This audiobook almost has the effect of a radio play because it consists mostly of dialogues and there are not a lot of narrative passages.
The story is set in London in 1940, during the Blitz. Maggie and Jack, who have lost their young daughter (it is not exactly said when), are bombed out on Christmas Eve. They seek shelter in a tube station, but abandon this plan shortly after because Maggie cannot endure it. On their way to a park, they find an old, abandoned mansion and decide to stay there. During the night, they find their own kind of Christmas miracle, although they have to see if their luck will hold...
I found it difficult to like and identify with Maggie and Jack, which made it hard to fully engage with the story. It became better towards the end, though. I appreciated the historical detail, but it seems like the story just stopped when it became really interesting. I would have liked to see how things developed. ( )

A married couple gets bombed out of their house in the London Blitz. They find an abandoned home with a little boy in it who does not know where his mother is.
After much complaining about not having anything for Christmas, circumstances change and Maggie sees that miracles do happen and she can find purpose in the midst of adversity. It reminds me of an O’Henry tale.
*I borrowed this ebook from Prime Reading. All opinions are my own.* ( )

World War II during the Blitz. Maggie and Jack are in their house in the East End of London on Christmas Eve when their house is hit by an incendiary bomb. They take refuge in an empty house with a seven-year-old boy. A feel-good short story written by a British mystery writer who now lives in the US. ( )

Lovely story, unsatisfying ending

I very much enjoyed reading this story, the characters and the tone were beautifully crafted. So much emotion.

I'm a little disappointed at where it ended. I suppose there was some closure but it still feels unresolved. ( )

This was an enjoyable, heartwarming Christmas novella set during WW2 in Britain during the air raids. When a married couple loses everything they have and stumbles upon a house that seems abandoned, is it the answer to their prayers? Wonderful historical detail.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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