The Christmas Shop

by Nancy Naigle

From USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle, The Christmas Shop is a heartwarming Christmas story about finding your passion for life and love.

Angela Carson wants nothing more than to be the third-generation to run her family’s holiday store, Heart of Christmas, successfully. They’ve weathered over sixty tourist seasons, major hurricanes, and urban sprawl, in their old decommissioned lighthouse. But the national chain that set up shop in their small North Carolina town of Pleasant Sands may be more than Heart of Christmas can survive.

Encouraged by her niece to ask Santa for help, Angela gives in and lets the words fly in a way that, if Santa were real, would no doubt land her on the naughty list. What’s the harm when it’s just a computer-generated response?

Geoff Paisley has been at his mother’s side running the mega-chain Christmas Galore for the last ten years. When his mother falls ill, Geoff promises to answer the town’s Dear Santa letters in her stead. Soon he realizes the woman he’s been corresponding with on Dear Santa is Angela. How could the woman that grates his every last nerve in person have intrigued him so deeply through those letters?

When Geoff reveals that he’s her Dear Santa, will Angela be able to set aside their very public feud to embrace the magic of the holiday and possibly find true love?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Adult

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 16, 2018

About the author

NEW RELEASE: A South Hill Christmas Keepsake—out now!
USA TODAY bestselling author Nancy Naigle writes heartwarming small-town stories of love, faith, and second chances. With more than forty novels to her name, eight have been adapted for television on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and FOX Nation. Her award-winning ECPA Bestseller The Shell Collector was also the first FOX Original Movie and is now streaming on FOX Nation.
Nancy’s newest Christmas novel, A South Hill Christmas Keepsake, is a heartfelt story inspired by her real-life hometown in Virginia—a tale of lost love, small-town wonder, and rediscovering the magic of community during the holidays.
Up next, she’ll return to the beloved Whelk’s Island universe in Home No Matter Where (coming May 2026), the third installment in The Shell Collector series—continuing her signature blend of coastal charm, healing, and hope.
After a successful career in the banking industry, Nancy followed her heart and took early retirement to write full-time. Now living in the small town of Franklin, Virginia, she crafts stories that celebrate the simple joys of life, the beauty of belonging, and the power of love to restore even the most fragile hearts.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her browsing antique shops, painting, or weaving pine needle baskets—always on the lookout for the next small spark of inspiration to turn into a story you’ll never forget.

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Santa,
I have been very good this year, so I am certain that I am on the nice list! All I want for Christmas is more time in every day to read all the fabulous books in the world! I also wouldn’t mind a winning lottery ticket! Hope Mrs. Klos is being good to you, I will have the cookies waiting!
Thanks so much,
Berit❄️✨❄️
PS: give Rudolph a carrot from me!🛷

This was a fun sweet holiday story reminiscent of the movie “You’ve Got Mail“... really the perfect book to put you in the festive mood... filled with letters to Santa, holiday cheer, hope, family, and love....

Angela loves running her family’s charming Christmas store... for three generations this lovely store has been a staple in the town with its unique location in the lighthouse... but now Angela‘s livelihood has been threatened with the opening of the big box Christmas store “Christmas Galore“... determined to save her shop she has proclaimed war on all things Christmas Galore! After sending a letter to Santa with the encouragement of her niece, Angela begins a correspondence with whoever is on the other end of this app.... i’m sure you do not need to be a master detective to figure out who she is corresponding with!

This was a sweet, slow burning, enemies to lovers, Love story... Angela was such a likable character I absolutely loved her love for Christmas! It took me a while longer to warm up to Jeff the owner of Christmas Galore, but after a while he won me over.... this is just one of those fun feel good stories that puts a smile on your face and a festive feeling in your heart!

If you love a good Christmas story filled with holiday spirit this is a definite must!

*** A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this book ***

[Mackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all have written that proverbial "Dear Santa" letter at least sometime in our lives. It's a letter where children pour out their hearts to Santa and ask, okay beg, for all of their wishes to come true on Christmas morning. In Dear Santa, a very adult Angela, through the encouragement of her adorable niece, writes such a letter using an online app. It is Angela's last hope for her failing business. 

