Beneath the Guiding Star

The Carols of Christmas #8

by Sara A. Thren

Pennsylvania, 1869
In the heart of a snow-covered Bethlehem, amidst family struggles and the weight of society’s expectations, a young woman must decide whether to sacrifice all else for the sake of duty—or follow the guidance of the Lord towards a love that could change everything.

Official blurb to come.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

212 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2025

About the author

Sara A. Thren has been scribbling stories since she was old enough to buy her first spiral bound notebook from a local dollar store.

Now a young adult in her twenties, Sara writes Christian Historical Fiction, liberally sprinkled with mystery, intrigue, wholesome relationships, found family, and deep faith themes that she feels are needed in the days that we live in.

When she is not typing away on her laptop, you can find Sara on tour making music with her family, scrapbooking in her book journal, busy with her graphic design business, or traipsing through fields looking for the perfect lighting for her next photoshoot.

Reviews

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this wonderful tale and was impressed as a debut as well! It wasn't too long nor tedious either as I find some to be lately (more so because of my decreased patience if "drawn out" or I feel as if someone is beating a dead horse and I want to tell them to get on with it and say what you mean for glory's sake). It was engrossing as I did wonder which direction it might go, I admired the mfc as she stayed gracious when dealing with a nasty old shrew; I like to think I would have been but no way as much as her.....I have generally kept my cool but would have said more of how I felt! ha. * As per friends who have said I do exercise restraint quite often* bless their hearts.....One male character was rather spineless as he didn't stand up to his mother which kind of triggered me a little perhaps but did grow a backbone later.
Anyway; there were plenty of beautiful spiritual elements throughout with tremendous faith in the Lord displayed, true Christian character evident. Woven so naturally. I would love if there was a sequel to this one!! Hopefully this author will continue as I will gladly buy others by her :)

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars (7/10 hearts). Y'all. This book. This book.

First of all, ABIGAIL. That girl is precious. I absolutely love her sweet spirit and dignified self-control. She is such a wise woman, and her relationship with her Father is absolutely beautiful. Second, Emmett. I related heavily to his guilt and overthinking, but most of all I loved his protectiveness and his tender heart. They were the perfect pair, and their romance was just melt-in-a-puddle cute. It wasn't overwhelming... they had very few romantic scenes, actually... but it was so pure and deep and sincere!

And I mustn't forget Emilia. Having just gotten a crash course in tuberculosis (thank you, John Green), I found her particularly interesting, and she was both deliciously funny and delightfully wise. Finally, D.J. was such a good man; Eva was awesome; and Hannah was a wonderful little elf—such fun!

I loved the plot, which kept me guessing till the end; I loved the beautiful descriptions; I loved the way the old carol was woven in; I loved the theme; and most of all, I adored all the wisdom that fills these pages. It just dripped out—little nuggets about life and faith, that left me awed and moved.

So, yes, I enjoyed every minute of this jewel. <3

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful historical novella with some mild Christmas elements at the end. The story begins in the fall and goes forward so this would be a good book to read at the start of the Christmas season.

I LOVED Abigail. She was so kind and caring to her siblings and even when others were unkind to her, she never responded in kind. She was an inspiration and such a sweet young woman. She reminded me a bit of Addie from The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow in that she always tried to be kind to others. I liked Emmett as well. He was determined to help but never came on as strong or pushy which I appreciated.

I also loved Abigail’s siblings. The three Kings (such a clever tie in to the Christmas Carol!) were all lovely and really took care of each other.

This is the author’s first book I believe and I would never have believed that because it was so well written. There were many passages that I highlighted because they were so poignant and resonated with me.

[Roni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, this book was such a delight—a perfect cozy read with a satisfying ending! I loved the tender romance, the memorable characters as well as the inspirational message of trusting God woven throughout; I just wish it wasn’t so short!

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely debut novel! It’s sweet, gentle, and has endearing characters.

In this story you’ll also find:
⭐️sweet family relationships
⭐️mature FMC
⭐️solid faith content
⭐️varying class love story

I loved that this book was appropriate for teen girls and adults. I hope the author will write two more books about the Kings! 😊 The end was a little abrupt for me, but I always want more 😉 and I definitely grew attached to this little family ❤️

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the Guiding Star is the perfect historical fiction novella to get you into the holiday spirit a little early this year. This is actually the first work of fiction that I have read by this author but I will say that I was very impressed with what I read. The story takes place in nineteenth century Pennsylvania and we are introduced to a delightful cast off characters. Here we will reader about their struggles and how they manage to pull through. I found this short story to be very heartwarming and magical.

