With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas. In the last year, George’s life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he’s still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before … shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.
Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother’s death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.
With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?
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While this book is part of the Darling VT series it can totally be read as a stand alone holiday novella. Fans of the series will recognize George as the homeless veteran that Laurel helped in book one. George suffers from PTSD and has never been able to face the family of his fallen teammate. He has in fact blamed himself for years over Ian’s death. So when Amy, Ian’s twin sister, arrives in Darling it is all he can do to talk to her. Amy is looking for closure regarding Ian’s death and hoping George can give her that closure. But perhaps George and Amy also need each other to heal.
Donna Alward has written the perfect heartwarming story to get you in the holiday mood.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novella.
Terrific novella. George was a secondary character in the earlier Darling, Vermont, books. He is a veteran who lost his best friend in combat and blamed himself. After returning from his last deployment, George spiraled into PTSD induced depression, ending up homeless. When he landed in Darling, he drew the Gallaghers’ attention, who, with kindness and patience, helped George get the help he needed. Now he has a job he likes, a family of sorts, and a place of his own. His somewhat fragile peace of mind takes a hit when that friend’s twin sister shows up in Darling, looking for answers about her brother’s death.
Amy has searched for George for fifteen years. The last time she saw him when the guys visited before they deployed, she and George connected. When Ian died, and George disappeared, she was left with lots of questions. Now that she found him, the changes in him shock her.
The development of George and Amy’s relationship is full of ups and downs and incredibly emotional exchanges. When Amy first shows up, George feels blindsided by the memories she stirs up. He’s quite blunt when he tells her that he doesn’t want to talk about it and she needs to leave him alone. Amy isn’t one to give up easily, and something in his eyes told her that he needed to tell her as much as she needed to hear. She also realized she needed to soften her approach. I loved seeing her show up the next day with lunch and a willingness to be there and not push for answers. Over the next few days, they rekindled their earlier friendship and began to exchange stories.
I liked how Amy shared her past and problems and the way it opened George’s eyes. He wasn’t the only one who felt broken, which made it a little easier for him to open up. My heart broke for him as George finally shared what happened and his feelings about it. The depth of his pain leaped off the page as he broke down in Amy’s arms. I loved her statement, “I wish it hadn’t taken fifteen years for me to tell you that it’s okay and that…I don’t forgive you because there’s nothing to forgive.”
I loved seeing the changes in George as he began to move forward. He and Amy spend a lot of time together, and the old attraction between them begins to simmer and grow. But both of them are exceedingly wary. Amy still suffers from her marriage’s hurts and disappointments and is reluctant to risk her heart again. George has quite a few insecurities of his own, especially seeing a significant gap between his circumstances and Amy’s. When George realizes how much his feelings for Amy have grown, he reacts by pushing her away. Some harsh words fly between them, and both retreat into their pain. While both kick themselves for over-reacting, neither is quite sure how to fix it. I loved the talk that Amy had with Willow, which gave her a starting point. My heart cheered for George as he learned what he meant to the people of Darling. The book ended on a huge emotional high as George and Amy found their way back to each other and took an honest and heartfelt look at the possibilities for their future. I loved the finale of Christmas Day with Amy’s parents and what it meant to George.
I loved that this story didn’t hesitate to show the reality of George’s struggles upon his return home. Guilt, shame, and fear were his daily struggles, and successes sometimes seemed to be few and far between. I loved how his friends were so proud of him and wanted him to be happy. I especially loved Laurel’s confidence in George and how she showed it.
George has come home from the Iraq war a broken man. His best friend Ian died on his watch and George could not face Ian’s family to tell them what happened. Ian’s twin sister, Amy, tracked George down after years of searching, but George cannot face going back to that fateful day to tell Amy what happened. Amy is reeling from her own divorce and needs closure on her brother’s death.
I enjoyed this story. I’m sure many of the veterans who come home from the war face their own demons as George did as they try to readjust to civilian life. Ms. Alward does a good job of slowing teasing out the details of what happened to Ian. There is no easy fix for what George has suffered and I was happy to see that the author treated PTSD with compassion. George and Amy are two broken souls. Do they have the courage to try and heal their fractured lives?
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Deck the Halls by Donna Alward is part of her Darling VT series. Amy Merck appears suddenly in Darling VT at the workplace of George Reilly. George had been the best friend and army buddy of her twin brother Ian until an IED took Ian out on a routine convoy. Amy wanted closure that George felt unable to give.
