A Christmas Hope

Linden Corners #4

by Joseph Pittman

One final Christmas wish could change their lives forever…

Nora Connors Rainer has returned to her hometown, Linden Corners, to tend to her elderly but spunky pie-baking mother—and to nurse a broken heart. To keep busy, Nora opens “A Doll’s Attic,” a consignment shop where locals can unload their unwanted heirlooms. And the upcoming holidays are bringing a host of interesting objects—and people—through her doors.

Eighty-five year old Thomas Van Diver hands Nora her first challenge: track down a rare, vintage item that holds powerful childhood memories for him—memories of his father and their last Christmas together before he went off to war and never returned.

Helping them both is Brian Duncan, whose farmhouse and windmill Thomas once called home. Together with his irrepressible young charge, Janey Sullivan, Brian will uncover the mysteries of Christmas past—and create a Christmas present that just might restore their hope, and fulfill everyon’es deepest wishes.

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Romance

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2012

About the author

JOSEPH PITTMAN is the author of the Todd Gleason Crime Novels, including the novels LONDON FROG, CALIFORNIA SCHEMING, and THE CANNES CON. Two collections of novellas are TWO TODD TALES, and TWO MORE TODD TALES, which are available in eBook and audio.

He has also written the beloved Linden Corners novels, which include TILTING AT WINDMILLS, A CHRISTMAS WISH, A CHRISTMAS HOPE, A CHRISTMAS DREAM (formerly The Memory Tree) and CHASING WINDMILLS. The first three titles are available on audio.

His nonfiction works include THE SHADOW DIARIES: A Year in the Life of a Rescue Dog, and THE BROADWAY DIARIES: 30 Years from Aisle to Stage.

His other novels include WHEN THE WORLD WAS SMALL, LEGEND'S END, BEYOND THE STORM, all available in eBook and audio.

He has also published the serialized suspense novel, THE ORIGINAL CRIME, which was released as a three-part eBook special under the part titles REMEMBRANCE, RETRIBUTION, REDEMPTION. All three volumes are available in eBook and audio.

Under the pseudonym Adam Carpenter, he is best-known as the author of acclaimed Jimmy McSwain Files, a detective series set in New York City. Titles include: HIDDEN IDENTITY, CRIME WAVE, STAGE FRIGHT, GUARDIAN ANGEL, FOREVER HAUNT, FRESH KILL, SECOND SHOT, and FALSE JUSTICE*. All are available in print, eBook, and audio,

Two novellas featuring Jimmy McSwain will be published Fall of 24: SILVER SHIELD and HEART BEAT.

*no audio yet

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora and her son return to her hometown after her husband leaves her, to live with her mother and open an antique store. One of her first requests is the original book an 85 year old man got when he was 5. With the help of her new friend and his young charge she discovers mysteries of the past and hope for the future. A nice Christmas story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the Linden Corners series!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read two of the books in the Linden Corners series. The stories take place in Linden Corners, a small town, where the people are very close, and help each other. Brian was passing through, and stopped to see a windmill. He is raising Janey, the daughter of his fiancee, who died. I enjoy the descriptions of the town, and its people. Its good to read about people showing kindness.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: JoAnne
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I love most stories that are set at Christmas and can read them any time during the year. A Christmas Hope is a heartwarming tale that drew me in and captured my interest from the beginning. The story line was a true Christmas one with all the magic of the season. There were different subplots that all had to do with Christmas past, present, and future and all had nice closure by the time the story wrapped up.

The characters were multifaceted and I was drawn to them immediately. Although each chapter concentrated on different characters and went back and forth between them, the thread was there to carry me through. There was laughter, tears, family and friends, heartache and loss, happiness along with reminisces of holidays past as well as family and friends no longer with them. Traditions, both old and new, played an important part. The dialogue seemed real and the vivid descriptions of the snow and ice, the mountains, the windmill and the holiday decorations in the business area of Linden Corners made me feel that I was there. The story had the small town feel of Linden Corners and some of the other towns and was reminiscent to me of Susan Wiggs’ Lakeshore Chronicles series.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series so I felt I was at a slight disadvantage not knowing all the background info of the characters that play a prominent role in A Christmas Hope or those that were continually mentioned like Annie Sullivan. I look forward to reading the other two books so I can get to know the characters better. If you like Christmas stories, you won’t be disappointed.

