Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

A cute, quick read that's perfect to get you in the holiday spirit. My heart broke for both George and Amy as they found a way to navigate around each other again, but I loved that they were patient with one another and truly invested in slowly building something together.

Terrific novella. George was a secondary character in the earlier Darling, Vermont, books. He is a veteran who lost his best friend in combat and blamed himself. After returning from his last deployment, George spiraled into PTSD induced depression, ending up homeless. When he landed in Darling, he drew the Gallaghers' attention, who, with kindness and patience, helped George get the help he needed. Now he has a job he likes, a family of sorts, and a place of his own. His somewhat fragile peace of mind takes a hit when that friend's twin sister shows up in Darling, looking for answers about her brother's death.

Amy has searched for George for fifteen years. The last time she saw him when the guys visited before they deployed, she and George connected. When Ian died, and George disappeared, she was left with lots of questions. Now that she found him, the changes in him shock her.

The development of George and Amy's relationship is full of ups and downs and incredibly emotional exchanges. When Amy first shows up, George feels blindsided by the memories she stirs up. He's quite blunt when he tells her that he doesn't want to talk about it and she needs to leave him alone. Amy isn't one to give up easily, and something in his eyes told her that he needed to tell her as much as she needed to hear. She also realized she needed to soften her approach. I loved seeing her show up the next day with lunch and a willingness to be there and not push for answers. Over the next few days, they rekindled their earlier friendship and began to exchange stories.

I liked how Amy shared her past and problems and the way it opened George's eyes. He wasn't the only one who felt broken, which made it a little easier for him to open up. My heart broke for him as George finally shared what happened and his feelings about it. The depth of his pain leaped off the page as he broke down in Amy's arms. I loved her statement, "I wish it hadn't taken fifteen years for me to tell you that it's okay and that…I don't forgive you because there's nothing to forgive."

I loved seeing the changes in George as he began to move forward. He and Amy spend a lot of time together, and the old attraction between them begins to simmer and grow. But both of them are exceedingly wary. Amy still suffers from her marriage's hurts and disappointments and is reluctant to risk her heart again. George has quite a few insecurities of his own, especially seeing a significant gap between his circumstances and Amy's. When George realizes how much his feelings for Amy have grown, he reacts by pushing her away. Some harsh words fly between them, and both retreat into their pain. While both kick themselves for over-reacting, neither is quite sure how to fix it. I loved the talk that Amy had with Willow, which gave her a starting point. My heart cheered for George as he learned what he meant to the people of Darling. The book ended on a huge emotional high as George and Amy found their way back to each other and took an honest and heartfelt look at the possibilities for their future. I loved the finale of Christmas Day with Amy's parents and what it meant to George.

I loved that this story didn't hesitate to show the reality of George's struggles upon his return home. Guilt, shame, and fear were his daily struggles, and successes sometimes seemed to be few and far between. I loved how his friends were so proud of him and wanted him to be happy. I especially loved Laurel's confidence in George and how she showed it.

George is recently recovering from some very devastating blows, pushing his past further away from him and focusing on his future. When Amy shows up searching for answers for her family and her twin, George is unable to leave the past buried. Facing his fears and risking his heart, he bears his soul to Amy and learns some new Christmas traditions with her.

George and Amy is an adorable couple, who are learning to trust each other while sharing painful secrets, and finding love along the way. They are the couple that the whole town watches as they slowly fall head over heels for each other; and the towns has it figured out before they do. I want to read more and more about George and Amy; I could have read for hours about them. Darling, VT has a very charming quality, readers enjoy traveling back as much as possible! Anyone looking for a cute, sweet, holiday romance, grab a copy of Deck the Halls, its a great way to spend your afternoon!

Donna Alward is one of my favourite authors and Darling, VT is a favourite romance series, so I was thrilled to read DECK THE HALLS! This book has a gorgeous cover and can easily be read as a standalone. This story of secrets, tragedy, trust, and second chances is perfect to read during the Christmas season or anytime you want a great story.
George is a veteran and has come upon hard times, but things pick up for him in Darling. He gets steady paying work at Ladybug Garden Center and he starts to feel better and has a home. Then someone who knows about his past comes to town.
How will this turn out? Will George leave town? Will Amy leave town? Will George and Amy become friends? Can they work things out?
Although I did not want this story to end, I could not put the book down until I was finished. I highly recommend DECK THE HALLS.

Thanks to Donna Alward, NetGalley and Swerve for a digital ARC of DECK THE HALLS and allowing me to write an unbiased review.

Posted Goodreads

What an adorable Christmas story! Filled with a nod to It's a Wonderful Life, this touching story reminds us that we are all important whether you think you are or not. I love the encounters between the two characters, reminding me of a wonderful Hallmark movie. Cute!!

