Closed doors protect. Open doors invite. This Christmas, one door will change everything.
Influencer Amayah Harper is known for finding beauty in forgotten places—especially in weathered doors and the stories behind them, which she shares with her fast-growing audience. When a journalist arrives to feature her work, Amayah feels an unexpected pull toward him, even as she senses he’s hiding carefully guarded secrets.
Luke Cross needs a career-making story, not a connection. Instead, he finds a woman whose kindness disarms him and whose faith challenges everything he thought he understood—leaving him caught between ambition and truth.
As unsettling events begin to disrupt Amayah’s peaceful life, Luke is drawn into far more than a simple exposé. Together, they’re forced to confront past wounds, unexpected truths, and the possibility that God sometimes opens doors they never knew existed.
A cozy Christmas romance with a touch of suspense—filled with warmth, hope, and the quiet miracles that happen when hearts dare to open.
Christy Barritt is an author, freelance writer and speaker who lives in Virginia. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado. She’s only won one contest in her life—and her prize was kissing a pig (okay, okay… actually she did win the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery also). Her current claim to fame is showing off her mother, who looks just like former First Lady Barbara Bush When she’s not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring small, unsuspecting towns where people have no idea how accident prone she is.
This is a very sharp turn for the Books. I am used to reading by her. I have read way over two dozen of her books. I am used to a plot twist, or murderous chase or hilarious villain This book was a different direction and was challenging and thought provoking. The thought processes to choose good over self or what others expected was a challenge and laying down I gauntlet of being true to your convictions. I would definitely recommend this book.
While I'm used to Christy Barritt's books having a lot of suspense, villains, and nonstop action, The Christmas Door is different. It has romance, faith, well-written characters, and metaphors such as simply walking through the right door. I enjoyed Amayah and Luke's journey as Luke, a journalist, is assigned to prove Amayah to not be the person she portrays to be. Definitely worth the read as it will make you pause and ponder on the metaphors as well as being authentic.
...turned into one of my favorites by Christy Barritt. Amayah meets Luke, who is assigned to write an exposé article and rip off her fake "front" of a kind and generous Podcaster. However, when he gets to know her, he starts backing off to delay the article, then, before he can tell her the truth she finds out. But just as she's about to oust him, she discovers the 6 kids next door have run away and she needs Luke to help her find them. In the process, love start to bloom...or at least sprout. The book is way too short. I don't usually pay for a book under 200 pages, but because of the author, one of my favorites, I made the purchase. Please write longer books, Christy!
This is not your typical Christy Barritt book. It’s a sweet, powerful, Christmas book that will touch your heart, bring a few tears to your eyes, and change your outlook. The main characters, Amayah and Luke, are well developed and totally lovable. The plot has a bit of mystery, a mild romance, and faith in God. It would be great to revisit them next Christmas and see what God has done with them.
Quote: “…but sometimes loving people looks like showing up, and other times it looks like stepping back and letting God be the one who carries the weight.”
Touching, beautiful Christmas story filled with deep emotions and a powerful message. This Christmas story is one that I will read again and again. Thank you, Christy Barritt for the reminder of what a life lived for others is all about.
The Christmas Door is a romance, but ever so much more than a romance. Its many layers include abandonment, falsehoods, revenge, fear, shame, oh, do I really need to go on? Over all of it, though, is hope. Hope born of faith that can change lives - theirs and ours. Well done, Ms. Barrett!
This book is so different from her usual writing but I would rank it one of the best. The story draws the reader into a world where grace is present and is reflected. One character gives freely, one is stunned by its depths. Another clings to the hope it evokes and others reject it preferring to cling to bitterness and disappointment. Bravo Christy Barrit.
"Because what Linda did said a lot more about Linda than it did anyone else."
“'It’s an old saying, but it’s true. When God closes a door . . .' 'He opens a window,' Luke finished. 'And sometimes He opens a whole house.'”
“'What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open . . . See, I have placed before you an open door.' Revelation 3:7–8"
These three quotes at the end of the book really resonated with me right now for various reasons. I tend to get caught up in what others think of me and who they want me to be instead of being the person that God wants me to be. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.
Amayah is a young, fairly new influencer who does videos about doors. While that seems boring, she has a way of finding out the stories behind many old doors in her town. Stories of heroes, sorrow, joy, etc. She is quickly gained traction and become popular and wealthy. However, she struggles daily with guilt over the fact she was not able to rescue her previous boyfriend from his life of drugs and alcohol, which finally took his life. Luke is an aspiring journalist, who is also making a name for himself that has been offered an article that exposes Amayah as a fraud. He recently lost a close friend who had followed and influencer to the point it had cost her her life. He is excited to take down an influencer, until he begins interviewing Amayah and believe she is the real deal. In the story, there are also the Crump kids. Six children living next door to Amayah, the oldest is only 12 years old. Their father passed some time ago, but where is the mother? Has anyone seen her since there was a wellness check 3 weeks ago?
