Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy by Nancy Naigle {Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own. 

An unexpected encounter...
An extraordinary discovery...
Welcome back to the town of Evergreen.
 

Katie, an author struggling to write her second novel, heads to Evergreen, Vermont for a holiday retreat—only to get an assignment to write an article about the town. On the train, she meets Ben, a former big-city reporter who’s now a librarian in Evergreen.

Katie’s initially skeptical about Evergreen’s love of Christmas; the place seems too good to be true. Meanwhile, Ben’s wary of Katie’s intentions. He’s protective of his small town, and he knows all too well how cynical the media can be. Then a hunt for a fifty-year-old time capsule leads to a remarkable discovery. As Katie and Ben get caught up in the community’s past and present, they both begin to envision new possibilities for the future.

This feel-good Christmas romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Cranberry Crostini.

 

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a whole lot of heart. She began writing while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. Her many books include Christmas in Evergreen, the heartwarming companion novel to the Hallmark movie, and Christmas Joy and Hope for Christmas, which were adapted into Hallmark movies. Now happily retired from a career in the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, horseback riding, and enjoying the occasional spa day. A Virginia girl at heart, Nancy now calls North Carolina home.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Hallmark Christmas movies. They also know that I love reading. So... a novelization of one of the most popular Hallmark movie series? Naturally, I couldn't wait to check it out. 

In this book, we meet Katie, an author who is on the search for her second novel, as she makes her way to Evergreen, Vermont. On the train, she meets local Evergreenian Ben who is more than a little skeptical about Katie's intentions in Evergreen. Still, as they arrive- the magic of the town certainly does have a way of drawing people together. With a broken snow globe, a town mystery and loads of Christmas traditions, it's truly hard not to fall in love with this sweet holiday romance. 

If the plot sounds familiar, that is again because this is a novelization of an Evergreen movie from last year. As much as I love the movies, I will almost always prefer a book over movie. Books allow us to dig deeper into what the character ISN'T saying, allowing us to get to know them so much better... at least in my opinion. While I normally prefer book first then movie, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a great way to revisit a favorite holiday town. 

Overall, this was a quick and fun holiday romance that Hallmark fans are sure to enjoy this holiday season.