First published 2026
Clare Madison lives for her career, not Christmas traditions. She buys cookies from the store and puts up fake trees. When her sister asks for help, Clare agrees to watch six-year-old Ricky. She wants to create a special Christmas for him but feels out of her depth. Her best friend Erica offers support with the child care. Her work colleague Ethan makes his own deal. He will play Santa for Ricky, but only if Clare agrees to go out with him. Clare finds herself learning to bake and going ice skating. She watches Ethan bond with her nephew and feels something shift inside her. The holiday activities bring her unexpected happiness. Her structured life starts to feel different. Then her career demands threaten to pull her back to her old routine. Clare faces a choice between the security she knows and the new connections she has built during the Christmas season.
Genres: romance, christmas, family-life, contemporary-romance
Vibes: cozy, emotional, intimate
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Period: Christmas Season
256 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books