Angela's only goal in life was to successfully run her family's business, a Christmas store set in an old lighthouse that had been in her family for three generations. She was raised by the side of her grandmother, Grace, who had carried on the business started by her mother, Mackey. Yep, that's right, Mackey. (I have to tell you that I never have read a book that included a female Mackey who has the same spelling as mine, so already you know that I am hooked on this story, right?) However, Angela's rather old fashioned values of not connecting to social media, rarely used advertising and her staunch ideas about selling high end merchandise rather than affordable kitsch, have led to the downfall of her business. The final nail in the store's coffin comes when a chain store marketing cheap goods, a lot of flair and advertising and hoopla, move in across the street from her. In her angst, Angela agrees to write to "Santa" for help. Little does she realize that the "Santa" on the other side of the app is the owner of the new mega-store. The result is classic romance: enemies by day, confidants by night via the "Dear Santa" app.

Dear Santa is a classic holiday romance with the couple hating each other and then, through a series of holiday "miracles" realizing how much they love each other. In this case, the story line reminded me a bit of the sweet movie, "You've Got Mail," starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I loved that movie and I absolutely adored this book! The writing is very well done, never too over-the-top and the characters are beautifully developed. Because I own a small business in a small town and see how my fellow townspeople struggle to walk the fine line between quality, quantity, nostalgia and the ever changing way that we do business in the 21st century, this book - Angela specifically - truly resonated with me. I could feel her heartbreak as well as her hope. Admittedly, I didn't care for Angela's sister or even Geoff, the mega store owner, at least until about mid-way of the book, but again, that was part of the story and the strong emotions that I felt were the result of very good writing on Naigle's part. 

You already know that I love holiday tales and, if you're like me and holiday reading is your thing, then I am sure you will love Dear Santa as much as I did. 

You can find the book today at your local retailers, Amazon and, hopefully, your local library! Enjoy! 

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle is a contemporary romance that is of course set at Christmas time. Told by alternating the point of view between the characters this one reminds me a bit of You’ve Got Mail the holiday version.

Angela Carson inherited her shop, Heart of Christmas, from her grandmother and doesn’t want to admit that after being in the family for generations she is struggling. When a new big box store moves into the small town, Christmas Galore, it may just be the last nail in the coffin for Heart of Christmas. To satisfy her young niece Angela writes a letter to Santa asking his opinion on what to do to try to save the store.

Geoff Paisley runs Christmas Galore along with his elderly mother who is having problems with her heart. While his mother is in the hospital she asks Geoff to take over answering the Dear Santa letters that has been her project for years. Geoff doesn’t understand why his mother is so adamant to giving personal replies but when he comes across Angela’s plea he finds himself drawn to her despite knowing she blames his store for the troubles with her business.

Dear Santa was a cute holiday romance with plenty of festive content to set the mood of the story. The main couple obviously clash in person but share a spark when they don’t know who they are writing. Both Angela and Geoff were very likable apart from one another obviously sharing their love for their shops and their families so it was just a matter of time to bring them together. Definitely think those looking for a sweet holiday read will enjoy this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guest review for Harlequin Junkie. https://www.harlequinjunkie.com

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle

Anita and Geoff are business rivals. They are also immensely attracted to each other. You feel their connection throughout the story and hope it works out. You’ve Got Mail holiday romance in a beach town deep with history. Charming and delightful.

The Santa letters as chapter headers were adorable. Sometimes funny, some sad. I often thought about what my reply would be. The Pleasant Sands history chapter headers were well thought out and made the town real.

A wonderful holiday romance.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I’m not the only one who loves the slightly cheesy movies the Hallmark Channel plays in the run up to Christmas, right?! There’s something so sweet and innocent about them, yes they’re predictable but there is comfort in predictability and they provide such a great escape from real life. If you’re a fan of those kind of movies then you have got to read this book, I just know it’ll show up on that channel eventually and it’s perfect for fans of holiday romances.

The first thing I heard about this one was that it was a holiday retelling of the movie You’ve Got Mail and all I could think was yeessssss! It definitely draws on inspiration from the movie but is it’s own unique version and was adorable in it’s own way. Angela and Geoff have the whole enemies to romance thing going on and their bickering was honestly probably one of my favorite aspects of this. Another thing I enjoyed was that each chapter began with either a Dear Santa letter or a fact about the town of Pleasant Sands and in an era where most chapters are just numbered I found this to be a sweet touch.

