Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber

I love fun Christmas reads. Fun fiction should be a part of December. This being a crazy, busy month, I tend to lean towards light and fluffy reads. Last year I read the second book in the Mrs. Miracle "series" by Macomber. (I didn't realize it was the sequel.) This year I thought I'd best read the first, Mrs. Miracle.

Last year I mentioned that I didn't know whether or not Debbie Macomber was a Christian or not, but that I thought she definitely had some understanding of theology. I asked readers back then if they had any information on her and one commenter said that she believed Macomber is indeed a Christian but they weren't completely sure. Picking up and reading Mrs. Miracle I'm left with the same question: is she, or isn't she?

The theme of this title is forgiveness. (A subject which keeps jumping up and whacking me in the face these days, it seems.)

In Mrs. Miracle we meet widower Seth Webster. Seth is at his wits end raising two six-year old twin boys when Emily Merkle (aka Mrs. Miracle) enters the household and restores order out of the chaos. Reba Maxwell is struggling through another depressing Christmas season, at war with various family members after suffering a serious falling out with her sister. This fallout resulted in Reba's calling off her engagement and wedding to a guy four years prior. It is an accident that Reba and Seth meet up or does Mrs. Miracle have something to do with it?

The story is incredibly predictable in every single respect. I still enjoyed it. I was after happy and fluffy and was completely and thoroughly satisfied. I could have watched the movie or read the book but I thought I'd feel a little more intellectual if I read the book. (Now that I've read the book I'm free to watch the movie though and I'd kind of like to. So I don't think I can say I really saved time in the end.) Actually, based on the introduction of this particular edition I picked up, the book has been "tied into the Hallmark Channel movie" so I'm not sure if there is an earlier edition that looked a bit different. No matter. I really don't care enough to research this question. The point was to mentally escape to a world with Christmas trees and a happy ever after ending.

Even though it is "light" reading, that doesn't really give me permission to turn my brain off as everything we read or watch should be examined in the light of scripture. I have to tell you there were some cons I found along the way, but none of which bothered me so much as to keep me from the story.

1. The opening sentence almost did me in. I mean, I was so put off that I almost closed the book.

"I told you not to swear, you little turd." Seth Webster grabbed his sons by the scruffs of their necks in order to keep his squirming twins apart."

I don't think you should start any book that way if you really want to keep your readers. Thankfully Seth is roundly chastised for saying what he did almost immediately. He also repented instantly and so I was able to forgive it and move on. (Forgiveness being the theme and all.)

2. There are a few a-little-bit-too-romantic-situations in the book that I really could have done without. Seth and Reba have some passionate kisses and Seth's inlaws have "a moment" in their bed which could have easily been eliminated from the book. Although I would hastily say that Macomber, for feeling the need to present such scenes, did so as subtly as could possibly be done. She used one sentence to tell you what's happening. The problem is that one descriptive sentence can paint a scene in the reader's head. And that is unwelcome. So I do feel the need to point that out.

On a more amusing note, during one of the kissing scenes, Macomber wrote that Seth had "fragrant breath" and I still can't stop laughing about that one. (I'm laughing again.) Seriously? Fragrant breath? That does not make me think nice things. So, in the middle of a romantically described kiss, that line sufficiently distracted me to no end. (Fragrant breath. Pardon me for a big "LOL!" "Oh, honey! What fragrant breath you have!" *wipes tears from eyes*)

Besides these things, I was able to enjoy the book right fine and dandy.

In fact, I thought Macomber wrote about the need for forgiveness, and the benefits of it, in a remarkably clever and wise way. She deftly wove a sermon about forgiveness throughout these pages that, aside from a good, solid, straight-on sermon on the topic, was very good. She talked about how scriptures require it but put more heavy emphasis on the spiritual and emotional health that the forgiver receives once they let go of bitterness, anger and hurt. That's truly not an easy topic to tackle. It would be wonderful if forgiveness came easily and naturally but the fact is that it does not. Human nature desires to be self-satisfied. We want apologies! We want pats on the back! We want to know that we are right! The idea of forgiveness can be hard to grapple with, even when you want to forgive. I thought Macomber did a brilliant and accurate job of explaining how broken a life is that fails to forgive, and then also shared the joy of life post-forgiveness being extended. This aspect of the story really struck me as being well done.

After reading two Christmas-related titles by Macomber, I have to say I'm once again curious about her non-holiday titles. However, I've heard that they contain "scenes" which - even though between married couples - was still a bit too much. That's a pity because if such scenes weren't there I would be much more inclined to read more of her books. She is a very fun author. You might very well find me talking about another of her Christmas titles next year! She has a bunch so I can spread them out. I do believe I will look forward to that.