The Unfinished Gift

The Unfinished Gift: A Novel by Dan Walsh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Little, seven-year-old Patrick Collins is on the verge of becoming an orphan with a newly deceased mother and his father now missing in action. His fate rests in the hands of a tenderhearted social worker and a cranky, old grandfather he has never met.

Dan Walsh takes you back in time for a heart-wrenching Christmas story set in the early 1940's during World War Two. It's the story of a brave boy, a grumpy old man, a caring neighbor, and an unfinished gift.

Will the last wish of a a wife, mother, and grandmother actually be realized? Will the untimely death of a beautiful, young mother bring over due reconciliation or create a greater family divide? And will a hand-carved, wooden soldier become a cherished keepsake or continue as a symbol of conflict?

This book mixes a little bit of history with sad a tale of father-son conflict, and adds Christmas cheer to make it a story you won't soon forget. I enjoyed reading this book with it's honest characters and tear-jerking story line. Walsh has written a story that both young and old, male and female, will enjoy.

A sequel is scheduled to be published in June of 2010.

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Thank you to Donna Hausler and Revell for the review copy.  These books are available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.