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All I Have to Give
Anna and Michael have been trying for years without success to have a baby. Now in her late thirties, Anna has given up on the hope of motherhood after heartbreaking miscarriages and shattered dreams. As Christmas nears, she has to consider the possibility that it might be time to empty out the nursery and convert it to a guest room. Amidst her heartache, Anna secretly struggles with strange health problems that have her very worried. But, as often happens at Christmastime, there are miracles in store for Anna and Michael. As each tries to give the other the perfect Christmas gift the magic of Christmas is working its way into their lives. And what each of them unwraps for Christmas will surprise everyone.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
92 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
417 books3,218 followersMelody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 5, 2018
A nice cozy story where everything ends up turning out okay, except for the parts about it being a retelling of Gifts of the Magi. The characters and setting are good despite being able to see the plot coming from ten miles away. However, I'd have liked another chapter to answer some questions about what was going to happen with the side characters and another to see
April 30, 2012
While I expect these cozy Christmas romance stories to be somewhat predictable this was almost annoying so. It was glaringly obvious from the start what was going on. Also there is a side story with the main character's sister that not only doesn't fit in the context of the story but isn't resolved. The story is modeled on The Gift of the Magi short story by O'Henry which I never liked for it's bittersweet "no one wins" ending. If you dislike similar tales, avoid this one.
December 26, 2011
MY REVIEW:
Every so often I enjoy a good sentimental story and while this had that element, and also the sweet "Gift of the Magi" twist to it, I finished it feeling frustrated by the lack of depth and the abrupt ending. Some of the main themes in this story were left hanging with out a conclusion. And while I liked the main character and the general storyline, she and others were allowed to get away with behavior that was un-biblical with out consequences. It is a short book filled with emotional tug and some sweet gestures - a quick reading fix - but with out purpose and encouragement. I was able to put the book down with out having been uplifted or challenged in any way. I enjoy Melody Carlson's writing - what was written was good writing - but the overall story is sadly lacking impact. If you want a book that's strictly "Christmasy" and emotional then you might enjoy it, but if you want a story that is going to uplift your heart, too, this is not for you.
Every so often I enjoy a good sentimental story and while this had that element, and also the sweet "Gift of the Magi" twist to it, I finished it feeling frustrated by the lack of depth and the abrupt ending. Some of the main themes in this story were left hanging with out a conclusion. And while I liked the main character and the general storyline, she and others were allowed to get away with behavior that was un-biblical with out consequences. It is a short book filled with emotional tug and some sweet gestures - a quick reading fix - but with out purpose and encouragement. I was able to put the book down with out having been uplifted or challenged in any way. I enjoy Melody Carlson's writing - what was written was good writing - but the overall story is sadly lacking impact. If you want a book that's strictly "Christmasy" and emotional then you might enjoy it, but if you want a story that is going to uplift your heart, too, this is not for you.
November 28, 2021
I have loved many other books by Melody Carlson, but All I Have To Give wasn't what I expected, I was a bit disappointed.
Anna wants this to be the best Christmas ever but she dwells on life way too much. Anna and Michael have been trying to have a baby for a while now, they have had heart break and miscarriages along the way, so they have just given up on parenthood. Anna has been having really weird symptoms and automatically assumes its ovarian cancer because her mom died of ovarian cancer. Michael insists on changing up the nursery into a home office and Anna immediately lashes out on him.
At the end of the story we find out what happens to Anna and Michael, but throughout the story other characters were brought in and had their own issues, but we never found out the conclusion of what happened to them.
Anna wants this to be the best Christmas ever but she dwells on life way too much. Anna and Michael have been trying to have a baby for a while now, they have had heart break and miscarriages along the way, so they have just given up on parenthood. Anna has been having really weird symptoms and automatically assumes its ovarian cancer because her mom died of ovarian cancer. Michael insists on changing up the nursery into a home office and Anna immediately lashes out on him.
At the end of the story we find out what happens to Anna and Michael, but throughout the story other characters were brought in and had their own issues, but we never found out the conclusion of what happened to them.
November 29, 2022
This story was a bit of a downer in parts, but overall, I really liked it. It made the happy ending all the happier.
It was also a fun take on O'Henry's classic the Gift of the Magi.
It was also a fun take on O'Henry's classic the Gift of the Magi.
December 17, 2018
This was a sweet story... And hard to put down as I really wanted to see what happened. As the book went on I kind of guessed what would happen. I was annoyed that the one family situation was never resolved, but I still enjoyed the book.
