The Christmas Ring: A Winter Romance

by Karen Kingsbury, Paige McKinney (Narrator)

Sometimes love is just a shop away. This heartwarming and emotional small-town romance from beloved author Karen Kingsbury shows that love the second time around can be found in unlikely places, often alongside healing and hope. As romance blooms between a military widow and the antique dealer who promises to find her heirloom family ring, they will both have to honor the past and find a way towards their happily ever after.

After losing her husband, Vanessa Mayfield believed her heart was closed for good. Returning to her quiet hometown, she plans to focus on helping others and rebuilding a peaceful life—nothing more.

While searching for her family's long-lost heirloom ring, she meets Ben Miller, a local antique dealer. The two are drawn to each other and forge a friendship that soon becomes a deep and breathtaking romance. But neither are sure that what they've found can last.

As Vanessa organizes her annual Columbus Cares Christmas Military Dance, she looks forward to her daughter's return from college. But Vanessa hasn't told Sadie about Ben. After all, Vanessa hadn't anticipated finding love again after losing her husband.

Just as Ben is about to declare his love for Vanessa, he discovers a secret about her missing ring that could unravel their relationship before it had the chance to start.

Certain he knows where Vanessa's ring is, Ben leaves town in a frantic rush. But can he stop a certain sale, or will Vanessa's ring be lost forever?

This cozy, clean romance is perfect for readers who love stories about healing after loss, small-town charm, and finding love again when the time is right. The Christmas Ring is also available to stream online across digital platforms--starring Jana Kramer, Kelsey Grammer, Benjamin Hollingsworth, and Jessie James Decker!

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Audiobook, Holiday

Audible Audio

Published October 21, 2025

About the author

Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.

See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:21

Five 🌲💍 stars for this inspiring holiday romance. It turned out to be the perfect choice for a Christmas in July read.

Here are five reasons why:

💍The ring! See that cover illustration? That is just how I imagined the ring from the description. First discovered on D-Day by one of our finest and passed down through the generations only to be lost on the sledding hill in Breckenridge. Is it really just costume jewelry?

🌲Vanessa was the current owner of of the ring when it went missing. After dropping off her daughter at college four years later, she stops in Marietta, Georgia to see if her ring might be at one of the antique stores there. She meets Ben, a widower, and a friendship begins at a Christmas in July event!

💍The missing ring earns another star for the mystery piece of if/when it will be found. Vanessa is bereft and prays for it to be returned every day. Her daughter Sadie will be next in line to own The Christmas Ring.

🇱🇷 Vanessa and Sadie live in Columbus, GA -- home of Fort Benning and a substantial military population. Karen Kingsbury does a great job highlighting the sacrifices our military families make and the efforts made to support and encourage them.

🎬 While reading I thought about how fun it would be to see this made into a movie. Guess what?! There IS a movie version coming to theaters on Thursday, November 6. Mark your calendars and don't forget your tissues!

A big thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for offering this ARC as a part of Camp NetGalley. As requested, my review is being posted before August 1st.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, heartwarming Christmas story. It is filled with love, compassion, hope, and faith, and it has a gratifying conclusion. The audiobook is well narrated by Ms. Paige McKinney.

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet, cozy Christmas read!

The standouts are the faith content and the beautiful ending.
I found the faith practices of the characters to be woven in seamlessly so that it felt authentic to how practicing Christians talk and live.

And that ending had the theme of forgiveness and faith at Christmastime to a tee.

I found the progression of the plot and the romance to be rushed and underdeveloped. I liked that some parts of the setting and events were not dwelt on, but the development of romantic feelings between the characters felt surface level to me.

There were times when I was super engaged and other times when I was skimming through dialogue to see if anything interesting was going on.

Overall I would definitely recommend this as a sweet Christian Christmas book.
There is a strong mother/daughter relationship in it too that was so nice to read about.

Trigger warning for opening scene of a soldier getting shot at on a battlefield. Death of spouses.

Oh and I will definitely be watching the movie!!

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy to read!

