What I read: Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallory
Why I picked it up: It’s the second in a series I loved about Wishing Tree.
How I read it: On paper in just two days – it was a real delight.
What it’s about: This book follows two friends who are newish to Wishing Tree. We met Camryn in the first book as the woman who owns Wrap Around the Clock right on The Wreath. She came home to care for her dying mother and has stayed to take care of her younger twin sisters. Her residence in Wishing Tree has an expiration date though; when they graduate, she’s moving back to Chicago. Enter Jake – her friend’s ex-fiance and subject of Project: Jake’s Bride – a new effort for a wife for her son and grandchildren for her from his mother. There’s also River and Dylan – this year’s Royal Christmas Couple. Neither of them have learned how to trust others very well – but maybe they’ll be able to trust each other, then again, maybe not.
What I liked: I loved visiting this town again. I also appreciated Jake and how much he’s grown since his appearance in the first book. He’s incredibly emotionally intelligent here and even when his mother and his girlfriend go off on two separate crazy paths, he keeps his head about him.
What I disliked: The big misunderstanding of trust between Dylan and River was a little ridiculous. She wanted him to reveal everything about him because she revealed herself to him – and when he didn’t, 4 weeks into knowing her, she took it as the fact that he doesn’t care. They’d been on like 5 dates.
Genre: Christmas, closed door romance, adoption, grief.
Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and yes – the first one and the novella aren’t necessary, but you’ll find that knowing those character’s back stories really make this more of a delight. I hope Paisley gets her story next year!
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