"It's 1967, and for young Richard it's a time of heartbreak and turmoil. Over the span of a few months, his brother, Mark, is killed in Vietnam; his father loses his job and moves the family to Utah; and his parents separate. When Richard is run down by bullies at his new school, he meets Mr. Foster, an elderly neighbor who chases off the bullies. Richard becomes fast friends with the man who inspires Richard's love for books and whose dog becomes...

Sally Walther feels like her world is imploding. Publicly humiliated after her husband, a local councilman, is arrested for bigamy and her subsequent divorce, she has isolated herself from the world. When her only friend insists that Sally climb out of her hole and embrace the season to get her out of her funk, Sally decides to put up a Christmas tree and heads off to buy one--albeit reluctantly. She is immediately taken by Andrew, the kind, handsome...