[Kuulei · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read book in the Linden Corners series, and I found the characters to be easy to relate to and to understand even without reading the "first" book in the series. I really enjoyed Thomas Van Diver, Nora and Travis and Gerta, as well as Brian and Janey. Their lives and those of their neighbors in Linden Corners were so well written, that I had to squelch the impulse to run to my atlas to find where the town was/is so I can go visit it! It's a wonderful story of loves found, lost and of hope rediscovered. I recommend this book, and am looking forward to reading the "first" and all subsequent books by Mr. Pittman.

[Jean Haberman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I checked this e-book out to read on vacation. It is a slow moving tale that takes place in small-town Linden Corners in upstate New York. An old windmill ties all the characters together. An 85-year-old gentleman moves back to find a book his father had given him before he left for World War II. Nora moves back with her son after her husband left her. Brian is a transplant in Linden
Corners and ends up being a guardian for Janey. The town pulls together to create a special Christmas celebration. The story is a little gushy, but gets you in the Christmas spirit.

[Tracy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book! If you enjoy a book journeying into the past, enjoying the present, and glimpsing into the future, this Christmas story is sure to please. I have never read anything by Joseph Pittman before, but this won't be my last. If you are looking for a good holiday read, be sure to indulge. Happy reading!

[Allison V · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would describe this book as a Hallmark movie meets Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls reference). A little cheesy and predictable in some parts but overall it was very sweet. The author did a great job at interweaving and connecting all the stories from the present and the past. Would recommend for sure if you like Hallmark movies and Gilmore Girls.

[Kathleen Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It helped to have read previous books in the series, and now I’m anxious to read the others. It’s a bit of mystery and great friendship, small town relationships and unselfish people thinking of others and sacrificing their time to serve others. A great Christmas read!

[Deann Doolittle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started the Christmas series in December.
Lovely, easy reads. Fun during the holidays.

[Cindy Ptak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect Christmas book.

[Conchita Matson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
A touching Christmas story

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

**NOTE: The above synopsis is incorrect. See below for corrected synopsis.**

I cried! I honestly can not tell you the last story I read where I even got choked up neither less had to grab a tissue but this one I had a tissue in hand for the last third of the book. This is a very well written story that I can only hope Hallmark Channel or Lifetime is smart enough to buy the rights to. This story has a bit of romance to it but that is not what this story is about. This is the story of Thomas and the past he is trying to return to by finding the book his dad gave him as a child. There is a lot of loss in this book but also the underlying moral that family is what and who you make it to be.

Set in a typical “Norman Rockwell” small town the characters come alive as the holidays approach the town. The main character of Thomas is a old man now and the type of man that you want to sit down on a porch rocking chair with and hear his stories. The author has really written Thomas in an endearing and captivating way. You really just want to invite him to dinner. Nora and Brian are strangers who for their own reasons have come to town, Nora returning to live with her mom and Brian who was “just passing through” years ago but for reason beyond his control has stayed.

While Thomas is written really well, I am not sure that the other characters way of speaking was typical of the current time frame. Even the children sometimes spoke “too proper” for their age and some odd comments were made that just felt a little off (I mean really what 80+ year old man has not heard of strawberry pie?) but none of these oddities take away from the delightful and poignant story. As I said above I can see this book being made into a made for tv movie and I hope if it is one day turned into a movie they will do this book justice because it deserves to be enjoyed.

CORRECT SYNOPSIS: ONE FINAL CHRISTMAS WISH COULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER...

Nora Connors Rainer has returned to her hometown, Linden Corners, to tend to her elderly but spunky pie-baking mother--and to nurse a broken heart. To keep busy, Nora opens "A Doll's Attic," a consignment shop where locals can unload their unwanted heirlooms. And the upcoming holidays are bringing a host of interesting objects--and people--through her doors.

Eighty-five year old Thomas Van Diver hands Nora her first challenge: track down a rare, vintage item that holds powerful childhood memories for him--memories of his father and their last Christmas together before he went off to the war and never returned.

