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The Doctor's Christmas
When big-city doctor Grant Hardesty comes to a small Maryland town to help out temporarily, he never imagines he'll discover God's plan for his life and an everlasting love with nurse Maggie Davis. Original.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
17 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Marta Perry
201 books770 followersMarta Perry is a Pennsylvania-based author of over 35 novels, many of them inspirational romances. She uses her rural Pennsylvania life and her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage in writing her books, especially in her Pleasant Valley Amish series for Berkley Books and her new Amish-set suspense series for HQN Books.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 17, 2025
Grant is a big city doctor who comes from an elite, wealthy family. He comes to the tiny mountain village of Button Gap to fulfill the request of a more senior, practice owner who dangles a partnership before him. He only has to stay there 30 days. It’s the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas and old memories are making life difficult.
Maggie is the nurse, manager, life force behind the free clinic in Button Gap; the only medical care available for this tiny mountain community. She is a lifelong resident, fraught with rough childhood memories and is currently taking care of a patient’s three children. The circumstances are complicated and involve the whole community, well, except for the new doctor…
Both Grant and Maggie have mysteries from their childhood that need to be untangled as they get to know each other. Author, Marta Perry, is a good mystery writer. Having them unravel as part of character development is a creative way to elongate the process. There’s another mystery to solve that’s more central to this story: where is the kid’s mother? That takes the entire book for resolution, predictable yet satisfying.
Perry writes inspirational fiction. This story contains a few verses of scripture, the biblical Christmas story and side stories of two hurting people trying to reconcile themselves to God after experiencing significant trauma. There’s no preaching or heavy handed commentary. Narrative contains heartfelt prayers by one character and anguished thoughts by some. It all feels honest.
Christmas isn’t so much a theme for this story but is a season when events occur. Under any circumstance, the story is well written and entertaining with a lovely HEA📚
Maggie is the nurse, manager, life force behind the free clinic in Button Gap; the only medical care available for this tiny mountain community. She is a lifelong resident, fraught with rough childhood memories and is currently taking care of a patient’s three children. The circumstances are complicated and involve the whole community, well, except for the new doctor…
Both Grant and Maggie have mysteries from their childhood that need to be untangled as they get to know each other. Author, Marta Perry, is a good mystery writer. Having them unravel as part of character development is a creative way to elongate the process. There’s another mystery to solve that’s more central to this story: where is the kid’s mother? That takes the entire book for resolution, predictable yet satisfying.
Perry writes inspirational fiction. This story contains a few verses of scripture, the biblical Christmas story and side stories of two hurting people trying to reconcile themselves to God after experiencing significant trauma. There’s no preaching or heavy handed commentary. Narrative contains heartfelt prayers by one character and anguished thoughts by some. It all feels honest.
Christmas isn’t so much a theme for this story but is a season when events occur. Under any circumstance, the story is well written and entertaining with a lovely HEA📚
December 7, 2022
A nice story. A really nice small town Christmas story.
November 12, 2022
Marta Perry is a new to me author. I absolutely loved this book! Great plot, believable characters, wonderful spiritual thread. Made my heart smile.
November 20, 2012
I've not read a ton of Marta Perry's novels, but those that I have read I've thoroughly enjoyed. Her characters are always engaging and her conflicts are always realistic, which can definitely be said for this book.
I loved the setting, and although the novel was fairly short, I came to care about the inhabitants of Button Gap and the visitors to the free clinic. I felt like I connected better with Maggie than I did with Grant, but that often happens with romance novels. And the children were adorable! But more than that, they functioned as a way of bringing Maggie and Grant together. I know there are some romance readers who get fed up with children appearing in books just to make the reader say "Aww" but most of the time, I find that the children are the catalyst for the hero and heroine forming a relationship.
I did wish that Grant's backstory had been explored a bit more. I think the secret about his brother might have been held back to make Grant seem more mysterious, but ultimately, it kind of seemed like the author had just forgot to explore it initially so it made it seem a little bit thrown-in at the end. I also found the conclusion to the book to be rather rushed. Although obviously I wanted Maggie and Grant to get together, I still felt like they had a long way to come in their relationship in the last few chapters, then suddenly, all of their problems were thrown out the window and they were jumping into a bit commitment together? Christian romance novels don't always have to end in a wedding! It just didn't seem entirely realistic, considering that they'd only known each other for a month and had struggled to trust each other for that entire time.
