Comfort & Joy

A Fable

By: Kristin Hannah

Narrated by: Sandra Burr

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah is beloved by readers around the world for her unique blend of powerful emotion and exquisite storytelling. In Comfort & Joy, she offers a modern-day fairy tale - the story of a woman who gets a miraculous chance at happiness.

Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossroads in her life; recently divorced and alone, she can’t summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating. So without telling anyone, she buys a ticket and boards a plane bound for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest, Joy makes a bold decision to leave her ordinary life behind - to just walk away - and thus begins an adventure unlike any she could have imagined.

In the small town of Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O’Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, Bobby has closed himself off from the world, talking only to his invisible best friend. His father Daniel is beside himself, desperate to help his son cope. Yet when the little boy meets Joy, these two unlikely souls form a deep and powerful bond. In helping Bobby and Daniel heal, Joy finds herself again.

But not everything is as it seems in quiet Rain Valley, and in an instant, Joy’s world is ripped apart, and her heart is broken. On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love - and a family - that can’t possibly exist, and go in search of what she wants...and the new life only she can find.

©2005 Kristin Hannah. (P)2005 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“A heartwarming holiday tale [that] resonates with poignancy and deep emotion.” (Romantic Times)

Super sweet

This book just brought me joy. I listened to the entire thing in 2 days, and it was a perfect story for the holidays.

Not for me

I love Kristin Hannah and I usually love feel-good novels... but this book did not do it for me. I found the plot a bit too obvious and predictable, and the narration a bit too over the top. Not one I’d recommend, unfortunately.

Loved it.

I Love Kristin Hannah books. can't put them down. Have been reading them all since I discovered Firefly Lane. It was the best!

Comfort & Joy. Gives exactly that….

I listened to this on audio. I totally enjoyed the entire book! Narration was fantastic because it was performed by characters rather than one person trying to do the job, which I feel doesn’t usually work. You’ll be surprised by the ending. In true Kristen fashion, it was a feel good book. Highly recommend!!

Another great Kristin Hannah novel

This takes off like your typical Kristin Hannah novel until it begins to feel like a Hallmark romance. I nearly gave up but know better to when it’s Kristin Hannah & she didn’t disappoint. Nicely done!

loved it!

it was a great story. the narrator's voice sounded a little older than I think the character is suppose to be so that confused me in the beginning. it was an excellent read though. highly recommend.

review

not one of the authors best and the reader made stacy and joy sound like old women and made daniel and bobby sound ridiculous.

Short and incredibly sweet

Fun holiday read, which was exactly what I was looking for. I was in it until the end, which was perfect.

Head-scratching

I don't think I ever got over through the whole book that a sister would sleep with her sister's husband. I find that botherson and inexcusable. I did however really enjoy bobby and daniel. After the heartbreak of the loss of them, it was wonderful that they ended up together again.

Different but endearing

Speaker sounded older than the character was. I had a very different picture in my mind once the story declared itself.