Recommended as an ideal holiday read and one that will sweep you away for a few hours, it’s uncomplicated and cute but the characters still show depth. It was my first book by Naigle but won’t be my last, and I just checked and two of her other books are already Hallmark movies so I’m off to set my DVR haha!

Dear Santa in three words: Whimsical, Cheery and Bright.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars: A holiday book that borrows too heavily from You’ve Got Mail.

Angela Carson is doing everything she can to save her Christmas store. Christmas Galore is a small, upscale boutique that has been in her family for three generations. The little store resides in an old lighthouse, and it is packed full of unique Christmas goods. Disaster strikes when Christmas Galore moves into the small coastal town with all of its cheap merchandise and big sales. Angela is sick at the thought of losing her business. At Thanksgiving, Angela’s young niece implores her to write an online letter to Santa. Angela agrees and fires off an email, not realizing that she might get an actual reply. Meanwhile, Geoff Paisley is new in town. He is the co owner of the mega chain store. When his mother falls ill, Geoff finds himself tasked with writing the Dear Santa emails, not suspecting that he will end up writing to the one woman who can’t stand him. Will a holiday miracle occur?
What I Liked:
*Dear Santa started out cute and fun, and I enjoyed the holiday vibe. I am a huge fan of You’ve Got Mail, and this one borrows heavily from the classic tale. If you want a Christmas story that is reminiscent of the classic movie, give this one a try.
*I loved Angela’s Christmas Store. The Heart of Christmas oozes charm and cozy with it’s lighthouse setting to it’s collectible, one of a kind decorations. I especially loved the history and the familial connection to the store. I so wanted the little store to succeed.
*I adored the small coastal setting. Pleasant Sands, North Carolina is a little town situated on the beach. This is a town where the people look out for one another and they have each other’s backs when times are tough.
*I liked that this book was about change. I enjoyed watching Angela evolve and grow as she came to terms with her situation. Instead of wallowing in self pity, she puts on her big girl panties and finds her way. I was proud of her.
*The book ends with a nice happily ever after Epilogue. I was pleased with the way things settled out and happy for Angela.
And The Not So Much:
*I adore You’ve Got Mail, but I found this one borrowed too heavily from the movie. There were some lines that were practically lifted from the original, such as the whole scene about daisies. Seriously, it is okay to retell a tale but be a little more ingenious instead of borrowing heavily.
*Geoff was a character who I never connected with. He never felt genuine, and I didn’t think he was likable. Most of the time, I felt like he was a phony. I did not buy him as a love interest, he ruined the read for me.
*There is this secondary plot regarding Geoff’s mother. This story line was prominent early on and that it was abandoned. I needed more of the mother angle. What was the deal with her and her friend Virgil? What was going on with her health? It bothered me that this part of the story was dropped.
*The emails were cheesy and unrealistic. I thought the email exchange was ridiculous, and it is obvious right away whom they were writing to even though they didn’t clue in.
*I wanted something different for Christmas Galore. I was hoping the town would pitch in and come together.

Dear Santa was a book I wanted to love, but unfortunately I felt like it borrowed too heavily from
You’ve Got Mail. The love interest was a big fizzle, and I was disappointed that certain aspects of the story were completely abandoned. This did have some holiday cheer and it was a pleasant story, but I wanted better.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s November first and I am in full holiday mode. I’m on of those obnoxious people that starts decorating and shopping for Christmas immediately following Halloween.

I started my holiday reading a little early this year (normally I wait until after Halloween) since there were a lot of holiday books coming out. This is one that I had my eye on, mostly because it sounded like it was going to be an epistolary novel.

This book did have a lot of letter components and it reminded me of “You’ve Got Mail”. I have seen a number of other reviewers also draw the same comparison. It was almost impossible for me to not draw a similar conclusion as it is a lot like the film, but it has it’s own uniqueness which I think readers will still enjoy. It is a sweet, quintessential holiday romance. There is a lovable main character, with a romance that turns enemies into lovers throughout the course of the holiday season.

For a Christmas romance, I was impressed by the character development. Sometimes with holiday reads it’s so much more about the holiday feel and less about the characters themselves. But with this book, I found that the author took time building their back stories and lives and I found that I just loved Angela, and Geoff was a great romantic interest for her.

