Return to Evergreen, the town where Christmas wishes come true… But only if you know what your heart really wants. When Lisa takes a last-minute Christmas trip to her hometown of Evergreen, she finds that the historic general store has closed. The place was a beloved local tradition, and she decides to use her skills as a professional retail designer to bring it back to its former glory. She … professional retail designer to bring it back to its former glory. She charms a local contractor, Kevin, into working with her, and the pair find themselves facing one surprise after another.
One of the biggest surprises of all is finding the mysterious 25-year-old letter to Santa that never made it to the North Pole. Who really wrote it, and will its request come true at last? And will Lisa and Kevin figure out what they’re truly wishing for?
This sweet small-town romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Incredible Apple Dumplings.
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Evergreen is a very magical town, especially at Christmas. This book written by Nancy Naigle is based on the Hallmark movie. If you loved the movie then you will love this book. Nancy Naigle has a way of drawing you in that keeps you turning the pages.
A heartwarming story with wonderfully developed characters. A great way to beat the summer heat by enjoying Christmas in July. I loved getting to return to Evergreen, the town where wishes do come true.
Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
Do you like sweet romance books? Do you love Hallmark movies? I know I do! Especially when life throws a lot of negative stuff my way in a short period of time. I could honestly watch Hallmark Christmas movies year-round, and I have been known to binge on these types of movies the most when I’m in a book funk. Especially the ones that are set in small towns. Growing up, I lived in a fairly small town. I hated it back then, but now that it’s more of a suburb than rural, I find myself longing for small-town life. Something about small towns just seems to be more positive and less…heavy. So when this book popped up on my list, I snatched it up and devoured it in one sitting! I haven’t watched the movie (YET!) so I can’t really compare the book and movie. But I can say that I wholeheartedly adored this easy to read sweet romance. It was written in such a way that I could absolutely see it playing out in my head…right along with all the cheesy music usually thrown into Hallmark Christmas movies.
Lisa grew up a military brat, and her family left Evergreen when she was very young. But the town left a very big impression on her. She’s been putting off visiting the town at Christmas like she has always talked about, but this year, her best friend is finally able to talk her into making that dream come true. Kevin grew up in Evergreen but thankfully has been traveling all over as his work has taken him to cities near and far. He’s home for Christmas, but he’s looking to find more permanent work somewhere that is decidedly not Evergreen. When Lisa convinces him to help her on a project near and dear to her heart, will they find love and happily ever after, or will misunderstandings keep them from giving in to the attraction simmering between them?
NICUnurse’s Rating: If you are looking for a quick, sweet read that can transport you to a quaint small town with lovable characters (and a MUCH cooler climate!), this book is one you don’t want to miss. I give Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa by Nancy Naigle 4.5 out of 5 stars!
Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is the second story set in the idyllic Christmas village of Evergreen, Vermont. Both stories have been aired as Hallmark Christmas movies. In this story, professional retail designer Lisa Palmer finds she has finished a job soon before Christmas and close to her childhood home of Evergreen. Lisa had always promised herself that one day she would return there at Christmas and her business partner, Oliver, convinces her that the time is now.
Upon her return the first person she encounters is Kevin Miller, also a former resident home to spend some of the holidays with his dad, Henry. Since his mom died when he was pretty young, the father-son relationship has seemed strained. If only Christmas could again be like it was when he was a child.
Soon after arriving, Lisa meets Ezra, Evergreen’s major. He has inherited the beloved Daisy’s store from his godmother, but it has sat empty and incurred storm damage. And Ezra is under the wire to make something happen as the bank is nipping at his heals. Lisa volunteers to take a look to see how she can stage it to help him with the sale. But when Ezra shows her the property Lisa understands the extent of the damage. When Lisa asks Ezra for a local contractor to help with the necessary repairs, it is Kevin Miller that Ezra recommends. At first hesitant, Kevin does agree and forms a team with Lisa to help the town they both love.
This is a delightful Christmas tale, but it is also a story for all seasons. It speaks to friendship, heritage, history, and commitment. It also speaks to love. This wonderful story will warm your heart, whether is is freezing or roasting outside. The characters are endearing and the setting speaks to the core of imagination. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!
Do you love Hallmark movies? If you answer is YES, then this book is for you! It is a Hallmark movie that you can read. How great is that?
