Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is a heartwarming Christmas Historical Fiction story set in Victorian England. Gracie, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt’s former maid, left service years ago to get married and care for her family. When her good friend’s daughter Millie shows up on her doorstep frightened and asking for help, she can’t refuse. Something is wrong in the household Millie now serves and when things go missing from the kitchen, she can’t risk being accused of theft and thrown into the streets without a reference.

Gracie decides to tell the household that Millie is sick and that she is taking her place for a few days before Christmas, which will allow her to snoop around to find out what’s going on. When Gracie gets to the household, she finds a nice group of servants who clearly care for Millie, but something is definitely wrong and no one is talking. Gracie eventually finds the man of the house’s mother in an upstairs bedroom clearly being neglected, but other than showing her some kindness, Gracie is at a loss as to what else she can do for her.

This is a warm and fuzzy Christmas story that is a quick and easy read. I really like Gracie. She’s smart, capable and compassionate. The author does a good job of sketching out the personality of the other servants, although most are a pretty stereotypical. The masters of the house are also your typical awful rich people, but these little nit picky things don’t diminish my enjoyment of the book. I really like this author’s writing and was pleased to read this heartwarming Christmas story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Ballantine Books. All opinions are my own.