I loved the enemies to lovers troupe in this book. This is a favorite troupe of mine so perhaps that’s why I was partial to this romance. The story itself matched with the romance troupe worked brought the magic of the holiday season together. This was a charming novel full of romance and Christmas cheer. I was relieved that it wasn’t overly sappy, but just the right amount of magic that makes the Hallmark Movies such a Christmas time staple…..it’s a balanced novel with strong characters and I enjoyed reading this one and getting into the holiday spirit!

Lastly, this cover is perfection. I loved the letters in red and green so much. The garland around the cover is a nice touch as well. If you love holiday covers then this is the cover you have been waiting for……it looks just like a Hallmark card!

See my review here

[Garan · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was one of the hardest books i’ve ever had to get through. i did not want to finish it. unnecessarily long and so so boring.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dear Santa" is really the Christmas version of "You've Got Mail"- they are very similar. Angela works at Heart of Christmas, a store in North Carolina that features handmade and one-of-a-kind items related to Christmas out of a former lighthouse. She inherited the store from her grandmother (she and her sister Marie came to live with her grandmother after their mother died and their father left), who had in turn inherited it. Angela loves the store- it's family and so much a part of her.

However, the giant Christmas Galore (think Christmas Tree Shops) has come to town with huge bargains. That store opening is the last push towards putting Heart of Christmas out of business. Angela is facing the reality of the future without the store in the center of her life, when she sees an attractive guy, who she soon learns is Geoff, the owner (with his mother) of Christmas Galore. Upon knowing who they are, they immediately begin verbally sparring. However, each cannot deny their attraction for each other.

Angela's niece Chrissy has a new app that she loves- Dear Santa, where you send an email to Santa- and he replies! Chrissy convinces Angela that she should write to the app, and with the urging/pushing of her sister Marie, Angela goes for it. To her surprise, the response is personal- not the automated replies Chrissy was getting. What she doesn't realize is that the app is owned by Christmas Galore and Geoff's mother has a filter to allow some submissions to come in and be responded to personally- and Geoff is humoring her by responding to some. As they get to know each other on email and separately in real life, things begin to change.

The vast majority of the book is in real life, and the emails between them are very limited, maybe a handful. I was expecting more emails between them with real life being secondary. This is definitely not the case. I didn't really feel the connection through the emails that they both seemed to felt- their real life relationship was definitely taking the helm. Aside from that, the links between the movie and this book are vast (even the sick scene!). As a fan of the movie, I enjoyed reading the book, and it was entertaining enough that I didn't mind feeling like I had read it before. If you don't like the movie, don't read this book- but if you loved the movie and love Christmas reads, then you MUST pick this one up!

At the beginning of each chapter, we got to read a letter to Santa from a child to the app or a factoid about the town that Angela writes on the board outside the shop each day. I loved this part of the book- particularly the letters to Santa. In terms of the characters, Geoff had to grow on me- I didn't like him at first, but I loved Angela from the get-go. Geoff's mother was also great and I would have loved more from her (except, I still don't understand why she never told him about his father- it just didn't make sense to me). Marie, Angela's sister, was really terrible- highly judgmental and overpowering- I would have preferred to see Angela having a little support from family (what support is given felt a bit begrudging)- I like to see strong sister relationships! However, the main characters were great, and Geoff/Angela really sold me on the romance by the end of the book (it's a slow build).

Overall, this is a fun Christmas twist on "You've Got Mail," and it really got me in a Christmas mood! As a final note, it's a really clean book with a very slow build relationship, so it's great for all audiences. This would be perfect for a Hallmark movie!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second one of Nancy Naigle's books that I have read. So far, I just love her stories. This is well written and the flow/pace is "spot-on". It left me with that "good feeling" when I finished. There are often have common social issues addressed in her stories, along with some romance thrown in. I feel that they center around family and then touch on current issues in today's society.

Our story begins on Thanksgiving day and we learn that Angela is about to lose her family business in a small South Carolina coastal beach town. She is heartbroken over it. We take the journey with her as she goes through the five/seven stages of grieving. Her sister, brother-in-law, and niece are all there for her in differing degrees (obviously). Knowing that the family store is on it's "last legs" and then having a Christmas superstore come into town is "the straw that breaks the camels back". Angela sees them as the enemy and takes her hurt and anger out on the manager; when she meets him accidentally.

I did receive an uncorrected galley of this book through Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Liina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela owns and runs a holiday store called Heart of Christmas, it's been in their family for generations and she wants to continue with that, but unfortunately the store is doing very well and she might have to close it. There's also a new store in town called Christmas Galore, where things are sold cheaper and it attracts more people in. The new store is owned by Geoff and his mom. Geoff's mom answers to Santa letters via e-mail, but when she falls ill, Geoff answers them himself. Angela's niece convinced her to use the app and she writes to Santa as well. At first they don't know who the other is, but when it comes out, will they have a chance for love?
It was a sweet holiday novel, I adored those Santa letters at the beginning of the chapters. It was a well written story with great characters and I'd recommend it for people who like holiday contemporary romances. 

[Ela's Welt der Bücher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das erste Buch von dieser Autorin hat mir echt gut gefallen und so musste dieses hier auch einziehen und gelesen werden. Doch es dauerte hier echt länger bis ich richtig in die Geschichte gefunden habe. Erst in den letzten 200 Seiten habe ich richtig reingefunden aber es hat mir dann doch echt gut gefallen. Auch wenn Weihnachten vorbei ist sind solche Geschichten doch Seeletröster. Ich hab noch weitere Weihnachtsbücher und freue mich schon darauf.
4 Sterne

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This was a festive, heartwarming story perfect for fans of Hallmark movies and wholesome, small town romances.

I enjoyed the story though, at times, it dragged a little bit for me. I love the whole “You’ve Got Mail” storyline but I tend to get frustrated that the characters can’t see the obvious signs pointing to who their secret pen-pal/online friend is. That’s more of a general irritation though and not a judgment on the authors storytelling.

Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for a light-hearted, low-angst read that will put you in the mods for the holiday season!

*I received an arc from NetGalley for voluntary review

[Judy Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the first book I have read by Nancy Naigle. I am so happy to find a new author! I read the summary of the story and after reading that it was similar to the movie “You’ve Got Mail”’ I thought I would really enjoy this book. My feelings were so true. The basic storyline is very similar, in that the couple meeting in person do not get along, but as hidden identities in emails, they connect well.

Angela owns and operates Heart of Christmas, an upscale Christmas store that has been in her family for generations. The store has been struggling to stay afloat. She is trying to come to terms with closing the store, which she has worked in since a young child and finding a new direction for the rest of her life.

Christmas Galore is a new superstore that opened in town and it sells all things cheaply made – especially made in China; beach towels to artificial Christmas trees. Geoff and his mom own this superstore and several others.

Angela and Geoff first eye each other and are attracted. Then comes the conflict of their businesses, that mean so much to them. The story unfolds and is fun to experience.

The book is very easy to read and it flows in a good pace. The characters are very well developed and I feel like I know and care about them. The location is described in such detail that I wish I could visit Pleasant Sands, North Carolina.

Each section begins with a letter to Santa, which I thought was a heart-melting touch. Some were funny and some a bit sad. Even though I read this book in August, it makes me feel like Christmas is around the corner.

Many types of relationships were explored in the book: sisters, husband/wife, long-time friends, mother/son, mother/daughter. All of the relationships were realistic and written exceptionally well. The core story was a romance but there were many plots revolving throughout, which made the book a page-turner.

This book would make a fantastic Hallmark Holiday movie!

I want to thank St Martin’s Press for giving me the ARC of this book and introducing me to this author, Nancy Naigle. I am so happy to find her books and wanted to write a review in hopes others will discover her also.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3 Stars

Remember the magic of writing to Santa, secure in the knowledge that he could grant every with you had? DEAR SANTA by Nancy Naigle is the story of the magic of Christmas, Santa and discovering that as one door closes, another one opens.

A small town, a landmark Christmas store in trouble and a new chain store coming to town to further cement its demise are the backdrop for two competitors to meet, bristle at and find unexpected romance and a chance for a new beginning.

I was disappointed after reading the blurb and it’s comparison to a much loved movie. (By the way, I hate comparisons, let something stand on its own, already!) This tale was more about one woman’s bitterness and one man’s cold, financial calculations then the spirit of Christmas and the real magic of the season. My favorite character ended up being the young niece whose firm belief in Santa was simply magical in itself!

The dialogue was heavy, cumbersome and repetitive to me so I didn’t get that special zing of Holiday Romance beauty that I look forward to all year long!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Press!

