Crave a snowstorm? Want to imagine Christmas and the smell a fresh cut Frasier Fir in August? Pick up Jodie Bailey’s Quilted By Christmas novella!
T
aryn McKenna believes she’s easy to forget. After being abandoned by her parents and left behind when her high school sweetheart joined the army, she vowed to never love again, and threw herself into her love for the outdoors, and the pursuit of a college degree—something no one else in her family had ever accomplished. Her goal, as a young teacher in the hills of North Carolina, is to leave a legacy in the lives of the middle schoolers she teaches.
When Taryn’s grandmother Jemma, the only other person who ever held her close, has a heart attack that reveals a fatal medical condition, Taryn is corralled into helping grandma work on a final quilting project—an Irish chain quilt that tells the story of her history and the love Jemma knows is out there for Taryn. As the pieces of the quilt come together, Taryn begins to see her value. Can she learn to believe that though others have left her behind, God never will?
This novella is a page turner with a complex plot and deep characters as Taryn traverses a serious hospitalization for her beloved grandmother, Jemma, her only relative, and reconnects with her high school sweetheart, Justin. All three have long-kept secrets that, when revealed, change the course of their lives. Author Jodie Bailey evokes emotion from the reader with the depth of her characters and the realism of the setting. The genuine characters, light-hearted humor, and sweet Christmas setting make this a must-read!
Disclosure of Material Connection: As an influencer, I received this book free from NetGalley and the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.