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Merry Everything

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From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes a much-anticipated holiday novel and love story to warm your heart.

“Enchanting.” “Delightful.” “Enthralls.” “Feel-good.” “Rich with nostalgia, like a black-and-white Christmas movie you look forward to viewing again and again.” USA Today, as well as one of the nation’s bestselling magazines—along with readers everywhere—know you can count on Joanne DeMaio for a New England Christmastime classic.

“Merry Christmas, Eddie.”
“Should we never meet again, Nora, merry everything.”

For Nora Chadwick and Eddie Alden, those parting words close out each holiday season. Seasons that run the gamut from comfort and joy to hurt and heartbreak. But their fond farewell prevails through it all. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful New England landmark, Merry Everything is inspired by an iconic Connecticut treasure. Nora and Eddie’s endearing love story not only brings this special place back to life—but also brings back the way life could (and used to) be.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2025

67 people are currently reading
149 people want to read

About the author

Joanne DeMaio

39 books947 followers
Joanne DeMaio is the prolific New York Times bestselling author of The Seaside Saga and other novels. She lives with her family in Connecticut and is currently at work on upcoming books.

Joanne enjoys hearing from readers at Facebook.com/JoanneDeMaioAuthor.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Margie Shaw.
540 reviews49 followers
October 11, 2025
Merry Everything is the latest holiday novel by author Joanne DeMaio. If you’re anything like me, you sometimes need a little boost to get into the holiday spirit and this book did just that for me! The stories location is in a small town located close to Addison, Connecticut, a fictional town which is where some of her other stories have taken place. However, the majority of the story all happens inside the walls of a beautiful 8 story department store called Reed’s. While reading it, it brought back so many cherished memories of shopping at one of these vintage department stores which is now pretty much a thing of the past. Although it mentions other characters, it centers around the 2 main characters of Nora Chadwick and Eddie Alden. The story spans over 7 or 8 years but mainly centers around what takes place inside of Reed’s during the 2 weeks before Christmas Day. It’s then that Eddie who is on Christmas break from his year round job at the local university spends his time as a seasonal worker manning the stores antique elevator and it’s there that he meets Nora Chadwick. She soon becomes an employee there and their interactions are all portrayed in the story. It’s a romance that happens very slowly over the years however it doesn’t happen without a few bumps and obstacles along the way. It was a fun and festive read and I really enjoyed reading about Eddies fond memories of his grandfather and of the miniature village on top of the marquee. This is a great holiday story and one I’ll be recommending to all of my reading friends. Thank you Joanne DeMaio for always coming up with stories to entertain and delight me, you have made my Christmas season a little more merry!
Profile Image for Elyse Mcnulty.
889 reviews23 followers
November 3, 2025
Merry Everything by Joanne DeMaio continues her winter series.This story is filled with beautiful imagery of all things Holidays. Nora and Eddie work at Reed’s department store. Eddie is a Professor at a boy’s school and works the vintage elevator in Reeds, the 2 weeks prior to Christmas, every year.
Nora has lost her job and gets a position at Reeds that will allow her to work her way up through the different departments. Over the years Eddie and Nora share their life in the 2 weeks prior to Christmas during elevator rides and meals at the store luncheonette. Get your holiday reading off to a fun start. Enjoy.
Profile Image for Susan Peterson.
1,999 reviews380 followers
October 7, 2025
Romantic and festive!

Merry Everything is romantic and festive—all the things you’d want in a Christmas love story. Nora and Eddie’s romance blooms and grows over several holiday seasons, as their lives intersect for just a couple of weeks every year. The visions of a department store decked out for the holidays were the perfect setting for this cozy story. Filled with love, warmth, and heart, unwrap this book for the holidays to read by the lights of your Christmas tree.
Profile Image for Christy.
1,275 reviews69 followers
November 2, 2025
I've been waiting two long years for another Winter series book from author Joanne DeMaio. I can honestly say, it was worth the wait! I absolutely adored this beautiful, sweet romance set in the same area as her others in this series. However, the setting is actually Reed's, an eight floor department store that's been owned and run by the same family since the early 1900s. The story takes place over the course of seven years during the two weeks leading up to Christmas. DeMaio paints such a vivid picture of this department store. I felt as if I were actually inside this fictional Connecticut landmark. It's something you just need to read to experience the Christmas magic that happens inside of Reed's.

