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Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners

by Gretchen Anthony
Park Row: Harlequin. Oct. 2018. 384p. ISBN 9780778307860. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9781488096587. F
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OrangeReviewStarViolet Baumgartner is proud of husband Ed and daughter Cerise and loves to share how amazing her family is in a Christmas newsletter, smoothing out any imperfections. But the Baumgartners have normal family struggles, including Cerise and Barb's surprise pregnancy announcement, Ed's adjustment to retirement, and an investigation of donated funds to Cerise's work project. Close friends bring more layers of drama and a few screaming fights.
VERDICT Anthony's debut successfully mixes realistic emotional responses to big life events with a sense of humor, preventing any single character from becoming a victim or a villain.
Reviewed by George Lichman , Sep 15, 2018
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