• One Imperfect Christmas

  • By: Myra Johnson
  • Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
  • Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (288 ratings)

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One Imperfect Christmas  By  cover art

One Imperfect Christmas

By: Myra Johnson
Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
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Publisher's summary

Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she’s allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves - most of all her husband, Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she’s one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit’s end. Nothing he’s done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa’s adolescent rebellion isn’t helping matters. As Daniel’s hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

©2009 Myra Johnson (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

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What listeners say about One Imperfect Christmas

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Sad Choices and Drama

I'm having a difficult time understanding all the outstanding reviews for this book. I usually love Christian fiction, but the longer this book went on, the more frustrated I became. It seemed as though there was some deep dark secret that caused Natalie Pearce to ignore her husband and daughter, even after her mother's stroke and entry into a nursing home . . . way after the shock and pain of her mother's condition had hit her. She chose work and career over her family, and continued in a downward spiral that was, in my opinion, by choice. The dialog, first describing how much she still loved her husband, Daniel, then from Daniel's point of view, trying to figure out how to win back his wife, was exhaustive. Having come through MANY horrific events in my 65 years of life . . . including my father's alcoholism, my son-in-law's sudden death in an automobile accident, and others . . . this book felt like one long tale of bad choices and prolonged drama . . . with little resolution.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Story had potential but missed the mark

This story of a loving family’s deep grief after the matriarch suffered a severe stroke really had potential to inform, encourage others who may have experienced a similar challenge as a family. Instead, it was a frustrating story of a self centered main character, Natalie, who basically made a nightmare for everyone around her, as though her grief and pain were worse. Her feelings of guilt surrounding her mother’s stroke seemed overplayed. Having worked in rehab for many years and seen many variations on families responding to loss and challenges, I wish the author had gotten more input for accuracy, that she could have woven into the story to uplift and educate the listener. Instead, it felt like a broken record of “poor Natalie” and her path of relational destruction. Although this is a faith based story, there was not much faith used to support the story or bring healing. Huge missed opportunity by the author. And the emphasis on her mom’s ability—or inability to paint the star at Christmas? It was just so overplayed in view of the mother’s significant physical deficits.
The narrator was ok—but some of the time her voicing felt very clipped. However she had a tough story to communicate.
Cannot really recommend this audible.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

More depressing than I want in a Christmas story

I almost gave up on this book multiple times. The main female character just annoyed me so much for most of the story with her false sense of guilt and self pity. I felt really bad for her husband, trying to help and deal with everything as the family struggled with the health issues of her mom. Yes, being the sucker I am I did cry at the end, and it had a good redemptive message of forgiveness, but most of the story was so depressing and just not fun to listen to. Not the uplifting kind of story I want to listen to at Christmas. I'm glad it was an Audible plus catalog book and I didn't spend a credit on it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Narration

Overall this audio was great but the Narrator is truly what kept the story alive for me. The main character Natalie was really annoying in her immaturity and self pity but maybe thats more true to real life than the typical story. The moments, hardships and people’s reactions were more realistic than the typical novel but the whole time I’m thinking... would y’all just be open and honest?! Lol. Maybe thats the marks of a real life story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story for anytime of the year

This is an event that could happen to any family and truly depicts the wave of intricate factors that fuel the heavy burden a family is forced to endure when a serious illness arises. Written well and portrayed exquisitely, this is a story that husbands, daughters, teens, and others can relate to. A great book!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Must Read. My Favorite Audible Book Thus Far

The true meaning of Christmas shines through disaster, heart break, love, emotions, family, forgiveness, life and even death. you will laugh, smile, feel, think, and even tear up. Highly recommend.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well written

An excellent story of faith, but, being an emotional person, I cried throughout even as I couldn’t stop listening.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Depressing

Not a great holiday read. Depressing start and continues throughout the book. Didn’t end on a high or super low note, Not a tragedy or a happy ending.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

EEEK!!

I so very much enjoyed the storyline a bit too religious for my liking but I guess that my fault as this is in the genre of religious,,,oops.

I almost turned it off after the 3 chapter because the narrator was so SO HORRIBLE!!
It was the whining sound to her voice, it grated on me the entire book. I get enough from my kids I definitely don’t want it during my ‘me time’.
I would recommend the book NOT the audio book though to spare my friends from the disaster that is the narrator.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • KT
  • 01-06-22

WAY over the top Christian Religion

Not for me. The story genre is incorrect. This is a religious book to it's core.

I disliked the heroine emensely. She was self immature. absorbed and weak. Her treatment of her husband was completely unacceptable... certainly not Christian.

The narration was odd. The female voice seemed an attempt to sound posh. it definitely came across snobbish.

The story is about family, marriage and coping with setbacks in life all wrapped around the Jesus is the reason for the season theme. I love Christmas, am a person of faith but this was ridiculously over the top.

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