December 23, 2012
This is a little strange, but for once, I wasn't very impressed with a Melody Carlson book. To me, this book felt way too rushed, as though it was written in a hurry with little thought for characters.
All I Have to Give is a re-telling of the short story "The Gift of the Magi". But in this case, Anna is prompted to make a sacrifice for her gift (and generally make it the 'best Christmas ever') by a cancer scare. There was a legitimate reason, but I thought that if she was afraid, the first thing she should have done was to check with the doctor. I could actually see the ending by Chapter 5.
In addition, the characters weren't very well thought-out. There was quite a few characters, each with their own issues. For example. Anna's sister Meredith has her own problems. But since this book is so short (just over a hundred pages), there isn't enough time to flesh out the characters. And so, they never really came to life for me. Unlike Christmas at Harringtons, the characters weren't endearing enough. It was basically a "give give give" fest, without enough motivation on the why.
That being said, the book does have potential. If the book was longer, and delved into the characters lives, it would have been a whole lot better. I don't really care that the plot was predictable, but what I really wanted were characters I could identify with.
Unfortunately, I didn't find it here. That meant this was merely a "so-so" read, rather than a fantastic one
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
All I Have to Give is a re-telling of the short story "The Gift of the Magi". But in this case, Anna is prompted to make a sacrifice for her gift (and generally make it the 'best Christmas ever') by a cancer scare. There was a legitimate reason, but I thought that if she was afraid, the first thing she should have done was to check with the doctor. I could actually see the ending by Chapter 5.
In addition, the characters weren't very well thought-out. There was quite a few characters, each with their own issues. For example. Anna's sister Meredith has her own problems. But since this book is so short (just over a hundred pages), there isn't enough time to flesh out the characters. And so, they never really came to life for me. Unlike Christmas at Harringtons, the characters weren't endearing enough. It was basically a "give give give" fest, without enough motivation on the why.
That being said, the book does have potential. If the book was longer, and delved into the characters lives, it would have been a whole lot better. I don't really care that the plot was predictable, but what I really wanted were characters I could identify with.
Unfortunately, I didn't find it here. That meant this was merely a "so-so" read, rather than a fantastic one
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
December 18, 2012
Meh. I've liked Melody Carlson's other books, but this one was just so depressing most of the way through, not to mention super predictable. (I saw the gift of the magi theme coming a mile away.) It obviously had a happy ending, but that didn't make up for the way the rest of the book dragged. There were also some major unresolved issues.
April 2, 2009
Such a touching and heartfelt book. The message was awesome. It was an emotional read that really helped put me in the right frame of mind about the real meaning of family and Christmas, in perfect time for the holiday season. Melody Carlson is near the top of my list of favorite authors!
March 10, 2016
This was cute. I had figured out where it was going very early on. It's a semi- retelling of OHenry's Gift of the Magi.
September 26, 2022
Cute and predictable story.
December 16, 2019
I usually enjoy reading Christmas novellas by Melody Carlson. This story just didn't hit the mark for me. I found it simplistic and very predictable. I will surely try another Christmas story by this author soon. Right now I have one on hold at the library.
2 stars
2 stars
December 1, 2009
All I Have to Give was my first holiday book of the season, and also marks my first book for the Christmas Reading Challenge! It was a very enjoyable story that I zipped through in an evening, and it succeeded in helping to get me in the Christmas spirit – which was the intention! So, overall a successful reading venture.
The story opens with sisters Anna and Meredith chatting about their respective marital issues as they clean up from Thanksgiving dinner, and proceeds to follow Anna’s attempts at creating “the best Christmas ever”. Despite her greatest efforts to have a happy holiday, Anna’s health and various family issues threaten to ruin the festivities. But as with any good holiday story, the good persevere, and miracles are waiting to occur.
I really liked all the characters in All I Have to Give, and found the story relatable and believable (sometimes this is not the case with holiday stories). It’s very nice to see romance and marriage portrayed in a realistic manner for a change. My one complaint with All I Have to Give would be that it’s a little predictable. It’s loosely based on the traditional Christmas story The Gift of the Magi, so some obvious connections are hard to avoid, but one of the major plot points was pretty transparent as well. This doesn’t really take away from the spirit of the story though, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading All I Have to Give, and would definitely try some of Carlson’s other books.
The story opens with sisters Anna and Meredith chatting about their respective marital issues as they clean up from Thanksgiving dinner, and proceeds to follow Anna’s attempts at creating “the best Christmas ever”. Despite her greatest efforts to have a happy holiday, Anna’s health and various family issues threaten to ruin the festivities. But as with any good holiday story, the good persevere, and miracles are waiting to occur.
