Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiance Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.
Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the Vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James?
Thank you to Kaleidoscopic Tours and Anderson Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t usually pick up historical fiction but this one actually really intrigued me and I ended up almost requesting a copy through work. And then a beautiful parcel turned up on my doorstep, with a copy of this book, which also included parcels and envelopes to unwrap at certain pages. It was such a delightful thing to be a part of, thank you to everyone involved!
This book felt weirdly nostalgic, especially for having absolutely no reason to be nostalgic for 1919. It was nostalgic for that feeling of Christmas as a little kid, being excited for the Christmas tree and decorations and the sweets shop in the village. It was absolutely charming and utterly heartwarming.
I absolutely flew through this in just a couple of days, it’s a real page turner and the plot is so fast, I really enjoyed reading it. The book is set in the lead up to Christmas, and it has a real wintery, Christmassy feeling to it. My favourite thing about this book was probably how descriptive everything was, from the little interactions between Margot and her family, to the village at Christmas, to Christmas Day, to the grand New Years Ball at the end. It was all so beautifully written and absorbing.
Overall, this book was fairly simple and predictable. But it’s fun and charming and has just enough emotion to keep you engaged with Margot’s story. I quite enjoyed it and it definitely got me into the Christmas spirit!
★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
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