The forever Christmas tree / Sandra Hill.

The Christmas bells are chiming across the Outer Banks town of Bell Cove, North Carolina, but there's one local "grinch" who's not listening... He's got bad-boy looks and a Bah Humbug attitude, so when the local paper asks the villagers to vote on the "Biggest Local Grinch" as a fund-raising project, Ethan Rutledge isn't surprised to hear he's made the ballot. He might own the local Christmas tree farm, but the holiday hasn't been welcome in his home since Wendy Patterson left him heartbroken twelve years ago. But now Wendy's back, fresh from a tour of duty as a female Navy SEAL. She's bold, beautiful, and has five Navy buddies trailing after her - as if she needs a bodyguard! And what's all this about them wanting to start a treasure-hunting company right here in Bell Cove's failing bell factory? Then Wendy learns about how Ethan's been nuturing the one thing he has to remember her by: a gorgeous blue spruce tree. Can the magic of Christmas and the spirit of the town help rekindle the romance between two people who thought they'd left love behind years ago?