What do you think?
Rate this book
Lowcountry Summer #5
A Lowcountry Christmas
A wounded warrior and his younger brother discover the true meaning of Christmas in a timeless story of family bonds in this “lovely and memorable” (Luis Carlos Montalván, New York Times bestselling author) standalone tale from Mary Alice Monroe.
As far as ten-year-old Miller McClellan is concerned, it’s the worst Christmas ever. His father’s shrimp boat is docked, his mother is working two jobs, and with finances strained, Miller is told they can’t afford the dog he desperately wants. “Your brother’s return from war is our family’s gift,” his parents tell him. But when Taylor returns with PTSD, the stress and strain darken the family.
Then Taylor’s service dog arrives—a large black Labrador/Great Dane named Thor. His brother even got the dog! When Miller goes out on Christmas Eve with his father’s axe, determined to get his family the tree they can’t afford, he takes the dog for company—but accidentally winds up lost in the wild forest. In the midst of this emergency, the splintered family must come together and rediscover their strengths, family bond, and the true meaning of Christmas.
As far as ten-year-old Miller McClellan is concerned, it’s the worst Christmas ever. His father’s shrimp boat is docked, his mother is working two jobs, and with finances strained, Miller is told they can’t afford the dog he desperately wants. “Your brother’s return from war is our family’s gift,” his parents tell him. But when Taylor returns with PTSD, the stress and strain darken the family.
Then Taylor’s service dog arrives—a large black Labrador/Great Dane named Thor. His brother even got the dog! When Miller goes out on Christmas Eve with his father’s axe, determined to get his family the tree they can’t afford, he takes the dog for company—but accidentally winds up lost in the wild forest. In the midst of this emergency, the splintered family must come together and rediscover their strengths, family bond, and the true meaning of Christmas.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
1561 people are currently reading
4739 people want to read
About the author
Mary Alice Monroe
71 books5,657 followersMary Alice Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 30 books, including her new novel, Where the Rivers Merge, the first book in a duology and her historical debut. The second book is titled The Rivers End. Release date has not been set yet.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
November 3, 2021
A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe is a 2016 Gallery Books publication.
Circa 2010
Times are tough for the McClellan family. With the holidays approaching, ten-year-old Miller has his heart set on getting a dog for Christmas. Unfortunately, his family doesn’t have the means to afford a dog.
But, on the bright side, Miller’s older brother is coming home after having been injured in the war. His parents are relieved and thrilled to have Taylor back home. But once he arrives, it becomes apparent that he’s wrestling with some heavy issues.
Taylor is suffering from PTSD and as such has been assigned a service dog- a BIG service dog- named Thor!! Thor’s presence in Taylor’s life is a Godsend. Taylor finds in this amazing animal the type of patience, devotion, and understanding he needs on his long road to recovery.
Meanwhile, Miller is developing a resentment towards Taylor- especially after he’s approved for the service dog. But, on Christmas Eve, Miller sets out on an expedition, only to get lost. Luckily, he had taken Thor with him…
This is a rare re-read for me. MAM is one of my favorite authors and while her Beach House series is my favorite, the Lowcountry series holds a special place in my heart, too. This book is connected to the series, as Taylor is now married to Harper, and is looking back at a special Christmas in his past.
This story is one of my favorite modern holiday themed novels. It’s a touching, heartfelt story, that will warm you all the way down to your toes. Thor is a very important part of the story, and that is one reason why this one so strongly resonates with me.
This book can be read as a stand- alone- so if you are looking for an outstanding holiday story this season, I highly recommend this one! It’s so good, I read it twice!
Circa 2010
Times are tough for the McClellan family. With the holidays approaching, ten-year-old Miller has his heart set on getting a dog for Christmas. Unfortunately, his family doesn’t have the means to afford a dog.
But, on the bright side, Miller’s older brother is coming home after having been injured in the war. His parents are relieved and thrilled to have Taylor back home. But once he arrives, it becomes apparent that he’s wrestling with some heavy issues.
Taylor is suffering from PTSD and as such has been assigned a service dog- a BIG service dog- named Thor!! Thor’s presence in Taylor’s life is a Godsend. Taylor finds in this amazing animal the type of patience, devotion, and understanding he needs on his long road to recovery.
Meanwhile, Miller is developing a resentment towards Taylor- especially after he’s approved for the service dog. But, on Christmas Eve, Miller sets out on an expedition, only to get lost. Luckily, he had taken Thor with him…
This is a rare re-read for me. MAM is one of my favorite authors and while her Beach House series is my favorite, the Lowcountry series holds a special place in my heart, too. This book is connected to the series, as Taylor is now married to Harper, and is looking back at a special Christmas in his past.
This story is one of my favorite modern holiday themed novels. It’s a touching, heartfelt story, that will warm you all the way down to your toes. Thor is a very important part of the story, and that is one reason why this one so strongly resonates with me.
This book can be read as a stand- alone- so if you are looking for an outstanding holiday story this season, I highly recommend this one! It’s so good, I read it twice!
October 31, 2016
I've loved the Lowcountry Summer series by Mary Alice Monroe, and what a wonderful early Christmas surprise to be presented with a #5 in the series - A Lowcountry Christmas.
It was everything I love in a story and it was just so good to go back in Taylor's life to when he first was discharged from the Marines, after experiencing a terrible explosion that left him shattered and suffering from PTSD. He can't cope with returning to his family for Christmas, finds crowds threatening, and his family are bewildered and find it difficult to understand.
The McClellan's are finding it difficult economically, Jenny and Alistair work really hard, but the shrimping business is in decline and they just can't afford the dog that Miller has his heart set on. So when Taylor receives his lifeline - the service dog Thor, Miller is really upset. And then there is more than one grumpy Scrooge in the family. In fact poor Jenny is the only one keeping the Christmas spirit alive among her men.
This is a beautifully written story, it sucked me in right from the beginning and I loved every word and minute of it. It is a perfect Christmas story and is linked with little quotes and references to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Yes, this could be read as a stand alone, but readers of the series will I think just find that extra piece of satisfaction with it. And if you haven't reached this series yet, starting with this one would work I do believe.
It was everything I love in a story and it was just so good to go back in Taylor's life to when he first was discharged from the Marines, after experiencing a terrible explosion that left him shattered and suffering from PTSD. He can't cope with returning to his family for Christmas, finds crowds threatening, and his family are bewildered and find it difficult to understand.
The McClellan's are finding it difficult economically, Jenny and Alistair work really hard, but the shrimping business is in decline and they just can't afford the dog that Miller has his heart set on. So when Taylor receives his lifeline - the service dog Thor, Miller is really upset. And then there is more than one grumpy Scrooge in the family. In fact poor Jenny is the only one keeping the Christmas spirit alive among her men.
This is a beautifully written story, it sucked me in right from the beginning and I loved every word and minute of it. It is a perfect Christmas story and is linked with little quotes and references to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Yes, this could be read as a stand alone, but readers of the series will I think just find that extra piece of satisfaction with it. And if you haven't reached this series yet, starting with this one would work I do believe.