Helping them both is Brian Duncan, whose farmhouse and windmill Thomas once called home. Together with his irrepressible young charge, Janey Sullivan, Brian will uncover the mysteries of Christmas past--and create a Christmas present that just might restore their hope, and fulfill everyone's deepest wishes.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Hope is the third tale in the series of Linden Corners books. We first meet Thomas Van Diver as an old man who has returned to the place of his birth and early childhood, the farmhouse at Linden Corners. Thomas was born in the family home next to the windmill which had been erected by his ancestors to honour their Dutch heritage. Their family had lived in that house for over four generations, almost one hundred and fifty years. Thomas, his mother and father were happy there and when Thomas was about to be five years old on Christmas Day 1942, his father was called up to the army to fight in the war in Europe. Christmas Day 1942 was the last time Thomas saw his father. But Lars Van Diver left a wonderful legacy for Thomas, a book, an antique edition of Clement Clarke Moore’s famous Christmas poem, “The Night Before Christmas”. This edition of the book was so rare that Saint Nick wore a green suit, not a red one and the illustrations were magnificent.

Several months later Thomas and his mother heard of the death of Lars who had been shot in battle. Hard times befell them and they had to sell their family home in order to survive. When Thomas was about to leave the farmhouse for the last time, he decided he would leave his book behind so that his father would have something to read when he came back to the house. Thomas never came back to Linden Corners again.

Over seventy years later, Thomas decides to return and he sets wheels in motion to find the book so he can at last say a final goodbye to his father and put the past to rest. That is when we meet the rest of the inhabitants of Linden Corners and begin to discover the magic of the place and the people who live there.

I loved this book and didn’t want it to end. It is a story of coming to terms with loss and grief but although I was close to tears several times whilst reading it, it isn’t a really sad story, as the underlying message is one of hope against the odds. Thomas Van Diver is lovely with his snazzy bow ties and gentlemanly ways and Nora, Brian, Gerta and the children Janey and Travis are trying their best to come to terms with their lives after having all loved and lost someone. They do that by helping each other and Thomas who although he had lived there as a child was relatively unknown to them all.

This is a real Christmas story. I imagined sitting by a cosy fire as it snowed outside whilst I was reading this book. Although it is the third in a series, the previous relevant happenings at Linden Corners, begin to unfold as this story progresses. If you want to read some uplifting stories to make you feel good, then perhaps start with the first book, Tilting at Windmills. The second book is called A Christmas Wish, but, definitely make sure you read A Christmas Hope.

A Christmas Hope

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas Hope A Linden Corners Novel by Joseph Pittman
ISBN: 9780758276957
Story of a little boy, Thomas Van Diver growing up in Linden Corner and his father has been drafted, around Christmas, his birthday also.
He's returned in hopes to recover the magic Christmas once way, the antique book his father read to him, with the green suited Santa.
Nora Connors Rainer, lawyer, and her son Travis, 12 years old had made it back home, upstate NY area where the windmill and it's sails were spinning. She will run her new business 'A Doll's House'.
Back to present time, Thomas has also returned to live out his days at the retirement home and he approaches Nora with a request to find the book his father had once read to him when he was 5 years old... before this Christmas.
A lot of the townspeople and their daily life come to the forefront. Brian Duncan, bar owner and he helped bring the community together for events.
He had done the same thing Nora had done a few years earlier. he returned to the town with his daughter, wife dead and he bought the bar in town. She's now 9 years old.
Each chapter is devoted to Nora, Brian and Thomas. They do meet at Brians request for dinner as he lives in the farmhouse that Thomas had grown up in and he tells them of his memories.
Mystery upon mystery continues as Nora takes Brian with her to a neighboring town to do further research on the book...
Traditions are talked about and they come to life as much as possible. Everybody hopes for something different this year and Christmas they have hope they will come.
More events take place that really light up the holiday for everybody. This is a book with traditions such as Norman Rockwell and Thomas Kincaid, it's all about the light...
I can't wait to read the other books in this series.
Even though this is part of a series I was able to keep track of who is who and wasn't overwhelmed with all the characters.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do You Believe In Christmas Miracles?

This is the first book that I have read by the author Joseph Pittman. It will not be my last.

The author created a wonderful story that takes place in Linden Corners. I felt like I was right there participating in the lives of those that were intertwined in this book.

I fell in love with Thomas Van Diver and Janey Sullivan. One very old; one very young. One very fragile; one full of life. Their stories will steal your heart.

