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A Quilt for Christmas
Christmas should be celebrated with family. But for Vera Swanson, that's not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one--until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town, Fiona enlists Vera's help, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has a special request--a Christmas quilt for Mama.
Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all--and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way.
Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all--and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2022
94 people are currently reading
5592 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
418 books3,244 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 574 reviews
January 1, 2024
Love Melody Carlson's Christmas novellas! This one is short and sweet, another must-read!
A Quilt for Christmas has adorable characters and although there are hardships, the tone is still cheerful. The community came together and formed a Quilt Club as a little girl's wish to give her sick mother a patchwork Christmas quilt.
The audio narration is fantastic, Stephanie Cozart is so talented with different voices especially little Fiona and her Irish accent. 🎄💞
A Quilt for Christmas has adorable characters and although there are hardships, the tone is still cheerful. The community came together and formed a Quilt Club as a little girl's wish to give her sick mother a patchwork Christmas quilt.
The audio narration is fantastic, Stephanie Cozart is so talented with different voices especially little Fiona and her Irish accent. 🎄💞
December 22, 2023
Christmas 2023 - NICE! I don't know if I'm just in a good mood or what, but my Christmas reads this year have been mostly wonderful.
What it's about: Several lonely people are brought together by the request of a little girl who wants to give her mother a homemade quilt for Christmas.
What I thought: Just absolutely loved everything about this story. The characters are interesting and likeable, the story never drags and hits all the right Christmas notes along the way without being sappy. I ugly cried at the end.
Random thoughts/questions: None really, except I just realized I've read a few Christmas novels by Melody Carlson over the years and really enjoyed all of them, she may be the queen of this genre.
My cat wrote this part --> u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8iy6tu7
What it's about: Several lonely people are brought together by the request of a little girl who wants to give her mother a homemade quilt for Christmas.
What I thought: Just absolutely loved everything about this story. The characters are interesting and likeable, the story never drags and hits all the right Christmas notes along the way without being sappy. I ugly cried at the end.
Random thoughts/questions: None really, except I just realized I've read a few Christmas novels by Melody Carlson over the years and really enjoyed all of them, she may be the queen of this genre.
My cat wrote this part --> u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8u8iy6tu7
July 8, 2022
A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson was no exception!!! In my opinion no body writes amazing Christmas stories better than Melody Carlson. I went into this book completely blind, which I highly recommend doing because it gives you so much to look forward to in a book. I loved this book so much!!! Melody Carlson is my go to author for Christmas books, and she meets my needs every time. I fell in love with this book instantly. This story is about love, giving back to others, and forgiving other people for past mistakes. This story had some feel good moments, but it was also extremely sad learning about the characters and what they are going through. A Quilt for Christmas pulled on my heart strings in all the right ways. If this book becomes a Hallmark movie, I'll be so happy. This story was so heart warming, I loved meeting all these wonderful characters, they will definitely hold a place in your heart. My heart swells with love from this book.
THANK YOU REVELL AND NETGALLEY FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK!!!!
Christmas should be celebrated with friends and family. But, for Vera Swanson that's not an option this year. Vera is recently widowed after losing her husband, and recently relocated to a condo for one person. Vera's children are grown up and moved out of the house. Vera has loved Christmas in the past, but with no one to celebrate with this year, she's not feeling the Christmas spirit. One day, Vera's new neighbor, little Fiona Albright knocks on Vera's door needing help. Fiona's mom is in serious pain and needs medical help, Vera gets an idea of calling 911 but Kerry, Fiona's mom doesn't want that, so, Vera decides to take Kerry to the hospital herself. Later on, we learn that Kerry has appendicitis. Fiona and her family are from Dublin, Ireland, but have just relocated from Arizona due to her father's job.
The Albright family moved to Oregon with nothing on their backs but plastic lawn furniture. They also don't have warm enough clothes for Oregon weather. With their dad out of town for work, and their mother in the hospital Vera decides to look after the kids until Kerry gets better. One day, Fiona is taking a tour of Vera's condo, and notices an extremely beautiful quilt in one of the bedrooms. Fiona has an idea and tells Vera that she wants to make her mom a quilt for Christmas. But, with Christmas a few days away making a huge quilt is more than a one person job. Fiona's brother has an amazing idea, making posters and hanging them around town looking for help to make this quilt. Within one day, Vera has a group of ladies willing to help. Fiona is so smart for her age, but she's also such a sweet little girl.
