The 13th Gift

A True Story of a Christmas Miracle

By: Joanne Huist Smith

Narrated by: Joanne Huist Smith

Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

For readers of Richard Paul Evans and Greg Kincaid comes The 13th Gift, a heartwarming Christmas story about how a random act of kindness transformed one of the bleakest moments in a family's history into a time of strength and love.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Joanne Huist Smith had no idea how she would keep herself together and be strong for her three children - especially with the holiday season approaching. But 12 days before Christmas, presents begin appearing on her doorstep with notes from their "True Friends." As the Smiths came together to solve the mystery of who the gifts were from, they began to thaw out from their grief and come together again as a family. This true story about the power of random acts of kindness will warm the heart, a beautiful reminder of the miracles of Christmas and the gift of family during the holiday season.

©2014 Joanne Huist Smith (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"If there ever was a roller-coasterish page-turner of a Christmas book, this would be it. As a veteran devourer of Christmas stories short and long, fictional and true, I mistakenly assumed I'd encountered every conceivable plot variant in the genre. Turns out I was dead-wrong. Joanne Hurst Smith's wondrous story hit me from so many directions, playing on the strings of so many emotions, that it left me limp at the end Quite simply, it is a masterpiece." (Joe L. Wheeler, Ph.D., author of the bestselling Christmas in My Heart series)

" The 13th Gift has a touch of magic in it. It's a lovely story that proves we can recover from any loss, strengthened by the blessings of others. It's a classic for the Christmas season--and all seasons." (Glenn Plaskin, author of Katie Up And Down The Hall: The True Story Of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors Into A Family)

"For readers of Richard Paul Evans and Greg Kincaid comes The 13th Gift, a heartwarming Christmas memoir about how a random act of kindness transformed one of the bleakest moments in a family's history into a time of strength and love." ( Book Reporter.com)

Powerful story.

This story was great. It will be a great help for those who have experienced loss. I recommend this book.

Story is GREAT!! Narrator is terrible :(

I LOVED this story…it is a beautiful, heartwarming, and uplifting story…so much so that I feel guilty leaving the negative review about the narrator; however, my book club literally ‘cancelled’ this ‘listen’ and switched books ALL because of the narration. I will warn you the beginning is kind of bad …depressing, but keep READING..it gets much better!
Of course after starting, I couldn’t not finish…
I had a LOVE/HATE relationship clear to the very end.
My advice..read it <3

Christmas all year

I am a sucker for a Christmas story. this was a great story that put me in the excitement of their Christmas.

Sweetest Christmas story

Such a wonderful story about the true meaning of Christmas. So nice to read a book that is about Christmas that is real and beautiful!!!

Love and Loss

This was a very heart wrenching book based on a true story of love, loss and a journey of the heart.

A beautiful story! Transforming grief to joy!

What made the experience of listening to The 13th Gift the most enjoyable?

A beautiful story! Transforming grief to joy!

What did you like best about this story?

The gift of selfless love

Have you listened to any of Joanne Huist Smith’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made my heart feel filled with love

Real and touching

I loved this true story. The family was so relatable, along with their myriad of feelings in the thick of their grief AND their first holiday season without their husband and dad. I laughed and bawled.

A True Holiday Story To Cherish

Joanne Huist Smith’s THE THIRTEENTH GIFT is based on the true story of when the author’s husband, Rick, died suddenly, and how their family came to terms with it. Joanne was faced with dealing with her loss at the same time she had to help her children get through it and deal with the upcoming Christmas holiday. Joanne doesn’t want to face it but with Megan, who is 10, Nick who is twelve, and seventeen-year-old Ben, she is forced to do something. Her family is falling apart as she writes about how each of them is handling the loss. It isn’t until the first mystery gift, a poinsettia plant, is left on their porch 12 days before Christmas, that things slowly start to change.

With each day and each new surprise, one by one, the family gets on board with waiting for the surprises and trying to guess who is doing it all. Each gift has a handmade card with it and it evolves into solving the puzzle as a family, even though Joanne fights it with every piece of her heart. As the “true friends” help this family, the Smiths find that they themselves are also taken to helping others. The puzzling gifts truly act as a miracle. They bring each of the grieving family members out of their own horror and into working and living together again. With the help and love of true friends, the Smith family eventually learns to cope.

The 13th Gift is a wonderful Christmas story especially in that it is true. If this doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit, I don’t know what will. It is a fast read (or in my case, listen) and you just might find yourself wanting to do something for others as well. Trust me, the giving spirit of this story can really make a difference in your life as well.

my mom

this book touched me to my soul. I lost my dearest mom 23/4 yrs ago.Thanks

LOVE THE MESSAGE!

Love the message and the idea of the author reading it. Authors know what they want to convey and emphasize, so I think it is always a plus.

It was difficult for me to "get into" the book, however. I don't know it it was the author's voice or that I was irritated she was such a "bad" mother.

After the fourth try...and a book cluc deadline, I believe I received some Divine Inspiration. I'm single, have not had children and have NO IDEA how I would feel / react in that situation. After some reflection, she became a hero to me..... I don't know if I could have gotten OFF the COUCH to go to work?!

By the end of the book, I was in tears and loved it.... wanting to begin the tradition in my life and asking God for the inspiration /idea for whom I should choose. I may choose someone else who is single and alone. I just hope they don't have a doorbell camera!