Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton Review by Jennifer

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your copy here :https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Christmas-Alexis-Stanton-ebook/dp/B07HQZTK5N/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1549241828&sr=1-1&keywords=A+Timeless+Christmas+by+Alexis+Stanton

 

I have to just say, this was quite a lovely story.I did not get a chance to read it before Christmas, however I love a sweet Christmas story throughout the year! This is a book published by Hallmark, but unlike the others that I have read by Hallmark, this book is NOT based off of a movie and as of today, there is no movie related to it. I do believe they should make one, but as of now, there is nothing

 

 

We begin this book a few days prior to Christmas with Megan Turner leading tours of the famous Whitley-Moran Mansion, in a little upstate NY town of Cutter Springs in the Adirondack Mountains in present time. Megan has an undergraduate degree from Columbia, but returned home to obtain her graduate degree in American History. The mansion had been completed in 1902, as a gift for Mr. Whitley’s fiance’e, Eliza. Megan plays the part of Rosie, the housekeeper of the mansion. She takes people through the house describing the Indiana limestone on the exterior, Russian mahogany all throughout the thirty rooms, including ten bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, a ballroom, three drawing rooms, a parlor, conservatory, billiards room and Mr. Whitley’s private office. Someone on the tour mentions how big the house is and Megan replies that the house employs ten housemaids under her and Mr.. Fredericks, the butler and five footmen, a cook, three scullery maids, three kitchen maids, fifteen gardeners and a chauffeur/mechanic. Megan shows the tour a photo of Charles Whitley. As she picks up the photo, she gets a little jump f excitement and tingle in her chest, she confesses to the group that she has a little crush on him and asks that the group never tell him. The question of Mr. Whitley’s death is brought up and the answer is that he disappeared mysteriously in 1902, right after the photo was taken, a week before Christmas. The condition in Mr. Whitley’s will stated that whomever inherited the house upon his demise was to preserve at least 50% of the home in its original condition; no changes could be made, so that future generations could learn from him. Megan points out a clock in Mr. Whitley’s study. The clock was purchased secondhand in 1902 from France, it is an eighteenth-century  mantel clock. All the other clocks in the house are working, but this one does not. They cannot figure out why they cannot manage to get this one to work, despite scouring over his various journals. 

Oh there are so many minute details of this house that I wish the mansion were real where I could go and ponder over all of the books and relish in all of the 19th century luxuries! 

We are then taken back to 1902 as Charles Whitley is unloading his trunks from his long trip. He pries open the lid off a crate and fishes out a gold-plated mantel clock with an intricate enameled design on its case with pieces of white marble. This is the gift that he has purchased for his poor ignored Eliza. A Lunar Eclipse was happening while Charles decided to fix the clock. He tried to tighten something and is suddenly transported into the present. Megan, dressed as Rosie enters the room with a tour and this is where the excitement happens! 

We go through the differences and the culture shocks that Charles has being in the 2000s with all the modern technology and how he has relied upon so many people in his house to support him, whether it be preparing his food, clothes, etc. We are then onlookers for the sweetest romance that there could be between someone from the past and the present. This was such a heartfelt novel and I honestly really hope that Hallmark is on their way to casting for this movie, if not already having it in production! It was well-written, heartfelt, filled with emotion and determination! I highly recommend this book!