Deck the Halls Book Review

In Deck the Halls, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

About Deck the Halls

In the last year, George’s life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he’s still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.

Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother’s death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.

With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?

My Thoughts

Deck the Halls while a Christmas novel and a romance, it has some powerful moments throughout the story as it tells the story of George.

George is a veteran who suffers greatly with PTSD after he returns to America. He is haunted by his past and the death of his best friend. It forces him to turn to alcohol and he had eventually became homeless. Now living in Darling, he is given a second chance but at times he is still haunted by his past.

When Amy shows up, he is forced to deal with the past and her brother’s death. Amy can barely recognize the man in front of her. Gone is his light heartiness and in his place is a man who is hard on the outside but has this gentle core that could be broken at any time. It was interesting to note that there was some attraction between these two before George went away with the army.

As Amy helps him confront his path while giving her some closure, these two work through some very difficult moments. They both have had difficult pasts but in order to move forward, they need to confront their past, make peace with it and decide to move into the future with hope.

I loved every moment of this powerful and beautiful story. I cried, I laughed and I wanted nothing more than the best for these two. I am sure this is a story that so many individuals can relate to on some level. It is difficult to let go of our past, especially when it haunts us and we wonder if there is anything we could have done differently to change the outcome. This can lead to self hate which is just as destructive. This novel while full of raw, honest emotion gives hope and an important message of forgiveness, faith and love.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and SMP Romance.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters plus the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers
is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at- home mom and romance novelist. Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her romance career began, writing about cowboys and the west. She is the author of Somebody Like
You, Somebody’s Baby, and Someone to Love.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.