George had lived a life of guilt and remorse since he was discharged from the Army, much of it homeless and on the streets. When Darling natives Laurel and Aiden took George under their wings, giving him a job and helping him get the veteran’s assistance he so richly deserved, he was able to turn his life around and begin the trek back to normalcy. But when Amy appeared it almost disrupted his progress. The one thing he did not feel he could face was Ian’s family and the guilt he felt from Ian’s loss. But facing that could just be the key to finally healing. Forgiveness and acceptance can be two of the most important Christmas gifts one can receive, but often the hardest to request.
This seasonal story of love, family, and forgiveness is poignant as well as heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and do recommend this tale to all seeking an uplifting Christmas story.
Full review appeared on Reader’s Edyn on 10/21/17
Amy Merck has been searching – searching for closure regarding her brother’s death; searching for a way to cope with the blows life hands out; searching for a way to lessen her parent’s grief; searching for George Reilly. Having finally found George, she realizes she isn’t going to just get the answers she is looking for without building some trust – a difficult feat given the circumstances George has dealt with over the past few years. She never imagined the guilt of her brother’s death had weighed so heavily on him – or that he blames himself. Pair that with likely PTSD and a reluctance to muddle through the past, Amy might not ever be able to find the closure she desperately seeks. But an unexpected turn of events has Amy wondering if there could ever be a future for the two of them. They had liked one another once upon a time, but trying to get that back might be futile.
George Reilly has not had an easy life since returning from active duty. He ended up homeless after drinking his money away and has had to rally back – literally picking himself up from the streets. Help from some new friends in a new town has brought about a change in him and he started wanting to live again – at least as much as one can live when carrying around the guilt of responsibility for his best friend’s death. He had promised Amy and her family that he would keep Ian safe, but failed them all. Amy’s unexpected arrival threatens the tight rein George keeps on his simple existence. The past – revelations she wants him to confide in her – could be a point he cannot come back from. No one ever got comfort from regurgitating the past and he’s going to try like hell not to go there. But Amy has also kindled something within him that he had thought long gone. Maybe, instead of his demise, she could be his salvation.
I really enjoyed my time spent with this book! Deck the Halls dealt with a bit more serious topics than I am used to, but also topics that are very current and real in these times. While addressing serious issues, the author was able to successfully craft a balance between the negative and positive so that a dark shadow was not cast over the entire story. I felt like Amy and George were people I would know, or could easily meet one day. Their characters were very real and raw. Also enjoyed were the secondary characters who, from what I gather, have stories of their own in the quaint little town of Darling, Vermont. While not the kind of HEA I am accustomed to, the story remained a sweet romantic novel. Ms Alward was careful to remain true to the characters and allow them time to get to know one another even in the midst of their growing attraction. A few tame romantic scenes are all you will have to contend with between these pages – and I thank Ms. Alward for that. I believed that this was a positive and forward-moving decision that lent credibility to these characters and their truths. Set around the Christmas season, this story of second chances; belief in human kindness; and the determination to rise about life’s punches is sure to please any reader who picks this story up. Get in to your season feel goods, or read it any time of year. Either way, you will not be disappointed with this heart-felt, romantic, holiday gift.
Kindle version provided by NetGalley/St Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.
A charming story by Donna Alward, Deck the Halls, a Christmas novella in her Darling, VT series, is a retake on the classic “It’s A Wonderful Life”. George Riley drastically changed his life over the last year going from being a homeless vet with PTSD, overlooked by people passing by to having a job, a truck, an apartment and contact with the VA. Amy Merck had been searching for George, trying to find closure to the death of her twin brother in the Middle East. When she finds him in Vermont he didn’t resemble the soldier she remembered being friends with her brother. Amy and George spend time together in a town filled with some Christmas magic along with lots of support for them, hoping that these two bruised and lost people can create a future together.
I loved reading this story, despite crying for these two lonely people. Ms. Alward is an excellent storyteller, keeping me interested in this story so that I had trouble putting it down. I highly recommend this outstanding book to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
The Magic of Christmas combines with the
legend of the Kissing Bridge in Darling, VT.
George Reilly was a homeless veteran until
given a job and found an apartment. He is
finding his way back from post traumatic
stress syndrome after his fighting in the war.
One day, he is thrown for a loop when the
sister of his best friend who was killed in an
ambush right before George’s eyes, appears
at the garden center. She wants closure for
her brother’s death. George is not ready to
open up about the war. Will he run and
disappear back to street living to avoid her
questions? Will she continue to pursue her
answers? Will they be able to start on new
footing?
A well written story with very well developed,
well defined and realistic characters with
Christmas time magic involved.
A highly recommended Read.
I volunteered to read a Deck the Halls. Thanks
to the publisher via Net Gallery for the opportunity.
My opinion is my own.