Although a few sections of this book felt a bit rushed or skipped-over, this was a truly sweet Christmas read. The characters were realistically flawed and the setting was wonderful. If Marta has written any other books set in Button Gap, I'll definitely be looking out for them. 4*
I loved the setting, and although the novel was fairly short, I came to care about the inhabitants of Button Gap and the visitors to the free clinic. I felt like I connected better with Maggie than I did with Grant, but that often happens with romance novels. And the children were adorable! But more than that, they functioned as a way of bringing Maggie and Grant together. I know there are some romance readers who get fed up with children appearing in books just to make the reader say "Aww" but most of the time, I find that the children are the catalyst for the hero and heroine forming a relationship.
I did wish that Grant's backstory had been explored a bit more. I think the secret about his brother might have been held back to make Grant seem more mysterious, but ultimately, it kind of seemed like the author had just forgot to explore it initially so it made it seem a little bit thrown-in at the end. I also found the conclusion to the book to be rather rushed. Although obviously I wanted Maggie and Grant to get together, I still felt like they had a long way to come in their relationship in the last few chapters, then suddenly, all of their problems were thrown out the window and they were jumping into a bit commitment together? Christian romance novels don't always have to end in a wedding! It just didn't seem entirely realistic, considering that they'd only known each other for a month and had struggled to trust each other for that entire time.
Although a few sections of this book felt a bit rushed or skipped-over, this was a truly sweet Christmas read. The characters were realistically flawed and the setting was wonderful. If Marta has written any other books set in Button Gap, I'll definitely be looking out for them. 4*
December 21, 2025
Such a wholesome love story! It was like reading a hallmark movie. Also, perfect timing since it is almost Christmas. I am glad I picked it up in a random thrift store in Oklahoma for $1.08.
December 9, 2016
The romance is about what I expected from an inspirational Christmas tale, but I like the plot involving broken people who find ways to help one another to discover love and hope. Faith is a central element, but I found it to be realistic and balanced. Although fictional characters were involved, I felt my own heart stirred with rejoicing over the wins in the spiritual battles represented in this narrative. This is definitely a nice feel-good holiday story I can enjoy revisiting year after year.
November 1, 2012
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! Sweet romance between a nurse and volunteer doctor at a free clinic in Applachia, one of my favorite settings.
December 16, 2013
SUMMARY: God could not have chosen a worse time to send Dr. Grant Hardesty to Button Gap. Three abandoned children were depending on Maggie Davis’ s clandestine care until their mother returned. Maggie didn’ t think she could trust the by-the-book doctor with her secret. Until she got a glimpse into his soul… and God’ s mysterious ways became as clear as a starry night.
Maggie knew her trust was well placed as this once-aloof doctor opened his heart to the children… and her. But as Grant’ s time in Button Gap ended, she prayed for one more miracle. Could God make this man who seemed to have everything recognize that it all meant nothing without Maggie’ s love?
REVIEW: Another well-written novel with flawed main characters who have dealt with hard pasts but are trying to move forward. The pathos of the 3 children of course tugged on the reader's heartstrings, and it was nice to see how they opened up as they felt more loved and secure. I did think the ending was rather rushed in that Maggie and Grant had only known each other a month and suddenly he was proposing when there were still issues between them that needed to be worked out.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "If God is there, He could have saved Jason....
"God is there." Tears stung her eyes. "I don't know why your brother died, but I know God was there holding him in His hands. I know God is ready to help you deal with it, if you'll let Him."
"Aunt Elly helped me see that I could either let my past destroy me or I could let God use it to make me stronger. Seeing Him as a true Father was a big step forward for me."
Maggie knew her trust was well placed as this once-aloof doctor opened his heart to the children… and her. But as Grant’ s time in Button Gap ended, she prayed for one more miracle. Could God make this man who seemed to have everything recognize that it all meant nothing without Maggie’ s love?
