Title: Return To Christmas Author: Kathi Macias Publisher: New Hope Publishers Reviewed By: Arlena Dean Rating: Five Review:

"Return To Christmas" by Kathi Macias

What I liked about this novel....

"Return To Christmas" was a well written story about 'Two Troubled souls' ...a marine who had been through some really bad times after his second deportment from the 'Middle East' only to leave him quite a broken man suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder {PTSD}. This story will also also includes a young child who was suffering from 'Attachment Disorder.' When it is all said and done this author will give the reader a interesting story of 'love, hope, and redeeming faith.' It was a good story of how these two people that needed help in the worst way were able to began the road of hope as each of these families that had struggled so much with these life changing situations. I loved how this author brings out that through 'prayer and faith in God,' each one of these two people were able to come out of this on to the road to healing and recovery. This was definitely a novel of 'unconditional hope, love, above all redemption' and I would highly recommend this novel as a excellent read.

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Kathi Macias's books. She is one author who takes the time to research and develop her facts and characters within her stories. She has also tackled some tough issues in her books.

Return to Christmas is no different. Marine Chet is having issues returning to civilian life after two tours in Afghanistan. The only thing he wants is to find employment in order to support his family as he feels a man should. He is afraid to acknowledge that he has any other issues. However, his family is suffering. His wife is not sure how to make things better.

Across town, the adopted son of their friends is fighting his own inner war. At only 3 years of age, he has lived more than some people have lived in 30 or 40 years. Will he be able to trust and open up to his new life? Will a connection be made between the troubled man and the troubled child? Or will they both be lost in their own worlds?

Each of the characters within the story are well developed and, as a reader, I ended up cheering them on in their battles. Even as the story ended, I found myself wondering how will the future look for each. The only issue I had was that I would have liked to have been privy to some of the discussion that took place in the doctor's office for Chet. PSTD and Attachment Disorder seem similar but different in their symptoms. However, I am sure she could have written a thousand page book in order to include everything. I would highly recommend the book and any book written by Kathi Macias.
I received a copy from Netgalley in order for my feedback.

"...he never imagined it would take so long to get back to normal--whatever that might be. Or was this the new normal of his life--unnamed darkness and memories that haunted his every step?" wonders Chet Morton, twice - deployed and returned from Afghanistan. Kathi Macias, the author of Return to Christmas, understands PTSD quite well and evokes a myriad of emotions in the reader as we meet Chet and his wife, Jeneen, and vivacious three year-old, Kevin.
You will want to feel sorry for Chet as he struggles to assimilate back into society, shake him as he makes poor decisions, warn him to shape up, etc.

Woven into the tapestry of Chet and Jeneen's battle for normalcy and their marriage is the story of three other people whose lives profoundly intersect with those of Chet and Jeneen's. One is Dani, a worker at Kevin's preschool. The other two,actually three, are Breanna, the owner of the preschool, her husband Steve, and their adopted son, Ryan,who suffers from attachment disorder.

Kathi Macias creates some wonderfully realistic characters. While I hurt for Jeneen, I also hurt for the confusion of Chet, who is trying to make his way out of the terrors of war without the Lord. Little exuberant Kevin is a delight!! And little Ryan tugged at my heartstrings, even though he avoids people.

This is a wonderful, heartwarming story of God's rescue of one of his hurting children just in time for the holiday season. Don't miss it! Return to Christmas is due out on Oct. 5. For myself,I will be looking for other opportunities to read Kathi Macias's work.

I gratefully received a copy of this book from netgalley.

Return to Christmas is an inspirational and hopeful read. I felt the soldier's PTSD struggles and how some children's upbringing can resemble PTSD symptoms also. The scripture was inspirational and helpful.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and I liked how Kathi dealt with the PTSD issue. I've had some experience with dealing with PTSD and could relate to what she was going through. I would recommend this book to anyone who is currently dealing with someone who has PTSD.

This book offers a look at how hard it is for a soldier to enter "normal" life again. I'm glad the wife stuck by and realized that help was needed. She was so loving & patient with her husband. It was refreshing to see how God played a role in bringing this family back to "normal"

