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The Christmas Club
Verna Lind expects Christmas of 1952 to be the best holiday she’s had since the war ended. But as she’s leaving the bank, a frigid wind off Lake Erie catches her hard-earned Christmas club savings, whisking the bills into the busy streets of downtown Cleveland and devastating her plans. Strangers come to her aid, though no one anticipates the power of their chance encounter or the seeds of happiness Verna’s lost money will sow.From Barbara Hinske, best-selling author of the Rosemont series, comes this heartwarming Christmas tale celebrating the generosity of the human spirit and the irresistible pull of love — an instant holiday classic for admirers of It’s a Wonderful Life and The Gift of the Magi.Interview with the Author
Have you always wanted to be a writer? I'm an attorney and have done a lot of technical writing, but knew I wanted to write novels. I thought I'd find time when I retired. Fate stepped in, as it often does, and put me on this path sooner. I broke my neck in an auto accident and suffered from double vision for months. I couldn't read or watch TV, so I conceived the plot for my Rosemont series.
Why did you decide to write a series? I prefer television series to movies. The longer format of television allows for deeper character development. The same holds true for series fiction. I like to fall in love with a character or hate a character (but root for them to change their ways). I feel like Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi from Alexander McCall Smith's Ladies' Detective Agency series are old friends. I wanted to recreate that sort of connection in the Rosemont series.
What other authors do you read or admire? I'm a fan of women's fiction, women's sagas, romantic suspense, domestic suspense, crime fiction, and romance. I love Rosamunde Pilcher's later trilogy -The Shell Seekers, Coming Home, and September. Jan Karon's Mitford series creates an enchanting world, as does Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove. My Rosemont series is set in the current day, but I've tried to capture a feeling of camaraderie and connection (among the good guys) that takes us back to a slightly simpler time and place.
What are your favorite books? In addition to the works I've already mentioned, I adored A Man Called One, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and A Long Way from Chicago.
Who has had the greatest influence on your author life? My dad--without question. He told me or read me a bedtime story every night of my childhood, often adding his own twists and turns to the plots or dialogue. He had an incredible, gentle sense of humor. He also wrote novels--who-done-its--when he retired.
What are the high points of your author journey? There are 3 things I hold very 1) hearing from readers--especially newly blind adults--that my Guiding Emilyseries has given then hope and provided comfort, 2) having my novella The Christmas Club made into a Hallmark Channel movie of the same name (2019), and 3) seeing my name on the USA Today Bestseller List.
What of your own interests have you written about in the Rosemont series? I love my home and all things related to cooking, gardening, decorating, and entertaining. I lovecelebrating all of the seasons and I change my decor for Easter, 4th of July, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring.
Have you always wanted to be a writer? I'm an attorney and have done a lot of technical writing, but knew I wanted to write novels. I thought I'd find time when I retired. Fate stepped in, as it often does, and put me on this path sooner. I broke my neck in an auto accident and suffered from double vision for months. I couldn't read or watch TV, so I conceived the plot for my Rosemont series.
Why did you decide to write a series? I prefer television series to movies. The longer format of television allows for deeper character development. The same holds true for series fiction. I like to fall in love with a character or hate a character (but root for them to change their ways). I feel like Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi from Alexander McCall Smith's Ladies' Detective Agency series are old friends. I wanted to recreate that sort of connection in the Rosemont series.
What other authors do you read or admire? I'm a fan of women's fiction, women's sagas, romantic suspense, domestic suspense, crime fiction, and romance. I love Rosamunde Pilcher's later trilogy -The Shell Seekers, Coming Home, and September. Jan Karon's Mitford series creates an enchanting world, as does Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove. My Rosemont series is set in the current day, but I've tried to capture a feeling of camaraderie and connection (among the good guys) that takes us back to a slightly simpler time and place.
What are your favorite books? In addition to the works I've already mentioned, I adored A Man Called One, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and A Long Way from Chicago.
Who has had the greatest influence on your author life? My dad--without question. He told me or read me a bedtime story every night of my childhood, often adding his own twists and turns to the plots or dialogue. He had an incredible, gentle sense of humor. He also wrote novels--who-done-its--when he retired.