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 16, 2018)
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Genre: Holiday Romance
Page Count: 352 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! A Hallmark holiday movie in a book. Angela Carson has been working hard to keep her family's Christmas shop up and running but when a big box Christmas store opens in town it's the final blow and she's afraid the end is near. To add insult to injury Geoff Paisley is the most arrogant, infuriating and, darn it, attractive man she's ever met. He's also the head of the big box monster. Now not only does she have to come to terms with the fact that she'll need to close her beloved store but she has to see Geoff all over town.

Don't miss this wonderfully written, sweet holiday read. I highly recommend it.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

My favorite this year, so far, for Christmas books. Dear Santa is a Christmas version of You Got Mail and I think I liked it better than YGM. This was a heartwarming romance with funny situations and lovable characters especially one adorable niece. I haven't read Nancy Naigle before but if her other books are just as good as this one then I have a new potential favorite author for this genre, right up their with Debbie Mason and Emily March.

In the little tourist town of Pleasant Sands is a decommissioned lighthouse. The lighthouse is home to Heart of Christmas an all year round Christmas store. After three generations the store is on the verge of closing. The owner Angela Carson is desperate to keep it open but the mega store that opened up is sealing the stores fate. Geoff Paisley opened Christmas Galore with his mother their success has been enormous in the last ten years they opened fifteen stores the newest in a small town that technically didn't fit their target location but Geoff's mother, Rebecca, wanted it there so they built there.

Angela hates Christmas Galore it seemed everything she tried to save her store didn't work, logically she knows it's not Christmas Galore's fault her store was already starting to go down hill before they opened but they are an easy and convenient target for her anger. Wanting to be helpful her niece suggested writing Santa. Not wanting to hurt her nieces feeling Angela writes one using the Dear Santa app on her tablet. She never expected an actual person to respond or for that person to understand her pain of giving up her dream of keeping the family business alive. When Rebecca winds up in the hospital she tasks Geoff with answering the Dear Santa letters. Geoff begrudgingly agrees he never expected to find a penpal. It takes almost half the book for Geoff to realize the woman who fascinates him beyond believe the same woman who picks fights with him in public and out right hates him is the same woman he's been exchanging emails with online. Seeing things different now Geoff finds himself wanting things he's never wanted before and he wants them with Angela. Angela wants to hate Geoff but he really is a nice guy and even though she's picked fights with him she still wants to kiss him like crazy but her life is too up in the air right now her future undecided she can't worry about a relationship.

Overall, I loved this book. There is plenty of character development for both Angela and Geoff. Angela is trying to figure out her future and Geoff is finding out about his past. It fits in nicely with the You Got Mail, In the Good Old Summertime, and Shop Around the Corner style, a feel good romantic comedy with plenty of feels and Christmas spirit.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the movie "You've Got Mail" then you are going to enjoy this book!

Pleasant Sands NC is a quaint beach town that has a huge influx of visitors during the summer. It sounded like a place I wouldn't mind visiting (in the off season!). Angela is quite the fixture in this town, she has lived here nearly her whole live and has quite a few facts in her head about the town and its history. I loved the "fact of the day" at the beginning of each chapter. Geoff is a recent addition to the town via his store Christmas Galore. Geoff isn't very likable in the beginning. He and Angela seem to bring out the worst in each other. But over time and with different situations they are able to form a friendship.

While I thought part of this book was predictable, I truly enjoyed the characters and situations. I am not a fan of Angela's sister Marie. Maybe it was the lawyer in her, but she was abrasive and while she may have had her sister's best interests at heart, she could have used some lessons in diplomacy.

Overall an enjoyable read especially if you like sweet romances and small towns.

[Connie N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a new store, Christmas Galore, comes to their small town, Angela's family business, Heart of Christmas, is threatened. Since she's never known any other life, she is having a hard time dealing with its potential failure, and she lashes out at the handsome owner of the new store in town, blaming him for her problems. Seemed like this unhappy attitude undermined the whole feeling of warmth and love surrounding the Christmas season. Although there was a happy ending eventually, I was disappointed with the main characters throughout most of the book. Angela spends a lot of time pointing fingers regarding her store's demise, not bothering to fix the problems she has (such as no online presence or local ads/marketing). She's living in the past and touts family values without recognizing or acknowledging any modern methods. She acts like she's 80 instead of in her 20's. And Geoff's condescension didn't help matters much. But I did like the small-town coastal setting and the bits and pieces about the history of the town. Secondary characters are much warmer and friendlier and helped redeem this romance. I will look for more holiday stories from this author.

