Christmas in the Village is the highlight of the year for the town of Charlee Falls, but this year Alexis Crossman is anything but inspired. Devastated by her father’s death, she can barely summon the energy to decorate the window of the furniture store she’s inherited, let alone officiate the store’s annual Christmas contest.
Jessie Wainright is struggling to navigate parenthood alone. Especially when it comes to his daughter’s first date. He attends the annual festival hoping to lighten his mood, and inadvertently wins a key to the contest. But can he find the key that will unlock lovely Alexis’s heart?
After a disastrous date Alexis has written Jessie off as cold. But when he invites her to join him for lattes, she discovers his pain goes as deep as hers. And his faith in God goes deeper. Can the wonder of Christmas help them discover the key to living and loving again?
The Key to Christmas is a story about overcoming loss. Widowed dad Jessie Wainwright is struggling with all the changes that come with having a teen-age daughter who’s growing up faster than he wants. Divorced business owner Alexis Crossman is trying to balance all the tasks of running the store she took over after her father’s death with the busy season. The town is buzzing with preparation for their annual Christmas celebration and the Key to Christmas contest. When both of Jessie’s keys unlock the prize box, they also unlock a relationship between Jessie and Alexis. I really enjoyed this story of love and second chances. Ms. Pike paints beautiful word pictures that make me want to curl up in front of the fireplace with some Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. Wonderful for the Christmas season.
Like many of us, Alexis and Jessie are struggling to navigate losses in their lives, and Christmas intensifies their respective pain by reminding them of the loved ones who are no longer present. But by leaning into God, and one another, the wonder of the season reveals the key to loving again. M. Jean Pike has written a Christmas story that will warm your heart! I highly recommend The Key to Christmas for anyone looking for a cozy Christmas read.
A touching story of two people who each get a second chance at love. I enjoyed the story’s small-town setting, complete with a unique Christmas tradition. I also appreciated the protagonists’ relationships with other characters, particularly Jessie’s relationship with his teenage daughter, Izzy. This story is a beautiful picture of God’s faithfulness to His children in every season of life.