What are the high points of your author journey? There are 3 things I hold very 1) hearing from readers--especially newly blind adults--that my Guiding Emilyseries has given then hope and provided comfort, 2) having my novella The Christmas Club made into a Hallmark Channel movie of the same name (2019), and 3) seeing my name on the USA Today Bestseller List.
What of your own interests have you written about in the Rosemont series? I love my home and all things related to cooking, gardening, decorating, and entertaining. I lovecelebrating all of the seasons and I change my decor for Easter, 4th of July, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring.
127 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2016
493 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Hinske
46 books1,395 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Barbara Hinske is an attorney who recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She inherited the fiction gene from her father who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. Barbara is the bestselling author of the beloved Rosemont series; the acclaimed Guiding Emily series; a collection of murder mystery thrillers in her "Who's There?" collection; and her sweet Christmas novellas The Christmas Club (adapted for the Hallmark Channel in 2019), Paws & Pastries, and No Matter How Far.
She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. She is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking and gardening. Now that her novel The Christmas Club has been made into a Hallmark Channel movie, she is completely star-struck and thrilled to have her work on the screen.
She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. She is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking and gardening. Now that her novel The Christmas Club has been made into a Hallmark Channel movie, she is completely star-struck and thrilled to have her work on the screen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
December 5, 2020
The Christmas Club is a charming takeoff on the “pay it forward” theme. It is set in 1952 Cleveland, Ohio. Poor Verna is coming out of the bank with her year-long savings that she plans to use for her Christmas shopping. Lo and behold she gets tangled up in a revolving door and her 6 five-dollar bills fly off in the wind. A kindly man and woman out on the street try to find her bills to no avail. They pool their own five-dollar bills together and present them to the distraught Verna as her missing money.
Of course, Verna’s original five-dollar bills “find new homes” in the pockets of others. It is a delight to see this all play out. Verna’s bills lead to one good deed after another, after another, after another. I think I smiled through the whole story. What a morale booster this story is.
Some readers have said it’s a bit predictable and the characters are not fully fleshed out (it’s a novella after all), but the joy I experienced far outweighed most of these factors.
This is a fast, Christmasy, atmospheric, joyful novella that I highly recommend to all who need a pick-me-up this holiday season. It is currently priced at 99 cents at Amazon.com and well worth the price.
Of course, Verna’s original five-dollar bills “find new homes” in the pockets of others. It is a delight to see this all play out. Verna’s bills lead to one good deed after another, after another, after another. I think I smiled through the whole story. What a morale booster this story is.
Some readers have said it’s a bit predictable and the characters are not fully fleshed out (it’s a novella after all), but the joy I experienced far outweighed most of these factors.
This is a fast, Christmasy, atmospheric, joyful novella that I highly recommend to all who need a pick-me-up this holiday season. It is currently priced at 99 cents at Amazon.com and well worth the price.
December 2, 2016
Pay it forward. Random acts of kindness. We all know what those sayings mean, but in 1952, no one used those phrases.
The Christmas Club is a novella by Barbara Hinske. Set in Cleveland, it features Vera Lind, a bakery owner who has scrimped and saved all of her Christmas Club money to buy gifts. As she leaves the bank, she slips and falls. A gust of wind scatters her $30 worth of $5 bills about the street. More distressed than injured, she is assisted by a man and woman who separately witnessed her mishap, Edward Fuller and Carol Clarke. These Good Samaritans secretly replace her lost money from their own pockets. Thus begins a tale of friends and strangers performing unsolicited thoughtful deeds, all with $5 bills they found on the street.
The story revolves around Edward and Carol and the interest that was sparked between them that day. Somehow they must find a way to connect again. Vera seems to have no idea that the money they gave her was not hers, nor does she have any inkling how much good her $30 has done for others.
The writing is simple but heartwarming. The characters felt genuine – even their names made them feel like real people out of the 1950s. Each little story within the story was predictable, certainly, but that didn’t matter much. There is plenty of sentimentality and romance sprinkled throughout this little saga, but isn’t that what we look for in a Christmas novella?
4 stars
The Christmas Club is a novella by Barbara Hinske. Set in Cleveland, it features Vera Lind, a bakery owner who has scrimped and saved all of her Christmas Club money to buy gifts. As she leaves the bank, she slips and falls. A gust of wind scatters her $30 worth of $5 bills about the street. More distressed than injured, she is assisted by a man and woman who separately witnessed her mishap, Edward Fuller and Carol Clarke. These Good Samaritans secretly replace her lost money from their own pockets. Thus begins a tale of friends and strangers performing unsolicited thoughtful deeds, all with $5 bills they found on the street.