[Elyse]

Beneath The Guiding Star is a warm hug of a book, the perfect story to snuggle up with after a long day. It’s a gentle story full of heartfelt themes and the continual reminder of God’s goodness. If you are a fan of Little Women’s strong family relationships, sweet romance, and cozy vibes, then this is a novella that you do not want to miss.

[Britt Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Verb affection & handholding (no kissing)
-No profanity

I didn’t even notice there wasn’t kissing- until I was writing the intimacy levels for this review. It was just that good! 🤯

Tender, faith-filled, and interwoven with hope, Beneath the Guiding Star is a story of loss, love, and the beauty of trusting God’s plan, even when the way forward is impossible to see.

This was one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. It was wholesome and inspiring. I’m going to have to read it again just to catch all the wisdom about love and faith woven throughout. AND of course because it was just so lovely. 💕

The story goes from August until Christmas Eve. It is perfect for reading year round but would be extra meaningful to read near Christmas.

It isn’t a YA book but would be perfectly appropriate for teens to read. Not only is there no objectionable content, the story is inspiring in a way that strengthens faith in God. It’s wholesome and full of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Expect:
💜 Childhood friends
💜 Wealthy MMC
💜 Impoverished FMC
💜 Small town
💜 Set in America post Civil War
✝️ Christian themes
💜Abigail’s family served as Christian missionaries in Hong King for ten years before returning to the states.

⚠️ Content:
- The FMC lost her mother when she was young and recently lost her father.
- MMC lost his father too.
- Side characters have lost family members
- It is mentioned briefly that her mother had lost an unborn child.
- Young child is very sick
- Town gossips about a young lady’s reputation making implications that weren’t true
- knee/ankle injury

I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions are my own.

[Ellie Hollows · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is irresistible! Three Kings *Ha, I love it👏🏻*, is genius.

The puppy was absolutely adorable! The Everson's crest so distinctively beautiful and fits so well with the story. Protective Teddy 💕. Hannah and Emilia were darlings. Oh, and I loved that they stopped under the star it just eclipsed the whole meaning of the book!

Okay, a man who can write such letters *sigh*. My heart so melted at the hug between Emmett and Emilia. This is an example of the type of man you want to marry. Though I will admit there were a few times near the end, I was screaming.... "What are you doing", and slightly wishing to bash some sense into him, lol 😅.

I did not see his mother ever coming out like that from the beginning of the story 🫢😲 ! Definitely was not happy with her, lol 😅.

I love Abigail's poem, it's so beautiful. I loved how caring and kind Abigail was despite all that came against her. The tension between her and Emmett was so well done, it could be felt in the entire atmosphere. My heart was warring back and forth the entire book. Though the romance level was a little higher than I sometimes read it felt light which I appreciated.

So thankful for the spiritual themes in this book! I wished more authors wrote like this.
Totally convicted and want to be a friends like this "Friends do not keep tallies of debts and obligations." Faith was portrayed so well. The essence of faith is believing and trusting even when we don't see or understand it.

CW (only for younger readers), I really had none: lots of dwelling on feelings, feeling of heartbeat

My rating/ Age Recommendation:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 our of 5 stars)/ 18+

You have to read this book. You're gonna fall in love with all the characters and I guarantee be as glad as I am to have read this sweet Christmas story.

[Adia Somi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My initial reaction to reading just the first few chapters of Beneath the Guiding Star was that it made my heart so happy.

The characters were well written in a very refreshing way. I absolutely loved the bond between Abigail and her siblings. Each of them was different but their love for their family was unwavering. Abigail could be very stubborn but also really gentle and caring. Emmett was a gentleman of the most wonderful degree. Their romance is wholesome and filled with that lovely yearning historical fiction captures so well.

The themes and messages woven into this tale were so inspirational. When things were looking down and they didn’t have the answers the Kings kept the faith clinging to God’s promises when they didn’t understand. I loved how this quote put it,“But understanding wasn’t a requirement for obedience.”

