Review: The Locket by Richard Paul Evans

From Fantasticfiction.
After the death of his mother, Michael Keddington finds employment at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther, a reclusive but beautiful elderly woman who lives in mourning for her youth and lost love.

Michael faces his own challenges when he loses his greatest love, Faye. When Michael is falsely accused of abusing one of the Arcadia's residents, he learns important lessons about faith and forgiveness from Ester -- and her gift to him of a locket, once symbolic of one person's missed opportuninites, becomes another's second chance.

Richard Paul Evans, author of the beloved #1 bestselling classic The Christmas Box,begins a wonderful new series with this stunning New York Times bestseller -- a bittersweet reminder of life's most precious gifts...

448 pages

My thoughts
It's a story about love reflected by Michael and Faye, a young couple facing challenges brought about Faye's affluent background, a story about old love lost experienced by Esther Huish and her Thomas and lastly, a story about forgiveness to initiate the road of healing. 

"Those with the softest hearts built the hardest walls." Helen on page 37

I like the way author Richard Paul Evans weaved the words quite flawlessly that you can hear them sing in his prose. Even though it was set in Michael's POV, I wasn't bored reading the book, which was a surprise for me. Usually, I am apprehensive reading books in first person point of view. 

"I gazed silently at the row of stoic faces awaiting an answer. I felt angry that I continually justify that times spent caring for my mother, as if it were somehow less worthy than that decks performed by services clubs that did little more that provide venues for ongoing parties." Michael on page 93

All the characters were relatable and I could empathize with Michael and Esther were going through so don't forget Mr. Klennex. I've seen the movie version and I think the changes weren't too drastic. It suited the flow of the movie and still kept the heart of the book. The court scenes were tightened thus enhancing the drama. I thought that giving Michael a fuller happy ending, the healing bought by forgiving was more substantial. I also like that they decided to make Michael's father present in the movie (whereas in the book he had already died) which was one of Michael's second chances after sorting things with Faye. 

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I recommend the book for anyone looking for a good warm drama set in Christmas and doesn't mind getting tugged at the heart in places of the book with a good dose of human spirit for not being contented to selling oneself short.

 A five stars from me.