The story revolves around Edward and Carol and the interest that was sparked between them that day. Somehow they must find a way to connect again. Vera seems to have no idea that the money they gave her was not hers, nor does she have any inkling how much good her $30 has done for others.
The writing is simple but heartwarming. The characters felt genuine – even their names made them feel like real people out of the 1950s. Each little story within the story was predictable, certainly, but that didn’t matter much. There is plenty of sentimentality and romance sprinkled throughout this little saga, but isn’t that what we look for in a Christmas novella?
4 stars
December 8, 2020
The Christmas Club is a short novella reminiscent of holiday stories from the past with such a lovely, nostalgic feel to it. I read it in under an hour and it was perfect for this cold, snowy night.
It's the 1950s in Cleveland and Verna has saved money in her "Christmas Club" account for the entire year. When she exits the bank, she falls on an ice patch and all of her Christmas savings blows into the wind, an act that sets a series of events into motion. It's amazing how many people, including Vera, will be beatifully touched by her "lost" money.
Heartwarming and charming, The Christmas Club will warm your heart and put a light in your soul this holiday season.
It's the 1950s in Cleveland and Verna has saved money in her "Christmas Club" account for the entire year. When she exits the bank, she falls on an ice patch and all of her Christmas savings blows into the wind, an act that sets a series of events into motion. It's amazing how many people, including Vera, will be beatifully touched by her "lost" money.
Heartwarming and charming, The Christmas Club will warm your heart and put a light in your soul this holiday season.
Currently reading
December 3, 2021The storyline in The Christmas Club is loosely based on a homily I heard my Pastor deliver more than thirty years ago. His homily focused on a woman who slips on an icy sidewalk. Her money blows out of her hands. Strangers offer to look for it and return to her with money that they've taken from their own wallets -- her money is long gone. My Pastor's point was to do kind things for others but do them in nice ways. In his story, the woman was grateful that the strangers found her money but wasn't made to feel like she was a charity case, deserving of pity. The strangers were kind in giving her their money, but they didn't need to be praised for their generosity.
This homily stuck with me through the years. I like to be praised as much as the next person when I do a good deed. This story reminded me that it's important to be kind and to be nice about it.
I added the romance and the pay-it-forward kindnesses -- after all, this is fiction.
I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I did writing it. I'm thrilled that many readers tell me they re-read The Christmas Club every year.
This homily stuck with me through the years. I like to be praised as much as the next person when I do a good deed. This story reminded me that it's important to be kind and to be nice about it.
I added the romance and the pay-it-forward kindnesses -- after all, this is fiction.
I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I did writing it. I'm thrilled that many readers tell me they re-read The Christmas Club every year.
December 9, 2020
Heart warming! Uplifting! Just a pleasure to read. And we are after all, in The season of love, joy, giving....aren't we?
There's magic in the air! Can't you just feel it?! No? Close your eyes, shut the noise around you out-quiet down those busy, busy thoughts in your active mind! Now!! Can't you feel it? It's there,it's there....grab it! And now you'll see the meaning to the season....
"Play it forward", "Random Acts of Kindness" , "Share the Wealth"! Sentiments virtually unheard in the 50's. But this is what is inbedded in the story. What the story embraces. And the love for one another that perserveres thru good as well as bad times. Up as well as down times. High as well as low times! Ah, you get my meaning here!
I even believe there was a Hallmark Movie made closely resembling this story, only it was $20 dollar bills. And reminds you of the biblical teachings of the fish...give a man a fish-he eats for a day...TEACH a man to fish and he'll never go hungry! That's the magic in the "found" money! !
So, settle in and get comfy. Grab a cuppa of your choosing and enjoy the story! I know I did!!--P/
There's magic in the air! Can't you just feel it?! No? Close your eyes, shut the noise around you out-quiet down those busy, busy thoughts in your active mind! Now!! Can't you feel it? It's there,it's there....grab it! And now you'll see the meaning to the season....
