June 25, 2018
Woodsmall (The Gift of Christmas Past) takes readers into the picturesque mountains of North Carolina and onto the cozy sands of St. Simons Island, Ga. Since Tara turned 18, she has been in charge of raising her half-brothers, Darryl and Sean. But now almost 30, with her independence near as both brothers are ready to head off to college, Tara’s life is ripped apart when a storm destroys her home. She leaves the mountains and memories of North Carolina to head to St. Simons Island for healing and rest. Gavin, a local firefighter, and his four “mommas”—eccentric retiree friends who call themselves the Glynn Girls—are all recovering from their own personal losses and take Tara under their wing, propelled by their own need for solace and hope. While the Glynn Girls are happy to get Tara out of her depression, Gavin is not as keen on having his simple life disturbed. As they all get to know Tara and she reveals her own family used to vacation on the island, they realize that their lives are connected in ways that they never could have imagined. Although the plot is convenient and the ending is unsurprising, ample humor and faith elements make Tara’s emotional journey relatable. Woodsmall tells an enjoyable story about growing through emotional, physical, and spiritual strife.