It is the end of 1901 and the life of newly married, young couple Addy and Howard Forsythe is about to change. The story is set in Manhattan, New York, following the lives of the lead pair. We meet the young couple in the run-up to Christmas as they welcome unexpected house guests even before they're properly settled into their marriage and the new house.
Adelaide, before getting married, was a heiress, living in a big house and brought up in a privileged life. Howard is the handsome, blue-eyed son of a local clergyman, and working as a lawyer and of means. With a pioneering grandmother as her inspiration, Addy has always wanted a purpose-led and meaningful life. When she fell in love with Howard, Addy felt her prayers answered. She left her life of privilege behind when she got married to Howard and moved into a modest townhouse in Manhattan. Addy is keen to experience the joys of marriage, hopefully, different from her own parents’ marriage. She is also determined to learn and fulfill her domestic duties and role as a housewife. In this new life away from the guidance of her mother and never-ending social calls; Addy is passionate about empowering women and has joined the Suffrage movement.
When we first meet her it is late in the evening and she is returning via local transport, from a suffrage meeting. As she is stepping up the stairs to her townhouse she finds a child hiding in the bushes around the steps. With the cold settling around them, Addy springs into action and brings young Jack inside to get them warm. While getting comfortable and warm around the fire Addy learns about Jack and how he came to hide outside her house. Jack is an eight-year-old boy who’s searching for his three-year-old sister after their mother died and they were taken away to an orphanage. Jack and Polly were separated when the authorities came to get them, as he had asked three-year-old Polly to hide. Their father is away on a ship at work and the children have no relatives who can take them in. Addy’s heart goes out to him and before she decides what to do with him, Howard returns from work and they decide to feed the kid and put him to bed leaving the rest for morning.
Morning brings another surprise in the face of a cook Mrs. Gleason whom Addy hires along with her niece Susannah for housekeeping. With this new addition, Addy’s plate is full with a cook, housekeeper and a young house guest. These new developments cause a strain on Howard’s modest income and he loathes Addy dipping into her inheritance money for house expenses. There’s also Jack and his insistence on searching for Polly and waiting for their father who’s to return home on Christmas day. Soon the young couple come up with a plan to help Jack find his sister and father. Addy is to help with the search on weekdays and Howard is to join them on weekends. Addy is also keen on learning domestic skills from Mrs. Gleason, she is also keen to teach social and employable skills to Susannah who hopes to better her life.
The build-up to Christmas day is full steam ahead for the young couple as they help with Jack’s search, Susannah’s education and putting in more time at work for Howard. Will Addy fulfill her dream of a purposeful life? Will the characters witness a Christmas miracle?
• I loved the message of the story, one of hope, prayers and trusting in God and his plans for us.
. The intensity of the search the kids embark upon and the strain on the young couple's finances were engrossing. The determination of Addy to work for women's empowerment, and to find a happy ending for the kids was filled with tension, hope and prayers. All of which made for a highly engrossing read and full of joyous moments as each event reached its ending.
• The young couple are adorable, cute in love, brave in facing unexpected situations and of a solid character.
• The young kids are strong and their faith is an inspiration.
• Addy’s work for women's empowerment with the help of her cook is inspirational. Her transition from a privileged young woman to one learning to be independent whilst fulfilling her role as a wife is promising and wonderful to witness in its initial stage.
• Howard as a husband is supportive with an open mind and faith in his heart.
• I especially loved the events of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They are emotional, and overwhelming yet filled with joy, kindness and coming together of people to share food, smiles, love and hope with each other. It was nothing short of a miracle.
• The cook Mrs. Gleason is such a joy to be around and seemed like a fairy godmother for Addy.
I would recommend this sweet, heartwarming story of Christmas miracles at every turn if you are looking for a quick, clean and warm story this festive season.
In this hope-filled Gilded Age Christmas novella from bestselling author Lynn Austin, the year is 1901 and the hustle and bustle of the holidays is descending on New York’s Fifth Avenue.
For the first time in her privileged life, Adelaide Forsythe won’t be swept up in it. She couldn’t be happier about the prospect of a quieter Christmas. That’s not to say her transition from Miss to Mrs. has been without challenge. Though she doesn’t regret marrying for love instead of wealth, she can barely light the hearth or cook more than burnt toast. She feels woefully unprepared to run her own household.
Then, on the first Sunday of Advent, winter winds bring change through two unlikely means: a young orphan boy, hiding near Adelaide’s front steps, and a seasoned housekeeper who seems too good to be true.
The boy, Jack, claims he isn’t an orphan at all and is desperate to reunite his family. Adelaide and her husband Howard work tirelessly to solve the riddle of Jack’s story, while Adelaide’s new endeavors open her eyes to a world beyond her past experience—and all the challenge and possibility it holds. As Christmas approaches, small glimmers of wonder light the way toward the answers Adaleide seeks and the most miraculous gift of all.
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