"Play it forward", "Random Acts of Kindness" , "Share the Wealth"! Sentiments virtually unheard in the 50's. But this is what is inbedded in the story. What the story embraces. And the love for one another that perserveres thru good as well as bad times. Up as well as down times. High as well as low times! Ah, you get my meaning here!
I even believe there was a Hallmark Movie made closely resembling this story, only it was $20 dollar bills. And reminds you of the biblical teachings of the fish...give a man a fish-he eats for a day...TEACH a man to fish and he'll never go hungry! That's the magic in the "found" money! !
So, settle in and get comfy. Grab a cuppa of your choosing and enjoy the story! I know I did!!--P/
December 13, 2022
This was a sweet book filled with serendipity and Christmas cheer. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, but I think it's a nice quick holiday story. 3.5★
November 1, 2016
The Christmas Club is the latest story by Barbara Hinske. It is 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio. Verna Lind, a baker, has all of her Christmas Club money in her purse ($30). As she is departing the bank, she slips on some ice, her purse drops, falls open, and her money is caught up in the wind. Edward Fuller and Carol Clark stop to help Verna. The $30 is what Verna has managed to save up during the year to buy present for her family and friends. Carol assists Verna into the bank while Edward checks out the money situation. The money is has been blown away, but Edward and Carol replace it from their own funds for Verna. But that $30 in six $5 bills can make a difference to six lives. You need to read The Christmas Club to experience the true meaning of Christmas.
The Christmas Club is superbly written. It is an engaging novel with great characters. It was amazing how she took the separate characters along with their situations and intertwined them. It is a sweet, delightful Christmas novel that will have you looking at Christmas in a different way (a very good way). I give The Christmas Club 5 out of 5 stars. The Christmas Club is a short story with a big impact.
The Christmas Club is superbly written. It is an engaging novel with great characters. It was amazing how she took the separate characters along with their situations and intertwined them. It is a sweet, delightful Christmas novel that will have you looking at Christmas in a different way (a very good way). I give The Christmas Club 5 out of 5 stars. The Christmas Club is a short story with a big impact.
December 26, 2019
Cute premise, traditional attitudes & predictable storytelling making for a comforting read with which to escape the holiday stresses.
November 25, 2019
“Goes to show—never lose faith that God will provide.”
When an old woman slips on the ice in the winter of 1952, who knows what will happen next? A younger man:Edward and a young woman: Catherine after helping the older woman out, begin to see what small things can do to help the holidays be miraculous.
It was a chance notice on Facebook this past weekend that this book had been made into a Hallmark Christmas movie that made me go and find out I’ve actually had it a few years. I own a number of Barbara Hinske ebooks, and I think it’s time I ready more of them. Highly Recommended 5/5
When an old woman slips on the ice in the winter of 1952, who knows what will happen next? A younger man:Edward and a young woman: Catherine after helping the older woman out, begin to see what small things can do to help the holidays be miraculous.
It was a chance notice on Facebook this past weekend that this book had been made into a Hallmark Christmas movie that made me go and find out I’ve actually had it a few years. I own a number of Barbara Hinske ebooks, and I think it’s time I ready more of them. Highly Recommended 5/5
December 8, 2020
Cute and simplistic. I really wanted to like this more, but found it just too over-the-top cutesy for me to be able to enjoy. While I certainly didn't expect a riveting story for a Christmas novella, this one pushed the boundaries of boring for me.
I'm sure there are a lot of people this book would appeal to, but as much as I enjoy sweet holiday stories... this one was just a bit much for me.
I'm sure there are a lot of people this book would appeal to, but as much as I enjoy sweet holiday stories... this one was just a bit much for me.
December 11, 2021
Cute story.
January 18, 2021
What a lovely book. I read it in less than 2 hours and i'm a slow reader. It's been made into a Hallmark movie. Leaves you with a good feeling.
October 25, 2016
I started reading "The Christmas Club" around 3:00 one morning just after I went to bed and was immediately immersed in the story of Verna, Edward, and others in early 1950s Cleveland and how something as simple as a $5.00 bill can change someone's life for the better, sometimes without that person even knowing it.
Barbara Hinske has taken a number of people who did not know each other and interwoven their lives together by simple acts of kindness and selfless caring. Each life is touched in an honest and pure way that not only allows the receiver to feel better, but also warms the soul of the giver.