4.5 stars "She'd built an entire empire by telling stories about doors - not so much architecture or history, but through metaphor and meaning."
Was influencer Amayah Harper just as authentic as she appeared on camera, or were there hidden motives beneath her lovely countenance and conversational tone? Journalist Luke Cross had been issued a staightforward directive from his editor; find her flaws and expose them, pull back the curtain on her secrets and reveal them to her adoring public.
Except, the exact opposite happens. Luke is immediately struck by Amayah's candor about who she is and what she does. After accompanying Amayah along neighborhood streets while she judges a Christmas door competition, she not only opens the door of her own home to Luke but also invites some rough-around-the-edges neighborhood children to share the warm, comfortable space.
Yet, questions linger. And Luke's boss becomes more and more insistent. Which door of opportunity will he walk through, and what will be the consequences?
What an amazing little book! This delightfully romantic story overflows with meaningful metaphors of faith, which can be as simple as walking through the right door.
This was an interesting Christmas story. Christy Barritt has written a tender tale of love and hope. It wasn’t one of Christy Barritt’s usual stories that are full of suspense, action, and lots of drama. However, this book did have some of those parts, but wrapped up in a sweet, heartwarming tale of a woman who wants to help others and meet the needs of the neighboring kids. It truly showed the tender meaning of giving to others and what our focus should be on. Christy Barritt is one author who knows how to weave a tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat as you read the story. This book did too, but not in the mystery, suspense kind of way. It kept me reading to see how Amayah would share her Christmas spirit and what was happening with her neighbors. I also wanted to see how Luke would correct the wrong he had started. The story flowed smoothly and was well-written, like all of Christy Barritt’s books. It touched my heart and will stay with me for a while. If you want to read a tender story of the spirit of Christmas, then I highly recommend you pick up this book. You won’t be disappointed. I was given this book by the author, which did not influence my review in any way; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable, quick, Christmas read. It’s fairly short and reads more like a novella, which kept the story moving but also meant the plot wrapped up quickly and didn’t pull me in emotionally like others I’ve read recently.
The characters were decently developed for a book of this length. I appreciated that it contained faith, scripture, and themes of forgiveness, serving others, and making a difference that ran throughout the story.
One small issue that stood out to me was a continuity error—at one point it mentions Amayah’s parents going to Europe, but in the last chapter it refers to Luke’s parents instead. It’s a minor detail, but it did pull me out of the story briefly.
Overall, this was a short, easy Christmas read that worked well for the season. While it didn’t fully meet my expectations, it was still a pleasant and festive story.
Challenged to discover the lie in an influencer’s presentations, Luke starts interviewing and keeping company with Amayah, a unique woman of faith with a fascination for doors. Her podcasts have gone viral, replete with courageous hope and inspiration as she presents different doors and their significance.
Her rise to fame has drawn the attention of stalkers, fans, and foes. Luke seems like an unusually honorable reporter, and she hesitantly agrees to meet with him. As her trust in him grows, his discomfort in lying to her about his purpose compromises his assignment to bring her down.
Does God open and shut doors before us? The author plays with Scripture and story to challenge the reader toward a genuine walk of faith and a clear message that love is faith in action.
I've clung to this for years. And its true. Some doors I forced open and it didn't work out. When God opened the door, his reason was made clear and for the good. That's Hope - believing in what you can't see. Amayah believed in doors - the beautiful and the ugly. Each door has a story, some joyful, some heartbreaking. Luke could sense her story and he saw it play out in her everday. Hope is what the Clump children had, believing that tomorrow would have to better, if they hung on to each other and waited. A true Christmas story of faith, hope and love. Thank you, Ms. Barritt for writing what God laid on your heart, a story that reflects your faith and belief, may you continue to spread the good news through your stories.
I did enjoy this book for many non-conventional reason’s. I would consider myself a very slow reader, this book was a great length! Easy to read (comprehend and follow) and had a good story line to keep my attention to not get board and move onto another book.
I would not consider his to be a typical “thriller” but it is a clean book with a Christian perspective. Though it can drag along, as I was expecting more murders like some of Christi’s other books, the buildup of characters is good, but has an expected result.
The door symbolizes our lives, that we all can relate too and I would recommend to anyone looking for a good clean easy read.
Reading Difficulty: 2/5 Book Length: 173 pages Genre: Christian/Thriller
This book was a delightful surprise, just before Christmas! Amayah has become a surprisingly successful influencer, delighting her followers with beautiful stories about doors. When Luke is tasked by his cynical boss to expose Amayah as a fake, he makes an appointment to interview her. Feeling that he is not being completely honest with her, Amayah is attracted to him nonetheless. Luke wavers back and forth as to whether his boss is correct in assuming Amayah is a fake ad is hesitant to do a hit piece. This is a beautiful story of grace, repentance, forgiveness and love, perfect for Christmas time!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions are my own. I highly recommend it.