Nancy Naigle is an excellent author that draws you into the story so easily and then the story flows so effortlessly that you feel like you are experiencing it, not reading it. She develops the scenery so well that you are transported to the town of Evergreen. I could even feel the cold and smell the pine, even though I read this book in June!
The story summary is readily available, so I usually do not include that in my review, but I will say that this is a friendship to romance, my favorite type of story. I appreciate the love that is formed much more when two people get to know each other and then find love, the kind that leads them to a Happily Ever After.
I want to thank Hallmark Publishing and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read the ARC of this book. My opinion is my own and not influenced by receiving the ARC.
This was a sweet, small-town Christmas story. Lisa is a busy retail designer who is constantly on the go. She and her partner travel frequently to stage stores for openings or special events. Her most recent project brought to mind Evergreen, Vermont, a town she lived in as a young child. Her family moved frequently, but Evergreen has always remained in her heart and mind. With her parents away for the holidays, Lisa decides to visit Evergreen and see if it lives up to her memories.
Her arrival in town brings even more memories flooding back, including the day she and her parents moved away. I ached for Lisa and the sadness of that memory. Her memory of Daisy’s General Store and the comfort that Daisy gave her that day still holds a special place in her heart. Lisa is sad to see that the store has closed and that Daisy has passed away. The town’s mayor inherited the store and needs to sell it before the bank repossesses it, but the store is in pretty sad shape. Excited by the idea of helping, Lisa offers to fix the place up to make it more appealing to a buyer. To do so, she will need the help of a local contractor, who turns out to be the same man she met on the way into town.
Kevin has lived in Evergreen for most of his life, but it was never the same after his mother died. His relationship with his father is strained, and Kevin is contemplating taking a job in another state.
I loved the first meeting between Kevin and Lisa. It’s always fun when a guy is surprised by something a woman can do. I loved how they connected right away, and the teasing banter as they worked on the truck together. Underneath the banter, there were some sparks. Small towns being what they are, it was fun to see them run into each other several times over the next few hours, and how the sparks continued to flare. I loved seeing Lisa use her enthusiasm to overcome Kevin’s qualms about working on the store. For his part, Kevin was reluctant since he couldn’t see it getting done right in the short time they had, but he found himself unable to resist Lisa’s entreaties. Over the next few days, as they worked on the store, they found they had a lot in common. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop and see the attraction that simmered underneath it. Both resisted that attraction, though, as both claimed to be uninterested in a relationship. I liked how their friendship deepened into something more and wanted to shake them both as they continued to fight it. Just when things looked most promising, misunderstandings pushed them apart, until a Christmas miracle helped them see what was important.
I loved the underlying project of fixing up Daisy’s store. The project itself brought Kevin and Lisa together. However, they weren’t the only ones whose lives were affected by it. I loved the teamwork of the townspeople as it seemed that everyone found a way to help in some fashion. When Lisa discovered an old letter in the Santa Mailbox from Daisy’s store, everyone got involved in reviving some of the older traditions of the town’s Christmas celebration. The secondary characters brought added life and romance, making the story even richer.
Lisa & her partner Oliver stage stores to help them make the most of huge sales. They’ve been working hard to make their own store a reality. Now, it’s the holidays, Lisa’s parents are traveling & Oliver convinced her to go back to her hometown of Evergreen for a long planned visit. Lisa has romanticized her hometown & the way they used to celebrate Christmas that she’s afraid it won’t be the same. Instead, as soon as she enters the town, she’s pulled into the atmosphere & ends up helping plan some me of the events. In order to help one of the townspeople sell their store, Lisa decides to make basic repairs & stage the store like it used to be.
Kevin is in town spending some time with his father. He’s trying to decide whether to take the logging job he’s been offered or not. He keeps running into Lisa all around town & she convinces him to help her by doing the needed repairs in the store. As they work together, they share memories & grow closer. Will they help save the store from being sold to a chain?
This was an emotional heartwarming story typical of the Hallmark movies it was based on. I loved Lisa’s connection to the store & the memories that both she & Kevin shared. Letters to Santa are one of the most engaging parts of the holiday season & the idea that the Town & the store made such a big deal of them is lovely. This was truly a wonderful Christmas moment.
Another winner by Nancy Naigle! I love all of the books about Evergreen, please keep then coming. This is a heartwarming sweet romance set at Christmas time and will put you in the Christmas spirit. It has a wonderful sounding recipe at end. Thank you Hallmark Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.