Spice Box
by Grace Livingston Hill

4 out of 5 stars

Janice runs away from her evil alcoholic brother-in-law and ends up stranded in the middle of a snowstorm. Dr. Sterling finds her half-dead in a snowdrift, and takes her back to his hospital and nurses her back to health. She is terrified that her brother-in-law will find her, so she stays at the hospital to train as a nurse under a false name.
In another city, Martha Spicer has just received a large inheritance that has made her financially independent, but she is lonely in her big new house until she befriends a mischievous neighbor boy who encourages her to help those less fortunate.

The title comes from Martha Spicer’s nickname “Spice Box”, which means that she is crabby and a “tartar”. But through the story, her personality softens and she is more patient and compassionate with others. I liked her storyline the best as she discovers how much enjoyment there is in the simple things of life. Her friendship with the neighbor boy is adorable!

I liked the romance between Janice and Dr. Sterling very much! It’s sweet and wholesome. But they have a silly misunderstanding because Janice thinks he is engaged to someone else, and instead of just asking him like a normal person, she hides her feelings. It’s the same old trope where if the characters would just talk to each other, then half the plot could have been avoided.

I love Grace Livingston Hill’s wholesome stories! It’s like a breath of fresh air in a jaded world. I especially liked the Christian themes in this book as the characters learn to rely on God and trust in His Providence. But there is a scene where Janice tells the story of Joan of Arc as if she were this great heroine of the faith to be emulated. I thought that was a bit weird. I always thought that Joan of Arc was sadly insane. I guess people used to look up to her as a Christian historical figure more than we do today.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much that I finished it in two days, and stayed up late at night reading “just one more chapter”. A complete delight!

This book has been screened on the Screen It First website for sensitive content regarding alcoholism. https://screenitfirst.com/book/spice-box-2593918