Brian Duncan came to Linden Corners for a visit but ended up staying permanently. His story is unique.

Nora Connors Rainer arrived in Linden Corners with her son Travis, back to the home she grew up in. Would her Mother ask too many questions about her failing marriage and why she moved back home? Would she stay in Linden Corners?

Brian and Nora literally run into each other. That is how they met. Will they end up being just friends or is there the beginning of more?

Thomas, Brian, and Nora all have things that have happened in their past that they are reluctant to share.

Thomas is in search of something very dear to him and hopes to find it by Christmas Eve. This is why he came back to Linden Corners. Is he able to locate it?

This book is about a magical town full of caring people. People that are willing to put other peoples needs before their own. People that will pitch in and help out at a moments notice.

I loved this book. I laughed and I cried. I was so caught up into this story. I hated to see it end. I wanted more!

I was thrilled to find out that the author has another book out called A Christmas Wish. I cannot wait to read it!

I want to thank Kensington Publishers for giving me this ARC to read and review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review originally posted on Romancing-the-Book.com is below:

I love most stories that are set at Christmas and can read them any time during the year. A Christmas Hope is a heartwarming tale that drew me in and captured my interest from the beginning. The story line was a true Christmas one with all the magic of the season. There were different subplots that all had to do with Christmas past, present, and future and all had nice closure by the time the story wrapped up.

The characters were multifaceted and I was drawn to them immediately. Although each chapter concentrated on different characters and went back and forth between them, the thread was there to carry me through. There was laughter, tears, family and friends, heartache and loss, happiness along with reminisces of holidays past as well as family and friends no longer with them. Traditions, both old and new, played an important part. The dialogue seemed real and the vivid descriptions of the snow and ice, the mountains, the windmill and the holiday decorations in the business area of Linden Corners made me feel that I was there. The story had the small town feel of Linden Corners and some of the other towns and was reminiscent to me of Susan Wiggs’ Lakeshore Chronicles series.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series so I felt I was at a slight disadvantage not knowing all the background info of the characters that play a prominent role in A Christmas Hope or those that were continually mentioned like Annie Sullivan. I look forward to reading the other two books so I can get to know the characters better. If you like Christmas stories, you won’t be disappointed.

[Arlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Joseph Pittman
Published by: Kensington
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 5
Review:

"A Christmas Hope" by Joseph Pittman was a true 'Christmas Story' of hope, magic, holiday fun and being together. I thought of this novel as a 'Norman Rockwell' setting due to the small town(Linden Corners) and the characters from Nora, Brian to Thomas that came alive in this Christmas holiday setting that produces a mesmerizing story.We find Nora Connors Rainer who was a lawyer is coming back home after a broken marriage with her son(Travis), and to tend to her ailing mother...Nora opens up a antique shop called 'A Doll's Attic.' Next, we find that Brain Duncan has stopped to see a windmill he had seen many times as a child...Now, he is raising his fiancee (who has died) daughter and then we move on to Thomas Van Diver who is in his 80's, now looking for the specific edition of Clements Moore's Twas the Night Before Christmas that his father had once read to him when he was 5 years old. I am sure you are wondering what all is going on ....and this is where I say you must pick up the wonderful read "A Christmas Hope" to see
what hope this author has for these characters.


It will be a beautiful and wonderful read that I would definitely rrecommend. If you are looking for a amazing read that is so full of heart, family and togetherness that can get you into the spirit for the holiday season...you have come to the right novel.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of A Christmas Hope through Goodreads, and I am so glad that I did. Pittman delivers an amazing story that fits right in with the holiday season full of magic, hope, togetherness, and holiday cheer. The story begins with Nora coming home to stay with her young son when her marriage falls apart. She opens an antique business that sets not only her on a journey but her neighbor, Brian, and an old man, Thomas, as well. Each character could use some hope this Christmas, and the search for a children's book, The Night Before Christmas featuring a green suited Santa, sends these three people on theirs. Pittman does a great job with his world building making Linden Corners a town that comes alive for the reader. The character development is also well done for each of the main characters even Brian whose story actually began in Pittman's previous book in this series. Overall A Christmas Hope was an amazing read that I would definitely recommend if you are looking for an Christmas story full of heart, family, and togetherness to get you in the mood for the holiday season. I definitely plan on visiting Linden Corners again in Pittman's other two books.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas Hope is a beautiful Christmas story that is so well written you can see the town, the residents and yes the windmill as the sails flap in the winds and the small white lights twinkle in the dark. You can see the downtown pub, that belonged to Nora's father, George and now to Brian, who is Nora's friend. You can see eight year on Handy and twelve year old Travis as they begin to know each other. One of the most important you will meet is Santa in the green suit because without him there would be no story for you to read. There are many more you will meet and love so much that you might want to share this book with someone you love. I would.

[Sherrill Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joseph Pittman has invented a wonder-full place called Linden Corners, somewhere in Upstate New York, which is a sweet, little townfull of characters. There is a windmill, which is cherished by everyone. The bar, where wine is sipped. No one dies ghastly deaths, or is murdered. People age, and die, I suppose, but quietly.

This story is about old Thomas Van Diver who is looking for a book, The Night Before Christmas, (in which Santa Clause is in a green outfit); it's also about Nora Connors Ranier (who is NOT recovering from a broken heart), and her too-good son Travis. Oh, and there are other characters too. Ho-hum.

Other than that, it's a little too goody-goodie for my taste; a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good Christmas season book. A small town, romance, family and a little bit of nostalgia and mystery entwined.

Linden Corners, New York is famous for its Dutch history and windmill. Nora moves back home while she sorts out her marriage situation; Brian landed there about a year before. He is now the proprietor of the bar Nora’s father used to own. Nora buys and opens a local antiques store. Normally a lawyer, she embarks on the search for a unique copy of the night before Christmas book where Santa wears a green suit. Her search for Mr. Thomas Van Driver leads her to discover friendships and joy to many during the holiday season. The author made you feel like you knew the characters and the town life with their spirit of community.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slow read for me despite the fact that it was only around 300 pages. It was a cute story but not really a page turner. Throughout the story it is mentioned numerous times that Thomas is about to celebrate his 85th birthday but other facts in the story make this impossible. He was five years old when his father went off to fight in WWII arguably 1941 or 1942. The book makes numerous references to Thomas being gone from Linden Corners for 80 years but again he left in the early 1940s which at present day could have only been 75 years ago at most. Maybe I was too hung-up on the timeline to fully enjoy the story.

[Jenee Rager · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on goodreads, and I wish I could have waited till closer to Christmas to read and review it, but when I win books I feel like it's my duty to read them as soon as they arrive.

If you like Nicholas Sparks, and Mitch Albom you will love this book. While it may not be a hard hitting story, it is a feel good book that reminds you of the good things in life. With the holiday season approaching I think it would be a good time to pick up this book and remind yourself about the true meaning of the holiday.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, finally an enjoyable Christmas story than embellishes the spirit of the season. Perry writes a short, yet poignant story of honesty, courage, and forgiveness in Victorian England. Of course, Perry centers on the upper crust of English society, but she exposes the horror and unfairness of the dregs of society. The story focuses on Claudine Burroughs who has the gumption to fight for what she believes. This is only a Christmas novella, but the lessons and characters are endearing.

[Vicki Lanzendorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great continuation of the Linden Corners story. This one introduced a new character, and he brought a whole new perspective to life in Linden Corners and beyond. He was in search of his past, and with help, found it. He also came to terms with his present situation and perhaps gained a little hope for the future. And while doing so, fused the bonds between LC residents a little tighter. A story to loss, love, hope and family, set around the most magical time of year.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this as a free giveaway on goodreads.com. It was such a refreshing story line that included romance, mystery with a touch of both comedy and drama. Even though I had guessed the outcome of part of the story line other parts took me by surprise. I look forward to reading other books by Joseph Pittman!

[Lisa Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I can't wait to read more by this author. The innocence of children and the happiness of the holiday season. I liked how there was no awful drama like some small communities have, and there was no gushy love scenes. Just joy with a bit of wonderment about what will happen, and will the book be found.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I might have jumped into the middle of one of those small town series. I enjoyed getting to know a little about a few of the characters. There is something very comfortable about the old fashioned small town community that looks out for one another during hard times. Christmas is a time to pull together, and that is what this story is about.