Member Reviews

This is a new author to me
Great story between Geoff and Angela, it's not as much an enemies to lovers but more a rivalry that turns to admiration to love. This is a sweet story and I was intrigued from the beginning.

I received a copy from Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion

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Dear Santa started out kind of slow for me. I had a hard time getting to the point that I didn't want to put it down, but I did get there. The comparisons to the movie "You've Got Mail" are inevitable--a man and a woman emailing each other, falling for each other and then discovering that he is the owner of the business that is playing a part in the death of her small, quaint business that has a strong emotional and family tie for her. Since that is one of my favorite movies, I had absolutely no problem with the resemblance.
I loved that Angela's business was unique in it's location and in the quality of items that she sold. Geoff's business was much more commercial. Ms. Naigle added enough different qualities to the story to make it fresh and enticing. I really liked the letters to Santa that started every chapter. They were amusing and precious. This was a different type of Christmas story...one I enjoyed very much!

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DEAR SANTA by Nancy Naigle reminded me why I was so in love with You’ve Got Mail and was the good holiday read to kick off the season. It’s a story of enemies turned friends, of family businesses, and of the power of connection. While predictable (if you know the movie well), this adaptation of that plot is was still worth the read and will put you in the Christmas spirit. Naigle does a good job setting up the town, the characters, and the whole “snowglobe” feeling of Angela’s shop. This is a great romantic read that captures all the butterflies without ever getting into what happens behind closed doors. The kind of book that has you smiling the whole time you read, it was definitely enjoyable and fun.

I received an ARC of this novel from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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This is an awesome Christmas story. It has lots of things I love in a book, small town, a light house, family and great friends, Christmas, and a believable story. Who of us have tried to keep something because of a family member that may have passed on? How many of us have dealt with someone we think is horrible and out to get us? Were you right? It would be fun to go look at all the items in Heart of Christmas and the Snow Valley sounds like a perfect place to play. I very much enjoyed meeting and getting to know these characters. I hope to hang out with them again. Nancy is ranking right up there with some of my favorite authors. I received an ARC of this book, but my opinion is my own.

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A holiday retelling of You've Got Mail that will make you fall in love with the Christmas Season!

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.

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?

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?

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?

Loved Angela and Geoff's story. This was a sweet romance that was the perfect summer read!

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Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Nancy Naigle offers a Christmas story that teaches the lessons of not judging others without first knowing them better and finding love and home in the most unexpected places.

This review will offer a first for me: the chance to publish my review of a story on the day it is published! And while I usually try to keep all Christmas books/reviews after Halloween, this story promised to be worth breaking my traditions. It did not disappoint with its snappy dialogue and moving plot line, but I did notice something – this is a very similar story to favorite movies of mine from the past, “Shop Around The Corner/You’ve Got Mail”. And though this startling similarity is not totally unwelcome, it was a bit weird to read passages that were almost word-for-word from the movies. That being said, I still really enjoyed this book, given the time of year it featured as well as the well written conversations. Ms. Naigle begins her story on Thanksgiving day with a young woman who is facing a crisis at her family business. The Heart of Christmas year round holiday store has been in Angela’s family for generations, offering the residents and tourists of Pleasant Sands beautiful, handmade Christmas items that will last for years. But big-box store Christmas Galore has moved in down the street and turned things very bleak for Angela’s shop. Faced with the reality that she must turn a magnificent profit this Christmas season or close her doors forever, Angela asks her sister for advice. Marie gives her all the options from a legal standpoint but tells Angela she must decide what is best for the shop for herself. Heartbroken but still wishing to fight, Angela decides to see what the profits are after two weeks and make her decision then. She still can’t understand why people would want to buy cheap ornaments, trees and gifts that lack originality when they could buy one-of-a-kind items at her store. To make things worse, Angela unknowingly finds herself attracted to her nemesis, Geoff, who is part owner and CEO of Christmas Galore. Geoff loves the hustle and bustle of his chain of stores and makes it his mission to personally oversee the opening of each new branch. Thrilled to see the enthusiastic response of Pleasant Sands to the most recent addition, he looks forward to the break the next two years will give him and his mother as they take a sabbatical from constant moving/branch opening. What Geoff didn’t expect was to be vehemently opposed by the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen because of his store. Who is he to tell people what they should by and where? And if they prefer cheaper gifts or decor that only lasts the one season, who is he to argue? His job is to answer the customer’s demand, not make sure that all local shop owners are pleased with his merchandise. As the days pass quickly towards Christmas, Angela sees the folly of keeping her doors open and finally decides to close on Christmas Eve. But moving beyond her anger with Geoff will take more than a simple apology. Can she really risk a relationship with a man who moves so frequently? And will their relationship be as disposable as some of the items in his store? Geoff will do his best to convince her that is not the enemy she imagines him to be, and if she gives him a chance, they might just find more than they were looking for all along. (His surprise funding of a future job for Angela will also give her another reason to appreciate his kind and generous heart.) Together they will find love and home with the one person who seemed the least likely imaginable. I loved the plot of this story as its always fun to see how two staunch “enemies” fall in love despite initial circumstances. I didn’t agree with the incredible rude and spiteful way that Angela spoke to Geoff at the beginning of the story but I could understand that heartbreak over her store might cause her to act out of normal character. And Geoff was polite in spite of all she said, even though she accused him of making money through duplicity. That takes great character to remain calm while being reamed out in public. Would that both of them had been so polite and non-aggressive. Another enjoyment I had was with the “Dear Santa” messages that inspired the title. I loved that Geoff’s mother, Rebecca, had a way for children to share their heart with Santa and was also able to personally answer the tough letters in a way that encouraged and brought hope to hurting little ones. That it would bring Geoff and Angela together in spite of their differences was an even better plot point. I also loved that this story was very clean with a good romance that was complex and had a journey to complete. Further, that it taught lessons of forgiveness and kindness made this story a truly wonderful read. So, while it carried more than a hint of past stories, the working out of the plot was fairly original and left me with a smile. I will most certainly recommend this story to others and hope that they will enjoy this delightful Christmas story as much as I.

I received this E-Book free of charge from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

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A nice story about two people who start out as strangers, then enemies, then a little more....you get the idea. DEAR SANTA is the newest holiday release from Nancy Naigle and gives us a heroine and hero with individual issues compounded by family obligations, business problems, and the most stressful time of the year: The holiday shopping season.
Fans of Naigle will enjoy her trademark prose and the full sense of family she brings to each of her stories.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced arc for an honest opinion of the work.

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Dear Santa is a heart warming, holiday romance that will make you laugh, smile and tear up. Angela has inherited the family business, Heart of Christmas, which sells unique, high quality, handmade Christmas decorations, ornaments and more. It is more than just a business, it is her life – it is full of memories, dreams and where her heart lies. But in this modern age, where cheap can be king – how can it survive? Especially when the chain store, Christmas Galore, moves in.

Angela is forced to face reality as sales that were already down, plummet. She just can not compete with the cheap, mass-produced products of the chain store. She faces anger, resentment and even hatred towards the store and the owner, Geoff Paisley – who before she realizes is the owner, she feels a great deal of attraction to!

She bores her heart out into the sweetest app, Dear Santa (which you get to read several of the letters to Santa which will make your heart melt!) not realizing the creators of the app are Christmas Galore!

Angela and Geoff face off with each other in a background of family emergencies, changing market landscapes and are forced to look deeply in order to reinvent themselves in order to survive. It was a beautiful story that made me laugh and served as a reminder that change, while at first is scary, can actually be great and lead to even better things.

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If you love Christmas reads you must pick this one up. I love Naigle's ability to bring her characters to life on the pages of her books. I felt for the character Angela since I struggle with my own business. I felt a kinship to her from the beginning. Her sister Marie was a little bit hard to take, I guess it was tough love but she was really the only character I didn't like. , II loved the location of the story and the history of the lighthouse. The author's descriptive writing style helped me to feel like I was a part of the story and you could feel the cold of Snow Valley and smell of Momma Grace's special cookies..

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Small town multi generational shop in trouble and the final nail in the coffin is a big story selling more for cheaper.

Angela and Geoff start out bad but as Geoff grows and changes so does the relationship. Angela needs to realise that the world offers more than the little corner she has hidden in for most of her life.

Good story.

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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.

We give this 4 paws up.

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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! 

So much appreciation to #Netgalley, #StMartinsPress - about whom I cannot praise highly enough - and @NancyNeigle for my copy of this endearing holiday tale.

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My husband asked me why in the world I read Christmas novels. The answer? It's books like this that make me want to read them! Nancy has captured the magic of Christmas in Dear Santa. However, I will say that if you are a Christmas movie junkie, you'll notice that the story line has a familiarity about it, but it's the way Nancy tells the story that makes you want to keep reading. Her characters are interesting and the main character, Angela, is just a downright sweet girl who only wants to keep her store afloat. Then there's Geoff - the wealthy, handsome, businessman that is the threat to Angela's success. Yes, both characters are cliche, but still interesting and kept me wanting to read more to see how things were going to finally turn out in the end. Sure it's predictable - it's a Christmas story, but it's the way Nancy tells the story that will keep you captivated and turning the pages until you surprise yourself that you've finished the book and can't believe you've sat reading for such a long period of time.

If you are a sucker for feel good Christmas stories, treat yourself and pick up a copy of Dear Santa. You won't regret it!

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This story takes place in a small coastal town in North Carolina. Angela Carson owns a Christmas store, Heart of Christmas, located in a lighthouse. Her great-great-grandmother owned the light house and started the Christmas store. Angela knows the town history and loves talking about the past. The Christmas items she sells are high end, one of a kind Christmas pieces. Geoff Paisley and his mother own Christmas Galore that comes to town a little before Thanksgiving. The bottom line of this store is how much money it can make. This is one of many stores up and down the east coast. Unfortunately many of the people in town go to this large department store as they have such good prices for their Christmas presents. This means war to Angela and Geoff is who she is taking it out on.

There is a lot of interesting information in the book. I hated seeing how Angela lashed out at Geoff so much. I could feel there was a connection between the two, but Angela was so caught up in her store. This is a good Christmas book to read. I enjoyed the book and encourage you to read it. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.

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This was a sweet, sad book. The book is a enemies to lovers troupe. There is no swearing, kissing or anything like that in this book. I pretty much had tears in my eyes for most of this book. I felt so bad for Angela and her losing the Heart of Christmas. I did see exactly where the story was going to end but it was still sad to read. The ending was a tad unlikely but it was still how it should have ended. Overall I did enjoy this book and it's a sweet Christmas Story. Thank makes you fall in love with the town of Pleasant Sands.



*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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I liked this sweet book about a woman fighting to keep her family story open, even when a big box story comes in and starts taking over everything. Angela is trying to keep a store that has been in her family for generations open and thriving. She is trying new things, but nothing seems to be enough. Her sister is worried, because Angela has always focused on the store, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else. Angela seed a handsome man in a coffee shop when she stops there to get something for her sister and wants to get to know him. When her niece suggests she write a letter to Santa asking him for help she obliges but figures it is an automated response. Little does she know that, not only is it not autogenerated, but the person behind the responses is someone she is interested in, but doesn't want to be.
Geoff is a man who has built his store from the bottom up, alongside his mother. He sees Angela and wants to get to know her. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he will be able to break past Angela's barriers. Every time he tries to apologize, or even just have a conversation, it goes horribly wrong. With some mystery about his mom, his dad (whom he never met), and a possible relationship with Angela, could this man who never settles anywhere finally find a reason to stay in one place? Will Angela be able to survive when she has to make a decision about her store? Who is behind the responses to her Dear Santa letters?
A sweet book about new beginnings, second chances, and learning to trust others, as well as yourself.

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First off – it’s a Nancy Naigle romance, so I know I’m going to be emotionally satisfied from even before I open the pages. Next in line – it’s a Christmas Romance by Nancy Naigle so multiply that emotionally satisfied level by about ten. Yeah, I was one very happy reader when I got my hands on Dear Santa.

I don’t like to make comparisons between a book and a movie. True, there are some things about Dear Santa that might remind you of parts of a now famous movie — but then that’s also like saying every movie or book with Santa Claus in it is basically the same… and that’s just not true. So, I’d strongly suggest reading this one for yourself and making up your own mind, plus it’s a charming, entertaining Christmas Romance so you really can’t lose.

Like many small, unique stores with their own special niche market, Heart of Christmas sold unusual, often old-fashioned, one of a kind Christmas decorations from the lighthouse near the beach. Both have been in the family for three generations. But, unfortunately, this might be the last Christmas season for like everywhere else in the world, the larger, less expensive, more mass produced items filled store were taking over from the smaller hidden gems of the past. And this is where we find Geoff and Angela – on opposite sides of this battle, attracted to each other on one level, and angry, hurtful words being tossed back and forth on the other level. But does one have to lose in order for them both to win in the bigger challenge of falling in love…

I had a blast with Dear Santa. From the touching, and often informative chapter headings down to the emotions that swirl around Angela and Geoff whenever they’re around each other – I was captured from the start and I never lost that “what will happen next” feeling throughout their romance. I liked both Angela and Geoff individually, and eventually together – but they had to get through the emotions that would destroy anything they could have together first. At times funny enough for a chuckle out loud moment, at others sad and poignant enough to bring tears to your eyes their romance will go through some deep potholes before finding an answer that keeps them together. I would not hesitate to recommend Dear Santa to any reader looking for a feel good, Christmas filled romance with interesting characters and a love that is stronger than any business around.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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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.

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Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle is a Christmas story that with a few changes could happen any time of the year. It is not so much a Christmas story as it is one of business rivals who communicate on-line unknowingly. Angela Carson is the underdog being a little strong in the bitterness department. Geoff Paisley and mother are seen as the big commercial outfit coming to take over the sales. However, like in life Geoff Paisley is not totally the bad guy. Right or wrong in business, the lines become blurred.

The concept for the story is one that has been done but I enjoyed the different NC setting. I know this coast well. There are local Christmas shops we always visit on out trips to the beach. I would love to visit Angela’s in the lighthouse. What fun; fits right in with the Carolinians idea of a shopping and enjoying history at the same time. If only, it was real.

One of my favorite characters is Angela’s niece. Though a lead character, Angela is not my favorite lead character; she comes off as bitter and snobbish. Geoff, I actually liked better, in spite of his “insincere Christmassy store”. I also thought the letters to Santa and the history facts of the area were a wonderful touch.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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It was quickly obvious to me this was going to be a Christmas version of “You’ve Got Mail.” Read it anyway. Always looking for an upbeat story of hope and redemption.

I have added this to my re-read collection to pick my spirits up when things are going craczy in the world.

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