Story for the Week
My favorite work call every week (if you can have a favorite work call) is the call with my immediate team. Before we get into work topics, we do a round robin of fun topics. What TV or book character do we most identify with? (Jill Taylor from Home Improvement.) What podcasts are we listening to? (I don’t do podcasts because my mind wanders…and they cut into my reading time.) What books are we reading? (Right now, The Wishing Tree series.) I’ve definitely taken book recommendations from people at work too.
Several of the people on our team are readers. When I described The Wishing Tree series, one of the women on the team said that it felt like I was describing a Hallmark movie. My response was that I could totally see these books as Hallmark movies—a picturesque small town, gigantic linden tree in the middle of the town square, people helping each other, romance, a little bit of magic.
One More Wish (book #16) takes place at Christmas time. Set in the fictional town of Linden Falls, Vermont, Christmas means snow. So when the author writes “With the snow falling and the glow of the lights on the tree, the square reminded her of a Christmas movie,” I can envision the Hallmark Christmas movie.
These are all very quick reads, most under 200 pages. If you haven’t read any of them, I recommend starting at the beginning. If you already read the first 13 when they released in 2022, books 14-17 are available now.
Full Book List:
- Book 1: The Wishing Tree
- Book 2: I Wish… by Amanda Prowse
- Book 3: Wish You Were Here by Kay Bratt
- Book 4: Wish Again by Tammy L. Grace
- Book 5: Workout Wishes & Valentine Kisses by Barbara Hinske
- Book 6: A Parade of Wishes by Camille Di Maio
- Book 7: Careful What You Wish by Ashley Farley
- Book 8: Gone Wishing by Jessie Newton
- Book 9: Wishful Thinking by Kay Bratt
- Book 10: Overdue Wishes by Tammy L. Grace
- Book 11: A Whole Heap of Wishes by Amanda Prowse
- Book 12: Wishes of Home by Barbara Hinske
- Book 13: Wishful Witness by Tonya Kappes
- Book 14: A Wish for Forgiveness by Amanda Prowse
- Book 15: Wishful Tails by Barbara Hinske
- Book 16: One More Wish by Tammy L. Grace
- Book 17: A Wish in the Wind by Kay Bratt
Book Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 Stars for One More Wish by Tammy L. Grace
144 pages
Publisher: Lone Mountain Press
Publication Date: October 17, 2024
Purchased on Amazon.
Publisher’s Description
Wishes in branches tied with string. Someone’s hopes. Another’s dreams.
In the quaint town of Linden Falls, Millie King and her loyal golden retriever have found solace and a sense of belonging, reveling in the charm of the close-knit community. But Millie hides a secret that defines her past and holds her back from true happiness.
Haunted by a trauma from decades ago, she is weighed down by guilt and sorrow. Determined to confront her past with the support of newfound friends Neva and Paige, Millie takes a leap of faith, risking everything she has built in Linden Falls.
As she unravels the layers of her past, Millie discovers that a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment lies just beyond her front door—if only she can overcome her fear of rejection.
In the heart of this idyllic town stands the legendary Wishing Tree, rumored to possess the power to grant wishes. Millie hangs her wish on a branch and hopes it can offer her the chance to undo the mistakes of her past, and find the love, acceptance, and forgiveness she so desperately craves.
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Main Characters:
- Millie – widowed, her husband Stan left her relatively well off, recent transplant to Linden Falls, she owns a small shop and runs the postal counter, lives in a small apartment above the store with her dog Bingo
- Nicole – moved to Linden Falls seven years ago after her parents were killed in a car accident, works as a waitress at Crooked Porch but her passion is photography
- Jed – owns the hardware store, seems to have a sweet spot for Millie
- Paige – Jed’s sister, owns the bookstore that she took over after their mother died
- Neva – owner of the Wishing Tree Inn and considered by the town to be the curator of wishes
Millie King is one of the newest residents in Linden Falls, having moved recently to get closure. Twenty-seven years ago, her entire life flipped on its head, and she is determined to make it right. When she shares her secret with new friends Paige and Neva and later with Jed, they all encourage her to follow through with her plan, confident that everything will work out. Millie still fears that she will be forced to leave Linden Falls if things don’t go as planned.
Nicole spent her childhood visiting Linden Falls on vacation with her parents. After both of them tragically died in a car accident, she moved to Linden Falls looking for a connection, a feeling of family. The townspeople embraced her, like they do pretty much everyone. She works at a local restaurant, teaches line dancing classes, and (tries to) sell her photography every weekend at the artisan’s market.
As the town prepares for Christmas, Neva invites Millie to participate in their annual Secret Santa gift exchange. Millie draws Nicole’s name, and as you can probably guess, that’s the whole point of the story. Even though Millie and Nicole only met after Millie came to Linden Falls, there is a reason they both live in the town now. 😉
The author does a great job of weaving in townspeople we have met in previous stories…and dogs…lots of dogs. 🐕🐕🦺🐩🐶 As much as the residents of the town feel like family, so do their furry friends. And they play a pivotal role in bringing people together.
If you’ve read anything about this series, you know it all works out in the end. The path to closure is not without fear and a little bit of tension, but Linden Falls embodies love, resilience, community, and wishes that come true.
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