**thanks to the publisher for allowing me to review this story**

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had not read the others in the series but was able to follow this. I hadn’t actually meant to get this book because I just am not a huge fan of contemporary romances at least right now. I am however glad I finally decided to read this. The story was really good and I enjoyed the read a great deal. A man with a troubled passed has to work through a lot but soon finds happiness. A pretty good read.

This is the first book that I have read by Mrs Alward. This is a very sweet Christmas read. George and Amy knew each other years ago when her twin Ian was in the military with George. They have not seen each other since before Ian was killed in action.

George took Ian’s death very hard because he was his commanding officer. Amy and her parents really don’t have closure because they only know that her brother died in action. Amy tracks George down and asks him to talk with her about her brothers last days.

George eventually agrees to tell her about the day her brother died and they seem to connect on another level as well.

This is a sweet book with dual POV and forgiveness.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Deck the Halls by Donna Alward is part of her Darling VT series. Amy Merck appears suddenly in Darling VT at the workplace of George Reilly. George had been the best friend and army buddy of her twin brother Ian until an IED took Ian out on a routine convoy. Amy wanted closure that George felt unable to give.

George had lived a life of guilt and remorse since he was discharged from the Army, much of it homeless and on the streets. When Darling natives Laurel and Aiden took George under their wings, giving him a job and helping him get the veteran’s assistance he so richly deserved, he was able to turn his life around and begin the trek back to normalcy. But when Amy appeared it almost disrupted his progress. The one thing he did not feel he could face was Ian’s family and the guilt he felt from Ian’s loss. But facing that could just be the key to finally healing. Forgiveness and acceptance can be two of the most important Christmas gifts one can receive, but often the hardest to request.

This seasonal story of love, family, and forgiveness is poignant as well as heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and do recommend this tale to all seeking an uplifting Christmas story.

I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of Debbie Macomber or Melody Carlson's Christmas books will find this book charming. It may be a tad predictable, but that is what I am looking for when I read a book like this. I could easily see this book becoming a Hallmark movie, and I would definitely read watch it!

Deck the Halls is one of the best holiday romances I've ever read. Alward made sure it was heartfelt and sweet. The characters were very well written, and this has easily hit number one for holiday romances for me.

A second chance Christmas story, this was a good read and the characters were well written

I've got to say, this author didn't gloss over the harsh realities of military veterans. PTSD. Financial trouble. Difficulty dealing with reality. Guilt hanging over his head. The hero is a real heart-wrencher, and I couldn't help but root for him to find his happy ending, and did he ever! This romance is sweet, full of heart and passion, and has plenty of Christmas-themed joy!

All the things i look for in a holiday romance was in ythis story . Sweet romance and a nice resolution and holiday cheer

Cute and quick Christmas romance. In this book, the reader gets a look more into George's past. I'd recommend at least reading the first book in this series before this one, to at least get introduced to George. He was a soldier whose best friend was killed, which caused him to have PTSD. He went into a destructive mode, and ended up homeless. He's finally getting his life back on track, but he still has some issues. In this story, Amy is George's best friend's sister, and she has tracked George down. She wants to know more about what happened to her brother, but George doesn't want to get into it because it brings up bad memories. Amy has tenacity though, and they begin to rekindle an attraction they had when they were younger. This is a story full of hope, redemption, and the romance is sweet. It was great to see George open up more about his past, and work towards healing. Good read.

George Reilly, a former veteran, lost himself after he returned home from the war. He still feels guilty that his best friend died in an ambush. After all these years he's finding purpose in Darling, Vermont until Amy Merck, his dead friend's sister, tracks him down and wants to know about her brother's death. Both have suffered severe emotional trauma. Can they help each other find the peace that they need? This is a deeply emotional story that touched my heart. The characters are well written. I was immediately pulled into their story. I could feel the pain. Donna Alward highlighted how difficult it is to deal with loss as well as the guilt that can destroy a person's life. Many of the people in Darling give George both hope and support. I liked that. it was nice to see the goodness in people.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

As I always do I want to start by thanking St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing us with a copy of this book so that we could bring you this review.

I have a strict rule no Christmas anything before Thanksgiving, so right on Thanksgiving night I began reading all my Christmas books for this year. So for the next few days you will be a new Christmas book.

What a great way to start the season than reading a book about a man who has seen the lowest one can see. He has been homeless, struggled with dealing with the after effects of war and has suffered indignities no one should have to go through. Then he finds his own kind of angel and starts to work towards turning his life around. He works hard to get things moving in the direction he needs and working towards a better future. The only thing he never plans on is his past coming and looking for answers. But he finds that facing this past helps him find redemption and ways to heal even more. This was such a wonderfully sweet and heartwarming Christmas book. It was a wonderful way to kick off my Christmas reading.

George and Amy's story was just too real for me. Instead of enjoying the story, I ended up deeply empathizing with the characters. The novella depressed me more than entertained me. Donna Alward is an amazing author and this story was well-written as well. But, I couldn't get out of my own head to enjoy the story.

However, I do think this would be great for the right readers.

DECK THE HALLS - Donna Alward

#3.5 in the Darling VT romance series

HOLIDAY WARMTH - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - George is starting over in Darling VT after a difficult time in the military, then spending time homeless and wandering. Amy has been searching for him for years. When her brother Ian was killed in battle, she wanted closure by talking to his best friend George, but she hasn't been able to find him until now.

Writing - 4 stars - Alward always adds such a sweet quality to her writing that I'm immediately drawn into the warmth of the story and the setting she describes so well. Even though she is discussing some difficult subjects in this book (PTSD, survivor guilt), there's a sense of peacefulness and hopefulness that surrounds the characters.

Characters - 4 stars - George has been struggling for years against PTSD, survivor guilt, and despair. After years of homelessness, he found himself in Darling VT and given a second chance by a local woman. After several months, he now works in a nursery, has an apartment, and a truck. He's hard on himself, though, and still fights against the guilt he feels about Ian's death. Amy, on the other hand, came from a warm and loving home, but she and her parents are still grieving the death of her twin brother. Now that she's tracked down George, she wants answers. Instead she finds herself attracted to him just like she was years ago.

Title - 4 stars - A holiday theme, and it represents the fact that George is finally beginning to celebrate Christmas and wake up to a second chance at life and love.

Cover - 5 stars - Gorgeous cover! Lots of holiday beauty, rich colors, and a sense of glowing warmth.

Overall - 4 stars - Alward always captures my attention with her sweet style and warm characters. I loved that George and Amy are older than the usual romantic pair (in their 30's and 40's), both lonely but not really actively looking for romance. But when Amy tracks him down and offers her friendship, they rekindle the attraction they always had for each other and begin to grow their relationship. But's not all heat and chemistry, it's just a nice slow kindling of love.

George is trying to move forward from his past. He is no longer has a job and finally has a job he likes. His past comes back right before Christmas as his former brother in arms sister visits him while at work. Looking for closure after her brother’s death in the Middle East she is hocked by how much George has changed. Both effected by their past and healing one another ina time when the Christmas spirit is alive.

This installment in the Darling, VT series focuses on George. Homeless and a vagrant when helped by Aiden and Laurel, he has been working at The Ladybug Garden Center for a while now. With the help of his new friends and a compassionate town, he now has his own little apartment. Despite his good fortune, he still suffers from his past that landed him on the streets. Like many veterans today, George lost his best friend in combat. Returning home to face his friend's family was impossible. He didn't keep his friend safe, and he lost his life because of George. Instead, George returned home and followed a few different paths before landing on the streets. 

Fifteen years later, the twin sister of George's friend finds him at The Ladybug. Amy shows up just weeks before Christmas following her own disaster of a divorce. George isn't ready to face Amy - or the nightmares she brings back. While Amy is looking for closure for herself and her family, George cannot go back to that dark place. The guilt and PTSD kept George from contacting Amy's family all these years. Amy is not leaving town until she can get George to share her brother's final days and minutes of his life.

I loved the Christmas setting! Amy is installed in a rented farmhouse for her visit, and she does her best to spruce it and make it ready for the holiday away from home. George is making holiday wreaths at the Garden Center. Together they go shopping and decorate George's apartment for Christmas, including a little tree. The cheer and moments that reminded me of the season helped to alleviate some of the pain you felt for George and Amy and all they lost. 

I applaud Donna Alward for writing about the reality that many veterans face when they return to the United States after serving a hard deployment. This is just a touch of what it is like to live with the horrors they have seen while serving their country. PTSD is the silent killer of 22 veterans per day who take their own lives. Coming home from war, a six-month deployment on a ship, or simply transitioning from a life in uniform to a life without one, can be difficult and the various state and federal systems set up to deal with this transition and life after military services are unable to meet the need. The challenges of adjustment and transition, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and physical disabilities, all need to be addressed especially as these things result in barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and overall individual well-being. There are just too many gaps in the system and our veterans suffer. 

With George and Amy having a shared past and connection, it was easy to see they would be drawn to one another. While there is no moving on from a veteran's past, they are able to move forward with their lives. Amy found herself wanting to be part of George's moving forward. 

The running theme throughout the book is second chances, and the heartwarming love and friendship from Amy really made those second chances possible beyond what George already had.