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The Christmas Note
Claire and Ayden are a young married couple at the start of their Christmas season traditions. Their tale of falling in love in the wintry town of Campbell, Washington is truly magical. In this story comes a question we have all what would you do if you only had a short amount of time left to live? Sulk and let it happen, or try to make something special of your last days? Ayden is forced with this choice while snow falls outside, carolers sing, friends exchange gifts, and the entirety of the Christmas season happens around him. While the Christmas season can be enchanting, for some it can be extremely difficult as they struggle with loss, loneliness, and even homelessness. This is a story about choices, love, love lost, lasting relationships, goodwill, and lastly Christmas. Embark on this journey to experience the true meaning of Christmas.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2012
13 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 14, 2017
Emotional book with a Christmas theme
The first part of the book was slightly hard to get through. The writing isn’t the best, but eventually the story reels you in with the emotional component and you want to know what will happen.
At times it doesn’t seem realistic, but it does have a good message and is a great Christmas rags to riches story. Definitely worth reading at Christmas time to give you a boost of Christmas Spirit.
The first part of the book was slightly hard to get through. The writing isn’t the best, but eventually the story reels you in with the emotional component and you want to know what will happen.
At times it doesn’t seem realistic, but it does have a good message and is a great Christmas rags to riches story. Definitely worth reading at Christmas time to give you a boost of Christmas Spirit.
December 6, 2017
Wonderful story
The story is a wonderful one filled with love, joy sadness, and hope. I would have given it 5 stars, but the writer seems to repeat themselves way to much when telling the story. It made it very frustrating to read at times,but the story was so heart warming that I wanted to finish it.
The story is a wonderful one filled with love, joy sadness, and hope. I would have given it 5 stars, but the writer seems to repeat themselves way to much when telling the story. It made it very frustrating to read at times,but the story was so heart warming that I wanted to finish it.
December 24, 2025
The Christmas Note needs editing
This was a touching Christmas story. Sadly, there were several spelling or typographical errors in the text throughout the book that took away from the reading experience.
This was a touching Christmas story. Sadly, there were several spelling or typographical errors in the text throughout the book that took away from the reading experience.
November 25, 2018
What a fabulous book. I couldn't put it down. A story with the true meaning of Christmas intertwined. Christ gives hope for the home l ess and new life for us all.
December 7, 2018
A quick read. A truly good story showing the true spirit if Christmas.
December 28, 2020
DNF
I felt like someone was telling me what happened and not that I was reading a story. I never got pulled in and lost myself in the story.
I felt like someone was telling me what happened and not that I was reading a story. I never got pulled in and lost myself in the story.
February 28, 2022
I truly loved this story. This is the true meaning of Christmas and love for our fellow man. Is this a movie? If not Halllmark or Lifetime better get on it.
November 20, 2025
My mother always said if you can't say anything nice you shouldn't say anything at all.
I finished it, that is all I will say.
I finished it, that is all I will say.
January 15, 2016
The Christmas Note by Trenton Hughes
This story starts out with the life of Claire and Ayden.
They get married and start a life in a small town in WA state. Life is simple and they treasure the memories they create with one another and their friends.
Tragedies occur leaving one to find out they also won't be around for long. In a dream visited by their father they are told they have two choices.
Love the hand made knitted item given to them as a gift. It's something I've done myself this past year-just given a home made afghan to a relative who I felt would really treasure it.
On the note with the gift I put 1.we are only here for a short while and 2. treasure the time we have.
This book follows that same advice as they reach out to help others and not even worry about their own needs. Love all they are able to do and how many lives they touch.
Sad but a really good read. Enjoyed Christmas at the park as it's listed as being in WA state but really could be anywhere.
This story starts out with the life of Claire and Ayden.
They get married and start a life in a small town in WA state. Life is simple and they treasure the memories they create with one another and their friends.
Tragedies occur leaving one to find out they also won't be around for long. In a dream visited by their father they are told they have two choices.
Love the hand made knitted item given to them as a gift. It's something I've done myself this past year-just given a home made afghan to a relative who I felt would really treasure it.
On the note with the gift I put 1.we are only here for a short while and 2. treasure the time we have.
This book follows that same advice as they reach out to help others and not even worry about their own needs. Love all they are able to do and how many lives they touch.
Sad but a really good read. Enjoyed Christmas at the park as it's listed as being in WA state but really could be anywhere.
December 11, 2013
Claire and Ayden are a young married couple, who known each other for 5 years, and married for 3.
They met at Christmas time, and each year, they make the holiday time special, with traditions of shopping, decorating, playing in the snow, caroling, and giving to others.
