Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson, beste Freundinnen seit Kindertagen freuen sich mit ihren fünfjährigen Söhnen auf das bevorstehende Weihnachtsfest in Amerika nach dem 2. Weltkrieg. Als jedoch eines Tages der Spielzeugkatalog von Sears im Haus auftaucht dreht sich bei den Jungs plötzlich alles nur noch um ihre unzähligen Weihnachtswünsche. Am liebsten hätten sie jedes der abgebildeten Dinge.

Doch Audrey und Eve wollen den gierigen Kindern etwas Bescheidenheit, Zurückhaltung und Dankbarkeit beibringen. Und dass Weihnachten noch eine andere Bedeutung hat als Geschenke zu bekommen. Sie haben ohnehin nicht genug Geld, um die zahllosen Wünsche zu erfüllen. Und erinnern sich an die bescheidenen Weihnachten ihrer Kindertage und während des Krieges. Dieses Thema ist jetzt in der Zeit der steigenden Preise aktueller denn je. Die Protagonistinnen sind sympathisch und nachvollziehbare Charaktere.

Audrey möchte mit 32 noch für zwei Jahre eine Schulung zur Krankenschwester mitmachen, wovon ihre vermögenden Schwiegereltern nichts halten. Mr. Hamilton, der Leiter der kirchlichen Jungengruppe, ist für den Kredit zuständig, den sie für ihr weiteres Studium braucht.

Was die Kinder betrifft haben die Freundinnen gute Ideen, aber auch sie müssen über ihre Vergangenheit und Zukunft ganz neu nachdenken.

Der Roman ist sehr schön weihnachtlich, winterlich, heimelig und dem eigentlichen Weihnachtsgedanken gewidmet. Aber er dreht sich auch um Trauer und Vergebung.

Die Geschichte hat für alle ein überraschendes und herzerwärmendes Ende.

Dieses Buch konnte mich so richtig in vorweihnachtliche Stimmung versetzen.

Taking up at the end of "If I Were You", you can read this book as a standalone book, but it will make more sense if you read "If I Were You" first. It's the continuation of the story of Audrey and Eve. Eve is trying to make up for trying to impersonate Audrey and Audrey wants to do life on her own with no help from her in-laws.

It's Christmas time and Eve and Audrey's boys want it all. How do they help them find the joy in giving instead of receiving? It's a fun read as the moms also need to learn how to receive graciously without trying to pay everything back.

I enjoyed the chance to see a little more of the story and would love to read another book about Eve and Audrey and what happened to them after Christmas.

"We each owe a debt that we can never repay. But God has reached down from heaven to pay it for us, giving us the gift of Jesus. He offers His forgiveness to us as a gift, to show 'the exceeding riches of his grace."...

I really enjoyed this book. I received a copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

If I Were You was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I was SO excited to see that we were going to get to continue Eve & Audrey's story - and this was such a great continuation.

I loved the themes of friendship, family, grief, faith, love, acceptance, and community that were shared in this story. I LOVED getting to see Eve & Audrey and what happened to them and their boys after the war. I loved the romances. I loved the message of this book. I just loved it, okay?

I think this could technically be read as a stand-alone, and I think it could technically be read at any time of the year, but the best way to read this one is probably curled up by the fire with a mulled cider next to you and a cozy throw over you (within a week or so after finishing If I Were You, for maximum effect).

Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson, the novella’s key characters, are single mothers of Bobby and Harry, both five years old. They are also immigrants in postwar America in 1951.

The narrative begins 20 days before Christmas, when the two boys come across a Christmas catalog that contains more gifts than they could possibly imagine. They can't wait to get home from kindergarten each day, until right before Christmas, to go through the catalog choosing every present they could possibly want.

The mothers, in an effort to teach the young boys that there is more to Christmas than presents, set out to explain the true meaning of Christmas.

The story is charming and endearing. Along with rooting for the mothers, the reader can't help but be swept up in the boy's joy, excitement and wonder at the prospect of Christmas.

The Wish Book Christmas is a novella sequel to Lynn Austin's novel If I Were You. Because I was unaware of this, I was occasionally perplexed when references to the preceding book were made. However, The Wish Book Christmas, with a few minor exceptions, may be read as a stand-alone story.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

The Wish Book Christmas features the characters in If I Were You and continues their story in a Christmas setting. While the author does a good job of bringing the reader up to date, it would be helpful to have read If I Were You first in order to fully enjoy the story. As the boys become excited for Christmas they are continually looking at the Wish book to add to their Santa list. When their mothers encourage the boys to concentrate on giving to others they are able to bless others in the community and their mothers.

