A Miracle on Hope Street

While this book has a happy ending, it is not a happy book. I wrote about this last year as well, but for many people, Christmas is one of the hardest periods there is. The idea that everybody should be happy, when so many people have it so hard? It can be hurtful to anyone who isn’t lucky enough to be able to fully “celebrate Christmas”.
For Ruth Ryans, that is exactly the case. Her sister is across the country, her father died almost exactly a year ago and her mother? Well, she walked out on them years earlier – just when, as Ruth put it, “she needed her most”. Faced with feeling even more alone now, as she is struggling with the grieve of her father’s death, Ruth just about breaks down. She has an advice column, but how is she supposed to help others when she’s feeling so utterly lost herself?
And then – she decides to do just that. Rather than just give people words of wisdom, of help and of comfort, she’s going to take action. Throughout the story, we’re shown fragments of 6 people’s lives as they decide to write in for Ruth’s advice column. The way Emma Heatherington set up the story so that we get to see exactly what brings these people to right to Ruth gave it a layer of depth that, honestly, I wasn’t expecting from “just a Christmas book”.
It’s been a while since I read a book that set out to be emotional, and was actually taken aback by how well that was done. The author manages to unveil the different layers both of Ruth’s and “the man whose life she changed” stories. The six people Ruth decides to help are all, in their own way, so incredibly deserving. And at the same time, they – along with that same man – give Ruth the framework she needs to deal with the biggest reason for her loneliness this season: her mother’s absence. The build-up of that final reveal is executed so masterfully that – even if you do figure out the last “plot twist” before it’s actually narrated (and you might, it is somewhat obvious) – it honestly left me in tears.
Now, A Miracle on Hope Street takes place during the 8 days before Christmas and on Christmas day itself, with a prologue one year earlier and an epilogue one year later. Honestly, I would’ve been fine with 6 more epilogues. Emma Heatherington so skilfully sets up this unnamed town in Ireland, the family situation and all of the invitees (heart breaking and hope giving all at once!) that I would’ve been happy to stay in her world a good while longer.
Rating: 4.75/5

A beautifully written piece that reminds us about the importance of showing kindness and love to everyone at Christmas time. For some this time of year is excruciatingly lonely and a day filled with dread. This heartwarming and emotional story highlights the magic of reaching out to those who otherwise would be alone.

I was taken in immediately by this captivating story and taken on an emotional but uplifting journey. Ruth's story is a tough one to follow as it tackles the loss of both parents in more than one way, grief and feeling the loss of purpose in life. But willing her on the book takes a magical lift that sees lost souls come together and lives moving in better directions all because a hand of kindness was extended at just the right moment.

I loved everything this book stands for and it certainly provides plenty of food for thought in how we interact as human beings and just how much a moment of kindness can do.

Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Emma Heatherington for the opportunity to review 'A Miracle On Hope Street." All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Emma Heatherington is a new author to me and I have to say I really enjoyed her "A Miracle On Hope Street." I found it to be very heartwarming and a wonderful book to get ready for the upcoming Christmas season.
The book deals with something I know I have asked myself: Can a single act of kindness really change a life forever?' Reading this book brought me hope that this can actually happen.
Highly recommend reading this book, so well worth reading. I look forward to discovering more books written by Emma Heatherington.

I utterly adore this book.
From its cover to its characters and plot, all of which help to restore my faith in humanity.
I am an avid fan of festive romance and this is one of the most inspirational stories I've read in a long while.
The authors understanding of her characters problems and the compassion with which she has her main character respond warmed my heart.
Emma Heatherington is a new author to me but I look forward to reading more of her work.
It's 5 stars with me, I highly recommend this novel, it will make you laugh, cry and hopefully change the way you view those around you.
Many thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperImpluse #AMiracleOnHopeStreet