Still grieving her late husband and what she thought was a perfect marriage, Claire discovers a photograph of a young boy who is the spitting image of her husband in the pocket of his favorite jacket.
Already devastated after losing a job over a failed attempt to create a swimsuit with a built-in life preserver—a project she’s been working on for twenty-three years, it endangers a model’s life and leaves her screaming threats of a lawsuit—Claire is stunned at the possibility that her perfect husband had an affair. Despite her hurt and confusion, she is determined to pass on information about how her husband died from a hereditary disease in case the boy is indeed his son. For the first time in over twenty-five years, after constantly declining her husband’s pleas to return to France (where they got married), she voluntarily and hurriedly gets on the first flight to see someone who is possibly what her husband wanted the most.
Debra Borchert’s HIS LAST CHRISTMAS GIFT is an emotionally driven portrayal of a widow who must confront the possibility that her husband was unfaithful amid mounting bills, a job market that doesn’t prioritize recently fired middle-aged women, resurfacing childhood trauma, and a fresh shot at romance she never imagined. Alternating between past memory and present action, Claire gives the story a coherent psychological spine through her twin obsessions: engineering a life-saving device and avoiding becoming like her mother. Her professional drive and personal fear mirror one another with her quest to engineer safety and determination not to become her mother. They stem from the same wound—one that requires her to confront her dissociative amnesia or risk remaining psychologically and physically stuck.
Borchert’s sensory prose invites readers to walk the cobbled streets of Paris with Claire. She passes wooden huts with red and white striped awnings displaying glass ornaments and wooden toys and skirts: “the scent of sauerkraut and grilled sausages, following her nose to copper pots of steaming Vin Rouge Chaud, a warm, spiced red wine served in mugs.”
Claire is a flawed and credible perfectionist who equates competence with safety and dominates the novel. While her husband is absent, he influences every decision she makes. Meanwhile, Marti, her best friend, is offsetting her intensity with relatable and heartwarming dialogue. Marti offers constant support, quickly replaces Claire’s phone when she loses her job, and lets her know she can call at any time if she needs anything—even with the significant time difference when Claire travels. Borchert’s measured and reflective pace skillfully balances technical precision with emotional warmth, ensuring that HIS LAST CHRISTMAS GIFT captures the uncertainties of beginning again later in life.
Rich in sensory detail and psychological insight, Debra Borchert’s affecting novel HIS LAST CHRISTMAS GIFT suggests that healing often begins where certainty ends.
~ Gabriella Harrison for IndieReader