I really liked all the characters in All I Have to Give, and found the story relatable and believable (sometimes this is not the case with holiday stories). It’s very nice to see romance and marriage portrayed in a realistic manner for a change. My one complaint with All I Have to Give would be that it’s a little predictable. It’s loosely based on the traditional Christmas story The Gift of the Magi, so some obvious connections are hard to avoid, but one of the major plot points was pretty transparent as well. This doesn’t really take away from the spirit of the story though, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading All I Have to Give, and would definitely try some of Carlson’s other books.
December 15, 2012
"All I Have To Give" is Christian women's fiction and a re-telling of "The Gift of the Magi." Anna tried so hard to have a "perfect Christmas" that she almost ruined it with her attitude. While the characters always had a motivation for the way they were acting, I was on the borderline of being frustrated with them. Anna thought she had cancer and basically just gave up before even confirming it. She strongly suspected her husband of infidelity (with little evidence) and yet this didn't seem to impact her "grand gift" plans for him. I felt like there was a missed chance at a deeper message of giving even when hurt and how this would inspire the other family members in their troubled marriages. Instead, everyone thought she had a perfect life (even when they knew she didn't feel that way about being childless) and a perfect, untroubled marriage. The story wrapped up quickly after the gift-giving and didn't resolve some of the serious issues brought up in the story.
The Christian element seemed to be a few statements along the lines of "but Christians shouldn't do that!" (about divorce). There was no bad language. There was no sex. Overall, it's a nice, predictable story.
The Christian element seemed to be a few statements along the lines of "but Christians shouldn't do that!" (about divorce). There was no bad language. There was no sex. Overall, it's a nice, predictable story.
December 13, 2012
Melody Carlson. Hmmm, I've liked her other books, this should be a shoo-in. But it wasn't. It was modeled after Gift of the Magi, which I didn't like either.
I actually felt I had entered into the middle of a series. There were too many things unresolved in this book. A prologue & epilogue would have been nice.
I actually felt I had entered into the middle of a series. There were too many things unresolved in this book. A prologue & epilogue would have been nice.
December 29, 2016
A fan of the author, but not this title
I've read a number of Melody Carson's books at this point and enjoyed her characters and storylines consistently, until this book. I had to start it twice and then made myself continue reading that second time.
For a Christmas story, there's too much negativity in it. Not just hard things, but wrong thinking. Instead of feeling uplifted by the story, I felt ill-at-ease with these characters.
As a modern-day reselling of a classic Christmas tale, I thought it would be heart-warming, but it was not. Ms. Carson has many other fine stories to choose from. If you're interested in reading her work, which I do recommend, I'd suggest picking another title.
I've read a number of Melody Carson's books at this point and enjoyed her characters and storylines consistently, until this book. I had to start it twice and then made myself continue reading that second time.
For a Christmas story, there's too much negativity in it. Not just hard things, but wrong thinking. Instead of feeling uplifted by the story, I felt ill-at-ease with these characters.
As a modern-day reselling of a classic Christmas tale, I thought it would be heart-warming, but it was not. Ms. Carson has many other fine stories to choose from. If you're interested in reading her work, which I do recommend, I'd suggest picking another title.
December 29, 2016
All she is has is her worry, home, husband, family and classroom. Anna prepares for Christmas as this is the year that it is going to be the best Christmas ever. She sells her treasure to meet this goal even when her husband is acting odd. She may be having a health scare .... or is she?
December 31, 2009
This was just a dumb story and totally predictable!
December 18, 2011
Cheesiest book ever! Hoping for some holiday spirit but no such luck. Completely predictable and flat. Big eye roll followed by a yawn.
March 11, 2016
A cute Christmas book. While it was quite obvious where the story was going right from the beginning, it was still a sweet romance. Overall, an easy, quick read.
December 26, 2016
3 1/2 stars
January 2, 2022
I usually enjoy Carlson’s wholesome Christmas clean romances, but this one felt like it was written for the 1800s. For example:
Anna didn’t want to wake her husband to talk and share what was troubling her, because “tomorrow was a workday for him. And, she reminded herself, he had enough stress in the job these days.” Yikes, this goes back to the era where women were expected to bear everything on their own and never complain to their husbands.
From the beginning of the story, Anna suspects that her husband is having a midlife crisis and then with all his late nights at work (and even finding out he really hasn’t been there) and she suspects that he is cheating, she decides not to question him about it.
I didn’t particularly care for the story. Too much suspicious behaviour and secret keeping which never turns out well. Even Anna’s sister has fallen in love with another man and plans to leave her husband.