The book is short, written in Hinske's usual comfortable style, and can easily be read in one or two sittings. It is perfect to read while waiting in traffic or at a doctor's office. Once you start reading "The Christmas Club," time will fly and all of a sudden you will be sad to see that you have reached the end of the book -- that is what happened to me.
Thank you Barbara Hinske for another enjoyable read!!
Barbara Hinske has taken a number of people who did not know each other and interwoven their lives together by simple acts of kindness and selfless caring. Each life is touched in an honest and pure way that not only allows the receiver to feel better, but also warms the soul of the giver.
The book is short, written in Hinske's usual comfortable style, and can easily be read in one or two sittings. It is perfect to read while waiting in traffic or at a doctor's office. Once you start reading "The Christmas Club," time will fly and all of a sudden you will be sad to see that you have reached the end of the book -- that is what happened to me.
Thank you Barbara Hinske for another enjoyable read!!
February 9, 2017
Only 92 pages long but what that 92 pages contain. ( Story set in the year 1952. ) Leaving a busy bank with her Christmas Club money of $30 in five dollar bills, a woman falls due to the revolving doors. Of course, the money scatters and blows away. Luckily a young man and woman stop to help and though they can't find her money, they join together to make sure they give her $30 of their own money. All in five dollar bills. They did this as she told them her story and they wanted to help her, but she didn't realize it was their money that replaced her lost bills. The story proceeds with stories behind the five dollar bills which made up her original $30. As each bill is found by different people, their stories start to come together. A well-written story and worth reading.
August 6, 2020
1st review:
Like all of Barbara Hinske's books, this one will pull you in from the beginning and stay with you long after the last page. I have a paperback of The Christmas Club from Barbara, herself...lucky me, right!?!! :-) I love everything about it...the message, the people, their stories, the spirit of the holiday season...it is defintiely a must read! Congratulations, Barbara! I cannot recommend this book enough. It is one you will want to return to year after year! :-)
2nd review (updated 8/6/20):
I just read The Christmas Club again. It's not the holiday season...it's August, and we're in the middle of a pandemic. Thank you for bringing me happiness; I didn't stop smiling throughout the entire book. ❤
Like all of Barbara Hinske's books, this one will pull you in from the beginning and stay with you long after the last page. I have a paperback of The Christmas Club from Barbara, herself...lucky me, right!?!! :-) I love everything about it...the message, the people, their stories, the spirit of the holiday season...it is defintiely a must read! Congratulations, Barbara! I cannot recommend this book enough. It is one you will want to return to year after year! :-)
2nd review (updated 8/6/20):
I just read The Christmas Club again. It's not the holiday season...it's August, and we're in the middle of a pandemic. Thank you for bringing me happiness; I didn't stop smiling throughout the entire book. ❤
December 13, 2017
This sweet O. Henry-esque novella was five stars from start to finish! I loved seeing the destination of each five dollar bill, and how something so simple can have such a huge impact. It really brought home how capricious life can be, and how important it can be to go where the wind takes you! I especially loved that it was set in my home of Cleveland, and can see myself reading & sharing again and again!
November 1, 2016
Barbara Hinske's The Christmas Club is excellent. This is the best Christmas story I have read in a long, long time. One woman's misfortune turns into a blessing for many others. Wonderful feel good story.
November 6, 2016
This a sweet, somewhat predictable story in an O. Henry vein. Would love to see more of the characters, and maybe some conflicts here to make it longer, but very enjoyable nevertheless. Gets one in the real Christmas spirit.
December 22, 2016
Great story, recommend it highly.
This book showed the true spirit of Christmas. It also is a great example of paying it forward..
I truly enjoyed it. Quick read.
This book showed the true spirit of Christmas. It also is a great example of paying it forward..
I truly enjoyed it. Quick read.
December 24, 2018
Such a sweet Christmas story. I loved it!
November 26, 2019
The Christmas Club is a holiday novella that has now become a Hallmark Christmas movie. It premiers November 27th, 2019 at 8 pm.
Set in 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio, The Christmas Club follows the journey of a handful of $5 bills as they are launched into the wind, scattering and opening peoples’ hearts to the true spirit of the holidays.
