The Perfect Tree

It is that time of year to see books and anthologies involving the December holiday season. In THE PERFECT TREE, we have three stories focusing on the Christmas tree, and each story is unique. It was interesting how these three authors found different approaches to the same theme, and it shows how creative writers can be.

Story number one is "Noelle and the Wise Man" by Roz Denny Fox, and her story is about a man, Camden, who inherits a Christmas tree farm at a time when his life is at a cross roads. He's an ex cop but an injury forced him to take on the farm and move to the other side of the country. Upon his arrival, he's not sure he's made the right choice.

Living in Florida all this time is quite a big change to living in the colder climate of Oregon, plus what did he know about Christmas tree farming? His first encounter with the neighbor farmer, Noelle Hale, does not go very well, and he gets the impression she sees him as a threat. Things get rather interesting as the two butt heads, but Camden soon discovers that he may want to stay a while, although he's checking into the idea of selling the Christmas tree farm to a group of men that want to turn it into a vineyard. Noelle is not very happy about that!

The second story is by Ann DeFee, "One Magic Christmas". Honey Westfield Campbell is on her way to a skiing trip with her friend Bitsy, when a snowstorm causes Honey to lose control and drives her vehicle off the side of the road. As she's sitting in her car trying to figure out how to get help in the middle of nowhere in bad weather, she hears a tapping on her windshield and sees a man outside willing to help her. She's not sure she should go with this stranger, especially in this day and age. But, sitting in her vehicle wasn't the best solution either. So, she climbs onto the back of this stranger's motorcycle, who drops her off at the nearest home. Surprise! She finds herself at the home of her ex-husband Matt DeLuca's house, a man she didn't expect to ever set eyes on again. But here he was, in the flesh, and as they get reacquainted, they catch up on the years they had been apart and find out that the magic between them never went away.

In the third story, ”Tanner And Baum” by Tanya Michaels, Tanner Waide returns home after five years living in the big city of Atlanta. He's come home after his partner has taken off after embezzling, and Tanner has to live with the stigma of being associated with him. He's come back home to Mistletoe, Georgia, a town he thought he'd never miss. But he did miss one thing, the girl he left behind. Lilah Baum was the girl that trusted and loved him with her whole heart. She and Tanner fell in love and had talked of marrying one day, but Tanner didn't want to end up working in the family business, so he took off, leaving Lilah behind without saying goodbye. But now he's back and he's not sure if everyone is going to be happy to see him.

Three short Christmas stories, each having a plot that is quite different from the other. Each has a special magical something that is welcome during the holiday season and will put the reader into that holiday feeling of good cheer. The Roz Denny Fox story is by far this reviewer’s favorite, but all three stories will give a little Christmas comfort to anyone reading them. For those who enjoy reading about the holidays at this time of year, here's a good book to start the season.

October 2007