As teens, their paths crossed every Christmas. This year, their paths intertwine. Single father Noah Appel has suffered more loss than a man of twenty-five should. Between his grief and the mounting pressure of the approaching busy season, he’s overwhelmed—until an incident at his daughter’s school reintroduces him to a girl whose wild hair and quirky family always stood out from other visitors to his family’s tree farm. Only now, she’s a beautiful woman with a kind and helpful heart who throws him and his young daughter a welcome lifeline. Offering to alleviate some of Noah’s stress seemed like the natural thing for music teacher Clari Sinclair to do, considering his family’s tree farm was the site of so many wonderful memories with her Christmas-obsessed family. Especially since the charming boy she once knew has grown into a handsome man whose burdens call to the deepest parts of her romantic heart. Can these two turn memories of Christmases past into a future worthy of the Appel legacy? \\This book previously appeared in Hearts Aglow: the 2020 Christmas Lights Collection with stories from Chautona Havig, Toni Shiloh, and Cathe Swanson. Find the sequel this year in the 2021 Christmas Lights collection, Home for Christmas.\\

Romance ruined their friendship. This could be the Christmas they repair it. CJ Sinclair never imagined trading her chef’s toque for the domestic life but her pregnant sister needs help over the holidays, and the timing couldn’t be better. A breakup and a bad case of burnout are just the top two on a list of things out of her control these days. Then there’s Tobin, her once best friend who she hasn’t spoken to in years. Now he’s everywhere all the time and sparking feelings she thought she got over ages ago. The past eight years as a professional musician for the US Army prepared Tobin McGhee for his new job as high school band teacher. They didn’t prepare him for how he’d feel seeing CJ again. This time, though, he won’t make the same mistakes. He’s determined to rebuild the friendship they lost. Maybe even rediscover those feelings they had back in high school before everything went wrong. Can they make holiday music together and rekindle the friendship they once had, or will romance ruin everything again?

Childhood neighbors, rivals, enemies. This Christmas, will love have a fighting chance? The palm trees and beaches of Florida are as far from her chaotic family as Cindy Sinclair can get. Bonus: her anticipated promotion is the perfect excuse not to come home for the holidays. Or it was, until she’s passed over and the job is given to none other than her childhood nemesis, the boy next door. This far from New Mexico, Nick Hoover never imagined he’d beat Cindy out for a job. Again. He’s offended her, adored her, and messed up her plans since the day they met, but this time, Nick is determined to prove he never wanted to be her enemy. If only she’ll let him. When their reignited adolescent rivalry gets out of hand, their boss insists they both go home, face the hurts of their pasts, and bury the hatchet once and for all. With help from her meddling family, this could be the Christmas they quit clashing and give love a fighting chance. Will Cindy set aside her preconceptions and see past the prankster into the heart of the man Nick truly is?