Amayah Harper rose to fame for her videos about doors and the insightful lessons she’s gleaned from them. Reporter Luke Cross wants to grow his newspaper career, and exposing Amayah may just be the road to fame for him—if he can find something to exploit. Instead, he is drawn toward the compassionate woman and pulled into to helping her needy neighbor children (think Herdmans in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever). The heartwarming story is a perfect read for Christmastime (or anytime, really). This short book opens your eyes to be more alert to the needs others. It’s one of the few I will probably reread. I received a copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness! I have read almost all of Christy Barritt's books and there are well over 100. I love them because they are so full of mystery, clean reading, and I always feel so much better after reading them. I love anything she writes! BUT, I have to tell you this book really touched my heart, excited me with so much mystery as always, and left me with so much joy and peace for the whole week and continues to be on my mind. I don't know how to describe it, all the same things are there as all her books; lots of mysteries, a lot of love, and lots of resolution.
But, this one is the best ever. I pray that she will write more on this series. BEWARE, I read it in one setting....I couldn't put it down.
The Christmas Door by Christy Barritt is a lovely Christmas story. If you’re looking for a new holiday read, look no further! I love reading a new wholesome Christmas book each holiday season. This was the best holiday story that I’ve read in years. I loved the characters in this story and there’s plenty of danger and intrigue to keep your interest throughout the story. The messages of redemption and hope in this book truly made it inspirational and full of depth. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
I really enjoyed this story ! It is full of joy, hope, love and redemption! It's about a reporter named Luke who is assigned a story aimed to to prove that an influencer is not sincere and is only out for money. Instead he finds her to be a breath of fresh air and a beautiful person both inside and out. His dilemma is to either tell the story his boss wants to tell in order to bring the influencer down and keep his job or tell the truth and loose it. It's a beautiful story you don't want to miss!
I had never read a book by this author before, but was a bit disappointed. The story could be quite interesting, but often the author tells you instead of shows you. The same phrases are repeated over and over again, to the point that I honestly thought I had accidentally turned back to a prior chapter. The narration tells you there is suspense but I never actually felt it. There is not enough development of the characters - the main male lead's arc is already turning within minutes of meeting the female lead. It was a very quick read, but not one I would probably repeat.
I absolutely loved this book!! This book has all the feels of Christmas, bundled together with a giant red bow, just waiting to be opened to give you the gift inside! There is some suspense, romance, found family, second chances, and a strong faith thread that binds it all together. This was a quick read that I wished I had more of, yet it was perfect the way it is. Easily 5 stars, highly recommend you put this one on your Christmas read list!
I had an ARC for this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. Influencer Amayah Harper is approached by Journalist Luke Cross for an interview that keeps getting interrupted causing them to spend more time together. Luke’s boss wants him to do an expose, but he finds nothing to expose. Add in a family of six neglected children, break-ins at her house, and a man seemingly following her. This is a soul stirring book and a remarkable Christmas story.
When something, someone, seems too good to be true, Luke accepts the assignment to investigate and prove Amaya isn't the hopeful, kind person she portrays herself to be. This stand-alone story from Christy Barritt is different from her other books which I enjoy so much, and so good - a perfect read for the Christmas season.
The Christmas Door was sweet and slightly suspenseful. A perfect feel good read on a slow wintery morning or a cozy day between Christmas and New Year's.
Amayah's an accidental influencer who meets Luke Cross, a reporter with a secret. Together they find purpose in their passions and a way to give back when they've been so blessed.
I've been a Christy Barritt fan for years. I think The Christmas Door may just be her best work yet! The slower, more relaxed pace allows for beautiful turns of phrases. The writing drifts along like pure snowfall, leaving time and space for the emotions it evokes to stick. Several times, I paused and said aloud, "Dang, that's good!"
Not what I expected from a Christy Barrier novel but just what I needed. It had a bit of a fairy take ending but who doesn't like a happy ending. If there is a sequel, I'd read it to see what happens to all of these characters. One little detailed wasn't it the female character's mother who was going to Europe not Luke's parents as stated in the last chapter?
This book was not exactly what I expected from the title. It was so much more. Christy Barritt hit the nail on the head with this one. She clearly exemplified the audacity of grace. Amayah's grace, her heart and her love for the Master was on full display. An excellent Christmas read! I highly recommend it!
This book made my heart explode with joy , my eyes fill with tears and left my mind thinking of the impact we can make with Amayah’s mindset. Lobed it!
10/10! Heartwarming, forgiving, loving. Perfect read for Christmas! Another amazing book by Christy. Her ability to pull us in and live in that world for a bit is what I love most about her writing.
Beautiful Christmas story with all the elements of a true Christmas classic. The two main characters , who are each dealing with their own inner struggle , finally find true peace and happiness . Along the way, they must deal with six unruly children and a shady stranger. Faith and true meaning of Christmas shines brightly in this heartwarming book.