First, we have Vera herself, Vera is a quilter, then we have Tasha, who is a free spirited artist, then we have Beverly, who is a chatty empty nester, last but not least we have Eleanor, who is a retired therapist. All of these ladies come together to fulfill Fiona's request for her mom, but comes up with bumps along the way, Tasha doesn't really know how to sew, but with Vera's help she gets the job done. Eleanor is a bit grumpy and doesn't have the Christmas spirit either, but we learn why along the way. Beverly knows how to sew but it's been a few years since she's done it. Vera has high hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry. After all, she may have found herself a family of friends along the way. Vera and her group of friends are determined to help the Albright family with anything they need.
THANK YOU REVELL AND NETGALLEY FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK!!!!
Christmas should be celebrated with friends and family. But, for Vera Swanson that's not an option this year. Vera is recently widowed after losing her husband, and recently relocated to a condo for one person. Vera's children are grown up and moved out of the house. Vera has loved Christmas in the past, but with no one to celebrate with this year, she's not feeling the Christmas spirit. One day, Vera's new neighbor, little Fiona Albright knocks on Vera's door needing help. Fiona's mom is in serious pain and needs medical help, Vera gets an idea of calling 911 but Kerry, Fiona's mom doesn't want that, so, Vera decides to take Kerry to the hospital herself. Later on, we learn that Kerry has appendicitis. Fiona and her family are from Dublin, Ireland, but have just relocated from Arizona due to her father's job.
The Albright family moved to Oregon with nothing on their backs but plastic lawn furniture. They also don't have warm enough clothes for Oregon weather. With their dad out of town for work, and their mother in the hospital Vera decides to look after the kids until Kerry gets better. One day, Fiona is taking a tour of Vera's condo, and notices an extremely beautiful quilt in one of the bedrooms. Fiona has an idea and tells Vera that she wants to make her mom a quilt for Christmas. But, with Christmas a few days away making a huge quilt is more than a one person job. Fiona's brother has an amazing idea, making posters and hanging them around town looking for help to make this quilt. Within one day, Vera has a group of ladies willing to help. Fiona is so smart for her age, but she's also such a sweet little girl.
First, we have Vera herself, Vera is a quilter, then we have Tasha, who is a free spirited artist, then we have Beverly, who is a chatty empty nester, last but not least we have Eleanor, who is a retired therapist. All of these ladies come together to fulfill Fiona's request for her mom, but comes up with bumps along the way, Tasha doesn't really know how to sew, but with Vera's help she gets the job done. Eleanor is a bit grumpy and doesn't have the Christmas spirit either, but we learn why along the way. Beverly knows how to sew but it's been a few years since she's done it. Vera has high hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry. After all, she may have found herself a family of friends along the way. Vera and her group of friends are determined to help the Albright family with anything they need.
January 29, 2023
I cried reading this! A Quilt for Christmas was my first Melody Carlson Christmas book, and I was delightfully surprised. Granted, as a young adult who loves fantasy, I may not fit into the target audience, but the book still touched me regardless.
I adored all of the characters, and the plot was also so good! A Quilt for Christmas had me in the mood for Christmas in a heartbeat. I would recommend this book without any hesitation.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book through JustRead Publicity Tours. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
I adored all of the characters, and the plot was also so good! A Quilt for Christmas had me in the mood for Christmas in a heartbeat. I would recommend this book without any hesitation.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book through JustRead Publicity Tours. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
July 3, 2022
It’s a tradition for me to read Melody Carlson’s new Christmas novella each year and this one definitely is a favorite. I thought this book was full of the spirit of Christmas as the characters reached out to a family in need. The book was a fast read that I was drawn into from the beginning. It doesn’t happen often but this story had me crying happy tears before the books ending. This story seemed so realistic to the times we are living through these days. I found the book to be entertaining, uplifting and a very intriguing Christmas read.
All the characters in this book were in some way or another not looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Some were lonely, some hurting from the loss of a loved one. A few were new in town and would be spending the holidays alone. A family from another country down on their luck and just trying to get by the best that they could. A bitter woman angry at God because of her loss.
A child brings people together when she asks her elderly neighbor if she could make her sick mother a patch work quilt for Christmas. The elderly neighbor fears she will not be able to make a complicated quilt in time to give as a gift for Christmas so she reaches out for help to people she doesn’t know in the community. This is a story of how people are bought together to fulfill the wishes of a adorable five year old child wanting to make her sick mother happy on Christmas Day. The Christmas Spirit is very present in this wonderful story .
I highly recommend to readers of Christmas novellas and fans of the author. This book is a standalone read. It is scheduled to be released on 9/6/22.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
#AQuiltforChristmas#NetGalley
All the characters in this book were in some way or another not looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Some were lonely, some hurting from the loss of a loved one. A few were new in town and would be spending the holidays alone. A family from another country down on their luck and just trying to get by the best that they could. A bitter woman angry at God because of her loss.
A child brings people together when she asks her elderly neighbor if she could make her sick mother a patch work quilt for Christmas. The elderly neighbor fears she will not be able to make a complicated quilt in time to give as a gift for Christmas so she reaches out for help to people she doesn’t know in the community. This is a story of how people are bought together to fulfill the wishes of a adorable five year old child wanting to make her sick mother happy on Christmas Day. The Christmas Spirit is very present in this wonderful story .
I highly recommend to readers of Christmas novellas and fans of the author. This book is a standalone read. It is scheduled to be released on 9/6/22.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
#AQuiltforChristmas#NetGalley
September 8, 2022
Review coming soon.
December 23, 2023
Am I just a hater of Christmas books this year?
This did not live up to the hype I saw for it the last couple years. It was definitely a sweet story, but nothing wowed me.
This follows an elderly lady named Vera who lives in an apartment, and a little girl across the hall knocks on her door for help with her mom. The mom is sick so Vera offers to watch the children while she recovers.
Vera knows how to build beautiful quilts and starts knitting a Christmas quilt for mama at the girl’s request.
Vera needs help from a group of women so they all work together to do this.
I liked the little girl, Fiona, but kind of everyone else fell flat for me. The women helping with the quilt all had issues to work through. It was a nice show of growth and teamwork but I didn’t find it blew me away.
So many people loved this though so I’m probably crazy.
This did not live up to the hype I saw for it the last couple years. It was definitely a sweet story, but nothing wowed me.
This follows an elderly lady named Vera who lives in an apartment, and a little girl across the hall knocks on her door for help with her mom. The mom is sick so Vera offers to watch the children while she recovers.
Vera knows how to build beautiful quilts and starts knitting a Christmas quilt for mama at the girl’s request.
Vera needs help from a group of women so they all work together to do this.
I liked the little girl, Fiona, but kind of everyone else fell flat for me. The women helping with the quilt all had issues to work through. It was a nice show of growth and teamwork but I didn’t find it blew me away.
So many people loved this though so I’m probably crazy.
September 15, 2022
This was Carlson's best Christmas Novella yet. I aways enjoy her books but this one was outstanding. I love how everyone came together and I loved how these strangers now friends pulled their strength together to make this a Christmas to never forget.
5 stars and I HIGHLY recommend this one.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
5 stars and I HIGHLY recommend this one.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
November 4, 2024
This was a cute story of 5 women, all strangers in the beginning, brought together by the request of one little girl to sew her mom a quilt for Christmas.
December 7, 2023
4.25 stars
I always love to read Melody Carlson Christmas stories and this is one of her best. A Quilt for Christmas follows a group of women who become unlikely friends over a quilt they’re making together. It had friendship, a sweet romance, cute kids, and was overall was great!
I always love to read Melody Carlson Christmas stories and this is one of her best. A Quilt for Christmas follows a group of women who become unlikely friends over a quilt they’re making together. It had friendship, a sweet romance, cute kids, and was overall was great!