[Patricia Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Carson inherited her lighthouse turned holiday store, Heart of Christmas as well as her Grandmother's beach home.

The business has been run by three generations of women trying to support their family and being a part of the small town of Pleasant Sands, North Carolina.

But since a new chain store has come to town, this may be the last generation to have a store.

As Angela struggles to make a decision, her niece suggests she write to Santa on her app. To get her sister off of her back, she does. And finds a pen pal with good advice and maybe a chance at love.

This was such a sweet Christmas miracle story. I hope we see more of Angela and Pleasant Sands. There are quite a few really good characters here. It wasn't sappy but it was uplifting and made me smile a lot!

Well Done!

Netgalley/October 16th 2018 by St. Martin's Griffin

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle is the story of Geoff Paisley and Angela Carson.
This was a fun read with Geoff and Angela on different sides and heated arguments. But when Geoff fills in for Dear Santa and Angel writes to Dear Santa they end up corresponding without really knowing who at the other end.
Enjoyed the Christmas love story.

[Susan Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle opened my heart and made me believe in the magic of Christmas and Santa, something that I didn’t know that I had known I had lost.
Angela Carson owned a little family year round Christmas store that was not doing good financially in the family’s old lighthouse. Angela believed in ‘old fashioned’ items that were one of a kind and hand-made.
Geoff Paisley and his mother owned Christmas Galore a new retail store in town that sold Christmas items (and almost anything else you would want). Geoff’s mother, Rebecca, started the Dear Santa letters online app for something to do. She answered some personally and other went to an autoresponder who answered them.
The first meeting of Angela and Geoff was pleasant. They didn’t know who the other was...but when they found out!!! WOW!! Sparks flew! Through some unfortunate mishaps they saw more and more of each other. But as we all know, love doesn’t run smooth. Will they overcome the difficulties or be enemies? Will both stores stay open? The fun is just beginning....

[Christyg · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute Christmas story! It's a spin on the 'You've Got Mail' storyline but with Christmas stores in a tourist town. Angela is a character that felt that I would be friends with. This makes a story more enjoyable to me. A new store had moved to town and has contributed to her shop failing. Geoff is the owner of the new Christmas store in town. The two have very different philosophies for their businesses and end up butting heads sometimes in public ways. In a twist of events, Angela writes a letter to Santa and Geoff ends up being "Santa". The story was entertaining and left me feeling happy. The perfect Christmas story! The children's letters to Santa at the beginning of each chapter were fantastic. I received an advance copy for an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very well written, heartwarming tale about family, traditions & love. Angela is trying to keep up the tradition of running the Heart of Christmas, a boutique Christmas store. Her family has always been from Pleasant Sands & Angela has fell into being the keeper of history & the stories. As her business is failing, she blames it on a new Christmas superstore that has opened up. She clashes with the owner in person but is developing a relationship with him by email without knowing it’s him.

Geoff co-owns & operates Christmas Galore, the new superstore Angela blames for everything. He’s attracted to her before they get into it. His mother finally tells him that this is where his father was from & the connection she feels. He also finds out she has health issues & it throws him for a loop. The only thing she asks of him is that he personally answers the Dear Santa emails that come in.

This is a wonderful holiday story. From the beginning, as a reader, you experience Angela’s despair over the store & the feeling she’s letting her grandmother down. At the beginning, I didn’t like Angela’s sister, Marie. She seemed hard & unfeeling about all Angela was going through. She grew on me though & I realized it was her version of “tough love”. Geoff came across as a tough single minded business owner with no heart or compassion but as the story grows, you see the place & situations begin to change him. Ms. Naigle has written a wonderful story of new beginnings, traditions & love that was a joy to read.

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

In case you didn’t know, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. And because of this, I love reading Christmas romance novels. When I first read the synopsis, it mentioned that this book was a retelling of You’ve Got Mail. I was like “What’s that?”. I know…I know. I need to watch this movie. I will go watch it as soon as I finish this review. Promise. I was intrigued with the Dear Santa letters aspect and was excited to read.

