The Hundred Gifts

November 15, 2015
Bren Epperson usually adores everything about the holiday season, but this isn't her year. An empty-nester with kids thousands of miles away and a husband who's more excited about the fledgling rock band in his basement, Bren feels adrift for the first time in years. She stumbles into a part-time job at the Kitchen Classroom, hoping that teaching others how to make her beloved holiday recipes will help lighten her mood. When the class bands together for a very unexpected project, Bren realizes just how fragile her life is. Scott dives into Bren's inner angst, laying her anxieties about herself, her children, and her marriage completely bare. Bren is a relatable and likable heroine, striving to be a good wife and mother despite some selfish tendencies. Scott fills Bren's world with an eclectic cast of supporting characters, some of whom become increasingly important as Bren's Christmas project begins to take shape, and her marriage begins to crack. Fans of Scott's previous work and the novels of Mary Hogan and Sarah Pekkanen will enjoy this deeply touching story of release and reconnection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)