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrators: Stephanie Cozart
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Christmas Fiction
Length: 4h 36m
August 22, 2022
A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson will capture your heart this Christmas season! A perfect, heartwarming Christmas story all about love, forgiveness, and offering a helping hand to those in need during the holiday season. This book gave me all the feels, Christmas vibes and more! 5 stars! Thank you to Baker Publishing and Revell for sending me a copy to honestly read and review!
About the story: Vera Swanson always loved Christmas. But this year, after selling her home and making the effort to move closer to her children and grandchildren in a condo, Vera finds herself in a situation where she will be alone this Christmas. That is, until she meets sweet little 4-year-old Fiona and her family, the Albrights. Even though Vera’s husband has passed, and her Children had to move away, little Fiona’s big heart will make all the difference for Vera and so many others this Christmas.
Vera meets Fiona in an emergency for her mother – she knocks on Vera’s door because her mother is having stomach pains and needs help immediately. Since Vera is her neighbor, she immediately rushes Fiona’s mother to the hospital to get her the care she needs. With Fiona’s father working away from home, Vera helps take care of Fiona and her siblings in the meantime while their mother recovers. Fiona sees Vera’s beautiful quilts in her condo and has a beautiful Christmas wish for her mother – a Christmas quilt!
Vera is an expert in making quilts and wants to do everything she can to make this dream come true for them. The Albrights have been through a tough time, moving to Oregon with hardly any possessions and this would mean the world to little Fiona! With the help of Fiona and her siblings, Vera recruits 3 women, Tasha, Eleanor, and Beverly and together, they all work to make a Christmas quilt blessing for the Albrights happen before Christmas arrives!
This was a beautiful Christmas read and I loved the faith, friendship and lessons learned in this story. God worked in a beautiful way in the families of this story. Vera was alone, Tasha meets a sweet guy, Eleanor needed a friend, The Albrights were in need – this story had so many beautiful Christmas blessings and I loved it.
The characters in this story were so sweet. I also love we got to see them decorate, visit a tree farm, make a Christmas quilt and celebrate Christmas together.
• Vera reminded me of my grandmother in so many ways.
• To see the transformation Eleanor makes over the course of this novella – God worked in her life, through her grief and struggles – to help her overcome her difficulties.
• Tasha was also a sweet, creative young woman who truly cared to help others.
• Beverly – love her and her love for baking!
• Fiona - the sweetest little girl who stole my heart!
This is a new favorite Christmas read and I will be re-reading this for the Christmas season in the future! I can’t wait to talk about this on my channel and will update my review with my video review as soon as I upload it.
About the story: Vera Swanson always loved Christmas. But this year, after selling her home and making the effort to move closer to her children and grandchildren in a condo, Vera finds herself in a situation where she will be alone this Christmas. That is, until she meets sweet little 4-year-old Fiona and her family, the Albrights. Even though Vera’s husband has passed, and her Children had to move away, little Fiona’s big heart will make all the difference for Vera and so many others this Christmas.
Vera meets Fiona in an emergency for her mother – she knocks on Vera’s door because her mother is having stomach pains and needs help immediately. Since Vera is her neighbor, she immediately rushes Fiona’s mother to the hospital to get her the care she needs. With Fiona’s father working away from home, Vera helps take care of Fiona and her siblings in the meantime while their mother recovers. Fiona sees Vera’s beautiful quilts in her condo and has a beautiful Christmas wish for her mother – a Christmas quilt!
Vera is an expert in making quilts and wants to do everything she can to make this dream come true for them. The Albrights have been through a tough time, moving to Oregon with hardly any possessions and this would mean the world to little Fiona! With the help of Fiona and her siblings, Vera recruits 3 women, Tasha, Eleanor, and Beverly and together, they all work to make a Christmas quilt blessing for the Albrights happen before Christmas arrives!
This was a beautiful Christmas read and I loved the faith, friendship and lessons learned in this story. God worked in a beautiful way in the families of this story. Vera was alone, Tasha meets a sweet guy, Eleanor needed a friend, The Albrights were in need – this story had so many beautiful Christmas blessings and I loved it.
The characters in this story were so sweet. I also love we got to see them decorate, visit a tree farm, make a Christmas quilt and celebrate Christmas together.