December 29, 2017
Really good, quick read, Christmas story. A lot to do with "A Christmas Carol", two characters in the book were reading the book and there was a play. Quotes from the book at the beginning of every chapter. This book involved a lot of my favorite things: Christmas, wonderful dogs and a Marine. So, it's a good Christmas story with a happy ending about a Marine and his therapy dog. Definitely recommend if you would like a quick and easy Christmas read. This book was a gift and I really enjoyed it.
December 6, 2016
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2016 Best Southern Holiday Book
Southern master storyteller Mary Alice Monroe returns following A LowCountry Wedding with A LOWCOUNTRY CHRISTMAS featuring Taylor McClellan, a character from previous books. A wounded warrior revisits the past, a broken man, and his journey to the present and future.
A heartwarming holiday tale of family and the true meaning of Christmas-scattered with some humor and quotes from Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. Past, Present, Future.
"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"-Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens.
A life-changing story of love and hope featuring a beloved family from the Lowcountry. Memories from the past. Overcoming obstacles to look deeper than the glitter of the season to discover the true meaning of Christmas. A time for families together to share stories, gifts, laughter, and love.
Whether you’re meeting the Muir family for the first time, or finding them all over again. A Lowcountry Christmas will stay in your heart throughout the holiday season- bringing together a family in the aftermath of a loss, and in the midst of an unfolding story of hope, with the help of one very special dog.
If you have read Mary Alice Monroe, you are aware, even though her Coastal South Carolina stories may be fiction; their impact, is real. She writes richly textured books and stories that delve into the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the parallels between the land and life. Her life-changing work and environmental fiction are an inspiration to readers, worldwide.
Readers met Taylor in the Lowcountry Trilogy, a wounded warrior, suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). With a little help from his service dog, providing support and increased means of coping with such symptoms as hypervigilance, fear, nightmares, flight-or-fight response, and impaired memory.
Set in 2015, it is Christmas Eve, Taylor is returning home to Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. As a Marine, he has seen his share of battles. He recalls his previous feelings at the approaching Christmas holidays. In the first five years since he had returned from Afghanistan, he barely acknowledged the holidays. There are two reasons presently,for joy in his heart – his wife and daughter. Harper and Marietta. Only three months old.
“The treasured memories captured moments from times long gone—envelope us in that matchless spirit of Christmas one season after the other, year after year, until we ourselves fade and become part of the memories.”
Thor is Taylor’s service dog, attuned to his every mood. Even when he is resting, he is monitoring his breathing and his body language. He senses his anxiety, the PTSD, and knows all the danger signals and how to deflect before his slips into the abyss. Thor is not a dog to be ignored. Part-great Dane and part-Labrador, he’s a whopping 120 pounds of devotion.
As always, Mary Alice Monroe links a connection with animals, as in all her books, with extraordinary powers. An inspiration for the book, a bond, a story of one serviceman’s return from war with PTSD, and his inspiring journey back to his home and himself through the help of his steadfast service dog.
Looking back, it was a Christmas tree that changed everything. One pivotal Christmas five years earlier.
Washington, DC 2010. Taylor was going home for Christmas, the son of a shrimper. A graduate of Citadel in Charleston, the first man to graduate from college in his family. The bombs had shattered his bones and burned his body and soul. He brain was not right. The scars in his mind were the wounds that cut the deepest. He did not want to leave the hospital. It is where he felt safe. Surrounded by other servicemen.
Where do you go but home when there is no place else to go? He felt as if he were heading for a fall. Home for Christmas.
In the small fishing town of McClellanville, outside of Charleston—2010. Ten-year-old Miller McDaniel McClellan is not excited about Christmas. His dad is captain of a shrimp boat and times are tough.
The son of a long line of fisherman. His dad is a hard worker, smart and good with his hands. His mom cleans houses. They have little money. He only wants a dog – one particular puppy. Is there hope? He had singled out a golden puppy. His name was Sandy Claws. He likes to dig. They cost $300 each. He only has seventy-five dollars saved. He loves this puppy. Since his dad put the boat to dock, money was tight. Of course, his dad thinks a dog cost too much to upkeep. No dog for Christmas.
Instead, his mom is excited about his older brother coming home for Christmas. This was his Christmas present? No Xbox, no Playstation, and worst of all, no Sandy. Bah, humbug!
We hear from Jenny, Taylor, and Miller. Jenny, the mom who wants to create a home, rich with traditions, values, and morals that would instill confidence in her children. A happy time meant for laughter, sentimental gifts, and love. After all, Taylor was coming home. They had so much to be thankful for. She wanted to make both her son's dreams come true. Miller’s heart was broken.
Her older son was home safe in her arms. God had answered prayers. But something was different about him. Withdrawal. He had not really completely come home.
Taylor knew he was not the same man. He had a hard time touching people, hugging – damaged goods. He had to find the strength and courage to find his way back through the black mist. Thor gave him hope.
Miller is upset his brother has a dog (service dog), and he doesn’t. Taylor is the big war hero.
“Ghost of the Future!” he exclaimed. “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company and do it with a thankful heart.” --Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.
With some special Christmas quotes from Charles Dickens, we visit the past, present, and future—to keep Christmas alive in our hearts all year long.
Jenny was in the middle. All she wanted was a normal happy home, not Team Scrooge. Christmas was only a week away. Miller disappears with his brother’s service dog, Thor. Everyone is worried. It is Christmas Eve and he has taken his dad’s ax and the wagon. He sets out to get a Christmas tree, since they cannot afford to buy one, and gets lost in the forest.
They are frantic, and it is getting cold. They are receiving snow, the first time since 1989, after Hurricane Hugo. A heartfelt reunion.
"I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!”—Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.
Flash forward, to the Epilogue, Christmas 2015, Sea Breeze, Sullivan’s Island, SC, where memories come together. We catch up with the historic Harper house, where they married and had their first child. Miller now fifteen, where the family gathers around the tree, the unspoken symbol of that important Christmas when they had dug deep and fought for one another—for their survival.
For their family, their happiness, while discovering the true meaning of Christmas. They each had the chance to redeem themselves, no matter how much of a Scrooge they may have been- they are not alone.
Fans will love catching up with Mamaw, Girard, and the rest of the Muir family—Blake and Carson, Dora and Devlin, Nate, Atticus and Vivian and some special holiday recipes from the queen of Southern cooking, Nathalie Dupree, bestselling author with more than three hundred TV appearances for the Food Network, PBS, and the Learning Channel. Also included in Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking.
If you are looking for a special Christmas story to warm your heart and soul, surrounding by the beauty of the Lowcountry; Mary Alice Monroe, with her own signature style, delivers a Hallmark Christmas filled with humor, joy, and love, rediscovering the true bonds of family and the special meaning of Christmas.
Especially, during this time with the aftermath and destruction of the most recent Hurricane Matthew, and the shrimpers in the area.
JDCMustReadBooks
2016 Best Southern Holiday Book
Southern master storyteller Mary Alice Monroe returns following A LowCountry Wedding with A LOWCOUNTRY CHRISTMAS featuring Taylor McClellan, a character from previous books. A wounded warrior revisits the past, a broken man, and his journey to the present and future.
A heartwarming holiday tale of family and the true meaning of Christmas-scattered with some humor and quotes from Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. Past, Present, Future.
"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"-Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens.
A life-changing story of love and hope featuring a beloved family from the Lowcountry. Memories from the past. Overcoming obstacles to look deeper than the glitter of the season to discover the true meaning of Christmas. A time for families together to share stories, gifts, laughter, and love.
Whether you’re meeting the Muir family for the first time, or finding them all over again. A Lowcountry Christmas will stay in your heart throughout the holiday season- bringing together a family in the aftermath of a loss, and in the midst of an unfolding story of hope, with the help of one very special dog.
If you have read Mary Alice Monroe, you are aware, even though her Coastal South Carolina stories may be fiction; their impact, is real. She writes richly textured books and stories that delve into the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the parallels between the land and life. Her life-changing work and environmental fiction are an inspiration to readers, worldwide.
Readers met Taylor in the Lowcountry Trilogy, a wounded warrior, suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). With a little help from his service dog, providing support and increased means of coping with such symptoms as hypervigilance, fear, nightmares, flight-or-fight response, and impaired memory.
Set in 2015, it is Christmas Eve, Taylor is returning home to Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. As a Marine, he has seen his share of battles. He recalls his previous feelings at the approaching Christmas holidays. In the first five years since he had returned from Afghanistan, he barely acknowledged the holidays. There are two reasons presently,for joy in his heart – his wife and daughter. Harper and Marietta. Only three months old.
“The treasured memories captured moments from times long gone—envelope us in that matchless spirit of Christmas one season after the other, year after year, until we ourselves fade and become part of the memories.”
Thor is Taylor’s service dog, attuned to his every mood. Even when he is resting, he is monitoring his breathing and his body language. He senses his anxiety, the PTSD, and knows all the danger signals and how to deflect before his slips into the abyss. Thor is not a dog to be ignored. Part-great Dane and part-Labrador, he’s a whopping 120 pounds of devotion.
As always, Mary Alice Monroe links a connection with animals, as in all her books, with extraordinary powers. An inspiration for the book, a bond, a story of one serviceman’s return from war with PTSD, and his inspiring journey back to his home and himself through the help of his steadfast service dog.
Looking back, it was a Christmas tree that changed everything. One pivotal Christmas five years earlier.
Washington, DC 2010. Taylor was going home for Christmas, the son of a shrimper. A graduate of Citadel in Charleston, the first man to graduate from college in his family. The bombs had shattered his bones and burned his body and soul. He brain was not right. The scars in his mind were the wounds that cut the deepest. He did not want to leave the hospital. It is where he felt safe. Surrounded by other servicemen.
Where do you go but home when there is no place else to go? He felt as if he were heading for a fall. Home for Christmas.
In the small fishing town of McClellanville, outside of Charleston—2010. Ten-year-old Miller McDaniel McClellan is not excited about Christmas. His dad is captain of a shrimp boat and times are tough.
The son of a long line of fisherman. His dad is a hard worker, smart and good with his hands. His mom cleans houses. They have little money. He only wants a dog – one particular puppy. Is there hope? He had singled out a golden puppy. His name was Sandy Claws. He likes to dig. They cost $300 each. He only has seventy-five dollars saved. He loves this puppy. Since his dad put the boat to dock, money was tight. Of course, his dad thinks a dog cost too much to upkeep. No dog for Christmas.
Instead, his mom is excited about his older brother coming home for Christmas. This was his Christmas present? No Xbox, no Playstation, and worst of all, no Sandy. Bah, humbug!
We hear from Jenny, Taylor, and Miller. Jenny, the mom who wants to create a home, rich with traditions, values, and morals that would instill confidence in her children. A happy time meant for laughter, sentimental gifts, and love. After all, Taylor was coming home. They had so much to be thankful for. She wanted to make both her son's dreams come true. Miller’s heart was broken.
Her older son was home safe in her arms. God had answered prayers. But something was different about him. Withdrawal. He had not really completely come home.
Taylor knew he was not the same man. He had a hard time touching people, hugging – damaged goods. He had to find the strength and courage to find his way back through the black mist. Thor gave him hope.
Miller is upset his brother has a dog (service dog), and he doesn’t. Taylor is the big war hero.
“Ghost of the Future!” he exclaimed. “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company and do it with a thankful heart.” --Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.
With some special Christmas quotes from Charles Dickens, we visit the past, present, and future—to keep Christmas alive in our hearts all year long.
Jenny was in the middle. All she wanted was a normal happy home, not Team Scrooge. Christmas was only a week away. Miller disappears with his brother’s service dog, Thor. Everyone is worried. It is Christmas Eve and he has taken his dad’s ax and the wagon. He sets out to get a Christmas tree, since they cannot afford to buy one, and gets lost in the forest.
They are frantic, and it is getting cold. They are receiving snow, the first time since 1989, after Hurricane Hugo. A heartfelt reunion.
"I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!”—Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.
Flash forward, to the Epilogue, Christmas 2015, Sea Breeze, Sullivan’s Island, SC, where memories come together. We catch up with the historic Harper house, where they married and had their first child. Miller now fifteen, where the family gathers around the tree, the unspoken symbol of that important Christmas when they had dug deep and fought for one another—for their survival.
For their family, their happiness, while discovering the true meaning of Christmas. They each had the chance to redeem themselves, no matter how much of a Scrooge they may have been- they are not alone.
Fans will love catching up with Mamaw, Girard, and the rest of the Muir family—Blake and Carson, Dora and Devlin, Nate, Atticus and Vivian and some special holiday recipes from the queen of Southern cooking, Nathalie Dupree, bestselling author with more than three hundred TV appearances for the Food Network, PBS, and the Learning Channel. Also included in Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking.
If you are looking for a special Christmas story to warm your heart and soul, surrounding by the beauty of the Lowcountry; Mary Alice Monroe, with her own signature style, delivers a Hallmark Christmas filled with humor, joy, and love, rediscovering the true bonds of family and the special meaning of Christmas.
Especially, during this time with the aftermath and destruction of the most recent Hurricane Matthew, and the shrimpers in the area.
JDCMustReadBooks
November 28, 2016
While this is the fifth novel, the story focuses on the McClellan family sharing events of one particular Christmas. It isn't necessary to read the previous books. Although admittedly I would now like to learn more about others within this South Carolina coastal community.
Monroe shares the tale from several narratives. We begin with Taylor celebrating the holidays and reflecting on events that occurred five Christmases ago. We then get perspectives from ten-year-old Miller McClellan as he shares with us his wish for Christmas and the struggles his family is facing now that his father can no longer work his shrimping boat. We are also treated to chapters from Mary Alice Monroe, their mother as she tries to bring Christmas joy to their lives. The story that unfolds pulls the reader in as you become caught up in this families lives.
I slipped into this story, identifying with Mary, feeling Miller's frustrations when everything seems impossible for a ten-year-old boy. Taylor, an injured Marine tugged at my heartstrings as he struggled with his PTSD, guilt for the loss of his men and the overwhelming darkness he felt. Thor, his service dog, was an important and touching part of the story. Monroe touched on the importance of these dogs, folks reactions and the incredible bond formed between man and beast.
Each chapter begins with a line from Charles Dicken's classic "A Christmas Story" and sprinkled throughout the story it is mentioned. Its message is shared, and its impact on the main characters was a brilliant tribute to the story.
