A single, 34 year-old man, with an aversion and
allergy to cats, is faced with the methodical task of finding suitable homes for
six precious felines in The Christmas Cat, a heartwarming novel by
Melody Carlson (The
Christmas Dog). Garrison Brown—trying to build a new life in Seattle
after spending nine years doing missionary work in Uganda, battling malaria and
nursing a broken heart in romance—receives word, near Christmas, that his
widowed grandmother has died of a heart attack.
Summoned to Vancouver, Washington to settle her
affairs, Garrison is surprised to learn that his frugal "Gram"—who
raised him after his parents died in a car crash when he was 12 years-old—left
behind her house, fully paid off, along with a substantial nest egg. Before
Garrison can claim his inheritance, however, he is designated as "the
keeper of the cats," responsible for following Gram's detailed, stringent
criteria to match each cat's unique personality to his or her prospective new
owner. Once Garrison can prove each cat is happily settled, the selected
adoptive families will each receive $10,000. Where does this leave
Garrison—especially with his feelings about cats? And just how should he roll
out the plan in order to sift through suitable adoptive homes from mere gold
diggers?
What ensues is a lighthearted story of
Garrison's reconnection to his old neighborhood, his interacting with strangers
who may become friends—or even something more—and his rekindling old hopes and
dreams. Carlson,
prolific in feel-good, faith-based fiction, once again delivers an affirming
tale brimming with compassion and charm.
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Note:
This review is a reprint and is being posted (in a slightly different form)
with the permission of Shelf Awareness. To
read this review on Shelf Awareness: Reader's
Edition (9/12/14), click HERE