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story. This is a wonderful book that honors those in military service, reminds us that faith in God is important, and that forgiveness is important. Years ago, Vanessa Mayfield lost a beloved family heirloom with a story of resilience and hope attached to it and passed through the generations. On a whim she stops at a pawn shop where she strikes up a friendship with the co-owner, Ben Miller. Well-written, heartwarming Christmas story, that is being made into a major motion picture. Wonderful, sweet romance, full of faith, with some real tear-jerker moments. Highly recommend!

[Renata Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, faith filled Christmas story that warmed my heart. 🎄✨ It definitely has that classic Hallmark feel... and honestly, I’m always here for a good Hallmark style holiday story. ❤️ I loved the small town setting and the honor given to our military, and I especially appreciated all the messages about trusting God and leaning into His grace during life’s hardest moments.

This story is full of characters who truly try to follow God’s guiding hand. Even with tragedy woven into the plot, the focus stays on hope, mercy, and the belief that His plans are better than our own. Those reminders really spoke to me. ✨🙏

It was a clean, feel good holiday read filled with love, friendship, and faith. I enjoyed it and felt uplifted, but I found myself wishing for a little deeper emotional connection and a richer storyline between some of the characters. But overall, it was such a sweet and meaningful book, and I’m glad I picked it up. 💛

I’m excited to watch the movie adaptation and see how it compares! 🎬💚

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ring is a heartwarming, emotional story of love, faith, and a sense of community. It is a tribute to those in the military, especially the families, the Gold Star families. I enjoyed the Columbus, Georgia/Ft. Benning setting and the support shown to their base community.
It starts off on D-Day in Normandy as paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles from Ft. Benning drop in ahead of the invasion, only to be dropped in enemy territory. Some survived. One young man found a ring in the dirt where they were hiding. It has been passed down through the generations, now great-granddaughter. Vanessa, a widow of an Army medic, has it until she lost it snow sledding with her daughter Sadie. It is thought to be cosmetic but she continues to pray for it to be found. God knows where it is. On a visit to a shop in North Georgia, she meets Ben. Both have lost their spouses and bond right away. As friends. This story is a quick read but full of so much-new beginnings, faith, love, romance, hope, and miracles, all set during the special season of Christmas. Lovely story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury
4 Stars
Blog Post: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...

I really enjoyed this Christmas read! It was sweet, hope-filled and has small town charm, Christmas magic, emotional depth...all the THINGS! We follow a military widow, Vanessa, carrying her grief and the hope of finding her family's lost heirloom, The Christmas Ring. Her journey is authentic and I loved the relationship with her daughter. With so many books having toxic relationships these days with mothers and daughters, it was such a breath of fresh air that they were best friends together in their adult lives. Really inspiring.

We see Vanessa finding love again with the antiques dealer, Ben, as they have quite the growing friendship together.

A little twist with the ring makes things very interesting!

If you love a sweet, clean, Christian Christmas read, pick this up! Karen always add layered, emotional depth to her stories and I thought this was a very nice family read.

Really excited to see the movie!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing a complimentary copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the arc! All opinions and statements are my own. 📕

💍 Blurb 💍
“While searching for her family's long-lost heirloom ring, military widow Vanessa Mayfield meets handsome antique dealer Ben Miller. The two are drawn to each other and forge a friendship that soon becomes a deep and breathtaking romance. But neither are sure that what they've found can last.

As Vanessa organizes her annual Columbus Cares Christmas Military Dance, she looks forward to her daughter's return from college. But Vanessa hasn't told Sadie about Ben. After all, Vanessa hadn't anticipated finding love again after losing her husband. And now she wrestles with feelings that are becoming hard to ignore.

Just as Ben is about to declare his love for Vanessa, he learns more about her missing Christmas ring: her great grandfather found it in France on D-Day, and engraved on the band is a single meaningful word. The details confirm a terrible truth, one that Ben cannot ignore.

Certain he now knows where Vanessa's ring is, Ben leaves town in a frantic rush. But can he stop a certain sale, or will Vanessa's ring be lost forever? Days before Christmas, when all seems hopeless, Ben and Vanessa learn an important eternal truth: Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

🎄 My Thoughts 🎄
This was such a sweet, heartwarming story, filled with valuable lessons of trusting in God and His plans for us. 🥹❤ I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a spouse or someone I dearly love, but Kingsbury eloquently and tenderly put into words what the pain is like. She also delicately portrays how Ben and Vanessa move on after their terrible loss, which made me tear up so many times.

But it was the elements of faith that really spoke to me. I’ve been struggling with my faith recently because of certain things going on in my life, and I have asked God if He could somehow soften my heart of stone that has been calloused by, well, I guess everything. And I believe this book was an answer to my prayer. The character’s faith moved me beyond words, and I want what they have. I yearn for it. Sure, this book is simple, short, and right to the point. But sometimes the simple things in life are the ones that make a difference to our wandering souls that are looking for a place to rest and be at peace. 🕊 This book will go down as one of the most influential and impactful books I have read in my life, and I am not mad about that.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Karen Kingsbury!! I decided to go with this one, even though I really want to get into her Baxters series, because it's less overwhelming. Only one book compared to like 30+, but yes this was such a sweet story.

I found it to be more relatable than I was expecting, I also lost my dad when I was 13, though not in the field of duty, and grew close to my mum as a result. She's always been my best friend, much like Vanessa is to Sadie, and we take trips together all the time.

The shared grief was so accurately depicted, Kingsbury could've been talking about my own the whole time. Obviously, I teared up numerous times.

The core of the story is the mother-daughter relationship between Vanessa and Sadie, but we also have a love story on the side. I liked Vanessa and Ben as a pairing, he was so kind and lovely.

Normally I'd say something like "I wish this was longer", but in The Christmas Ring's case, I think the length is just right.

Oh, the story of the titular ring itself is one for the books (haha!), I can't wait to see it adapted on the big screen!!!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

What a sweet and heartwarming Christmas book. I loved this!

Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Paige McKinney
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Christmas
Length: 5h 18m

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was absolutely mislabeled as romance; this is a religious book through and through. No diversity, very preachy, and, hate to say it, extremely uninteresting.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Christmas Ring, by Karen Kingsbury. from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Vanessa Mayfield, lost her great grandfathers ring, he found in France. Vanessa keeps looking for the ring, but does not think she will find it. I would be absolutely devastated if I lost a family heirloom. I really enjoyed this book, love always endures and finds a way.

[Kyleigh | alltheroseyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen Kingsbury can do no wrong. This was the sweetest Christmas love story. I absolutely loved that it centered around antiques and antique shops. It felt like it was written just for me!

A little cheesy at times, but such a heartfelt, quick read.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about a woman whose husband was killed in the service. Vanessa’s mother had passed down a ruby ring that her great-grandfather had found in Normandy years ago. Unfortunately, Vanessa lost the ring one day skiing with her daughter. They have never stopped looking for the ring in different antique stores. After dropping her daughter off at college Vanessa stops for gas and sees an antique store. In the store, she meets Ben who she realizes is a very special person. The book is a short book, but it puts you in the Christmas spirit and makes you glad that there are people like Vanessa and Ben in the world who are doing good for our country.

[angelpompom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently I’m never writing this a full review but I did love it💗🎄

[Lori Keeton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a local book club and chosen because it's a book-to-movie selection. A widowed woman’s lost heirloom brings her together with another widower who share a love of antiques. This was a very sweet and sappy Hallmark style Christian fiction novel. For someone who is used to reading well-developed characters and literary fiction, this didn’t quite meet my expectations. It seemed to be written as if it were going to be a movie.

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick and sweet read! When widowed Vanessa loses a cherished family keepsake, the Christmas ring, she never expects to find it again. A stop at an antique shop and a chance meeting with Ben might lead her to more than she’s been hoping for.

Ben and Vanessa share an instant connection, and his desire to help her find the ring soon grows into something deeper. As their feelings develop, Ben discovers his own surprising link to the ring and worries it could threaten their future together.

