When all seems lost, a Christmas miracle walks in…
Albany, Oregon
December, 1937
Despite the lingering Depression, Albany, Oregon is lit up for Christmas. The entire town is bright with hope ushered in with the holiday season. But Jane Scott’s dream for the perfect Christmas is ruined. She’s accepted to the University of Oregon, yet denied the scholarship that would allow her to attend. On top of that her boyfriend, Jack Arthur, stands her up just when she needs him most. Faced with not earning a teaching degree she wonders if she could be happy living life as her mother has—as a woman contented with all things domestic. As each day seems darker, Jane’s strength and faith is tested.
Feeling as though everything she had counted on is fading away, she flounders for an anchor. Little by little the Scott family Christmas traditions and a benefactor’s encouragement remind her of what the season is all about, what she is all about. Can plans for a new job pay enough for tuition? Does Jack’s mysterious absence mean the end of their future together? Is a Christmas miracle on the way?
My Thoughts:
Ever since book one, I have looked forward to Kathleen Shoop's holiday books! They are always heartwarming and you can feel how much heart and soul she puts into them. They are inspirational, uplifting, and the perfect holiday read.
This particular book is based on her own maternal grandparents' story. Made my heart swoon when I learned that! It's a delightful memory and I'm grateful she shared it with us. I love the lesson in that we sometimes have to trust that the plan is bigger than what we have for ourselves. We have to learn to be appreciative of what we've had and what we are moving toward in the future.
Even though this is a short, quick read, I felt instantly immersed into Jane's world and the relationships. I could hear the music playing from the record player and smell the cedar of the tree and decorations. It's the perfect book to grab when you want a holiday pick-me-up!
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Also available...
The Christmas Coat ('Tis the Season Book 1)
ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD- FINALIST
Two days before Christmas, ornery Elliot Ebberts is tasked with school drop-off even though distracted by an important real estate transaction. In the holiday carpool chaos his extravagant, lucky coat goes missing. In a panic, he searches for his coat, tracing its path as it passes through the hands of good people in dire situations.
Meanwhile, his plan to WOW his wife Libby with an ostentatious gift reveals Elliot’s shallowness to the world and mortifies his entire family. Is it too late for him to rediscover the meaning of Christmas, to remember who he is without all the trappings of the job that defines him? Can Libby and their children ever forgive him?
The Tin Whistle ('Tis the Season Book 2)
Inspired by a true story...
1854
Jacob Gusky wakes up hoping Santa has arrived. And he has... but not for Jacob, one of two Jewish boys living at the Boys’ Home of Manhattan. When a friend gifts him a tin whistle, Jacob learns the power of giving, the joy in receiving, and hears what he considers to be the sound of happiness.
1881
Recently widowed and completely out of options, Frannie takes her daughter Molly to the Home for the Friendless. “You’ll be back before Christmas?” Molly asks. Frannie gives Molly half a quilt square and keeps the other, choking on her reply.
Now a happily married father of three, Jacob Gusky owns Gusky’s Grand Emporium, Pittsburgh’s first premier department store. After unearthing the tin whistle from the orphanage, he is reminded of what it felt like to have nothing, and decides to make a difference in the lives of others no matter their faith. But with so little time before Christmas morning, can he even begin to give the orphaned children of Pittsburgh what he knows they need?
When giving is more important than receiving...
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Cinder Bella ('Tis the Season Book 3)
She never had anything.
He lost everything.
Together they create a Christmas to remember.
December, 1893
Shadyside, Pennyslvania
Bella Darling lives in a cozy barn at Maple Grove, an estate owned by industrialist Archibald Westminster. The Westminster family is stranded overseas and have sent word to relieve all employees of their duties except Margaret, the pregnant maid, James the butler, and Bella. Content with borrowed books and a toasty home festooned with pine boughs and cinnamon sticks, she coaxes the old hens to lay eggs--extraordinary eggs. Bella yearns for just one thing—someone to share her life with. Always inventive, she has a plan for that. She just needs the right egg into the hands of the right man.
Bartholomew Baines, a Harvard-educated banker, is reeling in the aftermath of his bank's collapse. With his friends and fiancé ostracizing him for what he thought was an act of generosity, he is penniless and alone. A kind woman welcomes him into her boarding house under conditions that he reluctantly accepts. Completely undone by his current, lowly position, and by the motley crew of fellow boarders who view him as one of them, Bartholomew wrestles with how to rebuild.
With the special eggs as the impetus, the first meeting between Bella and Bartholomew gives each the wrong idea about the other. And when the boarding house burns down a week before Christmas it’s Bella who is there to lend a hand. She, Margaret, and James invite the homeless group to stay at the estate through the holidays. But as Christmas draws closer, eviction papers arrive. Maple Grove is being foreclosed upon. Can Bella work her magic and save their Christmas? Is the growing attraction between Bella and Bartholomew enough for them to see past their differences? Only time will tell and only if time doesn’t run out before they all have the Christmas of their lives.
My Thoughts:
I love Kathleen Shoop's ability to whisk us into history, fully-immersing you into the time frame. It's financially a difficult time for everyone in this book, but love how the characters, as well as you, the reader, will discover how much more to life there is than material things.
Bella is a darling (in name and personality!) who has a contagious "glass half full" positivity through such darkness. I felt a kinship with her to ensure the well-being of those around her, navigating a world that is cold, cruel, and nowhere near as pure as her.
By the end of the book, you'll love that seed of hope that roots in your heart for a season that brings you as much joy as this book pictures. The struggles seem harsh and difficult at the forefront, but as time passes, you'll discover that without them, the rewards reaped wouldn't be as sweet.
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
About Kathleen Shoop
Bestselling author, Kathleen Shoop, holds a PhD in reading education and has more than 20 years of experience in the classroom. She writes historical fiction, women’s fiction and romance. Shoop’s novels have garnered various awards in the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), Eric Hoffer Book Awards, Indie Excellence Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Readers’ Favorite and the San Francisco Book Festival. Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. Kathleen coordinates Mindful Writing Retreats and is a regular presenter at conferences for writers.
I adore writing historical fiction (The Letter series, After the Fog and Donora Stories) but am having a blast writing romance like Home Again, Return to Love and Tending Her Heart (Endless Love series). Thank you so much for the time you take to read.
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