Part of that magic is the friendship that develops between Nora and Eddie. Eddie only works those two weeks during his Christmas break from teaching at a boys' prep school. His job is running the old fashioned elevator which is another charming aspect of this delightful book. Nora and Eddie develop such a close friendship during his time at the store. It's deeper and more real than their friendships with others, probably because of the fact that they rarely see each other. They feel like they can be more open and honest. It was delightful watching as their feelings grew deeper. This friends to more romance is completely clean with kisses only.

I probably think this with each of DeMaio's Winter series books, but I honestly think this one is my very favorite! It gave me all of the warm, cheery Christmas-y feels. I think this deserves more than 5 stars, and I highly recommend it!

Profile Image for Susan (The Book Bag).
978 reviews88 followers
October 29, 2025
I love Christmas stories. I totally enjoy this time of year, with all the new holiday books coming out. And I'm a huge fan of Joanne DeMaio's stories. Merry Everything is the best of both worlds!

Merry Everything has a nostalgic feel to it with the beautifully decorated department store, all of the Christmas decorations, the joy of the season, the friendliness and familiarity of the staff and customers, and the traditions. I really wanted to become a part of this world.

Then throw in the friendship of Nora and Eddie. They see each other for two weeks every year when Eddie comes back the store to operate the store's old, manual elevator. See, there's that tradition I was talking about. Their deep friendship grows over the years, with Eddie watching Nora go through her good times and her bad times. For those two weeks each year, he is there for her.

Merry Everything is a heartwarming, beautiful love story that I enjoyed immensely. I highly recommend it and you should definitely add it to your holiday reading list.
Profile Image for Christie Marks.
172 reviews4 followers
October 26, 2025
It’s always a pleasure to return to Addison for the holidays. Similar to Eighteen Winters, the story spans several years of the two weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. Eddie, the seasonal operator of the vintage elevator, meets new employee, Nora, and they develop a friendship through chats and lunches at the Luncheonette - date nut bread and cream cheese is a winner. They go there separate ways the other fifty two weeks, and pick up again when December rolls around. I loved this book because it took me back to my childhood, going into the city with my mom to see the magical decorations at the big department stores, always hitting the candy counter on the way home for nonpareils. It’s a sweet reminder of warm and happy Christmas’ that we all cherish. Merry Everything!
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,437 reviews35 followers
October 9, 2025
In Merry Everything, author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader to the quaint small New England lakeside town of Addison, Connecticut for another heartwarming holiday tale of family, friendship, new beginnings, and finding a chance at unexpected love.

Merry Everything is a wonderful holiday story that will tug at the heartstrings and fill the reader with seasonal joy. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves a spellbinding tale set in the quaint New England town of Addison, Connecticut, that captivates the reader's attention with the latest heartwarming holiday romance from her Winter Novels series.

Nora Chadwick meets Eddie Alden at Reed's Department Store when she is looking for a briefcase for job interviews after losing her job at Country Roads magazine. Eddie is a high school history teacher at a boy's private prep school and works a two-week seasonal job leading up to Christmas Eve as the operator of an old-fashioned elevator that only runs during the holiday. While shopping for the briefcase, a sales lady tells Nora that the store has an opening, and she gets an immediate job interview and a Full-Time job. What ensues is a friendship between Nora and Eddie that spans seven years, both are interested in each other, but with missed chances and opportunities to act upon their feelings for each other, they are left to just send fond exchanges of Merry Christmas and Merry Everything every Christmas Eve. Can the seventh season working together get Nora and Eddie to finally take a chance and get their Merry Everything?

Merry Everything is a wonderful story that has a rich description of a breathtaking department store that is decorated for the holiday as the story's setting filled with holiday traditions. Nora and Eddie find an unexpected chance at love as their story unfolds in a magical way over the seven seasons working together that will make the reader believe in the power of love, family, friendship, new beginnings, and the joy of the holiday season.

There are not enough words that I can express about the simplicity and beauty in which author Joanne DeMaio weaves her heartwarming and multi-layered stories filled with a mixture of love, friendship, family, life's changes, and unexpected special moments, it is simply breathtaking. As the reader follows Nora and Eddie's story, it will pull at your heartstrings as they miss chances every holiday season to find love in the historical and beautifully decorated Reed's Department Store. But the seventh year finally brings them a chance to share their feelings for each other and find love during the holiday season.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how the richly vivid description of the holiday decorated historical eight story Reed's Department Story is phenomenal; you'll yearn to visit the store that not only sells merchandise but also holiday nostalgia. The department store is based on a real Connecticut landmark treasure, G. Fox Department Store, that held many special and nostalgic memories for the author. Ms. DeMaio has a special gift for transporting the readers into every story that she weaves while leaving them yearning for more!

