While historical fiction set at Christmas can sometimes feel a bit light on the story- the story often is Christmas- this novel beautifully solves that problem! I had high hopes for Christmas with the Queen when I included it on my 2024 To-Read Historical Fiction post, and it did not let me down. This novel is a must-read this December. When you need a break from the hustle and bustle, you will be able to escape into a fun, interesting, and warm story that will make you appreciate the twists and turns of life. For this week’s Holiday Book Bite: Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb!
Christmas with the Queen, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.
As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously.
Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition.
As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything.
Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, there is one final gift for the Christmas season to deliver…
Why You Should Read This…
I have to say, I never thought I was see the intersection of both royal-ish fiction and Christmas, but here we are! And I loved this book.
Gaynor and Webb are a fantastic writing pair and they once again show why/how they are so popular. While we do get glimpses into a young Queen Elizabeth II’s point of view, we spend most of our time with Olive Carter, a BBC reporter establishing herself, and Jack Devereux, a chef who has recently begun working for the Royal Family. The story very much focuses on their lives and families but shows the role that royals played (and still play) in many people’s lives.
The two authors have clearly done their research, and I more than appreciate it. Many of us have grandparents and parents who remember this time period, and with the popularity of The Crown, many of us younger folks are also somewhat familiar- the details and “finishings” on this novel allow you to step into the 1950s easily.
I chose the audiobook, and I am so glad that I did- both narrators brought their characters to life for me. (Also, their “royal accents” were great- the Royal Family had a particular way of speaking in that generation, and they nailed it.)
This is a must-read for any fans of The Crown or anyone who simply loves historical fiction!
Is Christmas with the Queen on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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