What do you think?
Rate this book
The McKaslin Clan: Series 3 #1
A Soldier for Christmas
When the tall soldier entered the Christian bookstore, Kelly Logan nearly fell over. Could it be Mitch Dalton, the classmate she'd once had a crush on? Skinny Mitch had matured into a heart-stoppingly handsome man. And he wanted her to help him find a present for his mother.
As they discovered the perfect gift, a friendship ignited. But friendship and a common faith was all it was. Mitch was leaving for the Middle East, and besides, after her tumultuous upbringing, Kelly felt relationships were hazardous. Yet, a lingering hope told her that perhaps God had special plans for them....
As they discovered the perfect gift, a friendship ignited. But friendship and a common faith was all it was. Mitch was leaving for the Middle East, and besides, after her tumultuous upbringing, Kelly felt relationships were hazardous. Yet, a lingering hope told her that perhaps God had special plans for them....
Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
17 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Jillian Hart
192 books599 followersJillian Hart grew up on her family's homestead in Washington state, where she raised cattle, rode horses and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 17, 2014
OK, so this one made it to three stars with the tug at your heart stuff. It still ended way too soon. Kelly and Mitch had math class in high school together. They meet years later while Mitch is home on leave from service in the Marines and Kelly is just finishing up her degree.
December 30, 2014
It can't be easy to write a romance where the couple spends more than half the story on opposite sides of the planet, but Hart did a great job. Although I do feel the ending was a bit rushed, I still loved the story. It was so moving, making me teary eyed more than once.
March 14, 2010
Read this for the 2nd time March 13, 2010 as part of the McKaslin Series.
Great book and gets you thinking of the men risking their lives for our country.
Great book and gets you thinking of the men risking their lives for our country.
July 12, 2010
I LOVED it Jillian Hart knows how to write!! It's a great Inspirational Romance in a great setting. I would defiantly recommend this book to any who love Inspirational Romances.
December 24, 2020
A good story of the loss of love and the fear of opening up to a new love and new life. Good insight to the character's lives and what makes Kelly feel she is undeserving of true love due to past experiences from childhood to adulthood. Christian based and the power of prayer.
I did think it was a bit drawn out and could have come to the happy ending a bit faster. Kelly's reluctance to love again, while understandable, was a bit overdone. Overall it was a good Christmastime read.
I did think it was a bit drawn out and could have come to the happy ending a bit faster. Kelly's reluctance to love again, while understandable, was a bit overdone. Overall it was a good Christmastime read.
November 12, 2019
This got high ratings by a lot of people but for me it was not something I could even finish. Maybe I was not in the mood. I like stories about women who are a little stronger and know who they are, especially if they are devout Christians and know that God is at the helm of their lives. I was just plain bored.
May 4, 2020
Kelly Logan at age 30 is still college student. Kelly has given up on love because it has brought her nothing but hurt. Enter handsome marine soldier Mitch Dalton, a former classmate, who is soon to be deployed to the Middle East. Will final exams and pen pal relationship with Mitch blossom into more than friendship?
November 16, 2020
I loved it, I really felt for Kelly and Mitch. It was heartbreaking how much Kelly thought she didn't deserve happiness and how the inner fear inside herself was sabotaging everything. Mitch was just who she needed to convince her otherwise, even when she broke off communication, he didn't give up hope :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2021
Predictable, as many of these books are, but a good story. It's always fun to root for true love and know it will overcome.
January 7, 2022
This just easily became my favorite Christmas book ever! Such a good and inspiring book
March 16, 2025
“My sweaty little handprint is still on the cathedral ceiling…”
December 13, 2013
SUMMARY:
When the tall soldier entered the Christian bookstore, Kelly Logan nearly fell over. Could it be Mitch Dalton, the classmate she'd once had a crush on? Skinny Mitch had matured into a heart-stoppingly handsome man. And he wanted her to help him find a present for his mother.
As they discovered the perfect gift, a friendship ignited. But friendship and a common faith was all it was. Mitch was leaving for the Middle East, and besides, after her tumultuous upbringing, Kelly felt relationships were hazardous. Yet, a lingering hope told her that perhaps God had special plans for them....
REVIEW:
Jillian Hart's story line really hit home with me. Having been engaged to a military man who was deployed to VietNam, I could really identify with Kelly's feelings as Mitch was serving overseas in war. The sweet e-mails they sent to one another brought back memories of the many letters that flew back and forth between my husband and I which we still have and are now re-reading. I liked the way that Jillian slowly developed the relationship between Mitch and Kelly and that she allowed Mitch to let Kelly who was filled with misgivings and sad memories develop her feelings at her own pace. This is not my first Jillian Hart novel and I always enjoy her writing.
When the tall soldier entered the Christian bookstore, Kelly Logan nearly fell over. Could it be Mitch Dalton, the classmate she'd once had a crush on? Skinny Mitch had matured into a heart-stoppingly handsome man. And he wanted her to help him find a present for his mother.
As they discovered the perfect gift, a friendship ignited. But friendship and a common faith was all it was. Mitch was leaving for the Middle East, and besides, after her tumultuous upbringing, Kelly felt relationships were hazardous. Yet, a lingering hope told her that perhaps God had special plans for them....
REVIEW:
Jillian Hart's story line really hit home with me. Having been engaged to a military man who was deployed to VietNam, I could really identify with Kelly's feelings as Mitch was serving overseas in war. The sweet e-mails they sent to one another brought back memories of the many letters that flew back and forth between my husband and I which we still have and are now re-reading. I liked the way that Jillian slowly developed the relationship between Mitch and Kelly and that she allowed Mitch to let Kelly who was filled with misgivings and sad memories develop her feelings at her own pace. This is not my first Jillian Hart novel and I always enjoy her writing.
March 15, 2015
A letter-writing novel. With actual LETTERS in it. **YESSSS!!** One star, automatically!!
I don't know, but I'm very tired of Jillian Hart's lackluster modern heroines. The girl is cowed, talentless, meek to the point of dysfunctional, and beyond boring. Kelly just... has no redeeming qualities, whatsoever. She doesn't even have faith - she is positive there is nothing good in her future. Interesting, for someone in singles group at church, college fellowship group, and works at a christian bookstore.
We're told that she has shut herself off from love and can't let people near, but she's got a roommate that she is super close to, co-workers and customers that are more friends than anything else, and she's a surrogate family member of the McCaslin clan... so the premise of her 'deeply rejected soul' is such a croc, I can't even begin to articulate.
And yet somehow a guy with strength, talent, endurance, faith, and personality is DRAWN to this train wreck? Just because she's purty?
Pick another book. Please. And make sure it isn't by Jillian Hart. Or if you're a letter-writing obsessed person like me, read this for the letters, but expect NOTHING else good.
I don't know, but I'm very tired of Jillian Hart's lackluster modern heroines. The girl is cowed, talentless, meek to the point of dysfunctional, and beyond boring. Kelly just... has no redeeming qualities, whatsoever. She doesn't even have faith - she is positive there is nothing good in her future. Interesting, for someone in singles group at church, college fellowship group, and works at a christian bookstore.
We're told that she has shut herself off from love and can't let people near, but she's got a roommate that she is super close to, co-workers and customers that are more friends than anything else, and she's a surrogate family member of the McCaslin clan... so the premise of her 'deeply rejected soul' is such a croc, I can't even begin to articulate.
And yet somehow a guy with strength, talent, endurance, faith, and personality is DRAWN to this train wreck? Just because she's purty?
Pick another book. Please. And make sure it isn't by Jillian Hart. Or if you're a letter-writing obsessed person like me, read this for the letters, but expect NOTHING else good.
January 27, 2014
This was a well written. inspirational romance. Very clean, and easy to read. I thought there was a lot of repeat in the fear of rejection, and not feeling good enough. But it ended well, and was a nice story of fear of rejection, and letting the past over shadow the future. I like this author, I just don't FEEL the intensity I like in a 4 or 5 star story. It was worth reading, and very clean so I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. From the book: When the tall soldier entered the Christian bookstore, Kelly Logan nearly fell over. Could it be Mitch Dalton, the classmate she'd once had a crush on? Skinny Mitch had matured into a heart-stoppingly handsome man. And he wanted her to help him find a present for his mother. As they discovered the perfect gift, a friendship ignited. But friendship and a common faith was all it was. Mitch was leaving for the Middle East, and besides, after her tumultuous upbringing, Kelly felt relationships were hazardous. Yet, a lingering hope told her that perhaps God had special plans for them....
January 8, 2021
This was recommended to me by Good Reads because I had read some other Love Inspired books. This is apparently a 1st book in this series; however I guess this series has sections to it? and this is the 3rd section? I wasn't lost so apparently you don't have to read any books before it to understand what is going on. You can kind of see where the other books "May' give you some of the background on some of the secondary characters but nothing major to the story itself.