REVIEW: Another well-written novel with flawed main characters who have dealt with hard pasts but are trying to move forward. The pathos of the 3 children of course tugged on the reader's heartstrings, and it was nice to see how they opened up as they felt more loved and secure. I did think the ending was rather rushed in that Maggie and Grant had only known each other a month and suddenly he was proposing when there were still issues between them that needed to be worked out.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "If God is there, He could have saved Jason....
"God is there." Tears stung her eyes. "I don't know why your brother died, but I know God was there holding him in His hands. I know God is ready to help you deal with it, if you'll let Him."
"Aunt Elly helped me see that I could either let my past destroy me or I could let God use it to make me stronger. Seeing Him as a true Father was a big step forward for me."
December 10, 2017
With three young children suddenly left in her care, Maggie, a nurse, is determined to keep them away from the foster system, certain their mother will be back for them soon. While Maggie knows her small-town will have her back about the kids, her trust in her new temporary co-worker, Grant, a doctor, is far shakier, as much as she grows to like him and feel attracted to him, they have very different ideas of doing right by these children.
While I would have liked to see more dimension to the social worker (the author has a thoughtful note about that character and that very difficult profession at the end of the book), the emotional conflict she ignites was well done and easy to believe, both Maggie and Grant have solid reasons behind their arguments, it isn’t that they just disagree because the plot requires it, these are firmly held beliefs shaped by their pasts.
Though they’ve both been through difficulities in their life, Maggie’s already fairly well-adjusted by the time this story begins, it’s more Grant’s character who goes through a deeper change, which was nicely paced and made for a good heroic Christmas moment.
I had a little more difficulty with the pacing of the romance, or really, just the pacing at the end when their relationship suddenly advanced to a place that I didn’t feel they were at yet, if it had waited until just a few pages later in the epilogue, where more time had passed, it would have seemed a bit more realistic to me.
While I would have liked to see more dimension to the social worker (the author has a thoughtful note about that character and that very difficult profession at the end of the book), the emotional conflict she ignites was well done and easy to believe, both Maggie and Grant have solid reasons behind their arguments, it isn’t that they just disagree because the plot requires it, these are firmly held beliefs shaped by their pasts.
Though they’ve both been through difficulities in their life, Maggie’s already fairly well-adjusted by the time this story begins, it’s more Grant’s character who goes through a deeper change, which was nicely paced and made for a good heroic Christmas moment.
I had a little more difficulty with the pacing of the romance, or really, just the pacing at the end when their relationship suddenly advanced to a place that I didn’t feel they were at yet, if it had waited until just a few pages later in the epilogue, where more time had passed, it would have seemed a bit more realistic to me.
February 27, 2017
This is my first Marta Perry book, but it won't be my last. I liked it. I enjoy the Love Inspired series because they provide good, clean stories that touch my heart. "The Doctor's Christmas" is an example of what I expect from this series. I loved being part of a small, warm, supportive community of people for a few hours. The author managed to involve me in discovering the life experiences that made Maggie and Grant into the people they had become. This was a fun but touching read about people sacrificing for others. .
July 3, 2013
Grant volunteers to practice medicine in Button Gap for a short time before he starts his practice in the city. He finds a competent nurse, Maggie, with three children she is taking care of while the mother is finding herself after her abusive husband died. The community bands together to take care of its own and Grant may find quite a bit before Christmas.
252 pages
252 pages
February 12, 2018
A compassionate story of a community.
This was a good story involving children and the people who wanted to protect them from further abuse. It also involves the love story between 2 people of different backgrounds. It has its tearful moments and funny times. I would recommend it to those who like to read about every day life with not an over abundance of love making.
This was a good story involving children and the people who wanted to protect them from further abuse. It also involves the love story between 2 people of different backgrounds. It has its tearful moments and funny times. I would recommend it to those who like to read about every day life with not an over abundance of love making.
September 23, 2020
This book had my attention from the beginning. Grant and Maggie started out as adversaries, but learned to respect each other, and then to love one another. Both had hurts in their past and those secrets held them back from one another. I loved how things worked out in the end. I would recommend this book.
November 15, 2012
I love this book! I have probably read it at least 8 times. I read it every Christmas and it never gets old. It leaves me with such a good feeling :) If you can find this one still, I suggest you read it during the holiday season.
June 19, 2013
What a sweet story! I loved how Maggie didn't give up on Nella coming back to get her children. I liked the fact that she had a strong faith that she shared with all those around her.
