Waiting for Christmas is the first festive book I’ve read this year and what a great way to start.

This is the story of an heiress who married for love, not wealth. Adelaide is determined to master running a house on a budget. But the newlywed’s plans are derailed when she finds a little boy hiding in the bushes near her house. From there, Adelaide and husband Howard must try and find Jack’s father. missing sister and reunite the family for Christmas. There is a race against time and bureaucracy most of us can relate to.

This book is everything I’d hope for in a Christmas story. The characters struggle but with heartwarming issues, like caring for the vulnerable, empowering others, running a home. Howard must care for his wife while earning significantly less than Adelaide is used to. Not that Adelaide cares, other than not wanting Howard to feel less for that.

There’s an emotionally charged mystery as the three hunt for the missing sister and try to trace Jack’s seafaring father. I appreciated the creativity of the plot, and the complexity of the hunt. Austin has written well developed characters and I especially enjoyed Adelaide interacting with the two staff she has at home. She wanted to help the younger find a job in a department store, while learning from the older housekeeper so she could do some chores herself.

All this set in the backdrop of impending Christmas and what’s not to love?

I received a copy of Waiting for Christmas from the publisher, via NetGalley. The opinions are all my own.