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Mrs. Miracle

by Debbie Macomber

     

When Pamela Webster was killed in a car accident her parents, Jerry and Sharon Palmer, assumed the responsibility of raising her twin sons. Five years later, they decided that the boys, Judd and Jason, now six years old, should live permanently with their father, Seth.

With the two rambunctious boys, Seth is having trouble keeping a full time housekeeper. He has already lost five. The employment agency has no more applicants to send him. But then a new nanny arrives unexpectedly. She is Mrs. Merkle, who takes over the household, bringing order out of the chaos. The boys call her "Mrs. Miracle". And Mrs. Miracle she is. She suggests that Seth plan a vacation for himself and the twins. That sends him to the travel agency run by Reba Maxwell, who has been watching Seth for months from her agency's window.

The attraction between the two is instantaneous. Reba is afraid of her feelings after having been betrayed by her fiancé and sister years ago, causing a rift with the sister, whom Reba is unable to forgive.

Reba is persuaded to take over the production of the church's Christmas pageant. With the twins having parts in the pageant, Reba and Seth are thrown together, eventually finding themselves in love. Mrs. Miracle (the deus ex machina) works her spell to solve the heartaches of others, including a couple who are on the verge of divorce after many years of a happy marriage.

Each chapter starts with a quote or saying from Mrs. Miracle. "A closed mouth gathers no foot." "Swallowing angry works is much more palatable than having to eat them afterwards." "There is a reason a dog has so many friends. He wags his tail instead of his tongue."

Mrs. Miracle is a heartwarming story of faith, love and forgiveness. The characters are very human. You feel as though you know them. The story is well written. It is fast moving, holding the readers' interest. You keep reading to find out what is going to happen next.

It is refreshing to read a book that contains no explicit sex, no violence and no street language.

Mrs. Miracle has been made into a Hallmark Channel movie starring Doris Roberts. It calls to mind a 2004 movie with a similar theme: Nanny McPhee starring Colin Firth and Emma Thompson. Both will make for enjoyable viewing.

An extra bonus is several of Mrs. Miracle’s recipes.

The Book

Avon / HarperCollins
November 24, 2009 (reprint)
Paperback
9780061083464 / 0061083461
Women's fiction / Romance
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE: Holiday read: Christmas

The Reviewer

Barbara Buhrer
Reviewed 2009
NOTE:
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