Even for Carlson fans, I’d recommend skipping this one. If you are new to Carlson, then I’d recommend The Christmas Angel Project.
Anna didn’t want to wake her husband to talk and share what was troubling her, because “tomorrow was a workday for him. And, she reminded herself, he had enough stress in the job these days.” Yikes, this goes back to the era where women were expected to bear everything on their own and never complain to their husbands.
From the beginning of the story, Anna suspects that her husband is having a midlife crisis and then with all his late nights at work (and even finding out he really hasn’t been there) and she suspects that he is cheating, she decides not to question him about it.
I didn’t particularly care for the story. Too much suspicious behaviour and secret keeping which never turns out well. Even Anna’s sister has fallen in love with another man and plans to leave her husband.
Even for Carlson fans, I’d recommend skipping this one. If you are new to Carlson, then I’d recommend The Christmas Angel Project.
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October 31, 2023Suspician
Ms. Carlson wrote a wonderful story! I couldn’t put the book down! I read & read, ignoring the housework that was staring me in the face! Anna & Michael had been trying many times to get pregnant, unsuccessfully. Anna believed she had ovarian cancer because of the symptoms she was happening. Michael was starting up a new business & he was telling Anna that he was working late.
Anna’s sister, Meredith, felt she had fallen in love with another social worker & her husband, David, had no knowledge of this.
Christmas Eve came & there were some very suspicious activity occurred. Please read this book to find out what happens!
Ms. Carlson wrote a wonderful story! I couldn’t put the book down! I read & read, ignoring the housework that was staring me in the face! Anna & Michael had been trying many times to get pregnant, unsuccessfully. Anna believed she had ovarian cancer because of the symptoms she was happening. Michael was starting up a new business & he was telling Anna that he was working late.
Anna’s sister, Meredith, felt she had fallen in love with another social worker & her husband, David, had no knowledge of this.
Christmas Eve came & there were some very suspicious activity occurred. Please read this book to find out what happens!
December 31, 2024
This was a very sweet story I took the time to read it all in one setting - without a break. It was that good.
What I liked about it was that it reminded me of 'The Gift of the Magi' by O Henry.
The wife sells a precious item - her grandmother's china - to be able to buy an engine for her husband's beloved old MG - and he goes to the University at night to learn how to do woodworking - so he can build a china cabinet for her beloved china. And he had sold the car to be able to go to university.
And at the end of the story there is a surprise for both of them - a very welcome surprise.
What I liked about it was that it reminded me of 'The Gift of the Magi' by O Henry.
The wife sells a precious item - her grandmother's china - to be able to buy an engine for her husband's beloved old MG - and he goes to the University at night to learn how to do woodworking - so he can build a china cabinet for her beloved china. And he had sold the car to be able to go to university.
And at the end of the story there is a surprise for both of them - a very welcome surprise.
October 4, 2025
I struggled to even give this book two stars. I have really enjoyed other Christmas books by Melody Carlson, but I just really did not enjoy this one. There was a contemporary vibe for "The Gift of the Magi" story by O. Henry and so that part of the story was very predictable. Some of the story line just did not make sense and then the main female character has a sister that has decided to leave her husband for a reason that is not Biblical. This was a big side story but there was never a resolution to this behavior and this part of the storyline was left hanging. This should have been a DNF for me.
Trigger warning: Lots of discussion about ovarian cancer.
Trigger warning: Lots of discussion about ovarian cancer.
January 1, 2025
The majority of Melody Carlson's books I have read have been so enjoyable, but "All I Have To Give" wasn't what I expected. This story was a bit depressing most of the way through. From the beginning I was thinking this is going to be similar to O'Henry's classic, "Gift of the Magi" and it was.
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December 23, 2021Christmas
Anna is incredibly unlikable. I found myself skimming through most of this because I wanted it to be over so bad. I almost feel bad for the kid that has her as it's mother.
Anna is incredibly unlikable. I found myself skimming through most of this because I wanted it to be over so bad. I almost feel bad for the kid that has her as it's mother.
January 13, 2025
Anna and Michael had been trying to have a baby for years and lost one at six-months. They have had to give up. It's Christmastime and Anna is having symptoms that remind her of her mother's ovarian cancer. Both want to give each other a special gift. Reminiscent of O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.
April 23, 2025
Cute, Christmassy, predictable read. Did finish reading wanting to know more, I feel like it ended too abruptly. The side plot with the sister was unnecessary and also left me wanting to know how that ended.
December 8, 2017
Cute, but I predicted the entire book right at the beginning.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews