Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin ~ a book review

 

If you are looking for a feel-good story to get you in the Christmas spirit, look no further!  This story touched my heart because it reminded me of circumstances in my family history. 

The main characters, Adelaide and Howard, are newlyweds.  Adelaide comes from a wealthy family upbringing with servants and maids at her disposal.  She marries Howard and moves into a nice home in Manhattan but without the convenience of a household staff.  The story is set in the early 1900’s, so she must learn to cook, clean, do laundry and manage a budget. Howard is very supportive and patient.

She routinely visits various orphanages and children’s homes with her mother, who helps with fundraising for them.

One youngster, Jack, hides away in her mother’s carriage and ‘escapes’ from an orphanage in order to keep from being placed on one of the orphan trains.  He is also looking for his baby sister, who he has not seen since he was placed in the orphan home.  There is no record of her anywhere, and the authorities doubt that she actually exists.   Adelaide finds him hiding in her bushes, freezing and hungry.  She and Howard take him in and promise to look for his sister.  Jack insists he is not an orphan. He is adamant that his father, who is away at sea, will come for them before Christmas, as he promised. The authorities are convinced he is dead.  His mother died in the tenements of New York City.

Interwoven in the mystery of the lost sister and father, is Adelaide’s involvement in the new suffrage movement.

Adelaide and Howard rely on their deep faith to guide them. 

This story is heartwarming, emotional and inspirational.   What will become of Jack?  Will they find his sister? Will the father come home as he promised?

This is a story you won’t want to put down until you’ve read it all!

This is from the publisher's website:

"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."

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher the via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

Go HERE to read an excerpt