When reading this book it was very obvious that the author took a lot of inspiration from the movie You've Got Mail and I was quite ok with that!

Angela Carson owns her grandmother's store that is located in a lighthouse in North Carolina. A Christmas store that is open all year round that specializes in hand made and unique Christmas things that are truly one of a kind. A new store has opened up that is the complete opposite a big box store that carries Christmas things that are on the cheap and is possibly going to put Angela's store out of business. Angela asks Santa in an app for help and things get interesting.

I absolutely loved this holiday read. It was sweet and cheesy and an easy read for a book you can quickly read in the middle of the holiday season. I liked this one more than some of the others, it just seemed like it had a true plot and some great ups and downs.

Angela and Geoff were great characters and felt like they were full and honestly written. I like it that even in a holiday book there are solid characters that I wouldn't mind reading a sequel and seeing them outside of the holiday season!

I know I’m not the only one who loves the slightly cheesy movies the Hallmark Channel plays in the run up to Christmas, right?! There’s something so sweet and innocent about them, yes they’re predictable but there is comfort in predictability and they provide such a great escape from real life. If you’re a fan of those kind of movies then you have got to read this book, I just know it’ll show up on that channel eventually and it’s perfect for fans of holiday romances.

The first thing I heard about this one was that it was a holiday retelling of the movie You’ve Got Mail and all I could think was yeessssss! It definitely draws on inspiration from the movie but is it’s own unique version and was adorable in it’s own way. Angela and Geoff have the whole enemies to romance thing going on and their bickering was honestly probably one of my favorite aspects of this. Another thing I enjoyed was that each chapter began with either a Dear Santa letter or a fact about the town of Pleasant Sands and in an era where most chapters are just numbered I found this to be a sweet touch.

Recommended as an ideal holiday read and one that will sweep you away for a few hours, it’s uncomplicated and cute but the characters still show depth. It was my first book by Naigle but won’t be my last, and I just checked and two of her other books are already Hallmark movies so I’m off to set my DVR haha!

Dear Santa in three words: Whimsical, Cheery and Bright.

I loved this book! Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle had a storyline similar to You're Got Mail, but was charming in it's own right. Very fun Christmas story!

I just love stories with small towns! This adorable story about a girl trying to find her way when things seem to be crashing down was a perfect story to get ready for the holiday season this year.

If you're a Hallmark Christmas movie fanatic then this book is right up your alley. Predictable, yet cute, story and characters who seem like your next door neighbors made this book a quick read. And it's one you'll want to read again and again.

A cute little extra to this book is the letters to Santa that begin many chapters. I got a chuckle out of several of these letters written to Santa by kids. Also neat was the trivia about Pleasant Sands. The trivia, along with the author's descriptions, made me feel as if I were there. This was the first book I've read by this author and I'll be looking for more of her work as I really like her writing style.

If you enjoy Christmas stories be sure to add this book to your must-read list. A well-written story that will make you believe in love and Santa. Happy reading!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the p

Three stars: A holiday book that borrows too heavily from You’ve Got Mail.

Angela Carson is doing everything she can to save her Christmas store. Christmas Galore is a small, upscale boutique that has been in her family for three generations. The little store resides in an old lighthouse, and it is packed full of unique Christmas goods. Disaster strikes when Christmas Galore moves into the small coastal town with all of its cheap merchandise and big sales. Angela is sick at the thought of losing her business. At Thanksgiving, Angela’s young niece implores her to write an online letter to Santa. Angela agrees and fires off an email, not realizing that she might get an actual reply. Meanwhile, Geoff Paisley is new in town. He is the co owner of the mega chain store. When his mother falls ill, Geoff finds himself tasked with writing the Dear Santa emails, not suspecting that he will end up writing to the one woman who can’t stand him. Will a holiday miracle occur?
What I Liked:
*Dear Santa started out cute and fun, and I enjoyed the holiday vibe. I am a huge fan of You’ve Got Mail, and this one borrows heavily from the classic tale. If you want a Christmas story that is reminiscent of the classic movie, give this one a try.
*I loved Angela’s Christmas Store. The Heart of Christmas oozes charm and cozy with it’s lighthouse setting to it’s collectible, one of a kind decorations. I especially loved the history and the familial connection to the store. I so wanted the little store to succeed.
*I adored the small coastal setting. Pleasant Sands, North Carolina is a little town situated on the beach. This is a town where the people look out for one another and they have each other’s backs when times are tough.
*I liked that this book was about change. I enjoyed watching Angela evolve and grow as she came to terms with her situation. Instead of wallowing in self pity, she puts on her big girl panties and finds her way. I was proud of her.
*The book ends with a nice happily ever after Epilogue. I was pleased with the way things settled out and happy for Angela.
And The Not So Much:
*I adore You’ve Got Mail, but I found this one borrowed too heavily from the movie. There were some lines that were practically lifted from the original, such as the whole scene about daisies. Seriously, it is okay to retell a tale but be a little more ingenious instead of borrowing heavily.
*Geoff was a character who I never connected with. He never felt genuine, and I didn’t think he was likable. Most of the time, I felt like he was a phony. I did not buy him as a love interest, he ruined the read for me.
*There is this secondary plot regarding Geoff’s mother. This story line was prominent early on and that it was abandoned. I needed more of the mother angle. What was the deal with her and her friend Virgil? What was going on with her health? It bothered me that this part of the story was dropped.
*The emails were cheesy and unrealistic. I thought the email exchange was ridiculous, and it is obvious right away whom they were writing to even though they didn’t clue in.
*I wanted something different for Christmas Galore. I was hoping the town would pitch in and come together.

Dear Santa was a book I wanted to love, but unfortunately I felt like it borrowed too heavily from
You’ve Got Mail. The love interest was a big fizzle, and I was disappointed that certain aspects of the story were completely abandoned. This did have some holiday cheer and it was a pleasant story, but I wanted better.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆
Dear Santa reminded me very much of a Hallmark Christmas movie. It is a feel-good story that has a couple finding love at Christmas, which I didn't mind at all. Angela and Geoff have competing businesses. Angela's has been in the town for decades and Geoff's store is new to town. There is plenty of tension between the two of them, to the point for a while there I was wondering how they'd go from adversaries to falling in love.

Some of the things that I really liked about this story are the small town setting, love between two lonely people, the messages between Angela and 'Santa', and of course, Angela's Christmas shop, the Heart of Christmas, which I just adored. I wish I had a store like the Heart of Christmas near me.

Where this story let me down was actually our heroine Angela. She is supposed to be this wonderful, big-hearted woman but I just didn't see it. Many of her interactions with Geoff see her behaving in a not so nice way. That coupled with her constant complaining about losing her store and blaming it on Geoff when it was clear there were multiple reasons for the failing of the business meant I never warmed to her.

In spite of annoying Angela, the overall story is good and it put me in the Christmas mood. I'm already planning my decorations and holiday celebrations and it is only the 1st of the November.

Good. This is a charming story with charming characters but my only issue is that in the last couple chapters it only got going as there was a promising love story underneath the main story which could have been so much more, it just felt a bit rushed

This was a cute holiday story. It had a cute twist with the Dear Santa app. I would have liked a little more details at times but I enjoyed it.

I am all about Christmas books this year!! I am going broke!! I really loved this one TOO!! The Christmas books this year are awesome!!

A great read to get you in the Christmas spirit! I grew up with a family business so I understand Angela's desire to keep the business alive at all costs but I also can see the madness behind Geoff's actions. When Geoff had to respond to the Dear Santa letters, I couldn't wait to see what he would do or say. I found it hard to believe that Geoff or Angela didn't catch on that they were responding to each other earlier but nonetheless, a festive read!

A wonderfully fun Christmas story with enough fun and romance for every reader. What can go wrong with a Dear Santa App that just may deliver.

Really cute story reminiscent of "You Got Mail" but with a Christmas twist!
Loved the small town vibe and all the Christmas details (the Heart of Christmas shop sounded amazing). The romance was very sweet and definitely had me rooting for the couple. A perfect read to get you in the mood for the upcoming holiday season!

Angela runs a very special Christmas shop in The small town of Pleasant Sands but finds she is being pushed out of business by the new chain store owned by Geoff and his mother. So when her neice writes to Santa on an online app and wants Angela to as well she decides to have a rant about Geoff in her letter not knowing that the site is run by Geoff's mother and that she is ill and getting Geoff to reply to the letters..... can they get over their differences by corresponding in writing?

A sweet Christmas book, predictable but warm and having a feelgood factor

This story has a Hallmark channel feeling to it and unfortunately, I am not a fan. Dear Santa is about a small Christmas shop owner whose losing business thanks to a new super store in town owned by Geoff and his mother. Their first unofficial meeting is in a local coffee shop and even though they did not exchange words, their smoldering looks was a great indicator of what was to come. Angela has inherited a Christmas shop located inside of an old lighthouse from her grandma and she wants to keep her grandma's memory alive through this store. Against the advice of her older sister, Angela decides to keep the store open even though it is hemorrhaging money. On the other hand, we have Geoff, a savvy business man with great success who enjoys the thrill of moving to a different city every year. This leads us to the main idea of the story which is the Dear Santa letters. Of course they are delivered via app instead of being handwritten because why not? After a persistent plea from her adorable niece, Angela decides to write a letter to Santa. Guess who personally answers those letters?...Geoff, of course, only because his mother is sick and she usually responds to the letters.


There is a game going on in this story and the main characters are trying to figure out who the players are. As I said before, this book has a great Christmas feel and lesson within it and I could appreciate it because hello, I love Christmas. Unfortunately, that is where my happiness ends. This book did not hold my attention and I barely finished it. The author did a good job of giving these characters depth and an emotional entanglement with the small town of Pleasant Sands. The first half of the story was great, but the second half dived head first into to Snoozeville. The pacing was slow and the chemistry was not strong enough for me.

Although this story was not for me, it was a really warm story and you may enjoy it if you like a clean, holiday read. I recommend it if you are into these types of stories and I would have to give it a 3. This book was really pushing it though.

A good Christmas story of enemies to lovers story. It has holiday elements and good character developments. Enjoyable.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Dear Santa is a holiday book based largely on the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and an earlier b& w story, “The Shop Around the Corner”. Angela Carson is carrying on family traditions running her family’s holiday themed store, Heart of Christmas, in Pleasant Sands, NC. After many years of success, the store has finally met a match in the new, glitzy mega store, Christmas Galore, which may just prove to be the store’s downfall. At the prodding of her niece, Angie resorts to writing a letter to Santa asking for help. Geoff Paisley and his mother run the mega store chain Christmas Galore. Very focused on his business, Geoff has forgotten to make time to enjoy the holidays, his family and friends. When his mother is hospitalized, he begins helping her out with her pet project, answering the Dear Santa letters that come via the Dear Santa app. Geoff is touched by Angela’s letter and begins an email correspondence with her, not knowing that she owns and runs Heart of Christmas. Both realize this soon enough as well as who their email corresponders are and come fact to face with what has been going on. However, once they realize that, can they both overcome the beliefs and actions that are driving them, while hurting themselves, their families and their friends?

This is a solid holiday book. However, I was not drawn in by the characters. They just did not cut it with me, and I am still trying to figure out why. It took me a while to get into the book, and, though I finished it, I never really got caught up in any Christmas spirit or in their budding relationship. The author does a good job of setting a solid holiday scene, describing the town, the activities and the people as they move through the holiday preparations and anticipation. This is a book that can draw any reader into the holiday with these things alone. I guess I just was not tuned into the characters, especially Geoff and Angie. Still, the book makes a nice holiday read and will definitely provide a good picture of the holiday in Pleasant Sands, and it may even spark thoughts about what the holidays and life are all about in this dog-eat-dog world, where we almost all get caught up in competition and life’s challenges. I received this form NetGalley to read and review.

<a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2018/11/13/dear-santa-by-nancy-naigle/" target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart</a>

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I'm reading holiday romances this week for #HoHoHoRAT.  I do find it hard to read holiday books until December, or at least mid November. At least, it has turned cold here this week in the spirit of the readathon.

<strong>Dear Santa</strong> is an enemies to lovers story.  The setting is a beautiful coastal town. Angela lives in an old family home on the ocean and her Christmas shop is in an old lighthouse, full of history. Geoff comes to town opening a discount Christmas chain.  The elements are all there for an heartwarming, fascinating story.

There are just times when I can't suspend my brain to enjoy a fiction and that is part of what happened here.  Angela has plenty of money although her business is in trouble?  This town is too small to support a discount chain. I would think smaller gift shops would be more realistic. Although the newer development might be helping that issue.  <spoiler>And Angela has all kinds of available time when she's closing the business?</spoiler>

The relationships were okay. I didn't like the way Angela's sister treated her at Thanksgiving. I wish the niece Chrissy had been a little bigger part of the story.  I can't believe neither of them figured out the Dear Santa letter writers sooner. It did make for a nice progression of getting to know each other; plus if people are nice when anonymous then they are really nice.  In general, other than Angela and eventually, Geoff and his mother, I didn't feel we knew the other characters very well.

Overall, it was a pleasant holiday read, but not really for me. There are many wonderful elements, so it might be different for you.

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2.5-3 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy feel-good Christmas fiction. Particularly of the Hallmark-y variety.

This book started out a little bit slow for me, I didn't care for the arguing between the two sisters, but as the story went on I liked it more. I appreciated how detailed the town, characters, etc. were. With Christmas fiction there is a tendency to really simplify the setting and characters, I didn't find that in this book, which I appreciated. I felt like the letters to Santa in the app was really quite a small part of the story, the blurb is almost misleading, it would have been fun if it took over the plot more. Overall I ended up liking where the story went and the budding relationship between rivals Angela and Geoff. I could have done with more banter, and more romance. Overall I think you will enjoy this if you like Hallmark Christmas movie.

This was essentially a Christmas retelling of You've Got Mail. From the rival businesses (and the bigger one putting the smaller more friendly and people-oriented one out of business) to the guy arriving at the girl's house when she's sick. Whilst I did enjoy such a Christmas themed retelling... I'm not totally certain it improved upon the original tale seen in that film. I suppose the only major difference is there were far fewer exchanges between the pair in the book. They end up interacting on an app, Dear Santa, and then exchange a couple of emails and so that part of it was not as significant, instead they have far more face to face time. It was a cute read and I did enjoy it, though, but yeah, all it really did was make me want to rewatch the film.

The book wasn't terrible. In fact, despite reading it in early November (when it most definitely is not Christmas yet and far too early for folks to be getting excited!) I did still find myself enjoying this bit of festive fun. I felt all excited for the Christmas baked treats and decorating the tree and even the dreaded prospect of Christmas shopping (which I most definitely need to start). The book definitely had the festive season captured within its pages, something which not all festive reads easily achieve.

I think it was just all the similarities between it and You've Got Mail which bothered me. I recently saw a blogger explain how they categorise retellings and for me this is one which was easy to spot due to the similarities and, for me, was a little too close to the original so when familiar events occurred it jarred me out of the story as my brain went back and compared it to a scene in the film. I adore You've Got Mail, a Christmas themed version set in a small town in South Carolina is not a bad thing and I did enjoy Angela and Geoff's tale of going from enemies (on Angela's side) to friends to something more. The gradual shift from the antagonistic to the friendly was lovely. And I was just as heartbroken as Angela as she slowly had to accept the end of her Christmas store because she loved that place but it was lovely seeing her move on to the next part of her life. It did bother me one major part in her new direction though but it’s a spoiler, but let’s say she didn’t have total control over her future choices, instead they almost got decided for her and it frustrated the hell out of me. I would have preferred it if she had been approached and made her own choices without external influences.

There were parts which bothered me outside of the retelling similarities too, like the fact that I felt like some side characters never got to have their chance to shine, and that I definitely felt like there were story elements were not explored enough (both of them had family stuff I would have liked to explore more) but I will not grumble because a book which can give me a festive buzz in November is nothing to be sniffed at. I am a notorious grump about Christmas, I love it, but I do wish people would stick to December being it, I hate those folks counting down in July.