The Forever Christmas Tree

A Bell Sound Novel

By: Sandra Hill

Narrated by: Megan Tusing

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

The Christmas bells are chiming across the Outer Banks town of Bell Cove, North Carolina, but there’s one local "grinch" who’s not listening....

He’s got bad-boy looks and a "Bah, Humbug" attitude, so when the local paper asks the villagers to vote on the “Biggest Local Grinch” as a fund-raising project, Ethan Rutledge isn’t surprised to hear he’s made the ballot. He might own the local Christmas tree farm, but the holiday hasn’t been welcome in his home since Wendy Patterson left him heartbroken 12 years ago.

But now Wendy’s back, fresh from a tour of duty as a female Navy SEAL. She’s bold, beautiful, and has five Navy buddies trailing after her - as if she needs a bodyguard! And what’s all this about them wanting to start a treasure-hunting company right here in Bell Cove’s failing bell factory?

Then Wendy learns about how Ethan’s been nurturing the one thing he has to remember her by: a gorgeous Norway spruce tree.

Can the magic of Christmas and the spirit of the town help rekindle the romance between two people who thought they’d left love behind years ago?

©2018 Sandra Hill (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Heart warming

This whole book made me smile. Not only the lovely couple, but all the family, friends, and townsfolk. I want to live there!

Love, Love Sandra Hill

As a North Carolina girl, the setting feels familiar from the small town antics to the quick temperature changes. Ms Hill did a fabulous job of making it feel like the Outer Banks. The relationship between Ethan and Wendy is so real and beautiful, and hot, that you want to thump them. I can understand why they would hesitate to open up again. The variety of characters Ms Hill has created adds more color and texture to the story.
My only ding, and she can claim creative license, is as a manager of an ABC store, alcohol sales in NC is regulated by the state and wouldn’t vary from store to store.
Still I loved this story!

Love contain

Loved the Audible readers, it made
the book come alive. Better than a movie or tv.

Okay

I liked the narration and many of the characters, but the story was a little too contrived and predictable. The serious subjects were steamrolled by the worn out hallmark moments. The navy seal wants to give it all up to be a wife? The grandmother quits helping with her own family business and goes on strike as a homemaker for her great granddaughter to force her grandson’s hand in a second chance romance? I was disappointed in the story, but think the characters have potential. Too slow burn with a wildfire wrap up at the end. My least favorite character was Ethan who was apparently such an immature idiot that he couldn’t handle a little time without his “true love “ and had to get drunk and cheat. I give the story a 2.5 and the narrator helped a lot.

SOMEWHAT OF A SPOILER!!!

I have read books by this author since she started her career. I had the pleasure of meeting her years ago. Until this book, I had truly enjoyed her work. I won't say that this book was terrible...it wasn't. Of course I was a teenager at one time, and I raised teenagers. I realize teens can do crazy things that totally can not be explained. Taking all that into consideration, I still find it hard to believe that the male lead in the book behaved the way he did. For me he was totally out of character. Especially the way the book often brings up the way the 2 had always felt about each other.