If you're looking for a Christmas story that will touch your soul and remind you to count your blessings then, A Lowcountry Christmas is the perfect tale to read this holiday season.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Monroe shares the tale from several narratives. We begin with Taylor celebrating the holidays and reflecting on events that occurred five Christmases ago. We then get perspectives from ten-year-old Miller McClellan as he shares with us his wish for Christmas and the struggles his family is facing now that his father can no longer work his shrimping boat. We are also treated to chapters from Mary Alice Monroe, their mother as she tries to bring Christmas joy to their lives. The story that unfolds pulls the reader in as you become caught up in this families lives.
I slipped into this story, identifying with Mary, feeling Miller's frustrations when everything seems impossible for a ten-year-old boy. Taylor, an injured Marine tugged at my heartstrings as he struggled with his PTSD, guilt for the loss of his men and the overwhelming darkness he felt. Thor, his service dog, was an important and touching part of the story. Monroe touched on the importance of these dogs, folks reactions and the incredible bond formed between man and beast.
Each chapter begins with a line from Charles Dicken's classic "A Christmas Story" and sprinkled throughout the story it is mentioned. Its message is shared, and its impact on the main characters was a brilliant tribute to the story.
If you're looking for a Christmas story that will touch your soul and remind you to count your blessings then, A Lowcountry Christmas is the perfect tale to read this holiday season.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
November 28, 2016
Please note that I gave this book 3.5 stars, but rounded it to 4 stars on Goodreads.
I read this for the Twelve Tasks of the Festive Season.
Please do not read unless you have read all of the books in the series.
I have been reading the Lowcountry Summer books for years. There were some ups and downs. Ultimately I thought the stories involving the Muir family were good. This newest book focuses on Taylor McClellan, Harper's husband. I think the idea behind the book was good (takes a very good look at PTSD and service dogs) but the tension in the book was not really present because we already know that Taylor is alive and well with Harper, and we know that his family is okay too since they were mentioned in previous books. I did like how Monroe tied this story into "A Christmas Carol" though and I really got a kick out of that.
So I was never really interested in Taylor while reading the series. If anything, I wish this book could have followed up with the newest Muir Atticus. That would have been a nice swan song to the family. Instead this book has Taylor being happy in his life with his new wife and daughter. The book then flashes back five years to when Taylor arrived back home suffering from PTSD. The story switches between Taylor, his younger brother Miller, and then their mother Jenny.
The beginning of the book told from Taylor's POV really did not fit the book version of Taylor I had in my head up to that moment. He was way more eloquent then I thought Taylor had ever shown. The flashbacks to when Taylor goes home, interacts with his family, etc. read more like the Taylor that Harper had met and married.
The character of Miller felt off throughout the entire book. He is 10 at the beginning of this story and he does not have a "voice" like any 10 year old I have met. At certain times he sounded babyish and at other way too adult for the age he was supposed to be. He was either clueless about his family's finances or he was not clueless. But having him reacting badly to not getting a dog was not exactly making me want to get up and cheer this character. He does end up becoming more improved as the book went on, but I think that was because one Monroe has him interacting with his mother and brother more and more he felt more realistic to me.
The character of Jenny was actually written very well. Frankly I liked her POV's more than anyone else's. Maybe it would have been smart to just have Jenny's POV. I did not always get her (her having to constantly deal with her husband acting like an ass is a recurring theme) but you know she loves hers sons.
I really wish if Monroe was going to do this, she had included Taylor's father's POV as well. It seemed odd we didn't get his POV and I think if you are going to go all in about the McClellan's it would have worked much better if he got added in. The guy read like a jerk throughout the whole book until the end. I really wanted to be able to get a sense of his feelings and how he was dealing with losing his way of life, not being able to provide for his family like he wanted to, and having to acknowledge that there was something wrong with his oldest son.
The writing was fine in this book. Just a bit flowerly here and there for 10 year old Miller and older version Taylor. Also it was just weird to me the book starts off with Taylor remembering 5 years ago and the book just breaks it up to show Miller and Jenny's POV's as well as his. The book does set up the different POV's so even while reading you know who is "speaking" before each chapter.
The flow was slow to start off with. Things really don't start clicking more until Taylor gets home and his family starts to realize that something is wrong with him. I thought the whole "incident" put into the story was a bit much though. It read way too Hallmark for me and I was surprised Monroe included it. It didn't really fit the larger story she was telling.
The setting of the lowcountry is a familiar one and I do enjoy it. But this one besides location did not have the same set-up (obviously) or feel of the previous books.
The ending was okay but way too much information was spewed in the last 5 pages that left me with more questions than answers. Also I am wondering why the family scene was missing some people we know are important to Harper (her grandmother on her mother's side). Dora's son who we know is autistic also did not read as he usually does in these books. And I hated the big reveal about one of the sister's just kind of thrown out there.
I read this for the Twelve Tasks of the Festive Season.
Please do not read unless you have read all of the books in the series.
I have been reading the Lowcountry Summer books for years. There were some ups and downs. Ultimately I thought the stories involving the Muir family were good. This newest book focuses on Taylor McClellan, Harper's husband. I think the idea behind the book was good (takes a very good look at PTSD and service dogs) but the tension in the book was not really present because we already know that Taylor is alive and well with Harper, and we know that his family is okay too since they were mentioned in previous books. I did like how Monroe tied this story into "A Christmas Carol" though and I really got a kick out of that.
So I was never really interested in Taylor while reading the series. If anything, I wish this book could have followed up with the newest Muir Atticus. That would have been a nice swan song to the family. Instead this book has Taylor being happy in his life with his new wife and daughter. The book then flashes back five years to when Taylor arrived back home suffering from PTSD. The story switches between Taylor, his younger brother Miller, and then their mother Jenny.
The beginning of the book told from Taylor's POV really did not fit the book version of Taylor I had in my head up to that moment. He was way more eloquent then I thought Taylor had ever shown. The flashbacks to when Taylor goes home, interacts with his family, etc. read more like the Taylor that Harper had met and married.
The character of Miller felt off throughout the entire book. He is 10 at the beginning of this story and he does not have a "voice" like any 10 year old I have met. At certain times he sounded babyish and at other way too adult for the age he was supposed to be. He was either clueless about his family's finances or he was not clueless. But having him reacting badly to not getting a dog was not exactly making me want to get up and cheer this character. He does end up becoming more improved as the book went on, but I think that was because one Monroe has him interacting with his mother and brother more and more he felt more realistic to me.
The character of Jenny was actually written very well. Frankly I liked her POV's more than anyone else's. Maybe it would have been smart to just have Jenny's POV. I did not always get her (her having to constantly deal with her husband acting like an ass is a recurring theme) but you know she loves hers sons.
I really wish if Monroe was going to do this, she had included Taylor's father's POV as well. It seemed odd we didn't get his POV and I think if you are going to go all in about the McClellan's it would have worked much better if he got added in. The guy read like a jerk throughout the whole book until the end. I really wanted to be able to get a sense of his feelings and how he was dealing with losing his way of life, not being able to provide for his family like he wanted to, and having to acknowledge that there was something wrong with his oldest son.
