Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she thinks she may just have been given the best Christmas gift ever: the opportunity to finally give Ian the comeuppance he deserves. But clearly she does not have a knack for this whole revenge thing, because before she can make good on her plans, Trish gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life in an unexpected way that lets her see just how different the man is from the boy he used to be. In fact, much to her astonishment, she actually starts to like the guy. A lot. Trouble is, Ian doesn’t know who she really is, and explaining it to him is going to be a little difficult now—which is bad news, because Trish is starting to realize that all she really wants for Christmas this year…is Ian.
Meet Christine S. Feldman
Christine S. Feldman lives in the Pacific Northwest with her beagle and her ballroom-dancing husband. She writes both novels and screenplays along with some truly magnificent to-do lists. Stop by and say hi on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChristineSFeldman/
Cyber security expert Cord McQuada heads back home with his twelve-year-old niece in tow. Not that he ever planned to return after the community booted him out eight years ago. And since his only Christmas presents growing up came from the local gas station, he’d rather skip the town’s over-the-top festivities.
Giselle Delacroix, heir to a French fashion line, decides to jump ship and open a children’s clothing store. Busy and overworked, the last thing Giselle needs is a Christmas romance—even if the man involved is every woman’s pièce de résistance.
Melah, Heaven’s unofficial matchmaker, sends her new protégée to quell problems, but can she help Cord and Giselle ignite some Christmas sparks?
Meet Annalisa Russo
Annalisa Russo, a Midwest girl who grew up in an overpopulated first-generation Italian family in the ‘burbs of Chicago, published her first historical romance in 2012. Her Christmas novels are sweet and contemporary romances, and her historical novels chronicle the lives of Italian immigrants in the 1920s and 30s. On a personal note, along with a passion for reading and writing, Annalisa enjoys gardening, cooking for company, and frequently invents reasons for traveling. The mother of two grown children, she now shares her home with a narcissistic tabby named Buster who really runs the show.
She is the woman of his dreams, but she has a secret that could tear them apart.
Jazmine Campbell is a therapist, but that doesn’t mean she never struggles with sharing her feelings. In fact, there’s one thing she never told anyone since admitting it out loud is too painful. Years ago, her doctor told her she can’t have children, and although it rips her up inside, she lets everyone think she doesn’t have a husband and children because she’s too focused on her career.
Clay Drover may look like a mountain man, but he has a few surprises up his sleeve, one being he owns a huge house and is financially set for life. His lonely childhood makes him long for a family of his own, and he knows just the woman to share his life with.
When Jazmine flies out to Alaska for her cousin’s Christmas wedding, she and Clay are thrust together once again. Will Clay be able to convince her to lower her guard? Or will her secret divide them once and for all?
Sawyer Dumont is made of sarcasm and steel. Successful, rich and easy on the eyes, it’s not his fault women don’t stay around long. They should really try to be more interesting. Despite his career as a cardiovascular surgeon, Sawyer knows very little about matters of the heart. So what if his longest lasting relationship is with his father and his quirky aunt who stepped up to raise him? If he could just find them a personal chef to help them through their golden years, then life would be perfect.
Slinging drinks and lighting shots on fire is a far cry from the dream Dakota Brightling had when she moved to California to attend culinary school. At work she watches others live her dream just twelve feet away in the resort restaurant. Story of her life: Close but not close enough. Finding an ad for an in-home chef, she knows she’s the perfect candidate. She’s only missing one thing, a culinary degree. But isn’t chasing your dream worth a little lie or two? It isn’t exactly the path she wanted, but Dakota knows that some of the best recipes are often improvised.
Instantly taken with Henri Dumont, and his sister, Eloise, two eccentric French seniors, Dakota feels like she’s found where she was meant to be all along. With Sawyer’s cynicism undermining her every move, she knows she has a lot to prove. Between her lack of schooling, her overbearing mother who thinks she’s been abducted, and Sawyer breathing down her neck, things are getting hot in the kitchen. Can she pull it all together, or will her culinary career end as just another flash in the pan?
Excerpt:
It’s not hard to recognize Sawyer’s voice, especially when he sounds annoyed. That’s the voice I’m most used to hearing after all.
“We went to cut down a tree.”
“I know,” the annoyance only grows, “but where are you?”
“Oh, we’re at the one off—”
“No, Kota,” he tries again, and his patience is gone, “I’m wandering between the cedars and the blue spruce and I don’t see you. Where are you?”
I push up on my tip toes because I think I can see him. I wave an arm above my head. The line goes dead, and then I’m sure he saw me.
“This one is fuller.” Eloise is still arguing.
“But this one will let the ornaments dangle between the branches,” Hank retorts, as if it is that much more important.
She yells something in French, and Hank throws his hands over his head in frustration as Sawyer steps through the wall of trees.
“Of course, all I had to do was listen for angry French and I’d find my family. What are we getting?” He pulls at a tree leaning against another and says, “This seems fine.”
“It’s all scraggly.”
“It looks like a tree to me, Dakota.”
“It’s too short.”
“It’s our house, not Rockerfeller.”
I groan. “Oh, who invited you anyway?”
“You did,” he says with a smirk. “Let’s get this done.”
Henri, which one do you prefer?”
“The one Dakota found.”
I shoot a smug look at Sawyer to drive my victory home.
“Fine, Dad, I’ll drag it up front.”
“No, I’ll take it. You weren’t even supposed to be here.”
“Tell you what, Dad, I was worried about you exerting yourself, so I rearranged my day. But you grab the tree since you’re so healthy.”
“Gladly.” Hank snags the trunk from my grasp. He drags it through the leaves until Eloise grabs the other half and lightens his load.
“You’d think a doctor would insist on carrying it himself.” I let an eyebrow jut upward. “I don’t see you carrying anything, Doctor.”
Sawyer’s head tilts for a moment. “Sure I am. I’m taking you.” He ducks low and plants his shoulder into my stomach while wrapping his arm around the back of my knees. I’m squealing and giggling but trying not to kick him as he has me slung over his shoulder like a sack of laundry.
