When newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love―but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk that it’s a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit―beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish it’s from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy’s quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

I really enjoyed this cute, charming Christmas story. I love reading about women starting over, especially when they are newly divorced or their husbands have passed away, and finding themselves and new loves as they begin a fresh, new chapter of their lives. 

I loved the setting for this story because I love the small town feel of smaller communities. It gives such a warm, homey, and comforting feeling. And with this story set during Christmastime, it felt even cozier and more heartwarming. There are many Christmas elements in the story, so it’s perfect for a charming, quick holiday read. There are multiple Christmas activities and festivities going on that make it feel like the Christmas season. There are many romance Christmas books that don’t feel like Christmastime, but this one does. 

I really enjoyed Ivy as the main character. She was easy to like and root for. I loved how curious she was, and she was a very kind-hearted individual who wanted to help others. I also loved getting to know this town and all its quirky yet relatable characters with Ivy. We’re exploring this new town with her, which was a lot of fun. I also loved the mystery element of the story, which made it unique from other contemporary romance Christmas books. I wanted to find out as much as Ivy about the note found in the Santa suit and learn more about the family who previously owned the old farmhouse. This mystery element gave the story more depth and layers to uncover, which was entertaining and kept my interest. 

While I didn’t swoon during the romance scenes, it was a cute romance story, but I wish there were more of it. I wanted to explore the budding relationship between Ivy and Ezra more and wanted more scenes of them together. But I usually enjoy the boy (or girl) next-door romance trope, which we got in this story, and I did like it. It did feel like a Christmas Hallmark movie, with a little bit of cheesiness, and was very predictable, but I favor these types of stories around the holiday season, so I didn’t have a problem with it. There’s not much depth, but I’m not looking for deep characters or a complex plot during this time of year. It was a delightful, light-hearted romcom with a bit of mystery and love. 

I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator delightful. It was also a very quick listen at around 5-6 hours. Definitely recommend!