Christmas, Present audiobook

I took this book from the library because of the word "Christmas" in the title, but the only thing that connects it to Christmas is that the story is happening on the 23rd/24th of Decembre. Elliot takes his wife, Laura, to a Cirque du Soleil show for their 14th wedding anniversary. After the end of the show, while they are driving home, their car suddenly just stops, and Laura complains of a terrible headache. She is taken to the hospital where they find out that she had an aneurism on her brain that hemorrhaged. She is told that she would soon die, and the rest of the novel we follow Laura while she comes to terms with her inevitable death and says goodbye to her loved ones, and Elliot as he tries to come to terms with his wife's sudden sickness, death and the future life as a single dad of three girls. The book was not at all what I expected, but it was a good story that I couldn't put down, in spite of its not at all merry topic.

This book is a marvelous story that can be read in a few hours. I do caution though that this is not a sweet, sappy, or even happy Christmas book. The truth is, the only real "Christmas" thing about the book is it is placed during this season.No, in fact, it is a sad book and reminds the reader that even though there may be a holiday in the mix of things, that life and death still go on. It reminds to be grateful for life and to live in the "present" and to enjoy it as it is now.It also reminds us that even in the face of tragedy that life will continue and that even though loved ones may not be here for the big things, like Christmas, that there is hope, love, peace, and joy. That my dear readers, is what it is all about. 4 stars.Disclosure: I own a copy of this book. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Michelle

What a beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming story.

If you're looking for a Christmas book filled with good cheer and happy tidings, Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard is NOT for you. Reading the premise from the back cover promises that" a family comes together during the holiday season as they learn a powerful lesson about love and how to live each day of their lives as if it were their last." This is NOT a happy story, while there might be a message tucked inside that tomorrows are never a guarantee and that we should embrace the present as if is the only day we will ever have. As Elliot and Laura Banner make plans for their fourteenth wedding anniversary by attending a very wonderful play that Laura has been wanting to see performed by Cirque du Soleil only to have their car break down on their way home. Laura has been dealing with a horrible headache that she feels is a migraine, although she has never had one. She begs Elliot to take her to the hospital or at least call for an ambulance because she feels something isn't quite right. After considerable stalling, Laura begs a policeman to call the ambulance for her. Elliot can sense at this point that she doesn't look right and agrees. When they arrive at the hospital, Laura is whisked away while Elliot deals with the paperwork only to learn that despite all his efforts, Laura has had a rupture of a major artery in her brain and has only hours left to live. Even if he had called for an ambulance when she experienced her headache, it would have been too late to do anything. While the doctor believes some internet searching and calling some colleagues might yield a different result, he tells Elliot that she will continue to have seizures until she lapses into a coma and dies. I received Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard, compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. I guess the intent in the writing this novel is to embrace our days even more than we do now, because we always believe there will be a tomorrow. But like the Bible reminds us, life is merely a vapor. It is gone much too soon, and then we are faced with dealing with regrets for things we never did, believing we could always do it later. I would advise, NOT reading this during Christmas as the holidays are difficult to get through without reading something not so cheerful. I had hoped it would turn out differently but it doesn't. This is not a book with a happily ever after ending, unless it is a that the family will eventually move on, dealing with their losses in their own way. For me, I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

This book was pretty good. It is a very short book and a quick read. It really makes you think about how you value you life and all the things you have in it. It is an emotion trauma. This book is a feel good book, but it will also make you wanna cry. If you are looking for a quick seasonal read, I would most definitely recommend this book. I hope you enjoy "Christmas, Present" by Jacquelyn Mitchard as much as I did.

A very different kind of Christmas story. Sad but hopeful.

Geesh, pretty depressing for Christmas, but I appreciated this quick read.

I loved this one. 1st time a book has made me cry. Definitely makes you think about life.

Very quick read. Loved it. Cried a lot. Didn’t care for the ending.

Such a sad story. Short, but eloquently written.

Wow this was all in the feels.

Check out the full review at Kritters RamblingsWhat a heartbreaking little book. It could be described as a novella, but I read it in physical form so it felt like the perfect little book to read.Elliott and Laura have been married for 14 years and have made quite the life for themselves and out on a date night near Christmas to celebrate an anniversary the tides change and they are suddenly wishing for more years.