Reviewed: February 5th, 2021
What a lovely, heart-warming tale.
Following the death of his mother, fourteen-year-old Daniel Morgan moves from Texas to Utah to live with his grandma and new step-grandfather while his dad pursues a job out of state. Encouraged by his father, Daniel reluctantly starts his first job as a paperboy. Lonely and lost in an unfamiliar environment and with the holidays approaching, Daniel finds comfort and hope in the sound of local church bells. Through his grandparents and the retired families living on his paper route, Daniel learns valuable lessons about responsibility and family. But will he find the spirit of Christmas he longs for?
Daniel is fourteen and a typical teenager coping with the loss of his mum at Christmas. The situation worsens when his father loses his job, his car is repossessed and when his father takes a job out of town Daniel has to move to Utah to live with his grandparents.
Battling loneliness and struggling to cope with emotions he doesn’t understand, Daniel takes up a paper round.
Daniel’s grandmother gives him a journal, and he starts to write in it. The narration though Daniel’s eyes will make you laugh and cry. His view of his life, his interactions with his customers—they are not happy when he throws their newspapers at them instead of delivering—and his journey to self-discovery and an appreciation of the meaning of Christmas and friends is just beautifully written.
An enjoyable easy read. One to take out again just before Christmas to remind you what a beautiful time of year it is, and how important your friends and family are.
About Andrew:
Andrew J. Mair is a podcaster, blogger, and author. Tales of a Paperboy – A Christmas Story, his debut novella, was released on August 17, 2020. He was born in Ogden, Utah in 1974. He grew up in Utah, leaving only briefly for his two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Perth, Australia. His mother instilled in him a love for music, family, and especially Christmas.
He attended Western Governors University later in life, receiving a Bachelors’ degree in Business in 2012. He met his wife Christy in 1998, and they were married in April 2000. Andrew loves technology and all things considered geek culture, especially Star Wars and Marvel movies.
He participates in several podcasts, including the Utah-based show (in podcast form) The Cultural Hall, as a social media manager and contributor. Other podcasts include his geek centered show, Should We Hit Record. He also appears as the straight ally on Strangers No More, a podcast for LGBTQIA individuals in the LDS Church.
Andrew loves Christmas and dedicates his writing to yuletide themes during the holiday season. Each December, Andrew posts every day from December 1 to Christmas Eve about a range of holiday topics ranging from Christmas carols, angels, shepherds, and Santa Claus.
You can find his blog here.
Website: https://andrewjmair.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajmairauthor
Link to ebook on: Amazon UK
Link to Paperback on Amazon UK
Link to ebook on: Amazon US
Link to paperback on Amazon US
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Helen Garraway 