My first 5* rating of 2025 goes to this beautifully written story of a young single mother who, despite the toxic men in her life, will do anything to protect her young daughter, even temporarily living in the storage closet in the hospital where she works as one of the cleaning crew. Beatrice (Bea) grew up in foster care after losing her parents at age 11. It wasn’t until she made friends in college that she had a semblance of family again, that is until she met much older Declan and got pregnant at 25. Giving up everything to move in with him and raise their daughter, she’s blindsided when he not only leaves her but also forces her out of her home just before Christmas. Little does she know that, when she meets octogenarian Malcolm, her life will grow in ways she never anticipated.
Set during the Christmas season, this is a heartwarming story of chosen family, the resilience and fierce protectiveness of mothers, the plight of homelessness with inadequate safety nets, the power of friendship, and the kindness of strangers. There is a romantic element, but it is not the focus of the book. Bea’s daughter Ellie is absolutely precious, her lovely nature in stark contrast to her father and Finton, Bea’s best friend Cora’s live-in boyfriend. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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