Christmas at Evergreen Inn is a short novella set within the Jewel Cove series by Donna Alward. I had not previously read any of the Jewel Cove books that did not feel lost at all. This is a story that you can enter with no pretenses and almost immediately understand the layout of the small town.

It is December in Jewel Cove and there is a snowstorm happening. Officer Todd Smith is checking the roads when he encounters a car that has broken down. He assists the man out of his car and takes him to the local bed and breakfast The Evergreen Inn. The owner of the bed and breakfast, Lainey Price, went to school with Todd but, they usually ran with different crowds. Yet as they spend time together helping the stranded travelers at the inn, there is no denying an attraction between them.

Christmas at Evergreen Inn is filled with a sweet holiday spirit. It starts with the snowstorm earlier in December and finishes on Christmas eve. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Todd and Lainey. There is a history there from their school days but, there is also a strong chemistry as they are noticing how the other has grown up. And of course, I will never turn down a scene where the two main characters are forced to room together due to a room shortage. This one did not have a one bed scenario but, it was still just as steamy.

Being with Todd brings up several emotions for Lainey that she had previously thought that she dealt with. The holiday prior her fiancée' dumped her and she found out that he had been sleeping with someone else behind her back. Not exactly the Christmas news she wanted to hear. The emotions make her reluctant to start anything with Todd but, the feelings that he stirs up within her as just as strong. Although this was only a short novella, I felt like the growth for Lainey was pretty well developed. Plus, it didn't hurt that Todd was such a sweetheart and had me rooting for him the whole time.

Christmas at Evergreen Inn was a wonderful Christmas pick me up. It held my attention the whole time I was reading it. I wanted to visit the bed and breakfast myself and spend time with Lainey and Todd. Donna Alward is an author that I have read a few different times now. I look forward to reading other books by her in the future!

I never downloaded this one. It's stuck in my profile, hurting my ranking. I have tried to get it removed since I never downloaded it (or requested it) to no avail.

Sadly, this book was archived before I had a chance to read it.
Under these circumstances any star rating is not valid.

Thank you so much for being willing to grant me access to this book. Unfortunately, life obligations have prevented me from doing so. If my schedule clears, I plan on reviewing this in the future and will post the review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thank you.

Great holiday story featuring police officer Todd and inn keeper Lainey. This was a touching romance with an interesting story in the wonderful setting of Jewell Cove. A great addition to the series!