December 27, 2025 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review- So This Is Christmas By Helen Rolfe

Care assistant Sophie loves the holidays, and nothing makes her feel more festive than helping 82-year-old resident Bea keep in touch with her old friend Greta. In their Christmas letters, the women update each other on their lives – Bea’s in the quiet residential home in London, Greta’s in the heart of Vienna and the grand Wynter Hotel.

But everything changes when Bea passes away before Sophie’s had a chance to post this year’s letter. Devastated, Sophie struggles to imagine this Christmas without her dear friend. But then Sophie finds one last note from Bea – and this time, it’s not addressed to Greta. It’s to Sophie, telling her to go to Austria.

Which is how Sophie finds herself in Vienna at Christmas, with the snow falling, and an important delivery to make… But when Sophie reaches the Wynter Hotel, there are surprises in store, and before she returns to England, her life will have changed in ways she could never have imagined…

About The Author

My Review

This is a tender, multi-generational tale that celebrates the enduring power of friendship, the lost art of letter-writing, and the quiet magic of human connection.

The story begins decades ago with Greta and Bea, two friends who left Vienna for England and began exchanging heartfelt letters — a tradition that grew into yearly “Christmas newsletter” updates. More than fifty years later, Greta is back in Vienna with her husband Walter, and Bea is in an English care home, yet their correspondence remains a lifeline for them both.

As age and failing eyesight make writing harder, others step in to help — Sophie, Bea’s devoted care home assistant who feels more like family, and in Vienna, Walter, their son Nick, and Jennie, a woman as close as an adopted daughter. When circumstances send Sophie to Vienna on Bea’s behalf, she discovers truths and connections that are both heartwarming and bittersweet. Greta and Bea’s lifelong friendship is portrayed with warmth and authenticity, and the relationships that branch from it — spanning generations and crossing countries — remind us how kindness can ripple outward, touching unexpected lives.

This is more than just a festive read; it’s a love letter to enduring bonds, old-fashioned correspondence, and the ways people can become each other’s chosen family.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Review Card & Book Review- My Daughter’s Keeper By Sheila Norton

You’d know if something was wrong… wouldn’t you? But danger doesn’t always wear a mask – it can hide in plain sight.

After a difficult break-up, my six-year-old Daisy is finally settling into life in two homes. She’s spending more time with her dad, his wealthy and glamorous partner Kirsty, and her new stepsisters, Amelia and Freya. She seems happier. More relaxed. Like she’s finally found her place.

It should be everything I ever wanted for her. So why does it feel like I’m losing her?

Then Daisy confesses something that stops me cold. Something I can’t ignore. That Amelia isn’t kind. Behind closed doors, she’s cruel. Violent even.

Everyone says it’s just normal sibling tension. A bit of jealousy. But the more I try to dismiss it, the harder it becomes to shake the feeling that something is deeply, dangerously wrong.

What would you do if your child told you they were being hurt by someone you trusted? Would you risk everything to protect them – even if no one believes you?

About The Author

My Review

After the end of her long-term relationship with Craig, Tasha is left raising their daughter, Daisy, while struggling financially. Craig’s new partner, the glamorous Kirsty, enjoys a life of comfort and luxury with her own daughters Amelia and Freya,a stark contrast to Tasha’s day-to-day reality. In a desperate bid to solve her money troubles, Tasha turns to online bingo, but what begins as a small gamble quickly spirals into addiction and serious debt.

When Kirsty agrees to look after Daisy after school, it seems like a lifeline—until Daisy admits that Amelia can be cruel and, at times, violent. Tasha’s unease grows, but without the funds for childcare, she feels she has no choice. As secrets begin to surface and lies come to light, Tasha starts to fear that Whitegate House might be far more dangerous than she imagined.

If I had to capture this novel in a single word, it would be motherhood. Norton writes with emotional depth, conveying the love, fear, and resilience that drive Tasha’s every choice. While the pacing is occasionally slow, the emotional tension and unfolding mystery kept me engaged throughout.

Overall, it is a moving psychological family drama with an undercurrent of suspense, this story grips from the start and lingers after the final page.