December 2024 – Novel PASTimes

December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.

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I enjoyed this novel about two lovers, Jack and Olive, who are separated by circumstances, including Jack’s marriage to another woman, Andrea, he loved. As the story opens Andrea is killed in a car accident. She leaves behind the dream she and Jack had for Jack to open his own restaurant. Olive harbors a secret, and these two things keep them apart for most of the book. It’s the classic romance formula.

What made this book intriguing for me was the glimpse into the royal family and the Queen’s preparations for her annual Christmas address. (However, readers should understand, despite the title and setting, the book is about Jack and Olive who both have jobs that take them into the lives of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip). Another intriguing aspect for he was Jack’s character. He enjoys cooking the recipes that his grandfather, from New Orleans, taught him. The way he puts his dishes together and the way he introduces them to the British people was interesting. I also loved how he wooed Olive by figuring out what she liked and setting up one-on-one cooking lessons.

The only drawback for me was the prolonged period of time (years!) that it took for Jack and Olive to reunite as a couple. I found it a little annoying. I also didn’t like that we weren’t able to witness a proposal or a wedding. After all that back and forth, this part deserved a place in the story, I thought. Even so, this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this story by two very talented authors. I’ve read several of their books and I love how they take ordinary people and show readers how they endured and prospered during the times they lived in.

This is a fun Christmasy read with a gorgeous cover that I think readers will enjoy.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I received a free review copy from the publisher via NetGalley and was not required to leave a review. These are my own opinions.

Reviewed by Cindy Thomson, www.cindyswriting.com

In the summer of 1865, Southern families are struggling to pick up their lives after the war. . . .

Novel PASTimes: Tell us about yourself, Daviana.

Daviana: My full name is Athdara Daviana Spalding, which is a mouthful, so my family and friends just call me Dottie. I’m twenty, and I live on a farm near Gainesville, Georgia. That’s in Hall County, the northeastern part of Georgia, not far from the South Carolina line. Right now, it’s just Papa and me living here. Mama died when I was thirteen, and my only brother, Lionel, came home after the war ended only to leave again. He took my sweet nephew, Albert, with him, and I sure do miss that little boy.

Novel PASTimes: Why did Lionel leave?

Daviana: Seeing the South in its broken condition was hard on him, and being home reminded him of all he’d lost—his wife and Mama. I think he was afraid we’d lose the farm, too, because he’d fought with the Confederate army. Then he had a big argument with a neighbor, so that gave him an excuse to head west. Mail service is unreliable, so I don’t know where he is now.

Novel PASTimes: Were you in danger of losing the farm?

Daviana: We didn’t know for sure, so when the Federal men came by asking about it, Simon McNeil spoke up and said he and I was going to marry me soon. I’m not sure why he said that when we had no such understanding. Heavens, we’d only met him a week ago.

Novel PASTimes: How did you meet Simon?

Daviana: He stopped at our house on his way home from Virginia to Alabama. We gave him a good meal and a bed for the night, then he took sick. Malaria, he said, which he’d contracted during the war. It took him a few days to regain his health enough to be able to travel again.

Novel PASTImes: How would his being engaged to you make a difference to whether the Federals let you stay on the farm?

Daviana: Papa and I didn’t know it till later, but Simon had been a Union officer, so adding his name to the deed made sure it was safe. He’d also earned a law degree, so he knew how to arrange everything to secure it. There’s also the matter of Jasper Dunaway, a neighbor who wants our farm and me with it. We figured announcing our betrothal ought to keep him away.

Novel PASTImes: But if the engagement is fake, won’t everyone soon find out?

Daviana: Well, Simon convinced me he wanted to make it real right from the start. I was already half-gone over him anyway, so I agreed to let it stand and see if we’re both still agreeable to marry when he returns from visiting his folks in Alabama.

Novel PASTImes: From your smiles and blushing, I guess that wedding is still in your future.

Daviana: I hope so. I’m dreading Simon’s departure, but spending some time apart ought to help us be sure whether getting married is what we both want.

Novel PASTImes: Tell me a little more about Simon.

Daviana: Oh, Simon McNeil is a charmer for sure. He always displays good manners, and his blue eyes sparkle when he teases me about my proper Scottish name. He tends to be impulsive, but he’s trying to curb his impulsive tendencies, and I’m of a more cautious nature, so I suppose we balance each other out.

Novel PASTImes: You don’t plan to go with him to visit his family?

Daviana: No, with harvest coming up, I need to stay here with Papa. Besides, I think Simon has some restoration to do with his family, especially since he’s been gone such a long time. He needs to concentrate on that and not worry about entertaining me while he’s there. After he takes care of that, I’ll be here, waiting for him.

About Susan: Retired from a career in technicalwriting, Susan now combines her love of history and language in the world of Christian fiction. She and her husband live in Georgia where she is active in Toastmasters, Word Weavers, and musical groups. She also has authored three non-fiction books and several non fiction articles.

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