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    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones
    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones
    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones
    Ebook88 pages1 hour

    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones

    By Kimberly B. Jackson

    5/5

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    About this ebook

    Mary Jones is recently widowed and lonely...very lonely. Although the people of the small town of River Oak, Tennessee, call her Grandmother Jones with much affection, Mary yearns for the family she was never blessed with. When a stranger named Teresa appears on her doorstep with her four-year-old child, claiming to be the daughter of her deceased husband, Mary's world is forever changed.Even though Mary suspects Teresa is hiding a terrible secret, she takes her newfound stepdaughter underwing, determined to help her. Soon, the young woman garners the attention of Tom, the single and very handsome sheriff of the town, and Mary can't help but play matchmaker.When Teresa's daughter is kidnapped by her dangerous ex-husband, Mary and Teresa are forced to rely on the young sheriff, each other, and more importantly, God. Will Teresa's daughter be rescued? Will Mary receive a special Christmas gift this year—the one thing she has always wanted in her life?A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones is an inspirational story of faith, family, and love.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPrism Lux
    Release dateDec 1, 2016
    ISBN9781940099422
    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones

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    • 5/5
      A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones by Kimberly B. Jackson is a delightful and most enjoyable story for the Christmas season or for any time of the year. Mary Jones is only forty-five but all the people in her small town call her Grandmother. Unfortunately, Mary has no children and her husband William has recently died. Teresa and her four-year-old daughter, Emma, appear on Mary’s porch and Teresa says that Mary’s late husband is her father. Mary happily takes Teresa and Emma into her home and treats them as her own. Teresa soon grabs the attention of Tom, the sheriff of the town. Emma is kidnapped by Teresa’s ex-husband and even though Tom is working to find Emma, Mary and Teresa realize that they need to stop relying on themselves and rely on God to help them find Emma.The author did a very good job in the development of the plot of the story. There were several twists and turns and each one just added interest to the story. Characters were so well developed that they came to life on the pages of the book. During all the scenes, I felt as if I were right in the middle of what was going on for they were so well written and the dialogue was always interesting and believable. The story grabbed my interest on the first page and held it until the last page. This was a great inspirational story that dealt with faith, love, suspense, romance, and family. And there was even some Christmas magic. I would like to have known if William was married to Teresa’s mother and was a widower when he married Mary.I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an inspiring and uplifting Christmas story that also includes romance and even some suspense..Prism Book Group provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

    Book preview

    A Christmas Gift for Mary Jones - Kimberly B. Jackson

    AUTHOR

    A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MARY JONES

    Kimberly B. Jackson

    Copyright 2013 Kimberly B. Jackson

    ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    Cover Art by Joan Alley

    This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are the product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    Published by Prism Book Group

    ISBN - 978-1-940099-42-2 First Edition, 2013

    Published in the United States of America

    Contact info: contact@prismbookgroup.com

    http://www.prismbookgroup.com

    CHAPTER ONE

    Some folks called her a busybody, some called her an angel. She had a knack for knowing what a person needed, even before they knew themself. A childless widow at the age of forty-five, though most folks thought she was older, she mothered anyone who crossed her path.

    Mary Jones was a down-to-earth kind of woman. With the farm to take care of, she didn’t have time to primp. Besides, she hadn’t been given much in the looks department. She worked as hard as any man tending her land, but her passion was people. She had a unique insight into others and their various problems.

    Always ready to lend a helping hand, and not afraid to get her hands dirty—that was Mary Jones. Two characteristics she’d inherited from her maternal grandmother.

    Only her close friends called her Mrs. Mary. But most people in the small mountain town of River Oak, Tennessee referred to her as Grandmother Jones. A title she carried proudly, since she had not been blessed with children.

    The day started as the same as always for Mary Jones. Before the sun crept into view, coffee brewed and bacon fried on her woodstove. The steam from the coffee pot floated into Mary’s nostrils, intoxicating her as she deeply inhaled. Breakfast, being her favorite meal of the day, she looked forward to from the moment she hauled her old bones from bed. Morning was the only time she sat down at the hundred-year-old farmhouse table filled with scratches, nicks, and even her brother’s name. He’d carved the marking at the age of seven, always determined to leave his brand.

    After Mary finished her meal, she carried her dishes to the kitchen to wash, dry, and return to the cabinet. The window above the sink revealed the sun in its pinkish orange hue hovering in the sky, ready to make an appearance. After donning her work dress and a straw hat she’d used for years, she opened the door to chilly, brisk air. Gold, red, and orange swirled around the ground like a mini-tornado. Dry leaves crunched under each step she took. Looking directly at the mountain, she wondered how anybody could deny that God existed with such a view.

    Drawing in a deep breath of cool, crisp air, she exhaled. A routine she believed helped keep her lungs strong. Again, she glanced at the mountains behind her home, only to have her mind play the mean trick it’d taken to habit of late. The vision, though there and gone, struck the breath from her chest. How real it seemed her late husband, along with his loyal, white German Shepard, was strolling back to the farm after a hunting trip or perhaps a walk in the woods.

    As she walked around the old farmhouse, she smiled at her prized pumpkins. What a crop. Soon, they would be making their yearly appearance for the town’s annual pumpkin festival. With a turn, she focused her attention on the cabbage and broccoli planted in the next rows. Taking her hoe, she rooted out the weeds along the two lines of winter vegetables.

    A fast worker, in no time she had finished and moved on to the row of cauliflower. In an hour and a half, the whole garden had been weeded. Picking up her supplies, Mary strolled toward the back door of the house.

    Hello! screamed an unfamiliar voice, that of a young child, causing Mary to trip on her own feet and her legs to go out from under her body. She landed on her rear with a thud. As her heart beat in triple overtime, she couldn’t help but think she could see it pulsating through her dress. Regaining her composure, she pulled herself to standing. Slowly, Mary eased into the house, thinking perhaps she’d imagined the sound. Hello?

    Hello, came the voice of an angel.

    Sure enough, there sat a redheaded child at the table.

    Who are you and what are doing in my house?

    I’m Emma. Who are you?

    Precocious little thing.

    Emma! Emma! Where are you? A woman’s voice penetrated from the front hall. Within seconds, the two ladies stood face to face, as if both were meeting at an intruder.

    Excuse me. I’m looking for William Jones. This is his home, isn’t it? the brown-haired, cocoa-eyed female asked.

    Yes, this was his home.

    What do you mean was? the puzzled, young lady asked. Did he sell it to you?

    Clearly, there was some sort of misunderstanding. Since she seemed harmless enough, Mary proceeded into the living room and motioned for the young woman to follow. Sit, please. Now, first thing, tell me what your name is.

    It’s Teresa and you’ve met Emma. She stroked the girl’s hair.

    Okay, Teresa, why don’t you tell me what brought you here?

    I’m looking for my father, William Jones.

    Mary’s stomach leapt into

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