The writing was fine in this book. Just a bit flowerly here and there for 10 year old Miller and older version Taylor. Also it was just weird to me the book starts off with Taylor remembering 5 years ago and the book just breaks it up to show Miller and Jenny's POV's as well as his. The book does set up the different POV's so even while reading you know who is "speaking" before each chapter.
The flow was slow to start off with. Things really don't start clicking more until Taylor gets home and his family starts to realize that something is wrong with him. I thought the whole "incident" put into the story was a bit much though. It read way too Hallmark for me and I was surprised Monroe included it. It didn't really fit the larger story she was telling.
The setting of the lowcountry is a familiar one and I do enjoy it. But this one besides location did not have the same set-up (obviously) or feel of the previous books.
The ending was okay but way too much information was spewed in the last 5 pages that left me with more questions than answers. Also I am wondering why the family scene was missing some people we know are important to Harper (her grandmother on her mother's side). Dora's son who we know is autistic also did not read as he usually does in these books. And I hated the big reveal about one of the sister's just kind of thrown out there.
November 7, 2016
A Lowcountry Christmas is book 5 in the Lowcountry Summer series but instead of being a continuation of the story, it's a prequel and can be read as a stand-alone without any confusion.
I love Mary Alice Monroe's books and I really enjoyed this series so I was thrilled that there would be another book in the series. This is Taylor's story about his life before he married Harper. When Taylor returned from Afghanistan, he had PTSD and couldn't cope with life. His younger brother was afraid of him and his moods and inaction were making life difficult for the family. After he received a service dog from Pets for Vets (a real group who helps vets), his life and his attitude toward life began to slowly change.
As always, Mary Alice writes lovingly about the SC Lowcountry. When you read her books, you can smell the ocean and feel the ocean breeze. She is also an avid conservationist and this is reflected in her books. Her love of animals shines through in her descriptions of Thor, Taylor's service dog.
I loved this book. I highly recommend it and think that it will put the readers into the Christmas spirit and make them believe in the miracles of love and family.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
I love Mary Alice Monroe's books and I really enjoyed this series so I was thrilled that there would be another book in the series. This is Taylor's story about his life before he married Harper. When Taylor returned from Afghanistan, he had PTSD and couldn't cope with life. His younger brother was afraid of him and his moods and inaction were making life difficult for the family. After he received a service dog from Pets for Vets (a real group who helps vets), his life and his attitude toward life began to slowly change.
As always, Mary Alice writes lovingly about the SC Lowcountry. When you read her books, you can smell the ocean and feel the ocean breeze. She is also an avid conservationist and this is reflected in her books. Her love of animals shines through in her descriptions of Thor, Taylor's service dog.
I loved this book. I highly recommend it and think that it will put the readers into the Christmas spirit and make them believe in the miracles of love and family.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
September 27, 2016
MAM never fails to amaze me with her writing. She is one of my favorite SC authors and my favorite storyteller-a storyteller is quite different from an author. Storytellers keep your attention with the twists and turns of the tale they are weaving. After reading each MAM book, I always say it's my favorite, but this time it's the truth! MAM's tale grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let you go. She sends you through a barrage of emotions-you will laugh, you will cry, you will cheer, you will pray, you will go up and down this roller coaster throughout her story. The plot twists and turns and each chapter causes you to keep reading to discover what happens next. MAM has written another Best Seller! Buy this book and enjoy the wonderful and heart wrenching tale of "A Lowcountry Christmas"!
December 14, 2016
I love Christmas books! They are one of my most favorite things ever! They make my heart happy on cold, wintry days before the holiday rush! A Lowcountry Christmas is book five in the Lowcountry Summer series, but it's a prequel and can be read as a stand-alone. I have not read many of the other books in this series and that caused no problems with the readability of the story! It was a feel good story, in an amazing setting with characters that you can relate to. There was something so special about this story and it really gave me the feels. I highly recommend this book for your holiday reading!
February 4, 2017
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for this book win from one of my favorite authors. This series from Mary Alice Monroe is her best in my opinion, and to find out she had one more story to tell- I was thrilled to visit with these sisters again. The most special aspect of a MAM book, to me, is that she always includes an environmental element - where the reader learns something new and experiences a connection to wildlife, which can be unexpected in women's fiction (but it's a great unexpected). I highly recommend this Lowcountry book and the entire series! Perfect reads for the beach or with a cozy blanket at home, especially this one that takes place during the holidays.
December 24, 2018
Let's ring in the holiday with a beloved Christmas favorite. Monroe writes of a young boy, Miller, whose family has little but is blessed by the return of his older brother from war with his service dog. When Miller becomes lost in the woods on Christmas Eve, the family struggles to repair their fractured bonds and save him. Truly memorable.
March 15, 2018
This novel was predictable from the start. While it does expound on the PTSD the returning soldiers can suffer from, there is not much of a plot or character development. Trite at times and sappy at others, it misses the mark.
October 24, 2016
I am a Blue Star Mother who acted as a touchstone for her son through five deployments and the
aftermath of a returning veteran who had seen way too much. When I heard Mary Alice Monroe was writing a Christmas story about a returning veteran with PTSD I was thankful and fearful.
Thankful that she would honor our veterans with an entire book devoted to bringing an understanding of the effects of PTSD on veterans into the hearts and homes of her readers. Thankful that being a faithful reader of her books about life in the Lowcountry, I knew she had the highest ethical standard for researching with a passion, any subject she deems relevant enough to bring interest and education to her devoted readers.
Fearful that the subject matter was so deeply personal to me that reading it would be impossible to get through. Having faith in the sincere intentions of which Mary Alice Monroe has always so loving penned, I pressed on to open the pages of “A Lowcountry Christmas”.
The tears fell down my face as I began with Taylor’s return home and his encounter with his girlfriend. The tears kept flowing as Taylor’s anxiety had him retreating to his childhood room. My tears continued as Jenny, his mother, began to realize the extent of Taylor’s invisible injury, his pain, and her worry. As I read these words of young Miller, “He might have been hurt by a bomb, but he made this house like a minefield for the rest of us”. I fell into a long overdue cry of a mother who knows what those words mean all too well. In relief, with a smile in my heart, I came to an understanding that Mary Alice Monroe had nailed it. A perfect description of the family experience when someone returns with PTSD. She got it! From that point, I read on with hunger. I could not put it down because I knew I could trust every word, every chapter to be carefully constructed by this thoughtful author. I delighted, in the day Taylor’s service dog Thor arrived and the bond they had. I felt the anguish Taylor experienced as pushed beyond his comfort zone to go Christmas shopping with his little brother Miller, and the difficult encounter about Thor when the shop girl did not understand the laws regarding service dogs. I despaired when things went terribly wrong the day Miller went out alone in search of the family Christmas tree. I delighted in the reemergence of Taylor’s strength when present danger recalled the skills he had learned in the Marines. I appreciate the care the author gives to the details regarding PTSD and Service Animals. As always, Mary Alice Monroe has a gifted way that writes the reader into that place, that moment in time, as if a character on the pages. I finished feeling like a townie on Christmas Eve in McClellanville and a family member on Christmas Day at Sea Breeze.
