Friday, December 28, 2018

BOOK: I Need Christmas by Carol Ann Kauffman


After a depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, successful civil engineer and former All-American basketball star Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the Christmas holidays a depressed and broken women. 

Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but morally-bankrupt Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first big love who left her after two years of what she thought was a good marriage for a stripper he met at an office bachelor party for her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty. 

Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their multitude of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like traditions, she knows she needs them in order to heal. 

Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better about herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, throwing her back into the self-destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, and suspision she is trying so hard to escape.


She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé at work, the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him.


So, what’s the problem? Betsy feels it’s too soon for her to love again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like herself or what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears she will hurt the sweet, gentle Patrick.


Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season coupled with the many long-time holiday customs and Curry family traditions help Betsy to find herself again? Will she be strong enough to lift herself out of her self-induced prison so that she can take another chance on love ? 


What others are saying about I Need Christmas:


“I Need Christmas” is book two of the “Oakville Family Christmas” anthology and keeps to the spirit of the series 
nicely. Being surrounded by family isn’t always the picture of a Norma Rockwell painting. Far too often it’s the exact 
opposite. But in Betsy Curry’s case it could not be more the reality. Betsy is recovering from a marriage that was at
 best a nice arrangement for her husband, who by the way, abruptly returns wanting another try (with ulterior motives).
 Having been done with him and comfortably surrounded by a loving family, Betsy is having none of his nonsense. 
Enter mystery man, Patrick. What will happen next? Find out by getting your copy of “I Need Christmas.”


This was a very sweet and heartwarming story. It's short, and a wonderful story to read just before you go to sleep, 
as it's just the right length and will give you warm and fuzzy dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to read more 
by Ms Kauffman.


I just finished your book, "I Need Christmas," and found this to be a heartwarming story of family and traditions.

Set in Great Midwest, Ohio, the story takes you back to still present, albeit distant, small town America, the cutting 
of the family Christmas Tree, and of course, the tree trimming party!Recently divorced Betsy, is home for holidays 
and desperate to gain some feeling of normality. Can Christmas do that? With all of the commercial/retail marketing, 
constant pressure to shop, to spend, to buy! Or is the magic of the season enough? Can one finder her rudder? 
And a new Beau? Read this wonderful short story and find out!

It's Christmas at the Curry house and things couldn't be better, unless you're Betsy Curry. Her no-good husband 
dumped her for a stripper and she hasn't gotten over the pain of his betrayal. Just as she settles into the comfort 
and traditions of her family and starts a potential romance with a guy her parents tried to hook her up with sets in, 
her ex shows up looking for reconciliation and then to start trouble. This is a really good story and I enjoyed getting 
to know some of the other characters that were mentioned in the other books of this series.


This is a story set in Great Midwest and brings forth all the beautiful traditions of Christmas - the Christmas tree, 
the party, family and holidays. Betsy, who was recently divorced, is hoping Christmas would bring some normality 
to her life and is hoping the magic of the season would rub on her somehow. When she meets Patrick, things 
change. Will Betsy get her own Christmas miracle? Read this sweet story to find out!


Betsy Curry needs all the comfort and security of being with her family this Christmas after she divorced her cheating 
husband. What she's not sure she needs is their help in finding a boyfriend! this story is a realistic peek into the home 
of a loving family during the days leading up to Christmas. Kaufman's knack for heartwarming storytelling shines 
through.

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