Wendy left her small North Carolina Outer Banks island home twelve years ago because the love of her young life, her forever love, cheated on her and got another girl pregnant. He ruined their plans and she wanted nothing but to get away.

Now a Navy SEAL, Wendy is finally returning home to visit her beloved Aunt for Christmas. She's coming home with backup, all of her Navy SEAL teammates, and is determined she'll not let Ethan knock her back.

But Ethan is now a widower, and he's still feeling it for Wendy, even though he's made at her for leaving all those years ago and never telling him where she went. Despite his anger, despite marrying and never really loving his now dead wife, Ethan kept nurturing the Christmas tree they planted all the years ago, the tree they were supposed to cut for their first Christmas as a married couple. And when he sees Wendy, battle scarred, but beautiful, he wants her back.

Ah, if only this was the story, if it was that simple. But this book tries to be all things. There's a gigantic cast of secondary slap-stick characters, including at least seven who live with Wendy's aunt, the entire SEAL team, some of whom are thinking of becoming modern day treasure hunters??, obvious set up for further books in the series, and so much more. Plus a Grinch contest, massive amounts of description of the small town, the bell factory, the architexture of the various homes, and so much more. I felt so bogged down in telling and description I had no time to buy Wendy and Ethan's rekindled romance.

I loved Wendy, I loved that she was a Navy SEAL. I hated that there is an apparently completely separate group for "female" Navy SEALs called "WEALs." Why? SEAL is a non-gendered acronym.

I loathed Ethan. There is never a real explanation besides "Wendy was away for a bit and he was jealous" so he had a drunk one night stand with a girl who ended up pregnant. Um, how long did it take Ethan to confess his error? You don't catch pregnant immediately, so um, no. Ethan never explained his actions to Wendy, and I never felt his anger at Wendy was justified in any way. He's totally free with letting his young daughter know he never loved her mother, whom he married, as much as he loved Wendy. He never really groveled enough for my satisfaction.

So, alas, this was not really for me, despite the great premise and the awesome Wendy.

Thank you for the ARC Avon!