This story reminds the reader of the true meaning of Christmas and Family, thorns and all, and will have you re-reading it year after year. “A Lowcountry Christmas” is a treasure to be shared and cherished for generations and you will want to wrap it carefully, place it under the tree and give it to that special loved one who will cherish it for years to come.
aftermath of a returning veteran who had seen way too much. When I heard Mary Alice Monroe was writing a Christmas story about a returning veteran with PTSD I was thankful and fearful.
Thankful that she would honor our veterans with an entire book devoted to bringing an understanding of the effects of PTSD on veterans into the hearts and homes of her readers. Thankful that being a faithful reader of her books about life in the Lowcountry, I knew she had the highest ethical standard for researching with a passion, any subject she deems relevant enough to bring interest and education to her devoted readers.
Fearful that the subject matter was so deeply personal to me that reading it would be impossible to get through. Having faith in the sincere intentions of which Mary Alice Monroe has always so loving penned, I pressed on to open the pages of “A Lowcountry Christmas”.
The tears fell down my face as I began with Taylor’s return home and his encounter with his girlfriend. The tears kept flowing as Taylor’s anxiety had him retreating to his childhood room. My tears continued as Jenny, his mother, began to realize the extent of Taylor’s invisible injury, his pain, and her worry. As I read these words of young Miller, “He might have been hurt by a bomb, but he made this house like a minefield for the rest of us”. I fell into a long overdue cry of a mother who knows what those words mean all too well. In relief, with a smile in my heart, I came to an understanding that Mary Alice Monroe had nailed it. A perfect description of the family experience when someone returns with PTSD. She got it! From that point, I read on with hunger. I could not put it down because I knew I could trust every word, every chapter to be carefully constructed by this thoughtful author. I delighted, in the day Taylor’s service dog Thor arrived and the bond they had. I felt the anguish Taylor experienced as pushed beyond his comfort zone to go Christmas shopping with his little brother Miller, and the difficult encounter about Thor when the shop girl did not understand the laws regarding service dogs. I despaired when things went terribly wrong the day Miller went out alone in search of the family Christmas tree. I delighted in the reemergence of Taylor’s strength when present danger recalled the skills he had learned in the Marines. I appreciate the care the author gives to the details regarding PTSD and Service Animals. As always, Mary Alice Monroe has a gifted way that writes the reader into that place, that moment in time, as if a character on the pages. I finished feeling like a townie on Christmas Eve in McClellanville and a family member on Christmas Day at Sea Breeze.
This story reminds the reader of the true meaning of Christmas and Family, thorns and all, and will have you re-reading it year after year. “A Lowcountry Christmas” is a treasure to be shared and cherished for generations and you will want to wrap it carefully, place it under the tree and give it to that special loved one who will cherish it for years to come.
December 11, 2017
Once in a rare while, a holiday book appears which you know will live on in your memory forever. Mary Alice Monroe's A LOWCOUNTRY CHRISTMAS is such a book.
This was on my "to read" list, but it didn't hold a place of prominence. If I got around to it, fine; if I didn't, so be it. But a call from a trusted friend caused me to move it to the top and I'm awfully glad I did.
Here's the necessarily perfunctory annotation from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. It's as good as any summary I would be able to craft without giving too much away.
"It is looking like a bleak Christmas for ten-year-old Miller McClellan. His family is facing financial difficulty, so they cannot give him the dog he longs for. But then his older brother returns home from war with PTSD and a service dog named Thor."
What is not clear from that little synopsis is that this is an absolutely stunning novel. The writing is first-rate and the characters are both complex and believable. I read almost the entire book in one sitting and yet I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it will live on in my memory for many years to come.
My only slight quibble (and it's not really a quibble as much as a question) is whether the epilogue added to or detracted from the book. I've been thinking about it all day and I'm not sure where I stand. Perhaps I would have written it differently, but kept some of the elements.
This is not a happy-go-lucky, simplistic holiday read. Yet it's powerful story confirmed for me once again why all of our stories, both happy and sad, matter and can shape a world where the Christmas spirit is alive and well if we allow them to do so.
This was on my "to read" list, but it didn't hold a place of prominence. If I got around to it, fine; if I didn't, so be it. But a call from a trusted friend caused me to move it to the top and I'm awfully glad I did.
Here's the necessarily perfunctory annotation from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. It's as good as any summary I would be able to craft without giving too much away.
"It is looking like a bleak Christmas for ten-year-old Miller McClellan. His family is facing financial difficulty, so they cannot give him the dog he longs for. But then his older brother returns home from war with PTSD and a service dog named Thor."
What is not clear from that little synopsis is that this is an absolutely stunning novel. The writing is first-rate and the characters are both complex and believable. I read almost the entire book in one sitting and yet I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it will live on in my memory for many years to come.
My only slight quibble (and it's not really a quibble as much as a question) is whether the epilogue added to or detracted from the book. I've been thinking about it all day and I'm not sure where I stand. Perhaps I would have written it differently, but kept some of the elements.
This is not a happy-go-lucky, simplistic holiday read. Yet it's powerful story confirmed for me once again why all of our stories, both happy and sad, matter and can shape a world where the Christmas spirit is alive and well if we allow them to do so.
November 22, 2016
I had the pleasure of meeting Monroe as she signed my copy of this book and I listened attentively as she spoke passionately about the story. After reading the book, I can see why.
Monroe created memorable, relatable, passionate characters that remind the reader of their own family. Granted, this is not your typical "Hallmark Christmas Movie" Christmas story. Nope, it contains heartache, a few tears, meaningful arguments and a sad little boy. Tear-jerking? A bit, but readers will be more than delighted to hear the outcome of Taylor's story.
Taylor suffers from PTSD when he returns home to the Charleston area. A Lowcountry Christmas delivers a patriotic tale with family values that any reader can relate and the detail of the Charleston area will surely bring home memories to the locals who were born here.
A Lowcountry Christmas is the perfect size for a book that reads evenly paced. It also is a great introduction to the Holiday season. I, personally read Dickens' A Christmas Carol every year and the relative quotes at the beginning of each chapter were warranted as Monroe created a story with the values of the classic tale, but she did not retell the story. This was more than appreciated as I remembered why I read Dickens every year.
I give Monroe's latest title 4 stars simply because I have nothing else to compare it with. I am not normally a reader of this warm and cozy style read, but I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed the book.
Mary Alice, thank you for introducing a new genre into my library, it was a pleasure to have A Lowcountry Christmas as my first holiday read this year. Looking forward to many more of your stories.
Monroe created memorable, relatable, passionate characters that remind the reader of their own family. Granted, this is not your typical "Hallmark Christmas Movie" Christmas story. Nope, it contains heartache, a few tears, meaningful arguments and a sad little boy. Tear-jerking? A bit, but readers will be more than delighted to hear the outcome of Taylor's story.
Taylor suffers from PTSD when he returns home to the Charleston area. A Lowcountry Christmas delivers a patriotic tale with family values that any reader can relate and the detail of the Charleston area will surely bring home memories to the locals who were born here.
A Lowcountry Christmas is the perfect size for a book that reads evenly paced. It also is a great introduction to the Holiday season. I, personally read Dickens' A Christmas Carol every year and the relative quotes at the beginning of each chapter were warranted as Monroe created a story with the values of the classic tale, but she did not retell the story. This was more than appreciated as I remembered why I read Dickens every year.
