Christmas Trees and Jewelry Thieves

by Hope Snyder

She longs for romance. He’s looking for a place to call home. Will one wild Christmas bring them everything on their wishlist?

Mary Madrone, a bold and spontaneous cowgirl, loves her family, her horse Shepherd, and her life in Jolly Jingle, Montana. The only thing missing? Romance and someone to share all of life’s goodness with.

Gabriel Matthews, a gruff loner, is pivoting away from his old life and staring at the wide open space of a fresh start. His greatest question? Figuring out his next career move, and where to settle down.

When Gabriel drops onto Mary’s hotel room balcony with a million-dollar problem in the form of a necklace that needs to be hidden, it sets them on a wild adventure together. But in the midst of the fray, Mary and Gabriel find themselves drawn towards each other with an undeniable chemistry. The necklace isn’t the only thing they’re protecting; their hearts are on the line too. If everything goes wrong, the consequences would be infinitely worse than coal. But with love and courage, this one wild Christmas might bring them everything on their wishlist.

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 18, 2026

About the author

Hope Snyder writes love stories full of courage and kissing. She’s a Navy wife, a mother of three, an avid reader, and a proud California girl. She has a Certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Cambridge Institute for Continuing Education and has lived in South Korea, England, California, Virginia, and the Pacific Northwest, thanks to the Navy. Her favorite Jane Austen book is (of course) Persuasion, the one with the most naval references.

Reviews

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I saw this cover, I knew I had to add this one to my TBR. First of all, I adore Hope Snyder's writing. Each of her books have been so enjoyable to read and I always find myself looking forward to more. And when I saw that this one was a holiday cowboy romance... with a title like that!? Yes, I knew I was in for a fun read... and I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint! A meet cute in the middle of a jewel heist wasn't on my Christmas list, but I loved it! We were thrown into the action right away and I couldn't help but love Mary's fearlessness right from the start. The dynamic between her and Gabriel was so good... I loved their banter and the way that he was protective but also knew that she was perfectly capable too. Their story truly was just a fun holiday read and I couldn't get enough. If you love adventure romance with cowboy (or cowgirl) charm and holiday cheer, this is certainly one to add to your TBR.

Christmas Trees and Jewelry Thieves is a closed-door romance with kisses only and minor language.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a darling Christmas tale! I loved every minute of this charming read, right from the action packed start but even more so adventuring around and cozying in to the wintry Montana countryside. Reading this story felt like being perfectly immersed in a Hallmark movie- in the best way! Everything about the small town of Jolly Jingle just felt like a warm hug and was everything you’d want to experience in a holiday romance. I found myself getting swept away with Mary & Gabriel in every chapter, and absolutely adored their witty banter and connection, along with their concepts of what it means to be ‘home’.

Definitely a wonderful read for the cozy holiday season!

Many thanks to Hope Snyder for providing the ARC & a wonderful story!

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Gabriel & Mary's feisty, adventurous, caring , protective, sweet , festive, loving, hopeful, swoony happily ever after!!

[Riah Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeep!!!
I just got sent this ARC today to read and I am so thankful for the opportunity! I flew through this book and loved it so much!

Mary and Gabriel were so wonderful to read about. All of the jokes and teasing moments they had were so entertaining. I was smiling so wide the whole time.

Mary!
Her character is so funny and I really loved the way she thought and reacted to things Gabe did or said! Her connection with and her love for her family was so heartwarming to read about and I love how she "stood up for herself" and told Gabe what he needed to do near the end of the story.

Gabriel!
His jokes, teases and compliments toward Mary had me smiling as big as I did for most of the stoty because he is just so cute. His whole personality, from wanting to protect her and being scared for her while also knowing she can handle herself is truly something to admire. He was so precious and I truly loved him.

The whole story was so fun and unique, something where I didn't feel as though I could predict the future.
I really appreciated that they didn't have a miscommunication near the end and were able to talk and figure out for themselves what they wanted!
Wintery cold weather was really a perfect setting for this book, and I must say I was surprised at first to be reading about palm trees on the first page 😂 But of course we couldn't have had the whole story if we didn't start there 🤪🌴

I'm thankful to receive an ARC from Hope Snyder and all thoughts and reviews are my own 💕