August 17, 2013
worth reading
November 13, 2016
A story that will definitely touch your heart
It is so beautiful you will probably cry in some parts.I couldn't put it down .love it bring us more
It is so beautiful you will probably cry in some parts.I couldn't put it down .love it bring us more
April 30, 2020
very sweet story kind of sad in parts it had a great ending. I would read it again and I would recommend it
December 27, 2023
It's been a LONNNNNNG season of reading 'Love, Inspired' holiday books that haven't been very loving and not at *ALL* inspiring, so when I sat down with this one, it wasn't with much hope for something good. Boy, was I ever wrong!
This is equal parts 'Northern Exposure' and 'Season for Miracles', and it's A.M.A.z.I.N.G. Just beautifully written, even though a few of the characters are a little cliche (the evil social worker is very Professor Umbridge, for example).
The story is sweet - a tiny 'hospital' station in the mountains manned by one full-time nurse and rotating doctors that volunteer for short stints. The nurse grew up in the foster care system, and when her friend's family fractures (father dies, abused mother freaks out and runs away), she takes in the three children until the mom gets her head on straight. But social services want those children in the system, so the RN is hiding them, in order to keep them together.
The whole town is in on it, and all work together as more of a family than a community - and all of this is completely foreign as a concept to the latest doctor, who is very by-the-books and lawfully minded... his heart Scrooged up by distant parents and emotionally stunting that happened when his little brother died.
But the way this is written, the way the characters grow and change, the way things work out... it's the kind of holiday magic everyone wants in a book. HIGHLY recommend this! Good job, Marta. ((And I'm not one to give out five star reviews. Like, ever.))
This is equal parts 'Northern Exposure' and 'Season for Miracles', and it's A.M.A.z.I.N.G. Just beautifully written, even though a few of the characters are a little cliche (the evil social worker is very Professor Umbridge, for example).
The story is sweet - a tiny 'hospital' station in the mountains manned by one full-time nurse and rotating doctors that volunteer for short stints. The nurse grew up in the foster care system, and when her friend's family fractures (father dies, abused mother freaks out and runs away), she takes in the three children until the mom gets her head on straight. But social services want those children in the system, so the RN is hiding them, in order to keep them together.
The whole town is in on it, and all work together as more of a family than a community - and all of this is completely foreign as a concept to the latest doctor, who is very by-the-books and lawfully minded... his heart Scrooged up by distant parents and emotionally stunting that happened when his little brother died.
But the way this is written, the way the characters grow and change, the way things work out... it's the kind of holiday magic everyone wants in a book. HIGHLY recommend this! Good job, Marta. ((And I'm not one to give out five star reviews. Like, ever.))
November 24, 2020
Maggie is a nurse at the county's free clinic. The county can not afford a full time Doctor so they have a volunteer Doctor come to the clinic for a month at a time. Button Gap is a small town where everyone knows everyone and if you need help they are quick to be there.
Grant is this month's Doctor and Maggie is afraid that he will find out her secret so she isn't very nice to him at the start. She is hoping that he packs up and goes back to Baltimore where he came from.
This book takes you through alot of emotions. At some points you laugh then you want to cry but it really is a book you certainly will want to read
Grant is this month's Doctor and Maggie is afraid that he will find out her secret so she isn't very nice to him at the start. She is hoping that he packs up and goes back to Baltimore where he came from.
This book takes you through alot of emotions. At some points you laugh then you want to cry but it really is a book you certainly will want to read
November 13, 2020
So charming! I read this in 2 days!
I loved the messages, romance, and the lessons about faith in God.
I loved the messages, romance, and the lessons about faith in God.
December 29, 2021
This was the sweetest book! Have already shared it with friends.
November 9, 2023
Predictable.
November 29, 2023
What a great book!
This book touches on so many aspects of life, sorrow, pain, joy, and the love of God, our Father. The characters are so real, and the story is so touching.
This book touches on so many aspects of life, sorrow, pain, joy, and the love of God, our Father. The characters are so real, and the story is so touching.
November 5, 2012
Enjoyed this book tremendously and will keep reading love inspired books.
May 8, 2021
A perfect read for the holiday season :), found the ending a bit slow! But overall a very good read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews