A Heartwarming Christmas Holiday Romance

From the publisher:

This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents…

Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?

Her twin sister, Rosie, married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?

Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?

Despite everyone’s best intentions, all the chaos and confusion could derail their normally happy holidays. Can they tell each other the truth in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?

Perfect for fans of:

• The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan
• Strong, hardworking women
• Complex family relationships
• Christmas Hallmark movies
• Rebecca Serle and Meghan Quinn

https://amzn.to/49UzXF1

The Balfours’ Christmases are always full of love and chaos, but this year the holiday feels especially tense as everyone seems to be in the middle of a crisis. Each member arrives at the holiday gathering with private struggles and unspoken fears, turning what should be a joyful reunion into something far more complicated. Morgan creates an immersive, heartfelt portrait of three generations gathering under one roof, complete with secrets, surprises, and all the complications that come with family.

At the center of the story are the siblings, each carrying burdens that threaten to unravel the festive spirit. Becky and Rosie, once inseparable twins, have grown apart since Rosie’s wedding. Becky has deliberately kept her distance, wanting to give her sister space to settle into married life, but beneath her restraint lies a longing to reconnect. Rosie, meanwhile, is quietly questioning the choices she made, wondering if she rushed into marriage before truly knowing her husband.

Their brother Jamie arrives with his new girlfriend, Hayley, and a promise of a big announcement. For Hayley, who has never experienced the comfort of a close-knit family, the Balfours’ bustling Christmas is both thrilling and intimidating. She longs to belong, yet fears she won’t measure up to their traditions and expectations. Her perspective offers a tender glimpse into what it means to crave connection and to find it in unexpected places.

Meanwhile, Jennifer, the family’s matriarch, faces her own quiet crisis. She had imagined her husband’s retirement as a season of ease and companionship, but instead finds herself unsettled by his struggle to adjust. His obvious depression leaves her feeling helpless, and she wonders how to support him.

The novel unfolds through the voices of Becky, Rosie, Hayley, and Jennifer, each chapter peeling back layers of vulnerability and resilience. Their stories intertwine to reveal the complexities of family life—the misunderstandings, the silences, the moments of tenderness that break through the tension. As the Balfours navigate their secrets and begin to open up to one another, the narrative transforms into a moving exploration of love, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to be truly seen.

Morgan’s depiction of the Balfour Christmas is immersive and heartfelt, capturing the messy beauty of family gatherings where joy and conflict coexist. With surprises around every corner and emotions running high, this is not just a holiday story—it’s a portrait of a family learning that even in the midst of chaos, connection can be the greatest gift of all. With themes of family drama, hidden secrets, and a sprinkle of romance, this is a tantalizing tale of forgiveness and hope, and a terrific start to the holiday season.

11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A MERRY LITTLE LIE by Sarah Morgan. Canary Street Press. (October 7, 2025). ISBN: ‎ 978-1335013224. 368p.

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Fixer Series, Book 2

From the publisher:

From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

She’ll save Christmas just to spite him…

There’s only one thing standing in the way of Cat King saving Merry, Connecticut’s Christmas festival: Grumpy town manager Noah Yates.

Single dad Noah takes his responsibilities seriously. When a late season hurricane turns his town into a disaster, he’s left scrambling to pick up the pieces of the town he loves.

At least, until home renovation expert and reality TV star Catalina King arrives with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again. But Noah doesn’t want a celebrity diva capitalizing on their tragedy or filling his young daughter’s head with visions of glitz and glam.

Blonde bombshell Cat is used to being underestimated, but Noah has an uncanny knack for getting under her skin. They can’t be in a room together without rubbing each other the wrong way…except that time in the dark alley where the rubbing was just right. Can these enemies work together to pull off a Christmas miracle or will their fighting leave them both on the naughty list?

Author’s Note: These enemies-to-lovers deliver the holiday feels with a dirty-talking hero, ballsy blonde who never backs down, steamy hot break-the-dining-room-table sexy times, and a small town that still believes in the magic of Christmas.

https://amzn.to/47CASIJ

The Hallmark-worthy town of Merry, Connecticut, has just weathered a hurricane and severe flooding. Reality TV home renovation star Cat King, who once worked on a house there, sees an opportunity to return and help with the recovery. It’s a win-win: she gets to do some good, and the ratings promise to be spectacular. But Noah Yates, the town’s manager and a single dad, isn’t thrilled about turning their misfortune into entertainment. Cue the sparks—and the classic enemies-to-lovers tension.

There’s something irresistibly magical about a holiday romance, and this story captures that spirit with a perfect blend of humor, heart, and festive charm. The setup—a spirited TV personality swooping in to save a small town’s Christmas festival while clashing with its grumpy, no-nonsense manager—is pure swoon material.

At the heart of the story is Cat King, whose vibrant energy and unshakable optimism light up the storm-drenched town of Merry. Opposite her is Noah Yates, the quintessential holiday grump: serious, protective, and emotionally guarded. Their chemistry crackles from the moment they meet, with Cat’s exuberance clashing deliciously against Noah’s grounded pragmatism.

