So This is Christmas by Helen Rolfe
So this is Christmas by Helen Rolfe is a wonderful, enjoyable,
heartwarming story of love, loss, grief and family that goes beyond blood; a
heart-warming festive read that could bring a tear to the eye.
Bea
and Greta had been best friends for a lifetime; both originally from Vienna,
now Bea's home was in London while Greta's was currently in Vienna. The two
friends have an annual tradition of posting festive letters to each other, especially
at Christmas. Bea, now in her eighties, resided in a care home with kind,
compassionate, care assistant Sophie doing all she could for Bea. With her
eyesight failing, Sophie wrote the latest Christmas letter with Bea dictating.
The letter was finished, ready for Sophie to post, when Bea quietly passed away
overnight. Sophie was shattered.
Sophie
loves Christmas, especially helping Bea write her letter to Greta.
Unfortunately a few days after they finish the letter Bea passes away and
Sophie is devastated. She realizes that she hasn’t posted the letter, when she
receives a letter from Bea herself telling her to go to Vienna, she does just
that; delivering the last letter in person.
Greta and her husband, Walter,
have spent their years together taking care of others: finding people in need
of care and support, helping them find their feet. Their family circle includes
their own son Nick and Jennie, who after being thrown out of her home, has
become like a daughter to them. After retiring, Greta and Walter moved back to Vienna,
with their Nick be the manager of the Wynter hotel and Jennie working there as
housekeeping manager.
Greta and Bea spent several years trying to persuade Sophie
to visit Vienna; appearing to have an ulterior motive. As the story moves on we
discover their well meaning motives. We also find out unexpected aspects of
Sophie and Jennie’s lives that link them. Secrets that have kept them hiding
from the truth and preventing them from living life to the full.
I loved this festive read. The characters were delightful and the close feeling
of family and true connection made for a really cozy read, with seasonal love
and joy to match it. I was thoroughly absorbed in this take of found family and
intergenerational friendships, despite the secrets and lies causing emotional
turmoil that lurked between the pages.
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