From Publishers Weekly
Ahern wades into the Christmas fiction fray with a winning tale of magic and redemption. Lou Suffern is a busy man, and his family's growing weary of constantly taking the backseat to his career. On a whim, he offers Gabe, a homeless man he meets outside his office, a low-level job, and the uncharacteristically kind gesture plays out in a very unexpected way when Lou learns that Gabe has the power to be in two places at once. As the holidays draw nearer, Gabe tries to make Lou realize the importance of his family, but slow-to-change Lou might not come around to Gabe's way of thinking until it's too late. Ahern's an accomplished storyteller, and her writing chops elevate this far above the normal holiday fare. There's magic, but it's not campy, and the sentiment is real. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“Light holiday fare with a lesson . . . [that] encourages readers to appreciate the important things. . . . Ahern has a way with character.” (Kirkus Reviews )
“A moving tale . . . The Gift weaves magical elements into modern-day setting, and will certainly appeal to readers looking for a touching supernatural tearjerker.” (Booklist )
“A winning tale of magic and redemption. . . . Ahern’s an accomplished storyteller, and her writing chops elevate this far above the normal holiday fare. There’s magic, but it’s not campy, and the sentiment is real.” (Publishers Weekly )
“Charming . . . The Gift is like a warm sweater.” (Associated Press )
“An updated version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol . . . with some surprising twists.” (Boston Globe )
“[A] holiday treat . . . This clever twist on the guardian angel story will appeal to Ahern’s fans and lovers of holiday fiction.” (Library Journal )
“This modern-day Scrooge tale is a delightful read with plenty of fun twists and turns.” (USA Today )
“THE GIFT is a tantalizing tale wrapped in a tale that I devoured in one sitting. It’s a perfect treat for the holidays.” (Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants )
