REVIEW: In Family of Three Under the Tree by Traci Douglass

In Family of Three Under the Tree by Traci Douglass, single dad Sam is finally starting to settle in at Wyckford, Massachusetts. He and his seven year old daughter, Ivy, moved there the previous winter from San Diego after his wife passed following a battle with ALS. Sam is now determined to find a cure to the disease while also helping his patients the best he can at Wyckford General Hospital. Now if only he could stop thinking about his coworker Riley…

Riley is a radiologist at the hospital and does not have time for romance. She is resolved to regain some of the independence she lost following an accident that damaged her spine in a car accident. That means moving out of her brother’s house and graduating from her wheelchair to her crutches. A relationship with Sam would interfere with that independence… right?

This book was an absolute gem. The small town vibes were cozy perfection à la Hallmark Christmas movies. The author obviously spent time laying the town out and creating a history for it. In one of the early chapters we are introduced to the regular town meeting where a discussion around the annual pop up winter festival takes place. The festival itself is called – get ready for it! – “Ice, Ice Baby” and the date when it will occur is a surprise. Humor like this shines throughout the entire book and I found myself chuckling out loud often. We also get insight to long running feuds between shop owners, feisty seniors at bingo, and just an overall sense of community that we all seem to be craving these days.

Sam and Riley themselves were also interesting characters. Sam, who was referred to as “the Ice King” by his first wife” (perfect for a winter book!), has to thaw out and learn how to be vulnerable again. Opening up to another person is hard enough at the best of times, but following such a painful loss almost feels impossible. He is able to slowly move forward with Riley’s help. Riley, in turn, is also learning how to open up to the idea of a partnership rather than prove to the world and herself that she can get along fine without help, thank you very much. She wears the label “salty” proudly, although I did feel she slipped from salty to a little too mean at the third act break up.

My major struggle with this book was that the relationship was moving a little too slow around the middle and then picked up way too much speed in the second half. It felt like it was making up for lost time and I would have preferred some more even pacing. That being said, the cutest scenes between the two were sprinkled throughout the book and I was rooting for them with each turn of the page. There were a lot of mentions of the previous books in the series, but I didn’t feel lost for not having read them. This is also a holiday book, but you could easily read it at any point in the year to extend or escape to that happy holiday vibe.

I also adored Traci Douglass’s writing style. Her voice shines through on every single page and it is funny and joyful. I could not get enough of her quips and comments. She also did a great job creating a diverse environment without it feeling forced. I will be auto-buying her future books and peaking at her backlog as soon as possible.

If you love a small town, single dad romance or if you’re simply looking for a book to wrap around you like a cozy blanket on a winter day, this is the one. Just be prepared to want to run back to the rest in the series so you can stay in the town of Wyckford longer!

Book Info:

Publication: November 26, 2024 | Harlequin Medical | Wyckford General Hospital #4

Radiologist Riley isn’t interested in romance. After an accident left her in a wheelchair, she’ll prove she doesn’t need anyone’s help—especially neurosurgeon Sam’s. But despite his being infuriatingly gorgeous, she can’t knock her new research partner’s commitment to their study. Single dad Sam’s still fighting his grief and is hell-bent on curing the disease that stole his wife. Yet he can’t stop thinking about Riley…or the way his little girl lights up around her. With their undeniable attraction growing, could a family of three top their Christmas lists?