The Doctor's Christmas Quilt by Kathi Macias

Macias' short novel is a look into a few weeks of the life of Dr. Laura Branson, a woman who tragically lost her husband and son years ago. Her daughter, Megan, comes home from university early for Thanksgiving to tell her mother she is pregnant. There is never a thought of abortion as Megan and her mother are Christians with strong pro-life beliefs. But what will this do to Megan's future and her dream of following in her mother's career as a doctor? How can Megan be a single mom and continue her schooling? The father is out of consideration as he has already moved on to another girl.

Running parallel to the story of Megan and her mom is the story of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the woman who broke the so called glass ceiling of medicine in the mid-1800s. Dr. Branson has recently developed a new friend, Jenny, who has a quilting store. The two get together for lunch and Jenny tells Dr. Blackwell's story, represented by the squares in a quilt she is making. Jenny, also a strong Christian, knows she is to pray for Laura and Megan, even if she does not know what is going on in their lives.

As the novel progresses, we see how Megan and her mother deal with the pregnancy. It is one thing to have a strongly held belief on pro-life but another when the situation actually invades your family. The pro-life theme is repeated in Dr. Blackwell's story. We are reminded several times that Blackwell is well known for her strong abolitionist views but not as well known for her strong pro-life views.

This is a rather simply written story. It was a bit predictable. I would probably recommend a reading age of mid to upper teens. There is a very clear pro-life message as well as a clear presentation of the gospel in the book.

Kathi Macias is the award winning author of nearly 35 books including the Quilt series. He devotionals reach hundreds of thousands. She is a popular speaker at retreats, conferences, churches, and on TV and radio programs. A mother and grandmother, she and her husband live in California.

New Hope Publishers, 240 pages.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through the Book Group Network for the purpose of this review.