An unexpected gem, “Mercy Come Morning” did not grab my interest until a few chapters into the book, not because of the plot, but because of the main character. My initial reaction to Krista’s personality was negative and unflattering and I viewed her as bitter, cold, confused and unforgiving. The reader would note, through her reaction to Dane, her mother, and Elena, the complexity of the emotional baggage she was carrying. The author, in her adept storytelling style that proved her a master of her craft, was able to skillfully unravel Krista’s background to allow me to recognize the source of her fears and uncertainties, thus paving the way for the emancipation of her character.
Krista Mueller was a thirty-seven year old single woman who had successfully created a life for herself despite the depravity she experienced as a child with a less than caring mother and the absence of a father. She tried to care for her mother during the early stages of Alzheimer’s that claimed her active and agile mind but as the disease progressed, Krista became incapable of coping with the demands of caring for her and practicing her career at the same time. Hoping to find a place for her mother that would give her the best care she sought, Krista moved her from one facility to another until she was referred to a nursing home that was managed by her first love, Dane McConnell. Cimarron Care Center, through the innovative care it provided, gave Alzheimer’s patients not just outstanding care, but the dignity they deserve under the circumstances. Knowing that her mother would be in good hands, Krista left her native Taos, New Mexico to further her teaching career in Colorado.
Krista Mueller was a thirty-seven year old single woman who had successfully created a life for herself despite the depravity she experienced as a child with a less than caring mother and the absence of a father. She tried to care for her mother during the early stages of Alzheimer’s that claimed her active and agile mind but as the disease progressed, Krista became incapable of coping with the demands of caring for her and practicing her career at the same time. Hoping to find a place for her mother that would give her the best care she sought, Krista moved her from one facility to another until she was referred to a nursing home that was managed by her first love, Dane McConnell. Cimarron Care Center, through the innovative care it provided, gave Alzheimer’s patients not just outstanding care, but the dignity they deserve under the circumstances. Knowing that her mother would be in good hands, Krista left her native Taos, New Mexico to further her teaching career in Colorado.
In the span of five years that her mother was confined at Cimarron, Krista visited only thrice. But suddenly, Dane called, summoning her to come to be with her mother who was dying of heart failure. Unable to say “no”, she made the trip to return to Taos while still nursing a grudge against her mother who, she felt, did not love and care for her as she should have. Dane, who was another factor in the equation that kept her away all those years, was resolute and firm in his desire to bring her closer to her mother in the old woman’s final days, as well as in rekindling the embers of young love that Krista tried so hard to smother.
The Christmas theme was constant in the story and provided the background, not only in the physical sense, but in the cathartic release that Krista experienced during her mother’s final days. As she perused her mother’s entries in an old Christmas song book, Krista was able to acquire an in-depth understanding of her mother’s feelings toward her that shattered the wall of bitterness and hurt that she nursed for so long. As she struggled to become emotionally whole, she was able to disclose to Dane a painful childhood experience that robbed her of the desire to form a romantic relationship with him despite the intensity of her feelings toward him. His love and constancy, his kindness and understanding, were powerful panacea to the resentment and fear that had held her heart captive through those long lonely years.
Despite my earlier impression, this proved to be a powerful story of redemption. Its characters reflected many of our realities – anger, hurt, love, struggle, friendship, loyalty, disappointment, and the healing balm of forgiveness through the mercy of Him who gave us the beauty and the true meaning of Christmas. Especially for those of us who are eagerly awaiting for our own “Mercy Come Morning”, I recommend this book, not only for its convincing storyline but for its compelling characters and beautiful, descriptive prose.
I acquired this book free from WaterBrookMultnomah.com in exchange for an honest review.
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