Petey Pat Kane and Mariana Pia Pelligrino have been in love with each other their whole lives. But on a night that is supposed to be one of the best of their lives, Peter makes a choice that forces him to leave Chicago--and Mariana--behind. Guilt leads him into the Army, where he becomes Captain Kane, war hero. But nothing can make him forget his love for Mariana. On his third deployment in Iraq, Peter is injured and finds himself both alive and dead on a wondrous spiritual journey where he is given a second chance at life from God Himself. With Christmas approaching, time is running out for Peter to complete the most important mission of his life: convincing himself that he and Mariana were meant to share a special message of love with the world. "This book should be in every bedside table and in every soldier's pack--a transcendent tale to rank with A Christmas Carol ." -- David Hagberg, New York Times bestselling author "Few writers have what it takes to make God a character in fiction, but Andrew Greeley pulls it off with charm and élan in this delightful love story." -- Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author "Warm-hearted, but clear-sighted about the human condition, Home for Christmas is a lovely book. These are characters you will carry with you." -- Barbara D'Amato Priest, sociologist, author, and journalist, Father Andrew M. Greeley (1928-2013) was the author of over 50 bestselling novels and more than 100 works of nonfiction. His novels include the Bishop Blackie Ryan series, including The Archbishop in Andalusia ; the Nuala Anne McGrail series, including Irish Tweed ; the O'Malley Family Saga, including A Midwinter's Tale ; and standalones such as Home for Christmas and The Cardinal Sins . A leading spokesperson for generations of Catholics, Father Greeley unflinchingly urged his beloved Church to become more responsive to believers' evolving concerns. He chronicled his service to the Church in two autobiographies, Confessions of a Parish Priest and Furthermore!