The heartwarming Christmastime sequel to Lynn Austin's If I Were You.

Eve and Audrey are excited to celebrate Christmas together with their boys and newfound family, while Bobby and Harry are counting down the days until Christmas, circling the toys that they want from the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book. Eve and Audrey become concerned that their sons are missing the point of Christmas, and endeavor to teach them the true meaning of Christmas while learning lessons of their own along the way.

A heartwarming faith filled novella that continues the story of Eve and Audrey, as well as their two sons. I loved how we got to know Bobby and Harry better in this story, and how their personalities shine as they await Christmas in childish exuberance. They made me chuckle at their all too relatable antics. It was wonderful to see Audrey, Eve and the boy surrounded by so many people that loved them, as well as making new friends along the way. Tom is a wonderful man, with a wonderful family, and I loved the addition of Mr. Hamilton.

Overall, the perfect sequel to If I Were You, I enjoyed the lighter more heartwarming tone of this story, that still bears strong themes of faith and the true meaning of Christmas. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The perfect Christmas book for cosy nights abd frosty mornings. The ideal mic of. Likeable characters and storyline. Perfect.

This was a sweet Christmas story. It brought back memories of pouring over a Christmas wish book. The Wish Book Christmas is a story of two young boys learning the value of giving and the true meaning of Christmas.
The Wish Book Christmas is the sequel to Lynn Austin’s book If I were you. I didn’t realize that and so it felt like I was thrown in the middle of the story. I think it is really important to read both books in the correct order. Those with young kids will enjoy The Wish Book Christmas. It is a light, easy read perfect for the Christmas season.

Reviews posted on Amazon, Good reads and Barnes and Noble

I absolutely loved this sweet novella that is a followup to Lynn Austin's novel "If I Were You" (which I also loved). This is a heartwarming story about the importance of serving others and the real meaning of Christmas. Nostalgic, sweet, and a perfect winter read!!!

Lynn Austin’s The Wish Book Christmas is one of the best Christmas reads I have ever read. What drew me to the book was the historical setting and the Sears Christmas Wish Book itself. The book takes place in the 1950s and is a follow-up to Ms. Austin’s book, If I Were You. (If I Were You is still on my TBR list, but I did not feel entirely lost while reading The Wish Book Christmas.) The Wish Book Christmas center’s around Bobby and Harry, the young sons of Audrey and Eve.

Bobby and Harry are obsessed with the Sears Christmas Wish Book and want everything that’s in the Wish Book (for boys that is). I remember when I was a young girl myself, writing down everything in the girls section and giving the list to my family in the late 80s-early 90s. It was nice to be swept up in the nostalgia and memories of Christmas past while reading the book.

Besides the nostalgia and the time period, what I loved most about the book is the Message woven throughout. Audrey and Eve do not want their sons to become greedy and expect to get everything they have asked for. Inspired by the Christmas Story from the Bible and the boys’ role in the Christmas Play as Wise Men as reference, Audrey and Eve come up with plans of ways for them to give back to their community.

At first, it’s a rough go, but once the boys get the hang of it, they don’t want to stop giving! Bobby and Harry then understand what the True Meaning of Christmas is: Jesus. Audrey and Eve also learn lessons of God’s Forgiveness and Grace and His Giving Nature. The grownups in their circle of friends and family are blessed by Bobby and Harry’s giving and are impressed to give themselves.

The Wish Book Christmas is a sweet Christmas read that helps to remind us what the True Meaning of Christmas actually is and what Jesus gave us. I highly recommend The Wish Book Christmas. The Wish Book Christmas has definitely become one of my favorite reads that I wouldn’t mind reading again (which is rare for me) and is one of my favorites of 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My review is also on Goodreads and my blog, Leslie's Library Escape.

Wow such a nostalgic read. I grew up pursuing through the pages of The Sears Wishbook. I quickly became engrossed in this sweet holiday story. Yes there is more to Christmas than receiving presents. The main theme throughout the novella. Two families come together and learn about love, forgiveness and friendship. I know the boys Harry and Bobby will delight you as much as they did me. I do wish I had read If I Were You before reading this as it gives the backstory of Audrey and Eve. I highly recommend this heartwarming book. Thank you for the ARC #NetGalley #TheWishBookChristmas all opinions are my own.