I give Monroe's latest title 4 stars simply because I have nothing else to compare it with. I am not normally a reader of this warm and cozy style read, but I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed the book.
Mary Alice, thank you for introducing a new genre into my library, it was a pleasure to have A Lowcountry Christmas as my first holiday read this year. Looking forward to many more of your stories.
October 3, 2016
As the mother of a soldier who has served four deployments, I approached the reading of this book with trepidation. PTSD is a painful condition for all parties affected and it was only because of Mary Alice Monroe's insight to emotions that I even wanted to read this one. I trusted her not to rip my heart out and she did not let me down. A Lowcountry Christmas continues her tradition of touching our hearts.
"I didn't just feel sad," I complained, not wanting her to diminish my pain. "Mama, my heart actually hurt. It still does." - Miller, age ten
I knew this book would speak to me but was surprised at how many ways. Jenny was a given as the mother of the returning serviceman. Of course, Taylor was going to tug at my heartstrings, too. But it was Miller, the little brother, who reminded me of my son's two young daughters who waited for the daddy they loved to really come home to them. PTSD affects everyone in the family. And it does not take physical wounds to traumatize our soldiers. Losing their buddies leaves lasting scars as they deal with the guilt of surviving close calls.
Mary Alice Monroe has scored again with another Southern treasure in A Lowcountry Christmas..
"I didn't just feel sad," I complained, not wanting her to diminish my pain. "Mama, my heart actually hurt. It still does." - Miller, age ten
I knew this book would speak to me but was surprised at how many ways. Jenny was a given as the mother of the returning serviceman. Of course, Taylor was going to tug at my heartstrings, too. But it was Miller, the little brother, who reminded me of my son's two young daughters who waited for the daddy they loved to really come home to them. PTSD affects everyone in the family. And it does not take physical wounds to traumatize our soldiers. Losing their buddies leaves lasting scars as they deal with the guilt of surviving close calls.
Mary Alice Monroe has scored again with another Southern treasure in A Lowcountry Christmas..
November 4, 2019
I liked how A Lowcountry Christmas was written, and the outcome of the story. I always like happy endings and this was an incredible story about the strength of family and coming together to over come trauma.
December 15, 2016
I haven't read the other in the series so maybe that's why I don't love this book??
December 14, 2025
This is the first novel that I read by Mary Alice Munroe. I thought it might be a chick-lit Christmas story, but it much more than that.
The story focuses on a family going through hard times. The dad has lost job as a fisherman. The mom has had to take another job to help pay the bills. Taylor, the young adult son, has returned home from Afghanistan with PTSD. Ten year old Miller has his heart set on getting a dog for Christmas, but the family cannot afford a dog. Taylor, gets a service-dog just before Christmas. There is a lot going on in this story. I appreciated the substance. It is a story of a family coping with many challenges in the Christmas season. Each chapter of the book starts with a passage from Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.
I read many Christmas themed novels. This one was a winner for me.
The story focuses on a family going through hard times. The dad has lost job as a fisherman. The mom has had to take another job to help pay the bills. Taylor, the young adult son, has returned home from Afghanistan with PTSD. Ten year old Miller has his heart set on getting a dog for Christmas, but the family cannot afford a dog. Taylor, gets a service-dog just before Christmas. There is a lot going on in this story. I appreciated the substance. It is a story of a family coping with many challenges in the Christmas season. Each chapter of the book starts with a passage from Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.
I read many Christmas themed novels. This one was a winner for me.
December 26, 2016
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
A Lowcountry Christmas was an incredibly touching story about the McClellan family’s struggles during one of the toughest holiday seasons they had ever endured. A classic Dickens novel, a brave and loyal service dog, and the love of their community ultimately helped the family find the true meaning of Christmas and strengthen their bond.
Now I’ll be honest in that I haven’t read all of the Lowcountry Summer series yet but I’ve had a great time with those that I have checked out. I think, for me, going into this Christmas story with no preconceived notions about who should or shouldn’t be included probably had me at an advantage compared to longtime fans of the series. I personally loved getting to know the McClellans and thought that their situation felt real. From the Captain’s lack of dependable work, to Miller’s wish of a getting a dog, to Jenny’s hope for a wonderful Christmas for her kids, and even Taylor’s troubling PTSD, there wasn’t anything that felt too outlandish or untrue.
Read More
______________________
Original Notes:
A Lowcountry Christmas was the type of holiday story that gives a reader all of the feelings of the season wrapped up in a down-to-earth setting and with characters that were easy to relate to. Told from three different POVs: wounded warrior Taylor, ten-year-old Miller, and their mother Jenny, we got a true sense of how this Southern family struggled to band together during one of the most difficult Christmases they had ever faced. I loved that author Mary Alice Monroe included quotes from a Christmas Carol at the beginning of each chapter and enjoyed how reading Dickens' classic story became a special bond between Taylor and Miller--in addition to their love of Taylor's new service dog Thor. *happy sigh* Full review to come.
A Lowcountry Christmas was an incredibly touching story about the McClellan family’s struggles during one of the toughest holiday seasons they had ever endured. A classic Dickens novel, a brave and loyal service dog, and the love of their community ultimately helped the family find the true meaning of Christmas and strengthen their bond.
Now I’ll be honest in that I haven’t read all of the Lowcountry Summer series yet but I’ve had a great time with those that I have checked out. I think, for me, going into this Christmas story with no preconceived notions about who should or shouldn’t be included probably had me at an advantage compared to longtime fans of the series. I personally loved getting to know the McClellans and thought that their situation felt real. From the Captain’s lack of dependable work, to Miller’s wish of a getting a dog, to Jenny’s hope for a wonderful Christmas for her kids, and even Taylor’s troubling PTSD, there wasn’t anything that felt too outlandish or untrue.
Read More
______________________
Original Notes:
A Lowcountry Christmas was the type of holiday story that gives a reader all of the feelings of the season wrapped up in a down-to-earth setting and with characters that were easy to relate to. Told from three different POVs: wounded warrior Taylor, ten-year-old Miller, and their mother Jenny, we got a true sense of how this Southern family struggled to band together during one of the most difficult Christmases they had ever faced. I loved that author Mary Alice Monroe included quotes from a Christmas Carol at the beginning of each chapter and enjoyed how reading Dickens' classic story became a special bond between Taylor and Miller--in addition to their love of Taylor's new service dog Thor. *happy sigh* Full review to come.
October 14, 2016
Taylor McClellan is grateful for his wife, Harper, his home and his family. During this special Christmas, he reflects on his first Christmas at home, after being injured in Afghanistan. Five years ago, Taylor was released from the hospital, yet he knew his brain was still not well. His mother, Jenny, was thrilled to have her son home and wanted to have the best Christmas ever. Miller, Taylor’s younger brother, only wanted a puppy for Christmas. Life had changed drastically for each of the McClellan family members, but hopefully a Christmas miracle will bring them all together again.
Mary Alice Monroe is an incredible author who uses quotes from A Christmas Carol, to highlight the inner struggles of each of her characters. PTSD is a serious illness that is brought to light in this story. By giving a voice to the mother, little brother and the veteran, readers will get to experience the effects of PTSD on the entire family. The author also shows the fears and concerns of each family member as they deal with trying times. This book will reaffirm your belief in Christmas miracles and the healing powers of animals. A Lowcountry Christmas will completely wreck a reader’s heart, while leaving a smile on their face. This is a story that will live in each reader’s soul and be recommended to friends and family for years to come.
