The Christmas Key

by Kim O'Brien

After a recent divorce, Joanie Williams struggles to get her life back in order, but working in a nursery full-time while raising her two daughters, Natalie and Amelia, isn't as easy as it seemed. One daughter is flunking three subjects, and the other is riddled with tattoos. Already late for her Suddenly Single support group two nights before Christmas, Joanie rushes to the church only to run into her ex-husband, Mitchell, who claims to be there to meet Pastor Frank. But as they try to leave, the door is stuck, and the lock won't budge. With escape on the mind, from the building and each other, Joanie and Mitchell scavenge for a way out, but what they find is a key to emotions that have been locked away and ignored too long. Back at home, Natalie is reprimanding Amelia for allowing her boyfriend to come over when no one else is home when suddenly the doorbell rings...and Pastor Frank is on the other side. Forced to entertain Pastor Frank while Amelia and her boyfriend hide, Natalie discovers that she can't hold her family together herself, and Amelia realizes that she can't afford to let her.

Genres: Christmas

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2005

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick Christmas read.

[Susan C Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little romance, a lot of love

This is a pleasant story about a very dysfunctional family. The strongest part of the book is the character development. Although the husband's character is hinted at, the characters of the wife and two daughters are very well-developed. Occasionally funny, often poignant, sometimes simplistic, the story does a good job of exploring the broken pieces of this family and how they could fit back together.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing surprise

I just loved this story it was beautifully written the characters so believable and it was so funny and heart warming in places .
What a brilliant read we should all have more Faith
I would recommend this book as a must read book that you can't put down.

[Ms Rachel Bolsover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart warming easy read

If u like stories with a happy ending then this is the book to read. Sweet characters and a happy ever after we ending. Wish life was like it but reading about it is the next best thing

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read

This was an easy read. It was a little frustrating with some unreasonable conversations. A lot of possible scenarios could happen in everyday life but felt like
To much unimportant conversations

[Sue Kremer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute Christmas read.

[Julie Holdsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

While I enjoyed the story, I wonder what state it takes place in. Where I live you can't get a tattoo until age 18 and piercings must have a parent or guardian's permission.

[Lawon Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a cute short story of a family in trouble on Christmas.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanie can't think of a single thing that would be more awkward or horrible than what she has to endure when she gets locked inside her local church. It's not that she is locked in, or that she has left her cell phone in her car, or that she has no food....it's that she is locked inside with her ex-husband, Mitchell. Of all the people...why did it have to be him she is stuck with? While Joanie and Mitchell are trying to overcome their issues to work together to get out of the church their daughters are home alone and aren't exactly being angels. One daughter has a boyfriend over, even though she knows it's against the rules of the house and one daughter is trying to keep her sister out of trouble by twisting her words to the Pastor who stopped by the house. Where is their Mom? She isn't really much good anyway, since the divorce, but it's odd she isn't home. Will Joanie and Mitchell overcome their problems and work together to get out of the locked down church? Will the girls ever stop fighting at home? How did life for any of them get so out of control? Is the spirit of Christmas able to thrive again in their hearts and home?

I really am not sure how to really review this book without giving too much away. I also am unsure what words I really want to use to describe what I thought and felt while reading this book. Now, you may be thinking...uh oh, was it that bad? The answer is NO! It was a wonderful book! It was a book that I really connected to. I could relate 150% to the character of Joanie. The situation, the ex, the feelings about everything she is going through, the confusion she has about things but doesn't know why. I could understand it all! Here she is a woman who loves her ex, but knows it just isn't a good idea to be with him because they just don't seem to work. She is unsure how to move on, but knows she can't stay with him at the same time. She worries about her kids, herself, and even the well being of her ex. They may be exes but she still cares about him deeply and would never want to see him hurt. The other characters were wonderfully developed too. I really felt like I got to know them all in a deep friendship way. I loved how there wasn't a lot of other stuff going on in the book. There was the main plots and that was it. They were focused on with great depth and detail and that made them turn into amazing situations. The characters, the plots, the details in the writing, the book as a whole....all come together to make an absolutely amazing read!

It was a fast read for me because I kept wondering how it all would possibly work out, so I just couldn't put it down. It had suspense, humor, and romance. I must say I simply laughed out loud many times while reading this book, causing my family members to look at me funny at times. I think it's the greatest thing ever to find a book that can touch my emotions while I am reading it. To me, if an author can make me go through the emotions the characters do throughout the book, that is a fantastic writer!

Wonderful book that you simply must read!

5/5 Stars!!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book free through a goodreads giveaway.It was a quick read and even kind of cutesy. Its not a book I would usually read that being said I am going through a divorce right now and could relate with Joanie. The thing that I didn't like so much was getting stuck in the church with her ex husband. To me it was a predictable ending and I like a book that keeps you guessing but all in all it was an ok read.

[Linda Husvar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great holiday read with a rich blend of mystery and small town Christmas preparations. I liked the children's Nativity play, successful even though many things went wrong during the preparations. The library's contribution to community life and the setting for the mystery added much depth to the story line. The authors kept me guessing who the ring belonged to and how it ended up in the church's Advent box. Cozy mystery readers should enjoy this book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It's a simple story about a recently divorced couple who end up locked in a church together the night before Christmas Eve. The story was a bit predictable but there were a few surprises and I loved how things were worked out in the end.

[Juli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a fun story to read. Mitch and Joanie are newly divorced with two daughters. The two of them end up getting locked in a church the night before Christmas Eve which ends up bringing them back together in ways that were long lost. Their daughters at home also have their own reconciliation. A short, easy read. I received a copy as a First Reads winner on Goodreads.

[Joan]

I struggled with this book. The formatting is uncomfortable - the font is different and cant be changed, and paragraphs are both indented and extra-line spaced, which makes for an excess of white space and looks odd.

The story was a little too 'twee' and predictable for me and the characters were thin and unengaging. I dnf'd at 55%.

Not rating

[Rosabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book 2.5 stars if I could. It was okay--not great, but not awful, however, one aspect I really enjoyed, was the the way it switched back and forth between all the characters. I like that the story was about each of their lives.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little Christmas story about a family regaining itself. With the help of their local pastor, this family comes to grips with it's problems and reestablishes their relationships. I found it inspiring and appropriate for the season. Nice weekend read to relax from the holiday rush.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually laughed out loud at this at one point. I hardly ever laugh out loud when reading. Don't get the wrong idea, though. This isn't a funny book. It is actually fairly serious as the family struggles with its issues.

[Danica is Booked · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute book. It wasn't my favorite, but it was still a cute read. I liked the meaning that O'Brien portrayed in this novel.

[Sally Harvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice story about a family coming back together after a lot of misunderstandings and poor communication among them. Story was predictable and I like a little more suspense.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a great story of how a family that is falling apart comes back together again. Just in time for the holidays.

I won this book in a giveaway (:

[Sandy Costanza · Rating 3 out of 5]

At this time of year I love to read Christmas stories of love, faith and Hope. This book has all of those, predictable but enjoyable!

[Judy Kieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

I really enjoyed the book, there is so much truth in the book and it does happen in real life. Done in an excellent way and an easy read

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a quick, predictable, but heartwarming read for the Christmas season.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting idea by a scheming pastor brings 2 divorced parents back together...