Child of Joy (book)
Child of Joy is a 2021 novel written by Canadian Christian author Kimberly Rae Jordan.
The novel is the first of three novels, under the series title We Three Kings, featuring the Minneapolis-based King triplets (in birth order: Hunter, Hayden, and Heather), heirs of their father's multi-million dollar company and their Christmastime interactions with struggling families far below their social and financial status, all of which ultimately lead to romance, marriage, and the King family member adopting the child. All three novels were released in the fourth quarter of 2021; Child of Joy was released in October.
Child of Joy centers around Hunter, the oldest of the triplets, who is now CEO of the company. The title comes from the common middle name -- Joy -- of the mother and daughter who are among the remaining residents of an apartment complex Hunter intends to demolish after year's end, but not withstanding their bleak circumstances continue to celebrate the Christmas season, as well as the joy the two bring to the King family years after the father's death.
Plot
The novel is set four years after the triplets' father, Greg, died in a multi-fatality car accident; the accident also left Hayden with severe physical injuries and emotional ones (as he witnessed his father's death). The family had put aside many Christmastime traditions, notably one of inviting people to Christmas dinner who otherwise might not have any enjoyment during the season.
Carissa Jenkins and her daughter, Rachel, have had misfortune over the years. Rachel's father legally surrendered his parental rights at birth and his parents did not acknowledge a grandchild. Carissa's parents, on the other hand, were supportive and helped Carissa into nursing school -- until their death in what she later discovered was the same car accident that took Hunter's father. After their deaths, Carissa discovered that her parents were deeply in debt: she had to sell all the family possessions simply to pay for their funeral expenses, had to allow their house to go into foreclosure, and was now unable to complete nursing school, forced to take dead-end jobs and live in sub-standard housing to support herself and Rachel. But the last year was worse than others: Carissa lost one of her jobs, her car no longer ran (forcing her to walk or take public transportation in the bitter cold Minnesota winter), and she would need to find new housing as her apartment complex was being demolished after the end of the year. Notwithstanding all of the above, she was still able to care for Rachel (who is an advanced student, one grade ahead of others her age, who loves reading), they had a small Christmas tree with ornaments, and they still had (though shaky, in Carissa's case) a faith in God.
Around the holiday season, prior to the planned demolition, Hunter -- the new owner of the building -- checks on the few remaining tenants in the complex; he senses that Carissa and Rachel are struggling. Accompanied by Heather, they make temporary repairs to the apartment so that Carissa and Rachel can have food and warmth.
Though the Kings have been very charitable in meeting the needs of their city, this would be the first time that Hunter and Heather would really see first-hand the effects of poverty on others, especially after Heather reads Rachel's letter to Santa. In it, Rachel asks for books (she loves reading, but can't always go to the library) and boots (hers are too small, but doesn't want to upset her mother) and, for her mother, a husband (or, in the alternative, a new laptop to replace the unreliable one Carissa had). They decide they will be Santa for the family (though they can't -- they think -- do anything about getting Carissa a husband), and will reinstitute two family traditions lost in the aftermath of their father's death: Carissa and Rachel will be invited to the company's annual employee children's Christmas party, and later to their home for Christmas Eve dinner and to spend the night, awaking on Christmas Day to open presents. Though reluctant, Carissa agrees, hoping if nothing else to give Rachel a memorable Christmas; it allows them to meet Eliza (the triplets' mother) along with George and Essie (the married couple who are the family's driver/handyman and cook/housekeeper) and Hayden (the third sibling, who because of his injuries has become reclusive in recent years).
Over the ensuing days Hunter continues to assist Carissa with her needs, even offering an apartment at a nearby complex owned by the company at the same rent she was paying (but the apartment is much nicer and in her neighborhood, thus allowing her to keep Rachel in the same school and with the same babysitter). Both Hunter and Carissa start to feel attraction to the other, but both share concern that a relationship would never work given they come from opposite ends of the economic spectrum; Hunter also is uncomfortable due to his position as Carissa's landlord. The situation takes a turn for the worse when Carissa comes down with an infection requiring hospitalization; the Kings take Rachel in until Carissa is discharged and then take her in until she fully recovers, also allowing her to stay with them through Christmas Day. (It also gives Heather -- who admittedly loves to shop -- the chance to buy more Christmas presents for them.) However, Carissa's and Rachel's stay with the Kings brings back the joy of the Christmas season, something which had disappeared after their father's death.
Ultimately, Hunter and Carissa are able to work through their concerns and agree to date each other, with two conditions: no rock concerts and no dates involving private jet travel. (In the follow-on book, Child of Love, the two are engaged and marry, and further agree that Carissa will continue to work in the diner until their marriage, after which she will restart her nursing degree plans, while in the final book of the series, Child of Hope, Hunter has officially adopted Rachel, and he and Carissa are expecting a child of their own.)