Merry Everything is an enchanting holiday story full of warmth and comfort that will remind the reader of the magic, joy, cheer, and spirit of Christmas. It is a lovely story that will resonate with the reader for a very long time.

Merry Everything is the latest installment in The Winter Novels series, each book is a stand-alone read, but you'll want to read the whole collection!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

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Profile Image for Julie Barrett.
9,197 reviews206 followers
October 3, 2025
Merry Everything by Joanne DeMaio
In this nice holiday read we find Eddie who stays with his grandfather and helps at the Reeds department store in town. He's a history teacher in town nearby and lives in faculty housing. He runs the elevator that only runs manually during the holiday weeks. He loves the traditional history of the store and what it really means. Everybody is so cheerful to one another.
Story also follows Nora who's laid off from her marketing job at the Country magazine and is looking for a new briefcase before she starts looking for a new job. Eddie sets her up for an instant job interview after she finds the right briefcase.
They see each other daily during the weeks til the holiday is over and she ends up with a job at the store full time there. This goes on for many years, almost 10 and she realizes and others are pushing her to wed to Sawyer. Tragedy occurs and she can't go to Eddie as she had fallen apart in front of him. She avoids him. When she's ready he is not available and has gone back to school earlier than normal.
You wonder if they will ever meet again.
love the time they do spend together and what they discusses, such festive time. Clothing, jewelry and especially the falling snow.

102 reviews
October 27, 2025
What an amazing book Merry Everything was! It brought back so many warm, beautiful memories for both my husband and me from when we were children. My husband grew up in Connecticut and fondly remembers visiting the Fox department store, which Reed’s Department Store is based on. Every year, his family would make the trip to pick out a Christmas ornament. As for me, I grew up outside of Toronto, and every Christmas we’d venture into the city to admire the stunning holiday windows at the Eaton department store. Such wonderful, joyful memories this book rekindled for me.
I absolutely fell in love with the characters of Eddie and Nora. It's incredible how, in just two weeks every Christmas season, you can learn so much about someone’s life while riding an elevator together. The ups and downs of Nora’s journey and the disappointments and joys Eddie faces were so relatable. I couldn’t help but grow attached to them.
There’s something about Joanne’s winter stories that always evokes a warm, happy feeling. If you’re looking for a beautiful fireside read, I highly recommend this book. To all of you, I wish you Merry Everything!
19 reviews
October 8, 2025
What a great winter read by Joanne. This book definitely puts you in the holiday spirit. It's really neat the way Nora and Eddie meet at Reed's Department Store and how Eddie sets Nora on the path to a job at Reed's. This book goes into how Nora and Eddie's friendship grow 2 weeks at Christmas time for the next several years. Their relationship takes time to progress due to circumstances and when it does, it's Christmas magic! Pick up this book today, you'll really enjoy it! I wish you Merry Everything!
Profile Image for Paulette.
976 reviews23 followers
Read
October 10, 2025
A sweet story of it never being the right time. How a commitment once made was kept, even with doubts. But also how love can finally find its way to where it was always meant to be. The performance of Stephen Barnett as always was sincere with a good depth of emotion. I thought this book by Joanne DeMaio was sad. More so than other standalone books I have read of hers. In fact I got a little teary eyed in one part. But overall this was a good book and it left little doubt that this Christmas for Nora and Eddie would be special.
Profile Image for Kristen Karter.
159 reviews2 followers
October 28, 2025
Wow, Merry Everything really tugged at my heartstrings with the love connection between Nora and Eddie, put me in big time festive holiday mood with how Joanne described all the Christmas decorations around Reed’s Department store, around Addison, etc. This was one of the best Christmas novels I have ever read and highly recommended to all who love Christmas love reading a romance that they will forever keep in their heart and so on. Thank you for writing such a spectacular holiday story that we can all enjoy and feel very joyful over.
Profile Image for Kathi Rutherford.
139 reviews
October 11, 2025
A Christmas to Remember

Every year @holiday time,Reed’s Dept.Store is decked out for the holidays!Eddie,the elevator operator,runs the antique elevator &this year,a new employee has joined the store.The 2 of them are pretty chummy @work.A spark of interest keeps them connected,till they aren’t.Nora keeps getting promoted,and Eddie only works 2 wks of the holidays.Circumstances keep them apart every year,while Eddie is working on his Masters in American History.Nora faces a sad life &wonders if she’ll see him again.A must read for the holidays!
70 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2025
Merry Everything is a romantic, feel good, Christmas read. It definitely puts you in a holiday mood. Nora and Eddie meet each other at Reed’s Department Store at Christmas time. Nora is an employee full time and Eddie comes back every year to run the old time elevator for two weeks at Christmas. Over the years, Nora and Eddie get to know each other better. Finally, after many years, they are able to be together. It is such a fun and enjoyable book to read!
1,830 reviews18 followers
October 28, 2025
Another awesome book by Joanne DeMaio. Once I started reading I just could not put it down.

