The Christmas Eve Letter

By: Elyse Douglas

Narrated by: Madeleine Dauer

Thirty-year-old Eve Sharland is browsing a Pennsylvania antique store when she discovers an old brass lantern tucked away on a shelf. She picks it up and sees something behind one of the sooty glass panes. To her surprise, she finds an unopened letter stuck inside.

The letter is postmarked December 24, 1885, and it is addressed to Evelyn Sharland in New York City. Eve gasps and drops the letter. That's her name! The letter is addressed to someone with her name in 1885: Evelyn Sharland.

Eve purchases the lantern and the letter, and returns to her New York City apartment. Later that evening, she opens the letter and reads it, astounded by its contents. She stares at the lantern in wonder and alarm, deeply moved by the story of a tragic romance.

A few days later, following a request in the letter, Eve cautiously lights the lantern. To her utter shock, she finds herself in the past - in 1885 New York City. Eve is thrown into a life far beyond what she could have ever imagined, as she gets involved with one of the richest families in New York City and meets the handsome Patrick Gantly. She must struggle to survive and return to her own time, even as her destiny is changed forever.

©2016 Elyse Douglas (P)2019 Tantor

Great story.

Loved the book and the ending. It was hard to put down! if you like time travel, don't miss this one.

Irritating?

It’s not often that I find myself listening and trying to forgive a story even once I discover that it’s incompatible to me in some way. I think the story itself kept me trying but the narrator wasn’t helpful to the characters. The characters were already flawed and one dimensional. Could have benefitted from another round or two of edits but even a flawed work can become incredibly entertaining with the right voice behind the characters. If she had made the character flaws feel more like a choice the author made (rather than making them sound so... unsympathetic and poorly written) then perhaps I wouldn’t have such a hard time listening. But I don’t like anyone so far in this novel and I can’t fully immerse into Eve’s world because I don’t relate enough to anyone. So I mean if characters aren’t important to your enjoyment of something with an awesome premise then give it a try (though, I have not and will not finish this book, so I can’t say if the plot holds up).

Extended my nightly walks so I could listen more!

I enjoyed every part of this book. It had the right balance of suspense and romance without being sappy. I listen as I walk the neighborhood and I extended my walks so I could keep listening. It was that good.

Very good!

Listening to this audiobook after finishing The Stand was very refreshing. Well read and enjoyable.

It was OK

Typical drama love story. It passed the time and didn’t offend me. Enjoyable at best. Performance was a little stilted and stunted. Not smooth Just ok.