Honestly, I can’t say much more about the book because it would spoil it for you. And I loved it enough that I’d hate to spoil the book and/or the movie for you. Suffice it to say, the plot was a new one, and definitely out of the norm for Hallmark Christmas movie plots, and the premise of the story drew me in. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. It’s a novella, so you don’t get the in-depth view of the characters, but it gives you just enough to fall a little in love with each of them.
NICUnurse’s Rating: For fans of Hallmark Christmas movies that feature characters with big hearts and lots of good cheer to spread, I think you will love this novella. Just know it’s not the typical cookie-cutter plot you see in most of the movies, which in my opinion isn’t a bad thing. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we don’t always have hours to spare reading, no matter how much we love it. This book is the perfect length for this time of year. And it will absolutely help get you into the holiday spirit.
I give The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske 5 out of 5 stars!
Set in 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio, The Christmas Club follows the journey of a handful of $5 bills as they are launched into the wind, scattering and opening peoples’ hearts to the true spirit of the holidays.
Honestly, I can’t say much more about the book because it would spoil it for you. And I loved it enough that I’d hate to spoil the book and/or the movie for you. Suffice it to say, the plot was a new one, and definitely out of the norm for Hallmark Christmas movie plots, and the premise of the story drew me in. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. It’s a novella, so you don’t get the in-depth view of the characters, but it gives you just enough to fall a little in love with each of them.
NICUnurse’s Rating: For fans of Hallmark Christmas movies that feature characters with big hearts and lots of good cheer to spread, I think you will love this novella. Just know it’s not the typical cookie-cutter plot you see in most of the movies, which in my opinion isn’t a bad thing. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we don’t always have hours to spare reading, no matter how much we love it. This book is the perfect length for this time of year. And it will absolutely help get you into the holiday spirit.
I give The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske 5 out of 5 stars!
November 25, 2016
The Christmas Club is a delightful holiday story set in 1952 Cleveland. Verna Lind has just retrieved her hard saved money from her Christmas Club account when a brisk wind off Lake Erie sweeps the money, thirty dollars all in fives, from her hands blowing them swiftly away. Two young people, attorney Edward Fuller and Carol Clark, a striking young woman in a bright red coat, come quickly to her aid.
The pair promises to help Mrs. Lind recover her money once they get her safety situated back in the bank. Of course, they realize that the money is long gone, but Edward has five five dollar bills which he will give her saying this was all he could find. Carol has a single five dollar bill and gives it to Edward to put with his so that Verna's savings will be restored. Little do they know how this investment in humanity will reward them.
Meanwhile, six different people find the five dollar bills and go on to do good for others. In a holiday story with shades of A Wonderful Life, hints of The Gift of the Magi, and a whole lot of Pay it Forward, this story should become a Christmas classic on its own.
This was a delightful story that I greedily read from cover to cover. It's characters are delightful and relatable, and it hardens to a much simpler time. I definitely recommend this book!
May 22, 2018
This is one of the loveliest stories I have read in quite some time.
It is 1952 and a woman slips and falls on the ice and loses her total Christmas Club money. It is a total of $30.00 and all in $5.00 bills. Those $5.00 bills change lives.
Each $5.00 is found by someone different and each of them become a gift to someone who badly needs the money.
Underneath all the generosity, there is the fact that the 2 people who helped the woman who lost her money have lost something much greater. They have lost one another, and they are each searching very hard.
This story takes the reader into a Christmas from another era. It is an era where a not very large donated amount of money can make the recipient feel as though they have won the lottery.
It can be something as simple as helping with a lay away purchase for a needy family, or a Christmas tree for a very proud widow. Each $5.00 means a great deal to the person who can feel generous at heart. At Christmas, being generous and kind is a gift we give ourselves.
Ms Hinske has created a time and place where people think of others and feel great for being able to do so. Each of her characters are people we would all like to meet.
If you need a pick me up or a sense of well being, this is a story you will like very much.
It is 1952 and a woman slips and falls on the ice and loses her total Christmas Club money. It is a total of $30.00 and all in $5.00 bills. Those $5.00 bills change lives.
Each $5.00 is found by someone different and each of them become a gift to someone who badly needs the money.
Underneath all the generosity, there is the fact that the 2 people who helped the woman who lost her money have lost something much greater. They have lost one another, and they are each searching very hard.
