This is a most unusual Christmas story. It is a story of redemption. It's a story of how God is faithful, how He gets us through tough times, and how He puts people in our paths just when we need them. A warning. The prologue contains an assault scene but it is very non-descript and essential to the story.
Jack and Allie are newlyweds and are getting ready to celebrate their very first Christmas. (You'll have to read the book, though, to know why it's called "The Second Best Christmas"). The newlyweds want to make it extra special. They both come from dysfunctional families, and want this first Christmas as a married couple to be all the wonderfully different from the ones from their pasts. The closer they get to Christmas, though, the more each of them realize they are going to fall short of the money needed to buy each other something really special. They will need extra jobs in addition to the ones they picked up for the Christmas season.
Enter Gus. Gus is the owner of "Off The Beaten Path," a thrift/antique shop. Gus's wife, Ruth, has died, and Gus is feeling the need for some help. Both Allie and Jack go to his store on separate occasions looking for that special gift for each other. Gus hires them both to work different nights in his store, not realizing they are married to each other and they keep it a secret from each other.
Allie and Jack celebrate their first Christmas together, and it's wonderful. Shortly after Christmas, Gus asks them to come to the store as he wants to interview each of them separately for a possible managership role. He ends up offering them both jobs. Then he asks if they liked their presents, as he is aware now they are married. Jack says he is thrilled but that the present for Allie is still in the store because he didn't have enough money and was waiting till after Christmas to bring it home. In the meantime, he has given her something else. Gus is mortified that Jack hasn't given her the dresser he picked out for her weeks ago. He goes to the back and pushes it out.
Here is where the story gets interesting. Gus and his late wife had a habit of taking out each drawer from dressers they purchased to resell. Over the years they found many notes. Some hearbreakingly sad; others joyous. But Gus has no idea he is about to find a note from his late wife. That note is the turning point in the story and will deeply impact all of them. You will love the ending.
The book has an epilogue as well. It also contains questions for a book club and hints about how to spend Christmas. This book is a Novella which means it has about 40,000 words.
