Spice Box

by Grace Livingston Hill

Fleeing her drunken stepbrother, Janice Whitmore nearly dies in a blizzard, but is rescued by Dr. Sterling and agrees to work at his sanitarium in Enderby

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Christian, Christian Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1943

About the author

also wrote under the pseudonym Marcia MacDonald
also published under the name Grace Livingston Hill Lutz

A popular author of her day, she wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories of religious and Christian fiction. Her characters were most often young female ingénues, frequently strong Christian women or those who become so within the confines of the story.

niece to Isabella MacDonald Alden

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always consider the romance is secondary to the real story about Miss Spicer.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Livingston Hill is kind of my go to for books I know I'll love when I get the craving for a good, romantic read. This one definitely delivers and the story of Miss Spicer is delightful. There are two distinct stories at first, which I will admit drove me a little crazy, but they become beautifully entwined to finish up a good book I would recommend. Great message about not judging people as individuals or groups without knowing them personally and about trusting God and persevering though odds seem stacked against you.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this 1943 story of how an older woman turns her life around from being a grumpy martinet in the department store underwear department to being a helper of young people. It's hopeful and heart-warming.

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old Spice

I fell in love with this author at age 13, & now at 70 , I still love how her stories compel me to read on. God directs the lives of her characters, which shows the reader how they need His love in their hearts. It's all about love of God & man.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ This story is full of lovely characters and a few beastly ones. I enjoyed the redemptive arc and how kind attentiveness and sacrifice changes hearts. I especially enjoyed listening to the thoughts of the cat, Ernestine! ❤️😆❤️

[AnnaScott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining book. It is very old fashioned (with the damsel in distress theme playing a large role in the storyline) and had some cliche moments (Janice thinking that Howard was engaged to someone else, and the amusing conversation that corrects that), but overall I liked it. I also really liked the part of the story about Martha and Ronald. I especially enjoyed Ronald, who reminds me of my brothers a little.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Grace Livingstone Hill. Yes, her books are old fashioned. Yes, her books are somewhat predictable. But that woman could weave a lovely story that leaves you feeling happy at the end. I loved Spice Box and its wonderful message of reaching out to those around you.

[Phyllis 'Miller' Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to see if reading a GLH would have the same affect on me as they always used to. Spice Box character was one I could relate too. Grace always balances my perspectivee.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first of Miss Hills books I ever read and it is still a favourite. I know they are old fashioned and get a bit preachy but I love picking up the simple sweet stories after a heavier plot twister.
I just love Miss Spicer and Ernestine!!

[Bethany Mustafa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. It really wasn't terribly romantic, which is what I expectd, but I found the story of Miss Spicer to be delightful and fun.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book to anybody and everybody :) It is really a predictable plot overall, but it is great nonetheless :)

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all of the Grace Livingston Hill books. Reread them ever few years.

[Barbara]

Loved it. Inspirational reading, quaint characters.

[A.m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy lovely read, great author

[carol price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read

Have always enjoyed books by Grace Livingston Hill. This was good way to realize how much we can influence others especially boys for good.

[anna may jerusavage · Rating 5 out of 5]

?

[Monica Sarff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love in a simpler time

Wholesome story of a simpler time ,love of God, challenges to be overcome and second chances brought about by chance encounters.

[Lady Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.7 / 5

Much as the beautiful cover of this novel prompts me to love it, all in all I think it's one of Hill's weaker works from those that I've read so far. Like for The White Lady, I expected to love it, and yet, when I read through it, I found myself getting bored early on, which is never a good sign.

To begin with, I would have to say that the pacing of events is a bit awkward, as 6 or so pages into the story, we already have an action sequence that also turns out to be the main conflict for the heroine, Janice. Essentially, she's running away from the unwanted advances of her brother-in-law, but those are so sudden and unwarranted that I had a hard trouble keeping up with her internal struggle and repulse, as there was very little background given. And, furthermore with regards to Janice's story, I think that any heroine that is literally ready to pack it all in by the end of the first chapter is a heroine that's not really worth getting very invested in.

Pacing-wise, I also think that Hill is trying to squeeze in two stories into one novel and interconnect them, as she spends two or so chapters with Janice, and then two with Martha Spicer, the "Spice Box" of the title. Now, regarding Miss Spicer's storyline, I was entirely unprepared for it and did not want to read about it when it was introduced, as there was nothing in the story summary or beginning of the novel that indicated that such a character would even exist. The fact that her story differs so much from Janice's own and that her life is rather dull and mundane in comparison was equally off-putting, so that gave me another reason to not want to continue reading.