• Vera reminded me of my grandmother in so many ways.
• To see the transformation Eleanor makes over the course of this novella – God worked in her life, through her grief and struggles – to help her overcome her difficulties.
• Tasha was also a sweet, creative young woman who truly cared to help others.
• Beverly – love her and her love for baking!
• Fiona - the sweetest little girl who stole my heart!
This is a new favorite Christmas read and I will be re-reading this for the Christmas season in the future! I can’t wait to talk about this on my channel and will update my review with my video review as soon as I upload it.
October 31, 2022
Vera Swanson, recently widowed has just relocated into a one bedroom condo. She is not looking forward to Christmas this year and is very lonely, until there is a knock on her door. Fiona Albright needs her help. Her father is out of town working and her mama is very ill. Vera steps in and gets her the help she needs. Fiona is thrilled with her new neighbour and when she finds out she is a quilter, she asks for her help to make a special Christmas Quilt to raise her mother's spirits. Vera knows she needs help and sets about recruiting others to help her with the project. Her little group consists of free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself. Working together proves difficult at times, but as the quilt comes together, not only will the Albright family have a Merry Christmas, but Vera may have found herself a new group of friends, found family that makes her new life a lot more merry.
This book was full of Christmas magic as this group of very different women work together to complete the quilt and help one another to heal, forgive and move on with their lives. The characters were all very well developed and although not all were likable at the beginning, they quickly grew on me. Of course the star of the show was Fiona. She was such a sweetheart and saw the best in everyone. She spoke openly and honestly and was so innocent, you just had to love her. This is a Christian Fiction story but it is subtle sharing the love of Christmas with its readers. I love Melody Carlson's books and this one didn't disappoint. I rarely give a novella 5 stars, but this one pushed all the buttons for me. I highly recommend this Christmas Novella if you enjoy a sweet story, full of Christmas magic, love and faith.
This book was full of Christmas magic as this group of very different women work together to complete the quilt and help one another to heal, forgive and move on with their lives. The characters were all very well developed and although not all were likable at the beginning, they quickly grew on me. Of course the star of the show was Fiona. She was such a sweetheart and saw the best in everyone. She spoke openly and honestly and was so innocent, you just had to love her. This is a Christian Fiction story but it is subtle sharing the love of Christmas with its readers. I love Melody Carlson's books and this one didn't disappoint. I rarely give a novella 5 stars, but this one pushed all the buttons for me. I highly recommend this Christmas Novella if you enjoy a sweet story, full of Christmas magic, love and faith.
December 22, 2023
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would! This one pulled me in immediately. Vera, and older woman with grown children, finds herself alone and feeling like her best days are behind her around the holidays, when unexpected circumstances pull her into the lives of a struggling family. Through her interaction with this young family, she ends up connecting with others who get pulled into the situation as well. There's a pretty grumpy one in the mix, and she definitely isn't too likeable and made me scrunching my nose several times and calling her a Scrooge. But the way the characters in the story connect and interact and end up becoming part of each others lives is really a delightful Christmas story of community, friendship, grief and restoration that I very much enjoyed.
October 23, 2022
A heartwarming Christmas story that will melt your heart. I hated to see it end.
November 1, 2022
I’m speechless at this beautiful beautiful book. This book will grab you at the beginning and pull you in and not let you go. How four strangers come together to help a little girl out and change there lives forever. The courage, love and the very best bringing up of Fiona and her brother and sister is amazing. After the things they went through and none of it brought them down. I fully related to Elenor, her loss and her feelings. I was just so very happy things went the way they did. I wish the story could have went on. It was so beautiful. Easy to read. Fast! Highly recommend. I will read again and again. I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 30, 2022
I received an ARC of, A Quilt for Christmas, by Melody Carlson. Quilts can be invaluable, especially when made from love, and those that hold precious memories. Vera is starting over as a widow at Christmas time, she is lonely until she meets Fiona. Maybe Christmas won't be so bad this year. A wonderful Christmas story!!
October 27, 2022
I think this is my favourite Melody Carlson Christmas story so far! It had some of everything. It was very inspirational to see how all the characters helped and influenced each other for good.
