Comfort & Joy: A Fable
4.2 | 24,042 ratings
Price: 15.68
Last update: 12-04-2025
Product details
- Publisher : Random House Publishing Group
- Publication date : October 6, 2020
- Edition : Standard Edition
- Language : English
- Print length : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1984800841
- ISBN-13 : 978-1984800848
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.14 x 0.6 x 7.95 inches
- Best Sellers Rank:#134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Contemporary Women Fiction
- Contemporary Romance (Books)
- Women's Domestic Life Fiction
- Customer Reviews:4.24.2 out of 5 stars(24,044)
Comfort & Joy: A FableTop reviews from the United States
- Michelle SamsNot what I expected..This was the first book by this author I have red. I did not disappoint, and it was not what I expected. A great short read.
- JBenoitHoliday tale that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside‘Here, in this strange clearing, hundreds of miles from home, I feel both lost and somehow found.’
I’ve been on a Christmas story roll these days, because ‘tis the season! I purchased this book a while back when it was on sale and after recently reading my first Kristin Hannah book (The Nightingale) I figured I would give this one a shot. I thought that it was a heartwarming story filled with magic that’s sure to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. You sort of have to suspend reality for a while as you read this book, some of the things that happen (even before the “magical” twist) aren’t entirely plausible but I just went with it and instead clung to the message of hope, forgiveness and pursuing your dreams.
‘These two need help, and it’s Christmas. I may have lost my own holiday spirit, but I can’t watch a little boy lose his. Besides, this is my first real adventure. What kind of adventurer ignores the needs of others?’
High school librarian, Joy Candellaro, is recently divorced and facing the prospect of spending the holiday season alone. She usually is one to only dream of adventures, not actually embark on them. But not wanting to sit around feeling sorry for herself, she decides to purchase a ticket bound for the town of Hope in the Pacific Northwest. However her adventure takes a frightening detour and she ends up lost in the Olympic rainforest. She decides to use this opportunity to leave her old life behind, even if just temporarily. She happens upon the Comfort Fishing Lodge where she meets young Bobby O’Shea and his father Daniel. Bobby recently lost his mother and is having difficulty dealing with the loss. He and Joy form a wonderful friendship and in helping to heal Bobby and Daniel’s relationship she also begins to heal the things broken in her own life. During their time together Joy begins to picture what a beautiful family the three of them could be together. However there’s a big twist that happens that’ll leave Joy second guessing everything she thought she found with the O’Shea family.
I’ll admit that I did not see that twist coming! It totally caught me off guard and made me really want to finish the book so I could see how everything turned out. Once the twist happened however, looking back it helped make sense of several things that I questioned or thought was odd in the events that took place before it. I won’t spoil it for you, but I did like how this huge twist really helped add the magical feel to the story! The story was told in such rich detail, I could envision all of the things Joy describes on her adventure. It’s such a beautiful backdrop to the story, I think it was the perfect setting for this heartwarming tale. If you’re looking for a feel good book, that reads easy and will leave you with that magical holiday feel then check this book out!
‘You can run away from your life and your past, but there’s no way to distance yourself from your own heart.’ - Mrs. PeeekolaTouchingWhile this is a touching story, it was too abstract or magical to be believable. I didn't care for the repetition, nor how the storyline seemed to drag. I usually enjoy Kristin Hannah's books, but this one was too disjointed for me.
- Anthony S. Brooks⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5-Star Review: A Heartwarming, Hope-Filled Christmas TaleComfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah is a beautifully written, deeply emotional holiday story that proves—once again—why she is one of the most gifted storytellers of our time. In this short but unforgettable novel, Hannah combines heartbreak, healing, and holiday magic into a tale that lingers long after the last page.
The story follows Joy Candellaro, a librarian whose world has been shattered by betrayal. Reeling from the collapse of her marriage and craving escape, Joy does something completely out of character: she impulsively boards a small plane and flees to the Pacific Northwest. What follows is a twist of fate that sends her into a remote, quiet town where she meets Daniel, a grieving father, and his young son Bobby, whose December has been anything but merry.
Hannah’s writing shines as she slowly builds a tender connection between Joy and this fragile family. Joy helps Daniel and Bobby rediscover warmth and wonder, even as she relearns how to trust her own heart. The emotional depth of the story is striking—Kristin Hannah brings sensitivity to themes of loss, second chances, and the resilience of the human spirit.
The plot is filled with surprising turns, especially the magical thread woven through Joy’s journey. Without giving spoilers, the novel blends realism with a touch of enchantment, creating a unique tone that feels both grounded and dreamlike. It fits perfectly with the holiday season: comforting, luminous, and hopeful.
Why it’s a 5-Star Read:
Beautiful, heartfelt writing
A protagonist you truly root for
A touching, unexpected story about grief and renewal
Cozy holiday atmosphere with emotional depth
A satisfying and memorable ending
Comfort and Joy is the kind of Christmas book that wraps around you like a warm blanket on a winter night. It’s tender, uplifting, and full of heartfelt moments that remind us of the power of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings. An absolute must-read for anyone who loves emotional holiday fiction. - Constance W. BaldwinA Happy BookIf you believe something strongly enough, it can happen! This book is about magic, love, strength, grief, adjusting, heartache & most of all hope. I loved reading the fable & it makes me believe in magic too. Well done, Kristin Hannah!
- Monique CashmereWorth Waiting For the Ending.I am on a Kristin Hannah reading binge, so when this one went on sale, I jumped on it straight away. The previous two that I have read were rich in characters, deep stories that kept me captivated from the first chapter. I’m not going to lie, I did struggle for a few chapters thinking….what is this? And this is where we as readers need to trust the author to deliver. And in my opinion, this author did. Was it as good as her bestseller, no but it is definitely worth the read.
What I think is most important about this book is to give it a chance. Don’t stop reading after fifty pages because it doesn’t make sense, as it won’t until part two. And let’s remember what is written on the cover, it’s a fable and there’s also a little magic as well as faith in relationships. I’m glad I can tick this novel off my list and looking forward to another KH story. - Amazon CustomerQuick read feel good bookVery feel good book. Not the usual type she writes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- CSDidn’t enjoyI love Kristen Hannah books- unfortunately though not this one. It just didn’t read well with me- especially the first part when Joy first “meets” Bobby and Daniel, is very over done and just not interesting. Loved all the others but not this one.