When this story started and up until about half way through I was going to give it a 3 star (nothing major good but wasn't boring) but then it seemed like the author just kept repeating what she was saying just rewording it and several chapters was the same. A little bit of the story would pick up here and there and then at the end it picked up and 'rushed' through the last three pages. So I couldn't help but take a star rating off. Will I ever read this again? Possibly but I won't be 'looking' for it. But I will continue with this series to see if the other books are better
When this story started and up until about half way through I was going to give it a 3 star (nothing major good but wasn't boring) but then it seemed like the author just kept repeating what she was saying just rewording it and several chapters was the same. A little bit of the story would pick up here and there and then at the end it picked up and 'rushed' through the last three pages. So I couldn't help but take a star rating off. Will I ever read this again? Possibly but I won't be 'looking' for it. But I will continue with this series to see if the other books are better
March 15, 2014
I can't remember a 'Love Inspired' book making me cry so much before! I mean, they're all sweet and gentle love stories, but this one . . . I think it was because much of the courtship between Kelly and Mitch was done in emails and phone calls. That was how my own long-distance courtship with my now-husband went.
I thought as I read those emails between Kelly and Mitch that this is how courtship should be, really . . . a friendship growing through time and letters to become ever so much more . . . something strong, something that will honour God with its truth and purity. I agree with what Katherine said: "That's how it starts, you know . . . The real thing. True love. Happily ever after. It starts with being best friends." (page 214)
I thought as I read those emails between Kelly and Mitch that this is how courtship should be, really . . . a friendship growing through time and letters to become ever so much more . . . something strong, something that will honour God with its truth and purity. I agree with what Katherine said: "That's how it starts, you know . . . The real thing. True love. Happily ever after. It starts with being best friends." (page 214)
March 22, 2016
This started out like a pretty typical Love-Inspired, then the characters surprised me by developing interesting back stories and unexpected depth. It became the lovely story of the friendship between a damaged, slightly-older-than-normal, college student and a confident Marine. This kind of heroine doesn't always work, but this time she clicked for me. I could completely understand why she was trying so hard not to care. Sometimes you just can't take the idea of being hurt one more time.
I also loved the way their relationship grew, sometimes taking a step back, and that the two MCs actually spent time getting to know each other. By the end of this book I could believe they'd make a good pair.
A good Christmas treat. Nicely done.
I also loved the way their relationship grew, sometimes taking a step back, and that the two MCs actually spent time getting to know each other. By the end of this book I could believe they'd make a good pair.
A good Christmas treat. Nicely done.
January 12, 2016
I enjoyed this romance, but it struck me as too contrived from the beginning. The main female character is unrealistically engrossed in the failures of those who should have loved her in the past, and it seems the story could have been much shorter if she had trusted God with her future earlier. Hart portrays her as a faithful Christian, but Kelly spends so much time resisting the truths she's reading in her daily devotions. kind of frustrating.
January 10, 2010
i read this when it first came out. Then i discovered it yesterday on my haven't read shelf. So i read it again. I was marked with 5 stars and i still agree with the rating. I am married to a soldier and though we didn't follow the same path, there were some situations that i could relate to and hit very close to home.
June 3, 2010
Did anyone notice that the title is A Soldier for Christmas and the guy is a Marine? I've read enough nonfiction to know that the sailors/airmen/soldiers/marines identify unique characteristics contained in the title.
January 1, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were really great and had excellent chemistry. Mitch was the best. I would have given it 5 stars had the ending been a little less abrupt but overallthe book was excellent. Would like to read again.
February 25, 2008
Amazing book! I started it before my bf left for Boot Camp, and it made me cry so many times... I'm very emotional when It comes to love stories
October 19, 2008
Another Christian romance that was easy and quick read. This one was closer to reality but still cute and simple. I really enjoyed this one as well.
December 19, 2008
I got half way through this and I was so bored. Didn't finish.
January 28, 2009
Very cute book :)
February 7, 2011
Not very realistic romanticly.... but makes up for it by mirroring how most real life families feel about their loved ones in war.
December 3, 2011
This story was not my cup of tea. The heroine was insecurity to the max. I starting skimming pretty early and eventually gave up.
May 18, 2012
I really enjoyed this one... this is the first book in this series, though I read it 3rd...
June 14, 2014
A beautiful love story, no foul language, and inspirational.
May 12, 2015
Ok, but you did know what was going to happen. A quick read, but not my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews