PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
From the bestselling author of If I Were You comes a nostalgic and endearing holiday story that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones we least expect and don’t deserve.
Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab–since a dog topped the boys’ wish list for Santa. In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love.
My Review:
When you were a child, did you ever look through a Christmas toy catalog and dream of what you might find under the tree on Christmas morning? In the year 1951, the setting of this book, the “Sears Wish Book” was the catalog that all children watched to see arrive in their mailbox.
In this engaging story, Bobby and Harry have discovered all the wonders contained in the “Wish Book”. The more they turn the pages, the more their five year old hearts are filled with greed. However, when Bobby and Harry are cast as two of the three wise men in their kindergarten Christmas program, they decide that they want to be as giving as the “smart kings” were to Jesus. As single moms, Audrey and Eve want to teach their sons to have giving hearts. They have no idea where this journey in giving will lead them or that maybe the boys’ greatest wish for “a dad for Christmas” will come true.
There’s some wonderful moments in this book. The kindergarten Christmas play is truly funny. I loved the way the author, through the lives of Audrey and Eve, showed the need for trust in God and accepting His forgiveness. The gospel is shared in a Christmas Eve message in a very clear way. Although there were times when Audrey and Eve both got a little annoying, the message of hope through Christ shows clearly through their struggles.
This book is a sequel to Lynn Austin’s story, “If I Were You”. It’s easy to read this book without having read the first book, but it was great to have a glimpse in the lives of these characters again. I also loved the hardback cover to this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Click here to purchase a copy:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XR1YHGB/ref=nodl_?_bbid=20589070&tag=individualbookpagesite-20
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband’s work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she’d earned at Hope College and Southern Connecticut State University to work as a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.
Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother, and daughter concerning the change in women’s roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve’s Daughters.
Along with reading, two of Lynn’s lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.
Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published 27 novels. Eight of her historical novels have won Christy Awards for excellence in Christian Fiction: Hidden Places (2001), Candle in the Darkness (2002), Fire by Night (2003), A Proper Pursuit (2007), Until We Reach Home (2008), Though Waters Roar (2009) While We’re Far Apart (2010), and Wonderland Creek (2011). She was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2013. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn’s novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.
Looks like a great book to read this year!