This story takes the reader into a Christmas from another era. It is an era where a not very large donated amount of money can make the recipient feel as though they have won the lottery.
It can be something as simple as helping with a lay away purchase for a needy family, or a Christmas tree for a very proud widow. Each $5.00 means a great deal to the person who can feel generous at heart. At Christmas, being generous and kind is a gift we give ourselves.
Ms Hinske has created a time and place where people think of others and feel great for being able to do so. Each of her characters are people we would all like to meet.
If you need a pick me up or a sense of well being, this is a story you will like very much.
March 4, 2018
Absolutely delightful
This is such an intriguing story, or rather a combination of small stories that all interconnect. In December 1952, Verna Lind withdraws all her Christmas savings from the bank, then slips and falls right outside the bank. Her purse breaks open and the Christmas money goes flying into the wind. Two strangers promise Verna that they will go look for her money. Sadly, the six $5 bills are long gone by the time the two strangers start looking for the bills. Together they agree to pool their money and give it to Verna, saying that they had recovered it from the street. Each of the five dollar bills that went missing finds a home with someone, and each of the someones finds a special purpose for the bill that somehow found them. The author does a superb job of weaving all these strands together and it was such a joy to read through all the different stories and see how they connected. I would recommend this for everybody who believes in Christmas miracles, large and small, as well as for those who don't. It's a quick read and I had so much fun following all the different stories and seeing how they fit into each other.
This is such an intriguing story, or rather a combination of small stories that all interconnect. In December 1952, Verna Lind withdraws all her Christmas savings from the bank, then slips and falls right outside the bank. Her purse breaks open and the Christmas money goes flying into the wind. Two strangers promise Verna that they will go look for her money. Sadly, the six $5 bills are long gone by the time the two strangers start looking for the bills. Together they agree to pool their money and give it to Verna, saying that they had recovered it from the street. Each of the five dollar bills that went missing finds a home with someone, and each of the someones finds a special purpose for the bill that somehow found them. The author does a superb job of weaving all these strands together and it was such a joy to read through all the different stories and see how they connected. I would recommend this for everybody who believes in Christmas miracles, large and small, as well as for those who don't. It's a quick read and I had so much fun following all the different stories and seeing how they fit into each other.
August 26, 2019
The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske
5 stars
What a wonderful way to escape the heat of the summer than finding a Christmas book to read that makes you think of all the good things of Christmas season. The book takes place in 1952, in a simpler time but a time when things could be as hard as today. Verna Lind exits the bank only to have the money she was saving for gifts blown from her hands by a sudden gust of wind. What follows in the book is a series of simple acts of kindness that carry the Christmas spirit onward.
This book though simple in its presentation causes one to think of the far reaching effects of a simple act of kindness and doing for others, as you would like to have other do for you. I know that this book is scheduled to be a Hallmark Christmas Movie and I am anxious to see if it is a wonderful as the book. I will also look forward to reading more books by Barbara Hinske as she continues to entertain.
I received a copy of this book as a gift from Barbara Hinske with no obligation to review it. This is my honest Review
5 stars
What a wonderful way to escape the heat of the summer than finding a Christmas book to read that makes you think of all the good things of Christmas season. The book takes place in 1952, in a simpler time but a time when things could be as hard as today. Verna Lind exits the bank only to have the money she was saving for gifts blown from her hands by a sudden gust of wind. What follows in the book is a series of simple acts of kindness that carry the Christmas spirit onward.
This book though simple in its presentation causes one to think of the far reaching effects of a simple act of kindness and doing for others, as you would like to have other do for you. I know that this book is scheduled to be a Hallmark Christmas Movie and I am anxious to see if it is a wonderful as the book. I will also look forward to reading more books by Barbara Hinske as she continues to entertain.
I received a copy of this book as a gift from Barbara Hinske with no obligation to review it. This is my honest Review
November 7, 2022
Such a great book to get you in the Christmas spirit! When Verna exited the bank with the money she had been saving all year in her Christmas fund, she slipped and the $30 ( 6 $5 dollar bills) started blowing all over the place. She was so upset because in 1953, $30 was a lot of money and she needed the money for Christmas. Edward didn’t want to miss his lunch but when he saw her fall, he couldn’t leave without helping her. Carol, stepped up to help get her back inside the bank and they both promised to come back out and look for her money. They searched but knew with the wind that it was gone. Edward took 5 $5 dollar bills out of his pocket and said he would give them to her and tell her that they could only find the five, but Carol reached in her purse and contributed another five dollar bill. What a generous thing to do, but what they didn’t know is that the gift would touch so many others! One small gift of kindness, can make Christmas miracles happen for so many! I definitely recommend this awesome book and hope it will get you in the giving spirit
December 5, 2019
Barbara Hinske brings back the Christmas charm of the 1950's and rememberences of a tradition from that era in her excellent book "The Christmas Club".
A kindness done for one spreads to many acts of unselfish Christmas giving. The reader's heart is warmed and reminded through the stories what real "giving from the heart" is. Hinske wraps into this wonderful book a love story that starts with the first act of kindness and could lead two love-struck people to each other.
Once I stared this book I could not put it down! Hinske successfully made me feel as if I was part of the story. She brought characters into marvelous focus so the reader feels like a friend was made within each tale of kindness told!
A warm cup of coco should be enjoyed while settling down with this homespun goodness of a tale, the story alone will warm your heart!
A kindness done for one spreads to many acts of unselfish Christmas giving. The reader's heart is warmed and reminded through the stories what real "giving from the heart" is. Hinske wraps into this wonderful book a love story that starts with the first act of kindness and could lead two love-struck people to each other.
Once I stared this book I could not put it down! Hinske successfully made me feel as if I was part of the story. She brought characters into marvelous focus so the reader feels like a friend was made within each tale of kindness told!
A warm cup of coco should be enjoyed while settling down with this homespun goodness of a tale, the story alone will warm your heart!
December 2, 2021
My Review: I was looking for a quick holiday read while my son had a lesson when I found this one, I had no idea what I was getting into with it! This might end up being my favorite holiday read of this year! This book does jump around a bit as it follows how different characters react and use found money during the holiday season. It has such heartwarming moments that are exactly what I want to read during the busy Christmas season, and wish I saw more on a day to day basis. It restores a bit of your faith in people after trying to get through the busy stores and being stuck in awful traffic. As an added bonus it also has a touch of romance to sweeten the deal. This was a super quick read, I would recommend it for a drive with family when traveling to holiday gatherings, a bit of a reminder what the season is really about.
December 6, 2023
A man and a woman (strangers to each other) both witness an elderly woman leaving the bank one day and slipping on the pavement. They come to her rescue, but she discovers that the money she's withdrawn from her account to spend on Christmas has blown away and cannot be recovered. The man and woman slyly give her their own money and they all go their separate ways. However, the man wishes he had gotten the woman's phone number, and the woman keeps thinking about that man. Meanwhile, those who found the money here and there find meaningful ways to spend their newfound fortune.
I read this for the Chapter U bookclub, as a short Christmas-themed book to squeeze in at the end of the year. Overall, the story was fine...just simple and very predictable. I think it could have been better if it were developed more. But as a simple, short story that brings good feelings, this was a nice one.
I read this for the Chapter U bookclub, as a short Christmas-themed book to squeeze in at the end of the year. Overall, the story was fine...just simple and very predictable. I think it could have been better if it were developed more. But as a simple, short story that brings good feelings, this was a nice one.
November 27, 2017
This was a book we have chosen to read for our bookclub and it is definitely a quick and easy read, good for a bookclub's choice for a holiday month.
Imagine that it is 1952 and you have been saving all your spare change in a Christmas club savings account for the past year. You take these funds, walk out of the bank, and the money all flies away, blown in the wind out of your hands. This happened to Verna Lind. The wonderful thing about this story is how this money, blown away by the wind, changes people's lives, allows people to do kind things, meet others, go out of their way to help someone. It is a heartwarming story taking place during the Christmas season and it is definitely worth the read.
Imagine that it is 1952 and you have been saving all your spare change in a Christmas club savings account for the past year. You take these funds, walk out of the bank, and the money all flies away, blown in the wind out of your hands. This happened to Verna Lind. The wonderful thing about this story is how this money, blown away by the wind, changes people's lives, allows people to do kind things, meet others, go out of their way to help someone. It is a heartwarming story taking place during the Christmas season and it is definitely worth the read.
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