This much-anticipated sequel to The Christmas Shoes—which was a popular TV movie, #1 hit song and bestselling book—will delight fans of the original. Although there are some small writing problems, such as abrupt transitions and an occasionally preachy tone, the overall effect is warm and sincere. Nathan Andrews (the boy who pulled at heartstrings in The Christmas Shoes) is now a third-year medical student, wrestling with whether he is supposed to be a doctor. As he falls in love with a college freshman with an apparently terminal disease, Nathan learns about loss and the precious nature of life. Readers will need a whole box of tissues for this one (what else should we expect from a novel set in a pediatric cardiology unit?), particularly during Nathan's touching reunion with Robert Layton, the principal character from the first book. (Oct. 28)