December 23, 2025
A Quilt for Christmas is the kind of book that wraps around you like the coziest blanket on a winter’s night. The story is tender, hopeful, and full of heart reminding us of the power of kindness, community, and the small acts of love that stitch our lives together. The characters feel like old friends, and the writing has a gentle rhythm that makes you want to savor every page. It’s not just a holiday read, it’s a timeless reminder that even in the coldest seasons, warmth can be found in generosity and connection.
If you’re looking for a book that will leave you smiling, tearful in the best way, and deeply comforted, this one is a true gift. Perfect for curling up with a cup of cocoa and letting yourself be reminded of the beauty in everyday grace.
If you’re looking for a book that will leave you smiling, tearful in the best way, and deeply comforted, this one is a true gift. Perfect for curling up with a cup of cocoa and letting yourself be reminded of the beauty in everyday grace.
September 6, 2022
I never miss Melody Carlson’s Christmas stories. They are so moving and heartwarming. This one is particularly precious. A four year old girl wants to give her mother a beautiful quilt for Christmas. A lonely widow, a grieving widow and mother, and a few others added to the mix and you have the recipe for a delightful and moving Christmas story.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is my own.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is my own.
December 7, 2023
4.5 stars
A Quilt for Christmas hit me with Christmas feels.
The heart of the story revolves around a group of strangers uniting to create a quilt for a struggling mother who recently moved to America. Vera, a widow who relocated to Oregon to be near her daughter, finds herself alone in her condo after her daughter's family moves to California. As she ponders the upcoming Christmas, she's approached by Fiona, a young girl seeking help for her sick mother.
During Fiona's time with Vera, she becomes enchanted by Vera's home and a quilt that catches her eye. Fiona desires a similar quilt for her mother, hoping it will aid in her recovery.
To make the quilt in time for Christmas, Vera recruits the help of several strangers:
● Tasha, a vibrant and energetic individual in her thirties.
● Beverly, an empty nester who loves to bake.
● Eleanor, a retired therapist with a strong, resolute demeanor.
Melody Carlson weaves a delightful tale where these characters come together to create something special. The book encapsulates the essence of Christmas, delivering a heartwarming and enjoyable read.
A Quilt for Christmas hit me with Christmas feels.
The heart of the story revolves around a group of strangers uniting to create a quilt for a struggling mother who recently moved to America. Vera, a widow who relocated to Oregon to be near her daughter, finds herself alone in her condo after her daughter's family moves to California. As she ponders the upcoming Christmas, she's approached by Fiona, a young girl seeking help for her sick mother.
During Fiona's time with Vera, she becomes enchanted by Vera's home and a quilt that catches her eye. Fiona desires a similar quilt for her mother, hoping it will aid in her recovery.
To make the quilt in time for Christmas, Vera recruits the help of several strangers:
● Tasha, a vibrant and energetic individual in her thirties.
● Beverly, an empty nester who loves to bake.
● Eleanor, a retired therapist with a strong, resolute demeanor.
Melody Carlson weaves a delightful tale where these characters come together to create something special. The book encapsulates the essence of Christmas, delivering a heartwarming and enjoyable read.
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Stephanie Cozart
Length: 4H 36M
November 8, 2022
Have you started reading Christmas books yet this year? A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson is my first one. I enjoyed this novella and the guaranteed happy ending that I was looking forward to. Sometimes you just need a book that is a sure thing in the "happy ending" department.
A Quilt for Christmas starts out with Vera Swanson moving to a new town to be near her daughter and her family--only to have them unexpectedly move away elsewhere after he got there. Vera now feels along and is dreading the holidays. Then she meets her condo neighbors--starting with little Fiona when Fiona's mother turns ill and Fiona looks for help for her mom. Fiona stay with Vera for a bit and likes Vera's quilt. She would like Vera to make one for her mom for Christmas. . .and Vera agrees to try but she needs help to finish it in time. She puts up a sign to form a quilting group--and not only ends up with a quilt for Fiona's family but several new friends too.
