Snowfall on Cedar Trail: Two full books for the price of one

This third book in the series, is truly a stand alone. I did not read the previous books and had no problems following the plot. The story of Halona and Alex is complex and very realistic. Halona, a widow with a young boy, Theo, whose father’s death has caused mutism, owns the town’s flower shop. Alex, the town’s police chief, is attracted to her, but he is also the man who arrested her husband prior to his death. A fact that Halona resents since the actions of her ex were not what they really seemed. A mentoring program brings Halona, Theo, and Alex together. Will the past be forgiven, and create a new unit, or will it keep them apart? Add to that the mystery of who killed Alex’s father, the previous police chief, and you have a story filled with mystery, forgiveness, hope, realizing that life is not black and white , but rather shades of gray, and the possibility of new beginnings. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I have enjoyed all three books of Anne Rain’s Sweetwater Springs series, with a gentle and sweet small-town theme. Each of the books has been engaging, easy to follow, and entertaining; and while the characters carryover and the stories interconnect, each one has been strong enough to stand alone. Snowfall On Cedar Trail has a holiday-themed motif that features the blossoming romance during a tricky time between the stalwart and handsome Chief of Police, Alex, and his decades-long secret crush, Halona, the town florist and younger sister of his best friend. Their tale was sweetly written with a bit of peril, amusing humor, and unusual challenges to overcome.

My very first holiday book of the season has definitely put me in the mood for Christmas!! Halona and Alex's story is a little more angsty than I like my holiday books to be BUT this one had me so hopeful that the Christmas season would bring a HEA to these two amazing characters. I love that, even though these two have been in each other's lives since they were kids, they still had so much to learn about each other. The building of their relationship, the focus on Theo, and the compassion they have for the people of their town were some of my favorite things about this novella. Every visit to Sweetwater Springs is wonderful and this time is no different!!