mythyagain 's review for:

Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners by Gretchen Anthony

5.0

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I received this book from the publisher free of charge in return for an honest review. This book is a satire of those smarmy, boastful Christmas letters that some families send. The characters are realistic, likable or at least tolerable (like some relatives in the best of families) and others are hilarious. The plot surrounds a Minnesotan matriarch who has the "perfect" family, tons of volunteer positions and attempts to throw the best parties. She covers all of this in her annual Christmas letter, Evergreen Tidings From the Baumgartners...At her husband's retirement party, a secret is revealed, that differs greatly from the surreal family that she likes to project to the community. I fond it to be quite the page-turner with a few plot twists near the end. This will make a great pre, during, and after holiday read and reminds us that blood is thicker than water and no family is perfect.