This is a beautiful book with older characters who celebrate Christmas despite life changes that could make the season an unhappy one.  The colors relate to the memories and feelings the characters have.  Beautifully engaging! I liked both stories and both are good for the season!!

Even though it is not Christmas yet....I did want to read Ms Newport's latest novel... I do enjoy her writing...and her storytelling.  This novel did put me in the Christmas spirit.  I loved it's imagination...it's simplicity...and it's message.  Ms Newport is an excellent wordsmith.  Thank you for the opportunity to read...and share this story.  I have recommended it to all of my reading friends....and local libraries.  Five Stars!

Very interesting take  on Holidays,  enjoyed this book.  sometimes we need to step back and look at our idea of WHAT Holidays should be.  If we've lived life (older than 20) Think most of us has had a Christmas of Blue or Gold!   Good read anytime of the year!

Colors of Christmas: Two Contemporary Stories Celebrate the Hope of Christmas is a pretty read. The titles of the stories are Christmas in Gold and Christmas in Blue. I enjoyed both of them and would recommend them to be added to any reader's Christmastime reading.
4 stars.

This book is actually 2 stories. My favorite is Christmas in Gold . Astrid is facing a new stage of her life that no one wants to face. She has sold her home and moved into a retirement home. She is determined to make the best of this situation. But as the Christmas season approaches memories of her upbringing in Nazi Germany seems so vivid. Astrid uses the stories of her childhood to reach out to her physical therapist, Carly. Carly has problems of her own. She has her son to care for while trying to avoid a former co-worker who has become a rather scary stalker. Astrid and Gabe, the cook at the retirement home, both want to give Carly back her faith and confidence especially with  the holidays approaching. I thought this story was going to be a sweet story of renewing the Christmas spirit so I was pleasantly surprised by the back story of Nazi Germany, a creepy stalker and a lively octogenarian being the hero! 
The second story involves facing the holiday season after the loss of a best friend. Angela just wants the season to be over. Her friend Carlo always made the season special by being the organizer of the town event call A Christmas To remember. Angela wants this to be the Christmas to forget. When she arrives late for the organizational meeting  she is shocked to discover she has been nominated, voted and approved to take over the event. She was Carol's best friend  after all and helped every year to make the event successful. Hardly!! When everything that could go wrong does Angela is in need of divine intervention. Along comes Gabe, Carol's long lost son. At least I think that's who he is...isn't there an angel named Gabriel floating about somewhere? Suddenly Christmas magic is happening all around town. Not the red and green Christmas colored magic but more like sparkly blue. This was a sweet story that put me in the holiday mood even in July. I think my tr9e will have lots of blue lights this year!

"Colors of Christmas" by Olivia Newport. WoW !! Two distinct stories in this emotionally packed read. I laughed and I cried and I only put the book down when it became evident that my eyes needed a break. I really wish I belonged to a reader group and this was the next book we would discuss. So many points to ponder... I will be reading this book again... soon. But I need to rest my eyes for a bit, so maybe an audio book or two to give them a break. If you like books that give you something to think about and make you feel emotions.. you will like this book.

Two lovely Christmas reads. I enjoyed both on there own merit. Both very different. With different characters, Perfect read for the winter tucked up beside the fire. Many will love this book

I wasn't sure about this book when I started it...it was a slow start and I found it difficult to get into.  But once I did, I had to finish it and know how the story ended.  The characters will tug at your heart strings, and you'll be rooting for Christmas to work out ok for them!  There are two different stories in here - I definitely preferred one over the other, but they are both good.

`Colors of Christmas` is a collection of two different stories by author Olivia Newport. In the first story eighty-year-old Astrid wants to stir up some Christmas cheer and in the second story, Angela just wants Christmas to be over.

        Astrid fell and broke some bones so now she lives in an assisted living apartment. It's Christmas and Astrid is helping to put decorations on the Christmas trees. It reminds her of Christmas time when she was a child. Another memory from her childhood occurs when so hears the bell for a fire drill, she remembers what life was like in Wuerzburg, Germany under the rule of Hitler.

        Carly is a young mother who finds it hard to juggle work and her child's daycare. I could relate to Carly with her guy trouble and that of being a single parent. Carly was Astrid's physical therapist at the apartments. While Carly worked on helping Astrid heal Astrid told Carly what life was like when she was a child in Germany.

        Angela, a young widow and a piano teacher who usually organized a Christmas recital just wanted Christmas to be over. She had recently lost her best friend and wasn't in the mood for Christmas. This is a great story about the Christmas that almost wasn't.

        There are reflection questions at the back of the book that make this a great Christmas book club choice. I recommend this book to fans of Christmas stories.

Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."