The Forever Christmas Tree - Sandra Hill (Avon - Sept 2018)

Series: Bell Sound (Book 1)

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 heart-broken twelve 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?

Good second chance story in a small town. Twelve years earlier, Wendy left town after her boyfriend cheated on her and got another girl pregnant. Broken hearted she left for college, where she was later recruited for the WEALS, the female SEALs program. She hasn't been back to Bell Cove since then, though her family has visited her. But after a rough mission, she was ready for a break. The one thing she didn't look forward to was the possibility of seeing Ethan again.

Ethan hasn't been the most cheerful person lately. Instead of following his dream of being a veterinarian, the choices he made in the past sent him in a different direction. He married the girl he got pregnant and is now the single father of an eleven-year-old girl with health problems. Instead of being a vet, he runs the family Christmas tree farm. Hearing that Wendy was coming back to town brought back the old memories and resentments, putting him in a Grinch-like funk.

The sparks flew between Ethan and Wendy from the moment they saw each other again, and they weren't all good ones. Ethan was downright rude, blaming Wendy for leaving, even though it was his actions that had caused the rift. Thank goodness Cassie was there because otherwise, I think Wendy would have pushed him off the boat - I sure would have. They have a couple more contentious encounters before they decide to meet privately to talk. I loved the way that meeting started - nothing like getting your feelings off your chest right at the start. By this point, both of them realized that what was between them twelve years earlier had not died after all, and both were pretty freaked out by the idea. Neither one wants to risk their heart again, plus there's the whole matter of working on opposite coasts. No matter what they do, they can't seem to stay away from each other, and the feelings between them continue to grow. There are quite a few internal debates where they remind themselves that it's a bad idea, but that doesn't stop them.

There were some pretty terrific scenes between them as each opened up about their lives since they've been apart. I also liked seeing Wendy with Cassie, and how well they get along. But both Wendy and Ethan were chained by their fears. Neither one was willing to risk rejection by being the first to confess their feelings, which put them on a course to being separated again. I ached for them both when duty called. It took a kind of "tough love" from Ethan's grandmother to make him see the light, but he came through with flying colors. I loved his big moment at the end.

I really liked Ethan's daughter Cassie. She is a sweet girl who has not had an easy life. Besides losing her mother at a young age, Cassie suffers from a debilitating disease. She has been through multiple surgeries, with more in her future, but she manages to keep an upbeat attitude. I liked how she connected with Wendy. There was a surprising twist in what she knew about her dad's relationship with Wendy, one that made me ache a bit for her and her mother.

There were several secondary stories going on also. First was what was happening with Wendy's SEAL teammates. They were all fighting the blues from their last mission and talked about their holiday plans. Included in those plans was the idea of checking out a treasure hunting business that was up for sale (see the Jinx series). That morphed into most of them deciding to join Wendy in Bell Sound. I loved the arrival of the SEALs, perfectly timed to give Ethan a taste of the green-eyed monster. The SEALs tentative plans got a boost when they ran into an issue that the town had. I loved seeing more of these guys, as they are some of my favorites from previous series. I can't wait to see them get stories of their own.

Bell Sound got its name from the bell-making factory that has called the town its home for a long time. But the business is in danger of closing down due to dwindling orders for their specialized bells. The town doesn't want to lose the factory or the history behind it. When the owner, the last of the family, came to town to investigate his options, the townspeople were determined to show him its importance. There were some interesting interactions between Gabe and Laura, the newspaper editor, over the fate of the business and other properties. I liked seeing the creativity that came up with an excellent solution. The Grinch contest was a hilarious method of raising needed funds for the city as well as bringing an influx of tourists.

There were also some hilarious goings-on involving Wendy's aunt Mildred. She has been living in Wendy's house and caring for it. Mildred was somewhat lonely and always kind-hearted, and over the last several years has invited various senior citizens to live there with her. The current crop includes Raul, a somewhat younger Spanish man who is also a dancer. He and Mildred are quite an interesting pair. The others are a lively mix, and their interactions are always amusing. They go beyond amusing to hilarious when the SEALs arrive. I loved the bonding among the elders and the SEALs and the obvious respect they have for each other.