Deck the Halls by Donna Alward
Darling Vt #
Second chances are sometimes given in life…to fall in love, to be productive, to be happy and to find one’s way when it is lost. This is the story of a man who went to war, came home damaged, lost his way then began to find it again in Darling, Vermont. When a woman from his past suddenly appears his forward momentum may be derailed or she might end up helping him as he moves forward.
This was a short story in keeping with the holiday season. We see a bit more of George Reilly, the homeless veteran that Laurel gave a job, and how he is doing a few months on. We see a few of the couples that had their stories told earlier and we see how George may find a future with Amy Merck, the twin sister of one of his army buddies that did not make it home. It does not give a definitive answer to the relationship between George and Amy but…they did kiss very near that bridge that has magical powers so perhaps we will see them together in future books of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press – Swerve for the ARC – this is my honest review.
3 Stars
Donna Alward has a gift for taking emotions in surprising directions. Deck the Halls is a journey of second chances, surprising romances and fate. One woman’s search for answers leads her into the arms of her happily ever after. One man’s struggle with guilt, lands him in the center of a love unlike any other. George and Amy make miracles seem possible and love eternal with his short but sweet holiday read.
What is it about Christmas stories that tug at our hearts? Ms. Alward has given her readers a touching novella regarding a homeless veteran and how far he has come in a year. The characters that reside in Darling, VT have seen past his gruff exterior & embraced him. The readers learn more about George’s back story & how he ended up homeless. Amy, his best friend’s sister, has found him & they are attracted to each other. Can George take that final step & realize he deserves to be loved too? Prepare to have your eyes well with tears & have your heart touched.
Favorite Quotes:
Don’t stare at me like you’re an idiot. You’re not, not really. Your thinking’s pretty warped, but you’re a smart guy.
As a foster kid he’d had more mothers than he’d had grade school teachers.
My Review:
Deck the Halls was an unexpectedly melancholy and angsty read – but then, not everyone is chasing rainbows, baking cookies, or watching for Santa during the holiday season. The emotive storyline spotlighted the complications of unresolved grief, the niggling discomfort of unfinished business, and second chances; and occurred during a two-week interval leading up to Christmas. I had been curious about the character of the homeless man known as George in the earlier books and was thrilled to see his emergence and marked improvements due to large part to being forcefully rescued and craftily manipulated into gainful employment and daily interaction by his new employer, who also assisted him in finding housing and VA services. However, his forward momentum was put in jeopardy when the twin sister of his fallen best friend suddenly made an appearance and needing closure for her family, Amy pursued George for information about her brother Ian’s death in Iraq, which being the antecedent of George’s downward spiral, opened a Costco super-sized can of worms. Forcing him to deal with the heaviest of issues and a return of his nightmares was distressing, although Amy was also having a positive influence and impressing on George the difference between existing and living. Old sparks re-ignited, but the holiday season was not full of delicious eggnog, caroling, or party games for this couple.
Deck the Halls embodies the true spirit of the holiday season. Donna Alward flawlessly combines the themes of community, charity and love in this poignant holiday story set in Darling, Vermont. George Reilly is one of my favorite characters in this series. George played a pivotal role in Somebody Like You, and his story intrigued me. I was so excited that he was featured in Deck the Halls!
George is a veteran of the Iraq conflict. His best friend Ian Merck was killed in action. The reality of Ian’s tragic death hit George hard; his survivor’s guilt plagued him and sent him into a downward spiral of loneliness and despair. He disengaged from life and lived on the streets until Laurel and Aiden Gallagher took an interest in him and helped him get a job and an apartment.
Ian’s twin sister, Amy Merck, has travelled to Darling to speak to George. Her family needs closure-any details about their son’s death would ease their minds. Amy and George were attracted to each other and shared a few steamy kisses before George’s last deployment. Will George open up to Amy?
George and Amy are wounded souls. Their wounds are not visible, their scars are on the inside. George blames himself for his friend’s death while Amy’s marriage fell apart when she couldn’t conceive. My favorite scene takes place at a holiday fundraiser when Amy and Willow Gallagher have a heart to heart talk. Amy mentions that George doesn’t see that he is a part of the Darling community Willow uses the words strength and courage when she talks about George. This conversation inspires Amy to show George the true meaning of Christmas. The last few chapters of this book are exquisitely written; the conversations are honest, poignant and witty and the charming characters will steal your heart as the community rallies to show one of their own the true meaning of Christmas.
Deck the Halls made me laugh and cry—and most of all it reminded me to give back to my own community. Thank you Donna Alward for a fabulous read! Can’t wait for the next Darling novel.