For the most part, I enjoyed A Quilt for Christmas. There is a bit of everything in this fast-moving novella. Friendship, a little romance and even a grinchy person. It was fun seeing everyone come together to make this family's Christmas special after their hardships. I also enjoyed the variety of characters in this book. I really didn't like Eleanor initially but as the book went on, my opinion changed. I like Tasha and Evan and would love to read more about them. I also enjoyed Vera, Fiona and her family and the other quilting ladies. A Quilt for Christmas was a sweet Christmas novella with the happy ending I was looking forward to. I usually read Carlson's novellas and look forward to them every year.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through JustRead Tours. All opinions within this review are my own.
A Quilt for Christmas starts out with Vera Swanson moving to a new town to be near her daughter and her family--only to have them unexpectedly move away elsewhere after he got there. Vera now feels along and is dreading the holidays. Then she meets her condo neighbors--starting with little Fiona when Fiona's mother turns ill and Fiona looks for help for her mom. Fiona stay with Vera for a bit and likes Vera's quilt. She would like Vera to make one for her mom for Christmas. . .and Vera agrees to try but she needs help to finish it in time. She puts up a sign to form a quilting group--and not only ends up with a quilt for Fiona's family but several new friends too.
For the most part, I enjoyed A Quilt for Christmas. There is a bit of everything in this fast-moving novella. Friendship, a little romance and even a grinchy person. It was fun seeing everyone come together to make this family's Christmas special after their hardships. I also enjoyed the variety of characters in this book. I really didn't like Eleanor initially but as the book went on, my opinion changed. I like Tasha and Evan and would love to read more about them. I also enjoyed Vera, Fiona and her family and the other quilting ladies. A Quilt for Christmas was a sweet Christmas novella with the happy ending I was looking forward to. I usually read Carlson's novellas and look forward to them every year.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through JustRead Tours. All opinions within this review are my own.
December 4, 2022
This is THE perfect heartwarming Christmas novella. A Quilt for Christmas is the definition of a feel good holiday book.
November 24, 2022
Such a sweet story of charity and love. We need more people who care about others and show it in their actions. We need that all year, but at Christmas it’s special to grant a 5 year olds wish.
September 12, 2022
Another heartwarming Christmas story from Melody Carlson!
I was in tears by the end; seeing these ladies come together was beautiful and very much in the spirit of the season.
I was in tears by the end; seeing these ladies come together was beautiful and very much in the spirit of the season.
December 8, 2022
A Quilt for Christmas, by Melody Carlson, is easily one of my favorite Christmas stories to date. It’s cozy, charming, inspiring, and truly represents the spirit of the season. It’s also a relatively short novel, which is perfect for the busy season, while also being a fully fleshed out story.
The story features Vera, recently widowed and new to town, who is missing her family and lack of connection, and seems to have lost her Christmas spirit. When she unexpectedly comes to the aid of a needy family next door, and a sweet four year old pleads for help to make a Christmas quilt for her sick mama just like Miss Vera’s, a whole new calling, purpose, a renewed hobby, group of friends and sense of community is opened to her. And it’s just the thing to remind her what Christmas is all about.
I loved the characters, the plot, the lessons and thoughtful insights gleaned, the bonds formed and the hopeful resolution. A Quilt for Christmas is an utterly delightful story and I look forward to more from this author.
The story features Vera, recently widowed and new to town, who is missing her family and lack of connection, and seems to have lost her Christmas spirit. When she unexpectedly comes to the aid of a needy family next door, and a sweet four year old pleads for help to make a Christmas quilt for her sick mama just like Miss Vera’s, a whole new calling, purpose, a renewed hobby, group of friends and sense of community is opened to her. And it’s just the thing to remind her what Christmas is all about.
I loved the characters, the plot, the lessons and thoughtful insights gleaned, the bonds formed and the hopeful resolution. A Quilt for Christmas is an utterly delightful story and I look forward to more from this author.
October 16, 2024
I really enjoy this author’s sweet Christmas stories!