Take a trip back to yesteryear in this spirit of Christmas filled book. The perfect companion to If I Were You by the same author. It's not required to read it before this one but it tells the stories of the mothers of the two little boys featured in this story.
This is a wonderful story of two little boys who live together with their mothers and they are best friends and just like brothers. Just like typical young kids when the Wish Book comes in the mail they are consumed with it ,spending all their free time reading it and making long lists.
The women are concerned that the boys don't know the true meaning of Christmas, it sure isn't about toys.
It's very heartwarming to see how the boys became more mature as they were taught the true meaning of Christmas and how their hearts opened to Christ and goodness.
Very warm upbeat book I recommend to everyone.

Pub Date 07 Sep 2021
I as given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This story about Christmas with two adorable little boys and their moms took me back to the days of my childhood. Bobby and Harry find a Wish Book catalog and soon they are ready to ask Santa for every toy in the book. Santa certainly has big plans for these little guys and their moms too.

The story lends itself well to thinking about the real meaning of Christmas and the importance of helping others. I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it as a cute and heartwarming holiday reading selection.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I'm so sad to say I had to DNF this one. I felt absolutely zero concern for the characters and could not get into the story despite many, many tries. It felt like very juvenile writing. Super bummed!

Audrey Barrett and widowed Eve Dawson, long-time friends, share a home with their two young sons. When the Sears Wish Book comes, the boys are entangled in the magic of all the toys within the book. Audrey and Eve strive to teach the boys about the gift of giving and they wish to rein in the tendency to greed. At the same time, Audrey and Eve each need to move forward with new plans and new relationships. I am glad that I read "If I Were You" before this one as I was fully apprised of the background of Audrey and Eve. I loved this continuation of their story!

It is a delightful story set in the 1950s in the MidWest of the USA.

The Wish Book Christmas was a sweet Christmas story with a great message. I really enjoyed getting to revisit the characters from <i>If I Were You</i>, a book I absolutely loved.

I enjoyed seeing how the boys learned the true meaning of Christmas and that it isn't about the gifts. I also liked the little bit of romance, even though that wasn't the main focus of the story.

All in all, The Wish Book Christmas was a fun read and I recommend it. I think you should definitely read If I Were You first, though, as that makes this read even more special.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

What first caught my eye about this book was the nostalgic cover featuring that classic childhood friend of every American of a certain age – the Sears Wish Book catalog. I have so many treasured memories of laying on the floor in front of the Christmas tree browsing through the pages and circling the items I wanted to receive.

I’m sorry to say this novella did not hit home for me, but I truly believe it’s because I had not first read the novel it’s drawn from, If I Were You.

That said, this is a sweet story of learning the true meaning of Christmas and the joy of giving.

It was yet another great book by Lynn Austin. At first, I kept getting the female characters and their sons mixed up, which slowed me down because I kept going back to the beginning. This was probably my absent-minded self. Once I got the characters straight, I was hooked, and I fell in love with the boys and the stories. One can take ideas from here and apply them to your family if you feel the meaning of Christmas is getting lost in the hustle and bustle. The Sears catalog had me chuckling because that is how my kids are with the target and Amazon Christmas catalog. Get ready for an entertaining, sweet read. One of my favorite parts, aside from when the boys started doing good deeds, was the Christmas play. :)

The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin is an uplifting Christmas story I am sure I will read again at Christmas time. I did not know it was a sequel to Austin's book, "If I were You", which I will read as well.
This sweet story is set in the early 1950's in America. Eve Dawson & Audrey Barrett and their two son's, Harry & Bobby, are British immigrants who made their way to the US after WWII. Thinking about how excited the boys were to have a copy of the Sears Wish Book, brought back such fun memories of my own childhood and the wonder of Christmas. Eve & Audrey take this opportunity to teach their sons about the TRUE meaning and focus of Christmas. In the process their hearts find healing and they help their sons learn giving is so much better than receiving. Heartwarming, nostalgic story of forgiveness, redemption, hope and family.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This delightful novella gives us another glimpse into the lives of Eve and Audrey from If I were you. I loved catching up with these characters and watch as their children learned valuable and sweet lessons..Lynn Austin once again weaves the stories of friendship, forgiveness into a compelling tale. It will help the reader remember the true meaning of Christmas.

This book can be read as a stand alone but you will better understand the characters reading If I were you first.