Nora gets laid off her job and goes to Reed's Department store to buy a briefcase for her job search. While she is there she mentions that she was laid off and needs a job, so she gets an interview and gets hired.She meets Eddie who runs the old elevator with the gates that you had to close during the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

Loved this story and think that you will too. Check it out.
Profile Image for Debbi.
854 reviews3 followers
November 14, 2025
This was a wonderful, heartwarming holiday love story. It took place over several years in a local Addison department store during the holidays. It brought back so many memories of my childhood and going to our stores like this one. Nora and Eddie created a wonderful friendship even though they only saw each other during the two weeks before Christmas. That friendship eventually turned into an everlasting love. Well done!
46 reviews
October 5, 2025
A new holiday classic from my fav author.Puts you right in the festive spirit with all the enchanting and elegant holiday trimmings.A twist to the story makes it hard to put down.Once you finish the novel the title is most appropriate.What a wonderful holiday Hallmark movie this would be.So settle in with a cozy blanket,hot chocolate and pretend it is snowing outside!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nita.
536 reviews56 followers
October 18, 2025
Beautiful warm-hearted story set in the lovely Addison, Connecticut! Heartwarming nostalgic setting with a vintage elevator and Christmas tradition and a blossoming love! Each year, Nora and Eddie share bits of their stories as they ride the elevator together for two weeks of the Christmas season, and over the years, they share life's ups and downs. Their friendship grows but has some bumps and misunderstandings. At the end of the two weeks each year, Eddie says Merry Everything and hopes they may see each other the next year...
Profile Image for Gena - My Book Reviews for You.
578 reviews20 followers
November 8, 2025
I always enjoy Joanne Demaio’s winter books. But this one was really touching, especially this year. This is a wonderful Christmas holiday novel! There are festive and fun parts throughout the story. A charming setting and fun characters, with a little romance. A little sadness. But oh the ending was so wonderful!
Profile Image for Sande Mcatee.
153 reviews8 followers
December 14, 2025
This book is hands down my favorite book read for 2025. I have others (The Sweetness of Forgetting and The Restoration Garden) in my top 3 for the year, but this one I will read every Christmas season! The setting reminds me of a favorite department store (McCabe's) that is no longer around...brings back many happy memories of a time long gone. Just read it!!
Profile Image for Lynn Hill.
903 reviews21 followers
October 7, 2025
I absolutely love reading Joanne’s books. Thank you Joanne for writing such wonderful books for everyone to read! I would like to name my favorite book of your books but they are all my favorites! I can't wait for your next release!
Profile Image for Cindy Reddick .
20 reviews1 follower
October 29, 2025
Immerse yourself in the wonder of this Christmas story, a heartwarming tale that distills the essence of the holiday season. The vintage charm of Reed's department store will undoubtedly evoke a sense of nostalgia, as cherished memories come flooding back. Looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Abbie Stewart.
157 reviews1 follower
November 6, 2025
Sweet, cozy romance

Thank you for another wonderful, cozy winter wonderland story! I can't get enough of the characters and the small town cozy feels. Every year I want to just jump right in the story!
Profile Image for Constance.
179 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2025
all is bright

I want to keep Eddie and Nora! They are my new Christmas miracle. Please return them in another adventure. Thank you very much 🎉🥂😊
Profile Image for Sharon Schaffer.
21 reviews
October 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was very unexpected and was a fun read. I am very glad it ended the way it did. Great job.
3 reviews
October 9, 2025
she can do better

Very boring and took so long to get to the point. I skipped half of it to get to ending
6 reviews
October 19, 2025
Another magical Christmas story!

Thank you Joanne for get another endearing look into an almost perfect town and it's characters. You have done it again!
Profile Image for Brenda.
45 reviews
November 5, 2025
Wonderful Holiday story! Joanne DeMaio has done it again with her holiday store. A big fan of her beach saga I also love her Holiday Books too! Either would make a nice gift.
Profile Image for Joanne Thomas.
27 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2025
Memories

Reminded me of going to Macy's 34th Street in NYC every year setting the mood for the Holiday Season! Quick read , cute story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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