Thanks to NetGalley for offering me this book in exchange for my opinion. All opinions are my own.
The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson.
When Madison McDowell returns from several years of teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family's Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But the farm is in sad shape between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie's unwillingness to invest. In fact, Addie intends to sell the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison's heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter.
With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there's only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work--and some help from an unlikely ally--to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister.
Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson charms and delights with this uplifting Christmas story full of old memories and new beginnings.
My Take:
My favorite genre of books is Christmas holiday fiction. This novella has a lot packed into this story. Set in modern times, two sisters are owners of a family farm. One wants to see it succeed, the other not so much. The emotional relationships in the book are easy to believe and follow. Lily, one of the younger characters, is someone that I would like to watch grow up in future books by Melody Carlson. The author does a wonderful job of describing Christmas in a farm setting. A cup of cocoa, a few cookies and I was in my favorite place: Christmas.
About the Author:
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/