I loved the gentle romance, the friendship between Vanessa and Ben, and the close bond between Vanessa and Sadie. Hudson and Sadie’s young romance was a charming addition. I wish this story was a bit longer, allowing the romance more time to develop...but it was still a lovely holiday read. I can’t wait to see the movie adaptation! I KNOW it will be amazing!

I received a complimentary copy, and this review reflects my honest opinion.

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this one just a little too blind. I thought a nice Christmas read in July would be sweet and romantic. I'd hoped for a sweet romance. But I hadn't anticipated all the religious themes and praying.

I found Vanessa's loss and her want to find the ring endearing and I understand how she'd want to hold on to something. I liked Ben, her love interest, and how sweet they were. But I did struggle to connect to the story. It was a quick and easy read.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Milena Loves Books❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first time I read something by Karen Kingsbury: A Heartwarming Holiday Story, which explores themes of second chances, faith, overcoming loss, and redemption.

Vanessa and her daughter go on a ski trip. While sledding, Vanessa loses her ring—a ring with deep sentimental value...the Christmas Ring that has been in her family since her great-grandfather found it on D-Day. Along the way, she meets Ben, whose father owns an antique store. Hoping her ring might be there, she stops to look. When Ben and Vanessa meet, there's an instant connection. Both widowed, both cautious, they gently navigate the beginning of new relationships.

It's a clean, cozy Christmas read full of warmth and quiet emotion.... A Christmas story that honors the military and emphasizes faith, family, and helping others.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson. I received a complimentary copy of this book.

[AmdynReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ring is a heartwarming Christian romance that beautifully captures the themes of healing, hope, and second chances during the holiday season.

The story follows Vanessa, a military widow, who has spent years searching for a precious family heirloom: the “Christmas ring.” 💍 This special piece was discovered by her great-grandfather on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day and has deep sentimental value for her family. After countless visits to antique shops, she steps into Miller’s Antiques and meets Ben Miller, the kind co-owner who is also a widower.

What begins as a shared search for the lost ring blossoms into a gentle, meaningful friendship between two people who understand the pain of profound loss. Over the following months, their connection deepens sweetly and authentically.

The plot builds with drama—Ben races against time to prevent the ring from being sold to someone else, while Vanessa navigates the emotional challenge of telling her college-aged daughter about this new chapter in her life.

Without spoiling the heartfelt twists, the story reminds us that God’s timing and plans are perfect, even when hope feels distant. It’s a tender tale filled with faith, family, and the quiet miracle of love rediscovered.

Overall, this is a cozy, uplifting read that leaves you with a renewed sense of joy and trust in God’s faithfulness—perfect for the Christmas (or any) season!

🎧 Paige McKinney did a phenomenal job narrating this audiobook. I completely forgot it wasn’t dually narrated! 🤍

✨ Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio & Karen Kingsbury for a free copy of this ALC. My opinions are my own.

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury

The Christmas Ring is a heartfelt contemporary Christian holiday romance about Vanessa Mayfield, a military widow still grieving the loss of her husband while raising her daughter Sadie and trying to find joy again. The story centers on Vanessa’s decades-long search for her family’s heirloom Christmas ring, originally found by her great-grandfather on D-Day in France and treasured as a symbol of hope and love. While pursuing the ring through antiques shops and sales, Vanessa meets Ben Miller, a kind antiques dealer and widower whose friendship slowly deepens into something both unexpected and tender. As love blossoms leading up to Christmas, the search for the ring becomes entwined with questions of faith, second chances, family, and where the heart truly finds treasure.

I was lifted by the way Kingsbury blends gentle romance with sincere faith and themes of healing after loss: Vanessa’s vulnerability, her prayerful perseverance, and her growing trust in God’s timing made me care deeply about her journey. The connection between Vanessa and Ben unfolds with warm emotional resonance rather than haste, and the Christmas setting gives the story a comforting, reflective glow. The Christmas Ring made me smile and reflect on how love and hope can be found in the unlikeliest places, even amid grief.