After I read the first few chapters, I was hooked on the story. I loved getting to know the characters, Angela Carson and Geoff Paisley. Angela is so passionate about running her store, Heart of Christmas. And I enjoyed that she knows so much about her town’s history. Pleasant Sands is a tight-knit community where people look after each other and are each other’s biggest supporters. Things got more interesting when Geoff and his mom moved to town. Geoff was centered on keeping his business successful. He had two main focuses, making sure his mom was happy and making sure the sales numbers continued to grow. He was very used to moving every year and never settling down. Could he finally settle down and start a life with someone?

I enjoyed that these two were opposites. It added so much suspense in their relationship. It was cute to see them interact one way in person and unknowingly communicate differently through an app. I absolutely loved Angela’s Christmas spirit. Tradition was important to her and she would do anything she could to honor the ones she loved most. Her attitude was contagious and got me in the Christmas spirit. I almost took went to my garage and straight up took out my Christmas tree. Trust me, I had to hold myself back 😉

I thought it was ironic that Geoff ran a Christmas store, Christmas Galore, and didn’t really enjoy the holidays that much. He was not like Angela. He didn’t have many Christmas traditions because he was always working even at a young age. He just needed a few Dear Santa letters to bring him some magical Christmas cheer.

Dear Santa was a beautifully written Christmas romance that read like a Hallmark movie. It was romantic, emotional, and festive.

Rating:
I have to give this book 4 DEAR SANTA STARS because it was cheerful, festive, and just as charming as the town of Pleasant Sands. I wanted a little more face to face interaction between Geoff and Angela to get to explore their relationship. But overall, this story will be a must read for all you Christmas enthusiasts.

[Quirkybookwormkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I read along, a movie, You've Got Mail flashed in my head. I groaned because I remember how upset I was with the movie and I was NOT happy with the movie. I did not understand why a lot of people liked it. I didn't. It was NOT cool how it played out. With that being said, I was debating whether I should finish the book or not. I did not want to get angry over something that's not worth my time. What got me going was the heroine and the Dear Santa letters. I LOVE her. So, I plowed on.

I love how the lighthouse was turned into a cute store named Heart of Christmas. I love how there's a daily fact at each chapter about the town. I love the Dear Santa letters in each chapter.
Sure the hero has a change of heart. But I can't believe it would be in real life or even realistically ever or in a short span of time.
With that being said, I enjoyed some parts of it and some I was very disappointed. You can blame my guarded heart and the movie, You've Got Mail.
This book gets a low stars rating from me.

I recieved this unrealistic eARC from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thank you.

[Sarahauld345 · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had read this on a fan fiction website for You’ve Got Mail. I could have probably enjoyed this. I hope the author got their blessing for “borrowing” so heavily from that classic. I actually found myself getting agitated with all the content that was obviously from the movie for example: “I was cruel, and I”m never cruel” became “ I was mean, and I’m never mean”. And no where on the book could I see it credited as a retelling of “You’ve Got Mail”.

That being said, if you don’t care that the author heavily borrowed from another. It’s an easy read.

[Ashleys Bücherkabinett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ganz süße weihnachtliche Geschichte mit überraschend viel Tiefgang und tollem Setting sowie Atmosphäre. Ich konnte mich gut mit der Protagonistin identifizieren, jedoch ging es mir zum Ende hin alles zu schnell. Wie ein umgelegter Schalter wurde die Stimmung auf Harmonie umgeswitched, was mir zu gekünstelt gewirkt hat. Durch die schnelle Abfertigung zum Schluss wurde es mir dann doch noch etwas vermiest.

[✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

I am such a sucker for a Christmas novel, and when the novel is a Christmas retelling of the movie "You've Got Mail" - well, sign me up!

This is the first book by Ms Naigle that I have read, and I really did enjoy it. If you have seen the movie, there is nothing in the book that is going to surprise you, however that didn't bother me in the least. After a run of thrillers and crime books, a cute, sweet fluffy book was just what I needed.

I love the people of Pleasant Sands. I love the sense of community, the friendships, the family.

I also love the push/pull between Angela and Geoff, watching them fall in love when they didn't even like each other.

Dear Santa is a quick, sweet read that couldn't help but make me smile.

Bring on Christmas!