1-5 by Linda Goodnight and this review was given freely.
A collection of clean Christian western romances featuring a wonderful family saga and the hardships the bare as they travel the path to love and marriage.

Twins for the Cowboy
3 stars
A second chance at love story. An inheritance leads homeless city dweller Whitney Brookes and her twin toddlers to a 40 acre miniature livestock ranch in Calypso County, Texas where their neighbor Nate, one of the four Caldwell siblings and owner of the Triple C Ranch, teaches Whitney ranching. While they try to find a saboteur,they learn to trust each other and in love again.

A Baby for the Cowboy
4 stars
A story of finding Faith, forgiveness and a second chance at love. Social worker Emily Caldwell's Childhood sweetheart Levi Donley returns for his brother's funeral and find's himself the guardian of his infant nephew and the owner of the family ranch. Bad memories and an evil neighbor threaten to separate them forever.

A Bride for the Cowboy
4 stars
A struggle for forgiveness, sobriety, independence and a second chance at love. Recovering alcoholic Ace Caldwell facing sobriety one day at a time seeks forgiveness for the guilt over an accident that injured his friend and cost him Marisa, the woman he loves

Christmas for the Cowboy
4 stars
Ironic with a touch of suspense and some additions to the Caldwell family. Army Intelligence Sergeant Wyatt Caldwell makes a surprise visit home for Christmas but gets more than he bargained for when he finds single mother Marley and her young son hiding out on the ranch.

Dallas and the Cowboy
4 stars
Ironic, poignant, and heartwarming depicting the true meaning of Christian love and family despite all its dysfunction. Popular radio host Dallas' life is turned upside down when she is fired after a irate boyfriend commits suicide ; she discovers her long lost Caldwell siblings; and she meets Sheriff Lawson Hawk and his teenage niece Madison.

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story if you're into Christian stories. No descriptions of sexual events, no cursing, just a decent read. It will touch your heart. Nothing beats a child and a dog for the basis of a story.
Sophie and Kade find a young boy in a dumpster on a cold day. The child can't speak and they assume he has suffered some trauma. At least Kade does. He's an undercover cop who has seen too much violence against children and is having some psychological problems over a case he just finished involving children. Sophie quickly falls in love with the little boy, Davey, and Kade. She feels they can both be healed if they have patience and faith, something she has plenty of.
Its a good read with everything tied with a pretty bow at the end. A feel good story that will life your spirit.

[Phylis Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry but had a really good storyline. I really enjoyed it.

Davey is a little boy that was found in a local dumpster and the book centers around trying to find his parents. As the story unfolds you can see a town coming together to help this young child. Sophie the school teacher and Kade, the policeman were there to help him along the way.

Really enjoyed this book. This is one of those books that if you tell too much of the story you would have tons of spoilers. Read the book and check it out for yourself.

[Natalie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this sweet little romance book. I read it in about a day and I thought the characters were engaging and sweet and the love they had for this little boy was amazing to read. I'm not sure how many books are in this series, and I didn't realize it was a series until just now, but I wouldn't mind reading the rest of them.

[Jalissa Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book about Christmas and second chances and lost children but also about loss and past regrets. When a little boy is discovered abandoned it brings two unexpected people together and they fight for the lost child. I very much enjoyed this book and I'm sorry that I started this series with the fourth book but I plan to get started on the others.

[Lynn Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good Christian fiction story. A young boy is found in a dumpster. As people come to care for him as they look for his family, love grows between them all. It does touch on his childhood trauma of being exploited. I really liked the name of the town, Redemption OK.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet wholesome Christmas book with good clean romance and themes of redemption.

Content: We know of some hard things in the pasts of some of the characters but no graphic details are given.
Romance: Some kisses and hugs but nothing more

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian romance.

[Pkil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Finished in one day. Couldn't put it down and was sad to see it end

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome read

[Peggy Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, it was so cute :)

[Kathie]

This is a book that I've read before. It was just as compelling to read it a second time.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little Christmas story.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

They found him in a dumpster at Christmas time. The journey to find out who he is and why he can't talk is painful but it gives strength to some and renews others faith. Really great holiday book.

[Theresa Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, tear-jerker🥰

[Julie Kearbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, just enough plot, but pulls you in with wonderful characters and realistic plot.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! It's an easy to read sweet story with a predictable ending! During December I always read Christmas stories. This was the first one for 2024.

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming plot with an abandoned child, a disillusioned policeman, and a kind school teacher.

[Silver James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Child (Love Inspired Don’t be fooled by the Inspirational label on this book. The attractions and character arcs are just as powerful here as they are in any of the more…robust/rowdy/racy (take your pick) romances. Federal cop Kade McKendrick, the flawed alpha hero, is banished to Redemption, Oklahoma as the result of an undercover op gone all to hell back in Chicago. Stuck in a small town for the holidays, he sure didn’t expect his sleepless nights to get even more complicated by a small, mute boy found in a Dumpster and Sophie Bartholomew, the sweet grade school teacher with a heart full of faith. Their attraction is obvious, even as she questions it and he fights it. And their growing love for Davey, the thrown-away kid, knits them tighter together.

Ultimately, this book is about a good woman who redeems a flawed, broken man with love and lots of prayers. This book is about a man seeking redemption while believing he is undeserving and winning the love of a good woman with a humbled heart. The big payoff in this book is not a night of passionate sex between the hero and heroine, but the realization that a love worthwhile grows and survives and ultimately makes a family out of strangers. And sometimes, baking cookies is a better payoff than fitting Tab A into Slot B.

I enjoyed this sweet romance with very real emotions and with very funny secondary characters. This book is a nominee for the prestigious RWA RITA Award, my fingers are crossed that Linda Goodnight’s name will be called as the winner. If possible, I would have given it 4.5 stars. It's a terrific book.

[Teri-K · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot to like in this story of a stray boy, a fifth-grade teacher and a burned-out big city cop. Honestly, I wanted to give it four stars I enjoyed it so much. The writing is solid, the characters fun and the small town Christmas setting was perfect for a December evening curled up under a blanket with carols playing in the background. I even liked the grouchy old aunt, who managed to be fun but never annoying or stereotypical.

The only reason I downgraded this book was the fact that it was just too unrealistic for me to buy in completely, and that pulled me out of the story. My main problem was the fact that the town and the public school celebrate Christmas. They use the word "Christmas", the town has a Christmas parade which portrays the Nativity, etc. I live in a small town in a conservative part of the US but we could never do the things they do in this story. Even if the town's people support it, you have to be concerned about outside groups suing. And I kept wondering about the legality of selling baked goods on such a large scale without health inspectors around.

If that kind of practicality doesn't bother you, you'll probably like this story a lot. I wish I could turn that part of my brain off when I read a book, but it doesn't work. Otherwise, I can recommend this sweet holiday story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story of caring,loving and suspense. A young boy is found in a dumper clutching a Christmas book, he is scared, hungry and refusing to speak. The person who found him a teacher named Sophie Bartholomew and an undercover agent Kade McKendrick's. There was no record of this child and Kade continued to hunt for information while taking the child under his roof. Sophie brought the young man to classes with her to bond with other children and quickly saw that he was intelligent and wanting to learn but still didn't talk.

Finding his deceased Mom and her diary gave them a glimpse into this child's history. Sophie continued to work with both the boy to gain more trust and Kade to smile and become part of her life. The key to Davey's muteness was found and the ending will truly make you a believer of blessings and miracles at Christmas.
K