Notes:
This ARC review was written for the My Sister’s Books bookstore.
This review was originally posted on the Ariesgrl Book Reviews website.
Mary Alice Monroe is an incredible author who uses quotes from A Christmas Carol, to highlight the inner struggles of each of her characters. PTSD is a serious illness that is brought to light in this story. By giving a voice to the mother, little brother and the veteran, readers will get to experience the effects of PTSD on the entire family. The author also shows the fears and concerns of each family member as they deal with trying times. This book will reaffirm your belief in Christmas miracles and the healing powers of animals. A Lowcountry Christmas will completely wreck a reader’s heart, while leaving a smile on their face. This is a story that will live in each reader’s soul and be recommended to friends and family for years to come.
Notes:
This ARC review was written for the My Sister’s Books bookstore.
This review was originally posted on the Ariesgrl Book Reviews website.
December 19, 2020
This sweet but sometimes sad story introduces us to Taylor McClellan and his family. Taylor, a vet returns from from war, after an injury. However some of his worst injuries are the ones not readily seen by others, as he developed PTSD. Initially he avoids his family, but left with no place to live before the holidays, he returns home to South Carolina. It’s a difficult time for his family too as his father lost his shrimping business and is forced to take odd jobs and helping out on other shrimp boats when available. His mother lost her job and takes on jobs cleaning homes. And his younger brother, Miller desperately wants a dog but learns because of circumstances, this is not possible.
With the three McClellan males feeling lost during what is usually the happiest of seasons for them, their mother Jenny tries to bring them all together to realize that though things are tough they still have lots of love and other good things even if they are not the ones they most desire. However she doesn’t succeed. The help of a wonderful service dog, Thor starts to help Taylor heal. Things start to improve but there setback that causes Miller to try to help his famil,but puts himself in danger. It is this event that brings the family together to bring back Miller and heal their family. I highly recommend this heartwarming holiday novel.
With the three McClellan males feeling lost during what is usually the happiest of seasons for them, their mother Jenny tries to bring them all together to realize that though things are tough they still have lots of love and other good things even if they are not the ones they most desire. However she doesn’t succeed. The help of a wonderful service dog, Thor starts to help Taylor heal. Things start to improve but there setback that causes Miller to try to help his famil,but puts himself in danger. It is this event that brings the family together to bring back Miller and heal their family. I highly recommend this heartwarming holiday novel.
November 27, 2016
As usual, Mary Alice Monroe describes so brilliantly those details that matter when exploring the inner life of individuals and their most important relationships: family and friends.
I could feel the love and the pain of this mother as she struggles to keep the household running and as she keeps trying to bring happiness and contentment to each member of her family. Taylor especially was endearing to me in his struggle to maintain his self-respect, confidence and image of himself as a defender of his country and family. My younger sister is hearing impaired and also chose to get herself a service dog who truly has helped her in miraculous ways just as Taylor's dog has.
My only disappointment is that the story was too short. I wanted to read more about Taylor and how the service dog helped him live with his PTSD in his daily life and how the dog helped him in his relationships too.
Thank you again, Mary Alice Monroe for a beautiful story that touched me.
I could feel the love and the pain of this mother as she struggles to keep the household running and as she keeps trying to bring happiness and contentment to each member of her family. Taylor especially was endearing to me in his struggle to maintain his self-respect, confidence and image of himself as a defender of his country and family. My younger sister is hearing impaired and also chose to get herself a service dog who truly has helped her in miraculous ways just as Taylor's dog has.
My only disappointment is that the story was too short. I wanted to read more about Taylor and how the service dog helped him live with his PTSD in his daily life and how the dog helped him in his relationships too.
Thank you again, Mary Alice Monroe for a beautiful story that touched me.
December 12, 2017
I thought I would make it through this Christmas novel without crying....NOPE! I was trying to lighten up my reading with heart warming books celebrating the season. I read the summary of this story and wasn't sure if it was going to be a "light read," and although it was an eye opener, it was a wonderfully heart warming story as well. PTSD is really a difficult condition too many of our veterans deal with everyday. I felt the author did a great job illustrating how we can better understand what these courageous individuals, and their families, are facing with PTSD. God Bless these service dogs (all dogs, for that matter) who I believe are some of God's most precious creatures. This is a unique story with a wonderful message any reader can connect to and receive a reminder of what's most important at Christmas, and everyday.
November 22, 2020
This story tells about a shrimpers family, who are having financial problems, and their two sons. One is a young boy, who falls in love with his friends new born puppy. The older boy comes home from war, and has PTSD. The family can't afford to add a dog to their family, but then the older boy is given a service dog to help him with his PTSD, which causes jealousy and anger in his little brother. The dog helps to bring the brothers closer together, and ends up saving both of their lives. This is a sweet and emotional story.
I didn't expect to reach my goal of 100 books this year. I cut the number of books in half, since I have SML Leukemia. My doctor didn't think I would still be alive, and told me by all rights I shouldn't be here. I'm thankful to still be here, and to have made my goodreads goal for 2020.
I didn't expect to reach my goal of 100 books this year. I cut the number of books in half, since I have SML Leukemia. My doctor didn't think I would still be alive, and told me by all rights I shouldn't be here. I'm thankful to still be here, and to have made my goodreads goal for 2020.
October 25, 2016
What an outstanding story! I feel privileged to have been able to read this beautifully written Christmas-themed book concerning a family trying to get past their own worries, disappointments, and heartaches so that they can get to the joy of a merry Christmas. What better support can an author portray than a Pets for Vets service dog that comes into the picture to help traumatized Taylor get past his PTSD. Quotes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens weave their way into this family's life, and the true-to-life struggles each of them have are heart wrenching. I wanted to jump in and help! I truly loved this amazing addition to this Lowcountry Series, and it can be read as a stand alone. [I received an early complimentary copy from the publisher for my honest review.]
February 11, 2020
this was a very good story about a family who has a marine that has returned from war and is dealing with ptsd. While his physical injuries healed the emotional and mental aspects were much more difficult to bounce back from as well as losing friends in war in combat. In addition to that of course the family has its own issues to deal with his fathers job, his younger brother but in the end the family pulled together and helped each other very well written story.
September 17, 2018
This is an in depth look at Tayler’s (Parker’s husband’s) PTSD. His homecoming, when no one understood brain injuries and everyone believed he was cured, was a terrifying disaster. His broken bones had healed but he was far from functional. A program pairing vets with service dogs saved Taylor’s life. This is a book everyone should read.
November 15, 2020
Was looking for a Christmas book and while it was that I wasn't prepared for the emotions this book forced me to have. The book showed me a portions of a family's situation, which I don't have any idea of. And I'm glad I got some insight in it. I learned more about PTSD and service dogs, and still got a cute Christmas story out of it.
December 21, 2017
Liked it much more than I expected! A quick, easy read but it is very sweet and perfect for winter holiday time. Warm fuzzies kind of book- if your in that mood. :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews