Susan's Review of Deck the Halls by Donna Alward

With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

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?

Deck the Halls embodies the true spirit of the holiday season. Donna Alward flawlessly combines the themes of community, charity and love in this poignant holiday story set in Darling, Vermont. George Reilly is one of my favorite characters in this series. George played a pivotal role in Somebody Like You, and his story intrigued me. I was so excited that he was featured in Deck the Halls!

George is a veteran of the Iraq conflict. His best friend Ian Merck was killed in action. The reality of Ian’s tragic death hit George hard; his survivor’s guilt plagued him and sent him into a downward spiral of loneliness and despair. He disengaged from life and lived on the streets until Laurel and Aiden Gallagher took an interest in him and helped him get a job and an apartment.

Ian’s twin sister, Amy Merck, has travelled to Darling to speak to George. Her family needs closure-any details about their son’s death would ease their minds. Amy and George were attracted to each other and shared a few steamy kisses before George’s last deployment. Will George open up to Amy?

George and Amy are wounded souls. Their wounds are not visible, their scars are on the inside. George blames himself for his friend’s death while Amy’s marriage fell apart when she couldn’t conceive. My favorite scene takes place at a holiday fundraiser when Amy and Willow Gallagher have a heart to heart talk. Amy mentions that George doesn’t see that he is a part of the Darling community Willow uses the words strength and courage when she talks about George. This conversation inspires Amy to show George the true meaning of Christmas. The last few chapters of this book are exquisitely written; the conversations are honest, poignant and witty and the charming characters will steal your heart as the community rallies to show one of their own the true meaning of Christmas.

Deck the Halls made me laugh and cry—and most of all it reminded me to give back to my own community. Thank you Donna Alward for a fabulous read! Can’t wait for the next Darling novel

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the publisher

Holiday Q and A with Donna Alward

When do the holidays official start for you?
December 1 - or the weekend just preceding it. That's when we get out the decorations and go crazy.

What's your favorite thing about the holidays?
THE MOVIES. I love sitting with my kids (who are of the nearly-adult variety) and watching holiday movies with a glass of wine or hot cocoa.

Are there any holiday traditions you do every year without fail?
Tons! There are certain things we bake. We have a whole bunch of Christmas Eve traditions, including a barbecue (steak!), putting presents under the tree, going for a drive to see the lights, and watching The Polar Express. And even at their age, they still ask me to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

What's your favorite holiday movie?
I have too many - my fave depends on my mood. Top contenders: Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks, White Christmas, Love Actually, The Polar Express.

Do you have a favorite holiday book?
Hmmm. I don't tend to re-read holiday themed books, but I'll confess that I have a soft spot for any (all) of the Christmas books in the Chesapeake Shores series. Those O'Briens... :)

What's your all-time favorite holiday song?
Nat King Cole's version of The Christmas Song. Simplicity and nostalgia all rolled into one smooth voice.

What's your favorite activity during fall or winter?
Cozy nights with a glass of wine and a book. LOL! Seriously though, I miss living near the Rockies, because the skiing there spoiled me for anywhere else.

What's your favorite gift you've ever received or given?
One year my sister put together a recipe book with our mom's fave recipes over the years. She added some of her own, too, but if I want something that Mom used to make back in the eighties? It's in that book!

Do you have any items on your wish list this year?
Yes! Yoga socks, books, and a kindle.

Any resolutions or goals for next year?
Do better. :)

Author Bio:

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.