December 30, 2023
This heartwarming novella relates the story of the widowed Vera Swanson who moves to Oregon to be near her daughter. About the time she moves, her daughter's husband transfers away. Now Vera must find her way in a new place on her own. The opportunity comes when a near five-year-old girl (Fiona) in the condo across the hall comes to Vera for help. Vera determines the woman needs medical help and gets her to the hospital, although the woman talks of no insurance. She learns two older siblings are at school and that the husband is working in California. The family moved to Oregon from Arizona, but lack of employment necessitated the husband's living away during the week. Fiona sees the quilt on Vera's bed and wants one for her mother for Christmas. Vera knows she cannot do it on her own. Fiona and her siblings suggest placing flyers with tear-off phone numbers at the market, the flower shop, and church they attend. When she arrives at the flower shop, Tasha, a lover of color, wants to learn to quilt. At the market, she meets Eleanor who used to sew and seeks a new hobby. After leaving the flyer at the church, Beverly responds. Her grandmother used to run the church's quilting circle, and Beverly always wanted to learn to quilt from her grandmother, but she died, and her death brought the demise of the circle. This women's circle brings some form of healing or happiness to each woman and to the lives each touches. This would make a great Hallmark Christmas movie. While Carlson is a Christian writer, the novel does not preach and mentions faith in appropriate and natural contexts. I received an advance reader's copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2022
Oh my goodness. So so cute. I loved every part of this book. The ending made me cry happy tears.
Good character development, fantastic story, Christmassy, and the stars of the show are old ladies making a quilt?? What more could you want for the holidays??
Good character development, fantastic story, Christmassy, and the stars of the show are old ladies making a quilt?? What more could you want for the holidays??
December 23, 2023
A sweet Christmas story. It was mainly about strangers who eventually become friends as they work to spread Christmas cheer to a struggling family, but there was also a side romance and a character struggling through a difficult time. I enjoyed this story for the connections made between unlikely friends and the Christmas cheer.
I honestly could have done without the romance and would still have been happy with the story--it just didn't connect with me, in fact some of the interactions between the couple, particularly in their meeting, were a bit awkward. I also found it odd that a former therapist would treat others as harshly as Eleanor did, completely uncaring of how her words could be hurtful. Lastly, one of the characters was divorced, and the description of that was odd to me in a Christian book--more like the former spouses just got tired of each other as the reason for getting divorced. This bothered me because this character was a self-professed Christian and yet seemed to have a flippant attitude about marriage (granted, everyone makes mistakes and but the way it was described didn't seem biblical to me): I mean how do you "accidentally" marry someone??
Other than those things, it was quite a heartwarming story and the ending gave you all the feels.
The audiobook narrator did a great job!
Christian faith rating: 1/3
I honestly could have done without the romance and would still have been happy with the story--it just didn't connect with me, in fact some of the interactions between the couple, particularly in their meeting, were a bit awkward. I also found it odd that a former therapist would treat others as harshly as Eleanor did, completely uncaring of how her words could be hurtful. Lastly, one of the characters was divorced, and the description of that was odd to me in a Christian book--more like the former spouses just got tired of each other as the reason for getting divorced. This bothered me because this character was a self-professed Christian and yet seemed to have a flippant attitude about marriage (granted, everyone makes mistakes and but the way it was described didn't seem biblical to me): I mean how do you "accidentally" marry someone??
Other than those things, it was quite a heartwarming story and the ending gave you all the feels.
The audiobook narrator did a great job!
Christian faith rating: 1/3
September 28, 2022
A quilt for Christmas is a small present to yourself just in time for the holidays. It's a quick read about charity, friendship, and forgiveness and it will get readers in the holiday spirit. When Vera Swanson located to a small condo hours away from her big family home she thought she was going to get to spend more time with her daughter and grandchildren and less time missing her husband. Instead - he daughter's family relocates almost as soon as she's moved in and she's left stranded in a town where she knows no one. When a small girl pounds on her door and asks for help because her mom is sick her world is turned upside down. She discovers that her next door neighbors are down on their luck and she is smitten with their children, especially 4 year old Fiona. When Fiona discovers that Fiona can quilt she wants to make a quilt for her mom by Christmas. Unfortunately there isn't much time and it's not a job Vera can do alone. She places fliers around town asking for people to help with her quilt project and soon she and three strange women, find themselves thrown together and forming friendships. Fun, light, and joyful. A quick read and one I will revisit again.
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