THE THURSDAY NIGHT CLUB: A Tale of Christmas Spirit By Steven Manchester

Publisher:  The Story Plant
Expected Release Date:  November 18, 2014
Pages:  152

About the Book:  Five college friends, three men and two women, have been getting together every Thursday night to share humble meals and an abundance of laughter. But when tragedy takes one of them, leaving the others to question the fairness of life, the Thursday Night Club decides to embark on a contest in the memory of the generous spirit of their fallen brother. The objective of the contest is simple: whoever performs the kindest deed by Christmas night wins the pot – four quarters. And there are only two conditions: the benevolent deed must be anonymous, and it cannot cost a single penny to pull off.

As the four friends undertake the contest, the healing begins and they become inspired beyond their expectations. There might be a winner in this competition, but it is very clear there will be no losers.

A story of Christmas spirit that will strike a chord in your heart any time of year, The Thursday Night Club will make you look at the holiday season in new ways.

Wanda's Thoughts:  Five college friends, who have formed a lot of history together, are settling in, after their final college moves.  They gather each week for their “Thursday Night Club” and are ready to begin their last year of school when the unthinkable happens – one of them dies tragically.  And the story unfolds ---

A contest is planned, to honor the memory of their friend, and whoever does the greatest or kindest deed wins.  They soon discover that when they are helping other people there is no time to dwell on their own troubles, and their worries just melt away.  The friends find that having a life that is filled with compassion and caring help them to deal with their loss.

Taken from the book –

“Giving more than you take --- now that’s how you build a life worth living.”

“A test of endurance.  Nope, life is just a never-ending series of choices.”

Steven Manchester has crafted a beautiful novella, writing in a comfortable and well-crafted style.  I’m never disappointed in the author’s books and always look forward to the next one.  The Thursday Night Club has themes of friendship, loss, and sadness.  It is a feel good read with an uplifting conclusion.  My rating is 4+ stars.

 I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:  Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers, Twelve Months and The Rockin' Chair. He is also the author of the award-winning novel, Goodnight, Brian, as well as the critically-acclaimed novel, Pressed Pennies, A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive), Wilbur Avenue (novella), Just in Time (novella), The Thursday Night Club (novella, released November 2014) and Gooseberry Island (novel, released January 2015). His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN's American Morning and BET's Nightly News. Three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. Visit: www.StevenManchester.com