Shopping for a Christmas tree, special occasion decorator Gracie Singleton bumped into Merett Bradmoore, former high-school crush, who had moved back from New York. She had first fallen in love with him when he and his wealthy family saved the poverty-stricken Singleton's Christmas by bringing gifts and turkey, returning hope to their lives. But Merett had lost his own hope, and Gracie wanted to save his Christmas now, in return.

His precocious nearly eight-year-old daughter Kirsten took to Gracie straight away. Merett was also drawn to Gracie, but he couldn't bear to tell her how he had failed as a journalist to rise up the ranks in New York. Ashamed of his ownership of the local rag, and resolved to go back to New York to prove himself, he held her at arms length, denying his feelings for her. When Merett got a job offer back in New York, he struggled to choose between Gracie and his hometown, and his need to prove himself.

Going back to New York, he realized that the thing he had liked about it was that his neighborhood was a small town in a big city.

A touching story about learning to hope again, GRACIE'S HOLIDAY HERO left me with a smile on my face. Every little girl has a special place in her heart for her first high school crush, and through this story she can vicariously revisit the dream of her love. Betty Jo Schuler has created convincing and likeable characters in Gracie and Merett, whose past experiences create realistic communication barriers. More than once I found myself tearing up or nodding in sympathy. GRACIE'S HOLIDAY HERO is an affectionate look at small-town life, and at how life can take away your hope-and restore it.

Reviewed By: Melinda Stanners
(c) August 2004