Two orphans. A big sister with Down Syndrome. And a community in need of miracles.It’s up to ten-year-old Louis to protect Linney from the bad men. He knows what can happen to handicapped kids. He’s seen it before.Only, it’s getting harder and harder to keep her warm and safe in this old storage barn as Christmas celebrations unfold around them. And then there’s Annie Mac and her crew, who are … Mac and her crew, who are involved in the pageant excitement. So is Lieutenant Clay Dougherty, her kids’ faux-father and the man who still makes her yearn for a whole lot more than she’s comfortable offering, especially when she’s plagued by crazy-making nightmares.
So many questions: Can Louis save his sister? And will Annie Mac find the peace she needs? What about poor Clay and the other Beaufort folk?
Grab your copy of what has been called “an unforgettable story of love, hope, and family,” and “A charming Christmas story full of mystery and love.”
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This is a Christmas novella about the harder side of life. Two children who’ve lost their mother. A woman escaping an abusive relationship. A church community that always steps up to help those they find in need.
It’s part of the Carolina Coast series, but I think you can figure out most of the backstory even if you haven’t read the previous stories. Definitely recommended.
Favorite Quotes:
She didn’t want to be the crazy mother who raised crazy kids. There had to be an answer, somewhere. Because, if there weren’t, she didn’t know how she’d cope. The thing about being crazy, the real truth that scared the daylights out of her, was that sooner or later folk would find out, and when they did, she’d lose her babies, and then she’d die.
A promise was a promise – unless it became an impossibility. And then it was merely a regret.
Katie wasn’t hampered by her any of her mother’s concerns. She pushed past the other children and between the shepherds to march right up to Linney… And she sang the words she’d learned… As the song ended, Katie spoke into the hush of the church, loudly enough to be heard all the way to the back. ‘I’m an angel. I’m suppose to take care of you.’
I’m feeling dizzy. A few days ago I was on the verge of homelessness and poverty. Then I shifted income brackets with one phone call. And now I’m contemplating marriage and a family trip to France.
I’m marrying you for your kids… What can I say? Katie has killer eyelashes. She won my heart the first time she flashed them at me.
The wonder of Linney was that she could love without thinking much. If you were good to her, she’d give you the moon back.
Even if it was getting dark outside, in here, everything was light. And it smelled like Christmas ought to, even if they were already in January.
My Review:
I had adored the characters of Clay and Hannah in Ms. Fischer’s masterful Heavy Weather, and I adored them even more in Twilight Christmas. I enjoy Clay’s exacting nature, his coffee needed to be made just so – from the grinding of the beans on to the exact temperature of the water. This novella finds the season to be a stressful period of transition for many, with Annie Mac still feeling the after-effects of her prior abusive life and seems unsettled and untrusting of herself and her decision making. Two young children are also out of pocket and alone in the cold. The sweetness and purity of dear little Louis squeezed and tugged my heart, he took the responsibility of his role of caring for his older yet developmentally delayed sister with extreme seriousness. Ms. Fischer’s writing was poignant and moving, and her magical combinations of words stung my eyes several times. But I was forced to a full stop while reading Katie’s immediate and unflinching reaction to Linny during the Christmas service. While the adults were flummoxed and at a loss, a young child knew just what was needed… my throat closes up just thinking of that scene. Sigh. Normandie Fischer has mad skills!