The Christmas Tree Farm

June 24, 2024
Second-chance romance blooms in the midst of family drama in this heartwarming tale from Carlson (Just for the Summer). After five years spent teaching in Mongolia, Madison McDowell returns to her family’s Oregon Christmas tree farm only to discover that wildfires have ravaged most of their crops. Her sister, Addie, who’s been holding down the fort in Madison’s absence, is on the verge of selling the property. To complicate matters, Madison’s now-widowed first love, Gavin Thompson, has moved in next door, and Addie’s started to fall for him. Though Madison tries to focus on reviving the business, she can’t seem to stay away from Gavin and sparks soon fly. When Gavin’s college-age daughter, Lucy, comes home for the holidays, she dredges up secrets about Gavin and Madison’s past that hint at a future between the pair, if they can harness their faith to overcome interference from Lucy, friction with Addie, and their own anxieties about starting anew. The Hallmark moviesque plot has more than enough charm to keep readers invested until everything gets tied into a satisfying—if unrealistically quick—happily ever after. This is certain to get readers in the Christmas spirit.

July 1, 2024

Madison McDowell has spent years in Mongolia, dedicating her life to charity--and a one-sided romantic relationship. She wants nothing more than to return to her family's Christmas tree farm in Oregon, but her arrival is met with a chilly reception by her sister Addie, who seems to resent the caregiving role she undertook in Madison's absence. As Madison throws herself into saving the family business, which was devastated by the previous season's wildfires, Addie's chilly reception morphs into outright hostility. The two sisters must reconcile, or they risk losing everything. Meanwhile, neighbor Gavin is disturbing the peaceful region with a dirt-bike track for his surly teenage daughter. Gavin also happens to be Madison's first love, a romance that ended badly in high school. VERDICT This satisfying Christmas novel will find year-round fans, as Carlson (Just for the Summer) brings her relationship insight to another unique tale set in the Pacific Northwest. Readers looking for a fast, charming read with hints of faith will enjoy this novella.

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