Noelle: A Novel
Series: The McCray Family, Book 4
By: Greg Kincaid / Narrated By: Mark Bramhall
Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
HOPEFULLY, not the last of a wonderful series!
What I like about Greg Kincaid’s books chronicling the Christmases and lives of the McCray family is that he doesn’t shy from the heavy stuff, the real-life issues that society deals with.
Each book starts with the dog to be featured, and how it came to be homeless and in need. Kincaid has tackled animals abandoned due to foreclosure, wandering animals, animals who live their lives on chains, and here in Noelle, backyard breeders and their horrors are addressed. Elle is the runt of the litter, a mixed-breed not salable as the pure breed pups are all that’s wanted. She and her mother, who has brought in over $20,000 in puppy sales, has stopped producing large litters, and both are scheduled to be killed in a sloppy, backyard kinda way. Until a little girl, knowing their fate, opens the gate to their pen and lets them out, surely to succumb to the wintry elements but given a fighting chance all the same.
Todd McCray, now a successful dog trainer, a successful young man despite his disabilities, takes on Elle and works hard to train her as a service dog. But Elle can’t help it: she’s just too filled with love, joy, curiosity, to focus on ANYthing: hence her name following the cries of, “No! Elle!”
This book, the fourth in the series also follows a broken family, made desperate by alcoholism, unemployment, and emotional abuse, and the McCrays are there with acceptance and guidance. If you know the characters from the series, you know they’re a big-hearted clan, propping each other up even as they open their homes and hearts for the poor in spirit.
Noelle is also about Mary Ann McCray taking on the role of Anna Claus, since the town of Crossing Trails doesn’t want to hire a Santa. Mary Ann doesn’t want to just take children’s orders for Christmas gifts; she wants to turn Christmas on its head, asking the children what they are going to give to others. She wants Christmas to be more than just Nintendos and PlayStations. She doesn’t really expect the splash she makes. And husband George is there to support her, there to carry Christmas along on his own.
One of the things that makes me think this might be the last of the series (Oh Nooooo!), is that the book now hits every big life landmark that can be touched upon. We’ve watched Todd as a young man, idealistic to a fault, striving to do his best and being recognized for his special abilities with animals. He’s gotten a job; he’s been unemployed; he’s gotten an even better job with greater responsibilities; he’s even found love and commitment. Noelle just tops it off with more icing for a pretty fantastic cake.
Mark Bramhall has done an excellent job throughout the whole series, and in this book, his performance as Todd is really great. In A Dog Named Christmas, Todd was such a young man, innocent yet driven, but throughout the books he’s grown until here, Bramhall still narrates him as a person with disabilities, but there’s a certain maturity and self-assurance too. All his characters are delivered with warmth and compassion, and I’ve so grown to love each and every story told.
Noelle is a wonderful audiobook, sure to bring some Christmas warmth to your Season. She’s a funny and loving little dog, and the McCrays and friends are truly memorable.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.