Once Upon a December by
With a name like Astra Noel Snow, having a festive disposition is not just a one-season thing; it is a way of life. Astra’s annual visit to the Milwaukee Christmas market, however, takes on a whole new significance following a bitter divorce. She is eager to eat, drink, and have a good time, especially because she will be joined by the dashing stranger who reserves the nicest kringle for her at his family’s bakery. In contrast to the world beyond the happy street, which miraculously transforms every four weeks from one December to the next, Jack Clausen sees the Julemarked, with its snowy lights and little stores, as remaining the same. Until Astra shows him the world outside of the celebratory red brick alley, he hasn’t had a problem with his idyllic life.
Astra and Jack must determine whether their relationship will last all seasons or if their feelings are meant just for the holiday season after a swoon-worthy string of dates, some Yuletide enchantment, and the unexpected glow of new love.
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
In addition to losing her sense of taste and smell, which are both essential for her success as a show judge, chef Charlie Goodwin suffers a head injury on the L.A. set of her reality baking show. Cass, Charlie’s identical twin, is feverishly attempting to maintain her own life in their quaint mountain community while managing the busy bakery managed by her family and coping with her ex, who refuses to accept that they are no longer together.
Charlie begs Cass to trade places—something they haven’t done since they were children—in the final days before Christmas. Cass concurs, seeking her own getaway from reality. But temporarily exchanging lives turns out to be trickier than they had anticipated, especially when handsome physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez and tough firefighter Jake Greenman are added to the mix. The twins’ identity switch: would it be a recipe for disaster, or will it have everything they need to put their lives back on track?
One Last Gift by Emily Stone
Having experienced the early loss of their parents, Cassie and Tom turned to one another for support as well as a network of friends. They had a unique bond with Sam, Tom’s best buddy, who constantly made sure Tom and Cassie were surrounded by affection. But Cassie also lost Tom twenty years later. In a way, she has also lost Sam since through the years, they have grown apart and the man she once had a crush on has changed into someone she no longer even recognizes.
Never has she felt more alone.
When Cassie later discovers an envelope with her name on it in Tom’s sloppy handwriting, she immediately recognizes what it is. Tom always makes a Christmas scavenger hunt for her, and this year he had promised to make it the best yet. This is the first clue in the hunt. She initially hesitates to open the envelope out of concern that she won’t be able to decipher the hints on her own. What if she discovers them all and her last link to Tom is severed?
If Cassie lets it, Tom’s gift will change her life and send her on a wonderful and heartbreaking trip. She also makes new acquaintances, reignites a past love, and, most importantly, rediscovers herself as she journeys from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside. Will she have the courage to embrace the gift her brother has given her—and the love it has brought her to—once she has figured out the last clue, though?
