One Holy Night

Frank McRae stared at the television screen; raw images of war exploding in his head long after the news had finally ended, replaced by an inane sitcom. The grainy black and white video of battle-weary troops slogging through the sodden rice paddies and shadowy jungles of VietNam ate away at his heart like sulfuric acid. Nothing was left but bitterness and pain.

What Frank didn't know was that God had a miracle in mind. Once more,as on that holy night so long ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger--a baby who will bring forgiveness, peace and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

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Reviewed by Carol Bruce Collett (Tennessee), April 17, 2009

Follow the McRae family during the Vietnam era as they struggle with war, illness, prejudice, fear and guilt. This story shows the deepest pain a family can experience and magnifies the healing power of God. The characters come alive on the page. The emotion with which Ms. Hochstetler writes reaches to the bottom of my heart and doesn't let go. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jen Stephens (Nashville, TN), April 16, 2009

ONE HOLY NIGHT is a powerful, thought provoking tale of the battles many of us are faced with at some point in our lives - war, health, ingrained prejudices, overcoming heartache and loss, and, inevitably, the significance of having a Christian faith. I was deeply moved by the parallel J.M. Hochstetler created between the ongoing battle with Maggie's cancer and the battles her son fought in Viet Nam. I was also touched by Hochstetler's character Terry, and how she used him to illustrate to her readers that our soldiers are never the same once they've gone off to war. But God heals all wounds, even if a scar remains. The same is true for Frank who has gone through so much in his life. It was especially satisfying in the end to witness God's miraculous transformation of Frank and to see Romans 8:28 fulfilled to the highest degree! Well done, Ms. Hochstetler!

Reviewed by Diane Moody (Kingston Springs, TN), April 16, 2009

One Holy Night by J.M. Hochstetler is a heartwarming story of forgiveness. But such a description sounds much too glib, because this is the gritty kind of forgiveness—the kind that must first endure the deepest despair imaginable. In 1967, Frank McRae still nurses his bitter hatred toward all Asians after witnessing unspeakable atrocities on the battlefields of the South Pacific during World War II. When Frank’s only son Mike falls in love with a young Vietnamese girl while fighting in the war there, then marries her, Frank disowns his soldier son. On the home front Frank bargains with a God he hardly knows in a desperate attempt to keep his wife Maggie from dying from cancer. With his family torn apart, Frank comes face to face with the ugliness of his hatred in an unforgettable moment of truth. What happens next is one of the most touching scenes I’ve ever read in a novel. I’m so proud of Hochstetler for weaving this story through the Viet Nam era and embracing the genuine, raw emotions of that tumultuous era of our history. This is a very different kind of Christmas story and one that stayed with me long after I reached the end.

Reviewed by Michelle Sutton (AZ), April 16, 2009

One Holy Night shows in rich detail how God can use the most trying circumstances to bring people around until they see how much they need each other, and need Him. This life-changing story will move you to tears as you experience the humility of a young Vietnamese woman, her husband's desire to see his father heal, and the trials that bring them together in one desperate attempt to save another's life.

Reviewed by Kaye Dacus, Author (Nashville, TN), April 16, 2009

J.M. Hochstetler dug deep into the well of emotions and came up with a story that strikes the heartstrings in a tender and yet also provocative manner. The characters are so well drawn, they've stayed in my mind long after reading the book, almost as if they were real people that I've known for a long time. Being the daughter of a Vietnam Vet, I also appreciated Hochstetler's gentle handling of one of the most tumultuous times in our country's history. And even though it's set during the Vietnam era, there are lessons to be learned and truths to be taken away from this beautifully crafted story for today. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Sally (Pembroke Pines, FL), November 14, 2008

Set in Minnesota during the Viet Nam Era, Maggie, a mother fights ovarian cancer while her son goes off to war. Thankfully, her married daughter, Julie, a nurse is close at hand. Maggie's husband, Frank, a WWII veteran, is a man filled with prejudice and hatred toward the "enemies." The ugliness of war can destroy lives. Can God restore? The story is predictable, and the characters are one-dimensional. However, there's much good inside these covers. Obviously, the author worked hard to get the details correct. The wrestling with God is dramatically realistic. Forgiveness and God's love are the themes, and these are lessons we all need to learn and relearn. A Study Guide is included. This is a different Christmas story.

Reviewed by K Harris (USA), September 05, 2008

Since savoring the last page of J.M. Hochstetler's story, I have found myself revisiting the characters regularly as if they were members of my own family. The rich characterization and lush description place the reader comfortably in the midst of the story setting: the heartland of America near the end of the Vietnam War. Any reader who can't relate to this turbulent era in U.S. history will grow in understanding, and those who lived during that time will be reminded of the division it created. Amazingly, Hochstetler tackles several big issues--love, loyalty, war and death--while maintaining a positive thesis. Family can survive. Human love is grander in weakness than in strength. And faith is, by necessity, stronger in tragedy than in triumph. One Holy Night is a soon-to-be-classic "miracle story" with an inspirational message that will warm your heart, a wonderful statement of faith and a gift of hope.

Reviewed by Tamara Leigh (Nashville, TN), September 05, 2008

J.M. Hochstetler makes another mark on Christian fiction with ONE HOLY NIGHT, a moving and inspirational tale of family, love, war, prejudice, and heartwrenching loss. Though I'm not usually interested in stories set during the Vietnam war, I quickly became caught up in the lives of Hochstetler's characters and felt their joy, pain, and struggle to either hold tight to their faith or open their heart to God. Warning: The deeper you journey into this painfully honest tale, the more you'll need a ginormous box of tissues close by. Very recommended!

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