The owner at 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is Beth Morehouse, a divorced mother of two college-age daughters, who now runs a Christmas tree farm and trains dogs on the side. She has even recently begun dating again and is contemplating a relationship with the local veterinarian. Her daughters have another idea in mind, however, and have invited their father to visit from California to celebrate Christmas with them, telling each parent that the other one wants to be together as a family for the holiday. When their father, Kent, arrives with an attractive woman at his side, the girls are more determined than ever to help their parents remember what they have lost.
In the midst of all the holiday preparations, someone has left a basket with ten young puppies on Beth’s doorstep, and she is determined to find homes for all of them before Christmas. This quest causes her to cross paths with many of the characters whose stories were told in earlier books in the series, affording us a glimpse of how their families are faring.
Although there are a large number of characters for a short novel, Macomber provides just enough background to give a sense of who they are and how they fit together in the overall story of Cedar Cove. The puppies serve as a natural transition between the individual vignettes while keeping the primary focus on Beth and Kent’s relationship. All in all, 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is a heartwarming holiday story and a charming way to end the series.
Trish is a sucker for a good Christmas story, especially one with puppies! Her current responsibilities include two affectionate but needy white cats. She blogs at In So Many Words.
This is one of my favorite Debbie Macomber books!