Book Review: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (New Release!)

I’ve had the privilege of working with author A.M. Heath for several years now, and each time I hear that she has a new book coming out, I excitedly and semi-patiently wait to have a turn to read it. Last month, when she sent me the file for her next release, I couldn’t wait to get to it—but I had some other tasks to do before the weekend, so I had to wait until the following week to crack it open.

Friends, when I did finally open the story and start reading, I . . . um, well, let’s say that I dropped into a bit of a reading coma. I’ll explain about that in a moment, but first, I’ll share the back cover blurb of the story.

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which help support this blog at no added expense to you. Thanks! Also, the author gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, and all thoughts expressed here are entirely my own.

About the book:

Can a cozy inn at Christmas transform the troubled hearts seeking refuge there?

Pregnant and alone, Alissa Hill moved to Garland, Tennessee to help at her aunt’s inn. When a guest brings her hidden past to the inn’s door, she must decide whether to face it or continue to run.

A career-ending injury ruined Stephen Powell’s life plans. Now a former NFL kicker, he’s searching for a new purpose while recovering at the Cheery Inn. But those at the inn may offer him much more than he expects.

Sparks fly the moment Alissa and Stephen meet, but secrets and regrets may keep them apart unless they can learn to forgive and move beyond their brokenness.

Read this heartwarming Christmas romance today!

Buy yourself a copy | Add It Came Upon a Midnight Clear on Goodreads

My thoughts:

I’m not a fast reader—well, not fast compared to my mom, anyway. But when I started reading this book, expecting to get a few chapters into it and then stopping to move on to something else, I greatly underestimated the power of this story and this author’s prowess. I’ve enjoyed A.M. Heath’s work for years, and it’s especially fascinating to see how she’s grown in skill as time has gone on. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, though, was a real winner for me.

There were so many relatable situations with these characters. Although I haven’t found myself in the same place as either of the main characters (thankfully!), their struggle toward forgiveness, healing, and figuring out what God wanted from their lives did feel very familiar to me. Sometimes, when life doesn’t turn out the way that we expected, it can be hard to know what to do next—and it can be especially hard to receive the grace He has offered us when we don’t feel like we deserve it. It’s also really difficult to learn to trust again when your feet have been knocked out from under you. There was so much truth included in these pages, and I really appreciated that!

The characters, too, were great. David, the young boy in the story, was an absolute hoot, and paired with the older sisters that were featured at times, I had to stop reading several times as I laughed. Despite some of the heavier portions of the book, there was humor throughout the story, and I really loved that. I also fell in love with Stephen and the way he was so gentle and loving, and passed along grace-heavy tidbits even when he was dealing with his own pain and questions. For example, here’s my favorite quote from him:

“Lord, help her to see that she’s more to You than her sin.”

—Stephen

In all, I absolutely loved It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. And when I said I fell into a “reading coma”? Yeah. It happened. Even though I only intended to read a few chapters, I “came to” about an hour and a half after I started, and realized I hadn’t even thought about stopping. If it weren’t for the fact that I had other commitments over the time I was reading, I’m fairly certain I would have finished this book in one sitting. I did finish it the same afternoon, and after I reached the end, I had a moment of grief—“Wait, I have to say goodbye to these characters already?” This is a very sweet, Christmassy read with a wonderful message, so if you’re looking for something short with a bit of meat alongside a satisfying romance, this could be just the book for you.

Giveaway!

Enter to win a Christian Reader’s Cozy Packet!

Prize pack includes a signed copy of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, a stack of other Christian Christmas reads, and … a little something extra to round out your cozy day of reading.
(* Open to continental U.S. Residents only.)

Of Special Note — on Sale This Week:

Grab book 1 of the Christmas in Garland series for $.99 this week! (Read my review of Project Scrooge here, if you’re interested. This is a standalone series.)

About the author, A.M. Heath:

Besides being an Indie Author, I’m a wife, mother of four, ladies’ Sunday School teacher, sweet tea drinker, history fanatic, romantic, bubbly, lover of broccoli, and a retired cake decorator who has a soft spot for Christmas trees, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

What I’m not is a laundress (or at least not one who keeps up very well), a duster, tall, or patient in a doctor’s office.

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Tour Stops!

What story based at Christmas time has impacted you lately? What was the most memorable Christmas story you’ve ever read (besides the story of Jesus’ birth 🙂 )?