Wrap that up with Janice fainting and then running away a couple of chapters later, and you have me losing patience and thus setting the book aside. A disappointing read for me from Mrs. Hill's works, but not at all off-putting for me to move on to other charming stories. This may be a re-read for me sometime in the future, but we'll have to see about that.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published in 1943, this story ends so abruptly, I wondered if Grace actually got sick and couldn’t finish it. There are major characters just left dangling. Totally not Hill’s usual style, so.... only two stars.

This book has a focus on fixing up and remodeling a dark dismal townhouse — highly reminiscent of a much earlier (and better) book, Re-Creations.

I liked the parts with Martha Spicer (old spice box). I also enjoyed young Ronald. Humor shines bright through the cat, Ernestine, and all her feline perspectives. I found the heroine to be sweet and kind, but rather pathetically helpless, running barefoot into a snowstorm. Repeatedly needing to be saved. She needs a keeper! The Joan of Arc story didn’t work for me.

I am sure we’re missing a final chapter. I had to imagine it — a happy ending for Martha and Dr. Townsend and Ronald. And punishment for Herbert. And lost finances restored.

[katherine ✡︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this reminded me of summers at my grandparents’ house, with sun drenched floors and chess pie and sweet tea. I feel a little closer to them having finished it again, and remember when I read it as a young girl. We don’t have my grandmother’s copy of this book any more, but I can see the cover clear as day. That’s the edition I’m making sure this goes on. A pleasant, nostalgic time.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a typical GLH novel of preachy Christian goodness. I would call this one of her less preachy ones. It’s more of a narrative preachiness than one of dialogue – if that makes any sense. It’s preachy more in the example of the characters than in their words.

But, anyway, the one disappointment I felt with this one was the abrupt ending. She usually writes fairly open-ended conclusions, but this one was so much more open than normal. It wasn’t very satisfying and felt like it needed at least another chapter to conclude everything. Even several of the characters ended with very discontent feelings rather than her usual contentment all around. That was pretty frustrating because I really like the story a lot and wanted to know how it would end for everyone.

[Wyntrnoire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first of this author's books that I've read and though I liked it, I felt the last chapter was rushed and the ending was too abrupt. In fact, it read like the first half of the book--and there was so much more of the story to be told. I did find out that it was written in 1943, and the author passed away in 1947. Since she wrote at least eight more books after this one, she may have been trying to outrace what time was left her to write at all.
I absolutely loved Henrietta (the cat).

[Dail Sams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martha Spicer had worked hard in a department store her whole life, always feeling a little bitter and put upon. When much to her surprised, her aunt and uncle left her their house and enough money to take care of herself, and her life was changed in an instant. When she met a boy next door who was so engaging and helpful, her life changed even more, and she became a different person.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the biggest reason this story has always resonated with me is because of how many forms of love it revolves around. Romantic love is an important component, but equally so is the love of friends, parents, and community. Even when a love is illustrated by its lack it's still shown. Forever a fan of Martha and Ron.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like these clean Christian romances by Grace Livingston Hill; however, I will say that her good characters are almost too perfect and her bad ones horribly evil, which can make them amusing although that's not the intent. They are well written though.

[Frances Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good!

This is classic inspiring Christian romance by the one and only GLH! Seems old fashioned to us now, but our current culture needs the humility and modesty depicted herein.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good Grace Livingston Hill book. This was a sweet story that wasn't as much based around a romance, but a women who finds God's calling in an old family home she inherits. The people she meets mold her into a person God uses to bring others to Him. I truly enjoyed this story.

[Staciy Wilson Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

💕💕💕

I loved this book for the wonderful way Ms. Hill writes. The story, as always, was amazing. However, I miss the flow of novels from her time period. The words, the imagery, the simple story of misunderstandings and grace? I absolutely yearn for more novelists like her.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the most bland Grace Livingston Hill's that I've read. While I enjoyed the story plot, I felt like the characters were flat.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spice box

Spice Box by Grace Livingston Hill is a lovely story with a great Christian theme. This is my first time with this author and truly enjoyed it.