After losing his wife, Sam moves to Wyckford with his young daughter, Ivy, to start fresh and continue his medical research on the disease that claimed his wife’s life. Riley, a radiologist at Wyckford Hospital, is fiercely independent despite using a wheelchair after a tragic accident that killed her parents. Her ultimate goal is to regain her mobility and walk again.

Sam and Riley frequently cross paths at work and through Ivy’s friendship with Riley’s niece, Adi. Although they are drawn to each other, both are hesitant to pursue a relationship—Sam is still grieving, and Riley is focused on her recovery. Despite their reluctance, their bond deepens as they spend more time together.

Their journey is filled with challenges, but through trust, communication, and love, they discover that healing and new beginnings are possible. Set against the backdrop of Christmas, this story blends romance, hope, and family, offering an inspiring tale of finding love when you least expect it.

Blog post scheduled for Nov 15th
Will be discussed on Youtube upcoming Contemporary Romance wrapup


**TL;DR**: A cute and interesting setup that managed to avoid being too stereotypical.
**Source**: An eArc via the publisher, thank you!

**Plot**: Two doctors come together after the children in their lives become friends.
**Characters**: Everyone felt very well realized for the length, though I did have trouble telling the two kids apart at times.
**Setting**: The small town was well realized, I could see the scenes in my head very clearly.
**Romance:** I wasn’t super wild about this romance, not going to lie, the chemistry didn’t always hit.

**Thoughts**:

This was cute, I’ll give you that. Family of Three Under the Tree is about a doctor and his young daughter finding a family and love with a coworker. Sam and his daughter moved after the death of his wife to work at the Wyckford General Hospital. They’ve been there for nearly a year and Christmas has arrived. Riley, a radiologist who uses a wheelchair for her day to day, has been working with Sam for some time and the two slowly begin to realize the attraction simmering between them.

My favorite thing about this was by far the time and setting. The Christmas vibes and feelings were fantastic and I loved the settings and little shopping trips the two went on. There were times when I felt the chemistry between them but at other times I struggled - which was a bit disappointing. I had a few moments of being uncomfortable with the male main character as well, but I’m not entirely sure if that’s just me or some of the things he thought. The plot itself is well structured, sweet, and well done.

I will say avoid this one if you don’t like a lot of medical talk and hospital situations, but overall this was a wholesome sweet read. I may go back and pick up the rest in this series for little delightful shots of happy in the future.

3 out of 5 Popup Christmas Events