Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Peter, the local pastor who is dedicated to his community, spending time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and, with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker gang.
When Peter scoffs that Hank has it easy compared to him, the two decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To their surprise, the responsibilities of a bartender and a pastor are similar, but taking on the other’s work is more difficult than either Peter or Hank expected. As the two begin to see each other in a new light—and each discovers a new love to cherish—their lives are forever changed.
In The Christmas Spirit, Debbie Macomber celebrates the true meaning of the holidays and the inclusive community spirit that binds us all.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
October 18, 2022 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593614143
- File size: 156175 KB
- Duration: 05:25:21
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
Publisher's Weekly
August 29, 2022
Bestseller and Hallmark Channel stalwart Macomber (Dear Santa) does it again with a candy cane–sweet holiday romance about two friends who swap lives for a week before Christmas. Framed as a true story told by a grandmother to her two young grandchildren, the narrative toggles between the present day and 1977, when bar owner Hank Colfax and church pastor Pete Armstrong got into a debate about whose job was easier. Hank assumes Pete’s job is a walk in the park without the hassle of taxes and paperwork, while Pete thinks Hank must be partying every night. The men hatch a plot to trade professions for the holiday season, and each quickly finds their assumptions proven wrong—while also finding love in the most unlikely of places. Pete’s instantly taken by Millie, a waitress at a biker bar who comes to his rescue in a moment of peril, and Hank melts the icy heart of the judgmental church secretary, Grace Ann. An eclectic supporting cast—including cadres of strippers and bikers—and a comically disastrous climactic Christmas Eve church service make the narrative shine bright. It’s exactly what readers want from a Macomber holiday outing. Agent: Theresa Park, Park & Fine. -
AudioFile Magazine
Narrator Eliza Foss portrays Nana as she tells her grandchildren a true Christmas story from 1977. In Nana's tale, Peter the pastor and Hank the bartender switch places the week before Christmas, finding love and enlightenment in the exchange. Foss unwinds the story in a gentle old-time style that suits Macomber's wholesome message. Peter sounds more restrained, while Hank is more casual and jovial. Peter's sister, Grace Ann, who is stuck with guiding Hank through church festivities, sounds appropriately peeved until she rediscovers the meaning of Christian charity. Peter's encounters with the bikers who frequent Hank's tavern include lots of gruff voices and some hilarious moments. In an understated fashion, Foss encourages listeners to share Macomber's theme of boundless love in a joyous Christmas season. C.A. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
-
Loading
Why is availability limited?
×Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.
The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:
×Read-along ebook
×The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.