Rating: 4 out of 5, for its uplifting message of healing, faith, and discovering love again.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where do I start? THE CHRISTMAS RING is not my first book by Karen Kingsbury and it totally will not be the last! This is my 17th!! I was so wrapped up in this story from page one. I came to know and love all of these characters very deeply. THE CHRISTMAS RING is a truly heartbreaking book so keep the tissues handy! I knew this was going to be a heart tugging story and I was a bit afraid to read it.

Along with the heartbreak in THE CHRISTMAS RING, there is also hope, faith, and healing. I felt so close to the characters as I finished up the book and really didn’t want it to end. Karen is an excellent story teller and she gets you so caught up in their lives right from the very first page and never lets you go. THE CHRISTMAS RING is a book that will stay with me for a very long time! I’m keeping my review short on purpose. I don’t want to spoil THE CHRISTMAS RING for anyone and its hard to discuss this story without ruining it for a person who hasn’t read it yet. Do yourself a favor, grab this book now! You can thank me later!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Elena · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, this book really should be tagged as religious—not just romance, Christmas, and fiction. If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have requested it. I expected something in the vein of a Hallmark or Lifetime holiday movie, but this leaned heavily into preachy tones, both in the romance and in the family dynamics, which made it feel unrealistic and overdone.

What really bothered me, though, was a particular scene where Ben tells Vanessa that his late wife once gave him a set of antique U.S. history books from back when there wasn’t an agenda.. That line absolutely infuriated me. It erases the long, hard fight to have Mexican, Native, African, Japanese, and other underrepresented U.S. histories included. Brushing all that off as “an agenda” reads as if anything beyond white history doesn’t count—and that’s not just the character, that’s an author’s choice.

The setting and premise had potential, but between the preachiness and the undertones in the messaging, the book didn’t land for me.

Also, doesn’t look like typewriters existed 200 years ago.

[Patricia Rupell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury was a sweet, gentle read. It had themes of grief, the military, and home. I liked the Georgia setting, the antique shops, and the romance. It was heartwarming and sweet, and I really enjoyed it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC.

[The Bookworm Girl Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! The characters were well developed. I appreciated the author’s dedication and support to our military. I was also moved by the connection to World War II. In addition, her author’s note at the end was touching! Overall, a sweet and blessed Christmas novel.

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been years since I read a Kingsbury novel and this was the perfect welcome back!

Warm-hearted, sweet, and perfect for Christmas, this book hit the perfect spot! I love how she showed God’s providence and that Him being in control doesn’t always mean everything works out the way you want it to BUT that hard things can lead to good things.

I highly recommend this and would love to see the movie this year! If you are a Christian romance fan or a fan of sweet romance - this book is for you.

My rating: 5*

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

[linda hole · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a sweet story about faith, second chances, the power of prayers, and the strong bond between Mother and daughter. i Just expected more from it.
thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that honors those in military service, reminds us that faith in God is important, and that forgiveness is important.

The characters are relatable and easy to like! Vanessa is AMAZING! She has known heartache but she is determined to provide a loving home for her daughter, Sadie. It's wonderful how their mother/daughter relationship is: it reminds me of mine with my mom and with my daughters. (best friends!) Sadie is a typical young woman. She is eager to start her own life but she loves her mother a lot. Ben is hunkalicious! He's handsome (Chris Pratt 😍), he's an antiques collector and he loves poetry. He has a compassionate heart and he's patient!

The Christmas ring is sentimental. As it's passed down from generation to generation the message of God's faithfulness is passed along too. In my life, it's our family Bible.

I have read many books by Karen Kingsbury and I look forward to her next book! I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me a lot about the red glove series.

This story was also filled with faith, hope and a Christmas miracle.

I adored Ben Miller and how he was so gentle with Vanessa and took his time to build a friendship. The first reaction of Sadie also felt honest and realistic. I absolutely loved Vanessa and Sadie’s relationship and how they tried to thrive after a heartbreaking loss.

This story left me with hope and faith that God still sees the desires of our hearts and long to fulfill them.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Without a doubt the cheesiest book I have ever read. But it was also so sweet and cute and full of goodness so that's nice. Three stars in the jolliest of ways.