Photo from Amazon.com

My Review: 

Usually, I am an advocate for hard, (sometimes gritty) realism in stories, and that hasn't changed, but I feel like we can give Christmas books a pass. There's just something special about that time of year, something that makes the occasional Hallmark movie or fluffy Christmas book more palatable. I've read Melody Carlson books before and have never been a huge fan of her style, but I actually did enjoy The Christmas Tree Farm. Like I said, it's a little fluffy. I can definitely see it premiering on the Hallmark Channel as a Christmas flick. However, the protagonists and their situations had more depth and realism than I was expecting, and I found myself engaging with the story and the plight of its characters. 

I liked Madison's can-do attitude, her willingness to get dirty if it meant getting things done, and how she preferred the outdoors. It made a good foil to her sister's more typical girly-girl personality. The dirt bike aspect was fun, too. 

Also, the cover is so cute and appealing for a Christmas novella! It fit the story perfectly. 

Overall, if you're looking for a cute Christmassy novel to get you smiling over the holidays, then this book is for you. There were still some cheesy moments that made me cringe a little (like the ending...) but all in all, this book got me a little more in the Christmassy mood.