A tragedy occurs, and decisions must be made; the main one being, what if you found out you only had a certain amount of time left to live? Would you give up and sulk about that situation, or carry on and try to make something out of those days?
This was a quick read, but a powerful story. A warning: It is also a tearjerker, but ultimately, a story of love and hope. This story is a journey that will really make you experience the true meaning of Christmas.
They met at Christmas time, and each year, they make the holiday time special, with traditions of shopping, decorating, playing in the snow, caroling, and giving to others.
A tragedy occurs, and decisions must be made; the main one being, what if you found out you only had a certain amount of time left to live? Would you give up and sulk about that situation, or carry on and try to make something out of those days?
This was a quick read, but a powerful story. A warning: It is also a tearjerker, but ultimately, a story of love and hope. This story is a journey that will really make you experience the true meaning of Christmas.
December 12, 2015
My 20th book of he season, and I regret it.
I have read far too many amazing books, far too many good books, and far too many mediocre books to count this book among any of them.
Not particularly uplifting, not particularly Christian (although billed as one) and not particularly well written....
I take that back, this was not well written at all. Choppy, short sentences, boring explanations and repetitive.
Often it felt like I was reading something a junior higher would have written.
Sorry, so sorry to the author. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so harsh, but sometimes when I just say I don't like something, but don't go on to explain, I get letters saying I need to give reasons why.... So here you have it.
Sorry.
I have read far too many amazing books, far too many good books, and far too many mediocre books to count this book among any of them.
Not particularly uplifting, not particularly Christian (although billed as one) and not particularly well written....
I take that back, this was not well written at all. Choppy, short sentences, boring explanations and repetitive.
Often it felt like I was reading something a junior higher would have written.
Sorry, so sorry to the author. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so harsh, but sometimes when I just say I don't like something, but don't go on to explain, I get letters saying I need to give reasons why.... So here you have it.
Sorry.
June 21, 2013
The thing that bothered me most about this book was that there was so much repetition, not only in words but in thought. I get it that the guy missed his wife. But everytime it was mentioned (at least once on a page), the author used the same sentences again and again. Some of the plot twists were a little unbelievable, but it is fiction. So I'll give you that one. This book could have easily been one third the length if the author wasn't so repetitive. Oh, did I just repeat myself? See how annoying that can be. I think this author shows promise. Perhaps he needs a better editor and publisher.
August 3, 2016
Wow! What a story! i started this one night late, stopped at 20% and couldnt wait to finish it. Read all day until i was done. This was happy, sad, emotional, hopeful, ..... it ran a whole gamut of emotions. I could so relate being married to the love of your life and then losing them. i cannot even imagine but i could totally relate to all the feelings. It was so different than most Christmas stories and maybe thats why its so good. This young man is an exceptional writer already and i truly hope he writes more stories like this one. It brought both tears of sad and happy to this reader.
November 30, 2014
This is not your normal "Hallmark" story, but it is about the TRUE meaning of Christmas, Mr. Hughes did a great job of telling a story and getting the point across of turning tragedy into something beautiful!
Ayden made a choice, and because of that choice, it affected others in a positive way! A choice to make a difference while he was suffering.
I would love to see this keep going with the story of Emma and her son!
Ayden made a choice, and because of that choice, it affected others in a positive way! A choice to make a difference while he was suffering.
I would love to see this keep going with the story of Emma and her son!
December 14, 2016
This book was sad and uplifting if you're willing suspend belief. Words like anyways and sulk appeared too many times. (anyways is not a word). At one point, the homeless woman calls Ayden and the author writes, "the weak woman. . ." The homeless woman was in no way weak. Predicting the exact day of death when one is diagnosed is not true-to-life. The orphanage is unrealistic as children are put in foster homes.
Yet, the friendship between the two is beautiful.
Yet, the friendship between the two is beautiful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2012
What would you do if you had only three weeks left to live---sulk and pout or try to do something positive with the time you had left. Ayden loses his wife in an accident and is diagnosed with terminal cancer within a few days. He struggles with his grief and tries to make a difference in at least one person's life before he will die and join his dead wife. Interesting premise.
July 14, 2013
This was a fast read and a good story. There was a slight repetitiveness that bugged me, but not enough to make me stop reading. It made me think that you just never know what a kind act for another person can mean to them and the affect it could have.
December 10, 2013
I'd actually give it between 3-4. it's a quick, really easy reading book; at times it seems too simplistic as far as the writing is concerned. I like the story concept. While it was sad, it was thought provoking as well.
December 15, 2015
Very sweet and sad story for Christmas
Read
November 7, 2016Great book, really heartwarming.
December 22, 2012
Just what I needed to read.
December 17, 2012
Don't read this unless you want to cry. It is a heartwarming story.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews