Synopsis
Returning to her home town of Wishing Tree is definitely temporary for Camryn. She can’t wait to leave and get back to her ‘real life’. Until she meets Jake. Suddenly Camryn starts to see the town, and it’s Christmas traditions, differently. She thought she’d put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home.
New in town, River is charmed by Wishing Tree’s Christmas traditions and warm-hearted people, especially Dylan Tucker whose snow melting kisses bring her to the brink of love. But Dylan has a secret and River can’t risk falling for him until she uncovers it, even if that means losing him forever.
Both women find themselves faced with difficult decisions. But if they are prepared to risk their hearts, they might find they are about to have a Christmas to remember…
My Review
Welcome to the town of Wishing Tree. Camryn returned to her home town after her mother became ill and since her mother passed she’s been running the family business Wrap Around the Clock which provides custom wrapping paper and wrapping services and also playing surrogate mother to her teenage twin sisters. When she is called to a meeting with Helen the owner of the Crane hotel empire she thinks she is there to discuss wrapping paper but Helen has something else in mind. Helen is looking for a wife for her son Jake (which she has uniquely called Project: Jake’s Bride) and sees Camryn as a candidate. Camryn makes it clear that she does not want to take part in Helen’s mission and informs Jake. But Helen’s plans don’t stop at Jake because she also appears to be trying to find love for Dylan (Jake’s best friend and her unofficially adopted son) and works her magic so he is crowned the town’s Snow King. Camryn’s friend River is new in town and to help her feel at home her friends nominate her for Snow Queen and to her shock she’s selected. As Camryn and Jake start to spend more time together will love truly blossom especially as Camryn does not intend to stay in Wishing Tree long term. As the newly appointed Snow King and Snow Queen (Dylan and River) are crowned and they start to spend more time together will Dylan’s secret stop them from pursuing a romantic relationship?
There is just something about a Christmas book or a Christmas book cover that just makes me feel cheery so I am more than happy to read Christmas books anytime of the year as they lift my spirits. As soon as I finished reading this book I just wanted to read it all over again. The storyline was warm, cosy, heart-warming and I can only describe it as like being given a really big hug. I was ready to pack my bags and move to Wishing Tree because it sounded like a completely magical place. I truly adored the storyline and can’t fault it in anyway. There are two romantic storylines running in this book i.e. Camryn and Jake’s story and Dylan and River’s story. The characters are connected as Jake and Dylan are best friends and Camryn and River are also close friends. I loved the characters in this book because they were so easy to connect with. Camryn is very work focused. Her priority is her sisters, the family business and then leaving Wishing Tree once her sisters go to college. So she doesn’t want to start something with Jake that she knows will only be temporary. Jake has had no luck in past relationships and although he wants to find the one he is worried that he will mess things up like his dad. I really liked the dynamic between Jake and Camryn because they just really clicked from the beginning. I loved how Camryn was very honest with Jake about Helen’s project and it’s through this that they become closer and start a relationship. They both know that anything between them is only temporary, but feelings creep in and they both start wanting something more. Spending time with Jake also makes Camryn rethink what it is that she truly wants. Her plan has always been to leave Wishing Tree and go back to her old life but when she reassesses her life after she meets Jake she starts to realise that what she now wants is closer than she thinks. Then there’s Dylan and River. Dylan isn’t averse to finding a partner but his previous relationship was destroyed because of his secret so he is guarded and concerned that it will happen again. That is until he meets River. River is probably the character that I liked the most because I recognised that we shared some of the same characteristics. She is a complete introvert and doesn’t like being lied to. She doesn’t like being in the spotlight or the centre of attention and she’s definitely one of those people who will happily fade into the background and go unnoticed. However, when she becomes Snow Queen she has to move outside of her comfort zone. Having Dylan by her side makes it easier and she is able to open up to him. I have to say Dylan and River was my favourite couple because their interactions were so sweet. One of my favourite scenes was when River bought a part of gloves for Dylan because he kept losing his. As for Jake and Dylan they have been added to the book boyfriend list.
A comforting Christmas read!
Author Bio
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Timesbestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.
Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the ragdoll cat and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.
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