Jeneen just wants whats best for her husband and she knows there is something deeper going on with him she wishes he would just get the help thats out there for him but knows he's to prideful of a man to do it. Chet is dealing with coming back from war where life should be way easier then what he faced over there however he see the struggles of every day life and the only face that gets him through it is his three year old son who is wise beyond his years, but he knows thats not enough and he feels likes he not enough, he starting to wonder it this is even worth going on for or not? Breanna and Steve are so happy to have the life they dreamed of they just hope the little boy of theres will come around and see the love they have for him is enough and he will see that he is there world, but they know with out God and his work this will be a true struggle. The end question is will the two families be able to come together for the soul purpose of showing love to those who need in in there lives and survive? I have read a handful of books lately but the 2nd chapter the book is pretty predictable and you can guess whats going to happen that was not the case with this book. I thought it was going one way and it would go another. The struggle is real for Chet with his PTSD and the emotions seem to be jumping off the page. The Love of the characters is so wonderful while I wish in one since the book would have gone one way it was perfect ending. The book truly is a blessing and for once an other doesn't just right about all the good going on but rights about the hard stuff and this book is just that. I can't say enough good stuff about this book. You really will not regret buying this book I can wait to have a hard copy in my collection.

This is a wonderful Christian story that centers on Christmas. A marine is home from Afghanistan looking for work trying to bond with his son and wife. He won't admit he is suffering from PTSD and his wife is suffering along with him as she works at the bank, keeps the house and and tries to help her husband return to his faith. This story could take place in any town on any street. So realistic and true. A nice side story about a little boy with emotional issues ties this holiday story up with a big bow. Perfect for anyone from young to old.

This was a sweet story about a marine returning home and trying to fit in. This subject definitely needs more attention in our current society. The situations in this book though fictional could be taking place any where across the USA. Good believable characters and everyday life situations with prayer and worship in a Christian home being a positive influence.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It showed how PTSD affects not only the individual, but the entire family. I absolutely recommend it!

‘Return to Christmas’ is a very different kind of Christ-centered Christmas novel than I anticipated. I was pleasantly surprised, over and over, by Kathi Macias’ Christmas novel that was impossible to put down. The power of prayer and faith in God were all that could hold together two families, demonstrating that when all we have is God, God is more than we will ever need.

What do a little boy with attachment disorder and a former Marine have in common? How can one help the other, if help is, indeed possible? A man and boy were blessed to almost see into each other’s heart, knowing the other was a survivor of battles that no one could understand. The men, women and children in this gripping novel are as real as anyone you could meet at church, daycare, or any other social setting. Challenges are faced by real families around the country as soldiers return home from their military service, also those families with children with unique needs. The difference in this novel is how people of faith uphold each other with prayer, encouraging words, and shared activities.

Chet is a veteran trying to re-acclimate to a very different world than the war and death-torn one he left. Ryan is a young boy with attachment disorder who endured tragic beginnings before being adopted by a loving Christian couple. Chet’s wife had become a Christian during his first deployment, which began to annoy him more and more. Their son, the same age as Ryan, tried to interact with him whenever they were both at day care. The mother of the young, silent boy ran the daycare that her son and Chet’s son attend. It seems at times as if nothing is going to get better for either family; and as sometimes occurs when Christians intercede for others, circumstances seemed to get worse. The reactions to events outside their families begin to bring subtle changes, changes that could bring the restore the hope of Christmas to Chet and Ryan, then to their families.

This novel blooms with spiritual lessons, including simple lessons of how we can listen to or treat others around us, including strangers. There are plot twists I did not see coming, and an ending that is rich and satisfying. My favorite line, especially coming from a homeless stranger, is “You’ve got to celebrate His birthday”….”You’ve got to!” I highly recommend ‘Return to Christmas’ as a poignant story that can be enjoyed at Christmas or throughout the year. Adults of any age who appreciate Christian / Christmas fiction will enjoy this, as will fans of Kathi Macias’ writing, those who may have loved ones returning from the battlefront, or who have children or other family members with emotional disorders that they continue to believe in the power of God to change. ‘Return to Christmas’ is time well spent in a story that you will want to read again and again.

With a grateful heart, I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

War does terrible things to people. Some of it the average person can’t see. Those who deal with PTSD just want to find some semblance of normal. When Chet returns from his second tour in Afghanastan he finds life very difficult. His wife Jeneen does her best to be supportive. Then there is Kevin, their three year old son. The author wasn’t content to have just this one piece of tension running throughout the story. She added several others to the mix. At daycare owner and her husband are the parents of a young boy who has an attachment disorder. Chet’s problems are compounded by the fact he has decided he wants nothing to do with God. Somewhere along the way he has put God out of his life. This makes things a lot more difficult not only for him, but also for his family who hold on tight to God. You really must read this book to see how all of these things, and these people work together to realize that the only way to get through these trials is to pull closer to God. I love Kathi’s work because the story could have been taken from anyone’s neighborhood. I felt sorry for Jeneen. She worked and tried so hard to hold everything together while her husband was in denial about his PTSD. It made me wonder how many families go through this. Maybe it will be what is needed to help one family going through this same situation.