Beneath the Guiding Star is a beautiful representation of family, faith and courage against the status quo. The weary world needs more stories like these.

[Melissa Mocciola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful novel. I found myself completely enraptured by the artistic story telling and creativeworld building of this book. The characters and their tales both past and present were seamlessly woven together to draw the reader in and make us feel as though we share a deep bond and friendship with each of them.

I was so sad to see the story end just as I felt it beginning. I think that is my only disappointment because I would have loved nothing more than to traverse the deep expansive journey of the love and faith within the lives of the individuals that Sara so carefully crafted in this story. I don't know if it is possible but I would love to see her carry on and turn this into a series, perhaps with each book following the lives of Abigail's 2 younger siblings and maybe even Emmett's siblings as well, perhaps even offering little sneak peaks in to the lives of Abigail and Emmett in each book as well. I look forward to reading more from Sara in the future!

[Avery K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book! Historical romance is not a genre I read in much, but this was certainly a good introduction! Emmett was one of the most swoon-worthy characters I’ve read in a while, and he constantly had me blushing. I loved the focus on the characters and their relationships, and I feel like there was a good focus on giving all the characters appropriate page time! Overall, this was a very sweet book that left me with nothing but happy feelings!

[Jewel Carrie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Thren is so clever! I loved the way that missionaries with the last name of King (3 of them to be exact!) arrive back in America. I especially love the sibling relationships in this book, and the way that the MMC dotes and cares for the FMC's siblings and not just her. So cute!

[Tommie Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical and Romance are both outside my typical genre wheelhouse, but I LOVED Beneath the Guiding Star! Abigail and Emmett (and so many others) are such lovable characters that are easy to root for and precious to watch. The perfect cozy read for Christmastime!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and touching inspirational Romance!

Really enjoyed the story! A clean and sweet romance, but not sappy or overdone. Great job! Keep writing stories that glorify God and encourage the reader to trust Him more.

[Katie Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara Thren’s debut novella, Beneath the Guiding Star, has beautiful writing, well-developed characters, strong Christian themes, and cozy Christmas vibes that make it a quick comfort read that is perfect to fit in around holiday activities!

My favorite part is Sara’s charming writing style that makes the story sparkle and gives the book just the right feeling. (I’d keep an eye on this author, as I suspect you’ll be seeing more of her!)

The characters are lovable and well-developed and definitely ones you want to root for. I especially liked being in Emmett’s POV where his calculated personality shone through.

I also appreciate that BTGS was inspired by the Christmas Carol “We Three Kings” and has strong themes of trusting the Lord for guidance throughout the difficult and confusing parts of life. It’s also squeaky clean, which is a big positive for this reviewer!

Since this is a relaxing kind of read, it’s ideal for readers who aren’t fans of unexpected twists, action-packed narratives, or cliffhanger endings, (although the fate of a darling ill character is unknown until the end). Although cozy reads aren’t my usual go-tos, I found that the simpler plot adds to the relaxing feel, and the shorter length makes it a quick read.

One nit-picky critique is I found myself wishing some of the dialogue had been a bit more conversational, but most of it was, and perhaps the stiffer sections were due to the more formal English used in the historical setting. In any case, it didn’t take away from the novella's strong points…

Overall, I’d recommend this book to fans of the show Road to Avonlea, Little Women, and relaxing, heartwarming Christian novellas in general. I rounded my 3.5 star rating up to 4 stars based on the Christian message, lovable characters, and overall pleasant experience.

Thanks for the complimentary eARC in exchange for this honest review, Sara!

[Emmeline Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet historical romance! I loved the writing style, and the faith elements were woven beautifully into the story. The characters were well-written, especially the children, who were an absolute delight throughout. Altogether it was a sweet, easy read, with faith themes that hit the spot without seeming unnatural, and I will definitely be re-reading it until it falls apart!

[R. L. Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh. my. soul.

This book y’all. I absolutely love it and I cannot wait to read more by Miss Thren!!! I love every character except the mother and the gossips and that insufferable artist. All the supporting cast did their job perfectly!!!

[Debbie Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book! I highly recommend reading it!

[hannah torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and entertaining story.

A nice book well thought out. Reminds me of a Grace Livingston Hill writing style. I would definitely recommend this book.