Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey (Review and Giveaway)

About the book: A grandmother's last wish is to communicate God's love through an Irish chain quilt.

Taryn McKenna believes she's easy to forget. Abandoned by her parents and left behind when her high school sweetheart joined the army, she vows to never love again and throws herself into her love for the outdoors and the pursuit of a college degree---something no one else in her family has ever accomplished. Her goal, as a young teacher in the hills of North Carolina, is to leave a legacy in the lives of the middle-schoolers she teaches. When Taryn's grandmother Jemma, the only other person who ever held her close, has a heart attack that reveals a fatal medical condition, Taryn is corralled into helping Grandma work on a final project---an Irish chain quilt that tells the story of her history and the love Jemma knows is out there for Taryn. As the pieces of the quilt come together, Taryn begins to see her value. Can she learn to believe that God will never leave her behind even though others have?

My thoughts:  A small mountain town in North Carolina. What a perfect setting for a North Carolina gal to read a book about and it is also a charming Christmas read. Gotta be good! So let’s see…..

High school sweethearts Taryn McKenna and Justin Callahan don’t quite make it to the altar. They go their separate ways – Taryn to college and Justin into the military. Twelve years pass. During that period of time the two have lived full lives.  Taryn is a school teacher, loved, respected. Justin has returned from honorable military service to take over his father’s construction business.

Into the mix is a beloved grandmother – Jemma. Feisty, hard and robust as mountaineers go, beloved by granddaughter Taryn and Justin as well. But an accident looms and it brings down Jemma and lands her in the hospital. It brings Taryn and Justin back together again because of their love for her. And then the fun begins.

Now how in the world does a quilt come into play in a Christmas story, a story about an injured grandmother, and boy meets girl after twelve years? Well, it all comes down to tradition – mountain and family tradition.

We get a bit of romance (sweet), a bunch of anger, a heaping of secrets, and a bit of sewing by……. well, you’ll just have to read it yourself to find out.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Jodie Bailey is Tarheel born and bred. After 15 years as a military spouse, she settled with her family back in North Carolina. She is the author of the military suspense novel Freefall and is a contributor to Edie Melson's devotional for military families, Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home. While not working on her next novel, she teaches middle-schoolers to love writing as much as she does (if she's lucky that day and they're actually listening...). Jodie loves to bake, ride the Harley with her husband, and fish the Outer Banks with their daughter.  Connect with Jodie: website, Facebook, Twitter

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received no compensation for the review.