Set against the backdrop of a town rebuilding after disaster, the narrative explores themes of resilience, healing, and rediscovering joy. As Noah struggles to protect his daughter and restore his community, Cat brings not only financial support but a fresh, festive spirit that challenges his worldview. Lucy Score delivers a story filled with laugh-out-loud moments and tender emotional beats, proving that even the most unlikely pairings can lead to the most unforgettable love stories.

This is the second book of a two-part series, which I didn’t realize until I started reading. Both books can stand alone, but are probably more enjoyable when read in order. I loved the first book, Mr. Fixer Upper, and highly recommend both!

11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CHRISTMAS FIX by Lucy Score. Bloom Books. (October 10, 2023). ISBN: ‎ 978-1728295145. 384p.

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Honeycrisp Orchard Romance, Book 1

From the publisher:

A Cozy Small-Town Romance of Rediscovery, Forced Proximity, and the Magic of Autumn Set on a Quaint Apple Orchard

For fans of the Lovelight series and The Pumpkin Spice Café, this cozy and sexy romance follows a young event planner who returns to her family’s inn on an apple orchard to help run their Harvest Festival—only to find herself butting heads with the handsome son of the apple orchard’s owners. 

Ellie Lawson’s city life was treating her just fine until a sour turn of events knocks her out in one fell swoop. Dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her event planning job, she is left with no choice but to return to her parents’ idyllic inn, nestled within a picturesque Honeycrisp orchard on Long Island. Anticipating a quiet hiatus in the attic apartment, she is instead met with Aiden, the stubborn, attractive son of the orchard owner who is currently occupying her planned refuge.

Forced together by circumstance, they find themselves not only roommates but also coworkers, when they’re put in charge by their parents of the orchard’s vital Harvest Festival, a lifeline for both the struggling orchard and the inn. Amidst the enchanting disorder of small-town life, Ellie and Aiden grapple with their conflicting values, burgeoning feelings, and an electrifying tension.

As Ellie discovers the unexpected charm of the life she left behind and Aiden learns there’s much more to Ellie than he’d first assumed, one fact remains: the future of the orchard and the inn depends on their unlikely collaboration.

Embark on a captivating journey of rediscovery, love, and the irreplaceable magic of small-town life.

https://amzn.to/3JbdMzD

Ellie Lawson was living the dream—sort of. She’d been put in charge of a major presentation for her event planning company’s biggest new client, and after months of preparation, she knew her plan was stellar. But the night before her big pitch, her boyfriend—who also happened to be her coworker and roommate—dumped her out of nowhere.

Heartbroken but determined, Ellie throws herself into work, hoping to impress the client and finally earn that long-awaited promotion. Instead, her presentation was met with stunned silence. Moments later, her boss pulls her aside to accuse her of plagiarizing her ex’s work—he had presented her exact plan just before her. Outraged, Ellie tries to explain, but her boss refuses to listen and fires her on the spot.

Now both jobless and homeless, Ellie has no choice but to return home to Long Island, where her parents run a charming inn on an apple orchard owned by their lifelong best friends. They’ve been begging her for years to come home and help with their annual fall Harvest Festival, but she’s always been too busy with her real job. This time, she has no excuse. Her parents are thrilled she’s coming and offer her the attic apartment in the inn—except when she arrives, she finds it already occupied by Aiden, the orchard owners’ son. They grew up together, and Ellie doesn’t realize that Aidan was disappointed that she moved away.

Aiden’s house is under renovation, so the two reluctantly agree to share the small two-bedroom apartment. But when Aiden learns Ellie plans to work on the Harvest Festival, he’s less than thrilled. The festival is his project, and he’s not keen on sharing control. She dives headfirst into planning a festival far grander in scale and budget than Aiden thinks prudent, and their clashing approaches set the stage for constant friction.

Apparently, it’s now mandatory for small-town romances to reference the Gilmore Girls, and this author delivers. As Ellie and Aiden navigate their differences, growing attraction, and shared hopes for the orchard’s success, the Harvest Festival becomes more than an event—it’s a chance to save both the orchard and the inn.

Through it all, Ellie realizes she loves event planning but hates the corporate world that crushed her creativity. When her ex and her former boss reach out—the event she designed is collapsing under his mismanagement—and the client tries to hire her directly, Ellie faces a choice: return to the city or stay in the only place that’s ever truly felt like home.

As Ellie rediscovers the unexpected magic of the life she left behind—and Aiden learns she’s far more than the city girl he assumed—their partnership proves vital to the orchard’s future.

My only quibble? The setting. As someone who grew up on Long Island, I’ve never encountered any small towns remotely like this. Sure, there are orchards, but not the kind that exist in quaint, Gilmore Girls-style villages. The story would have felt more believable to me if the orchard had been set in upstate New York, where quirky small towns abound—but most readers won’t know the difference. Nevertheless, this was a charming, heartwarming read filled with small-town magic and second chances, and I’m looking forward to whatever comes next.

11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HONEYCRISP ORCHARD INN by Valerie Bowman. Avon. (September 9, 2025). ISBN: ‎ 978-0063454033. 272p.

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