First published 2010
Jimmy Sullivan travels from city to city with his brother Jack and their band The Unknown Souls. They live without roots until they return to Seaboro, South Carolina, a place Jimmy hoped never to revisit. There he meets Charlotte Carrington and falls for her completely. Love transforms Jimmy. He composes his first romantic ballad and performs it at a holiday show to thunderous applause. The audience calls it the "Perfect Love Song," and suddenly country music stars want Jimmy on their tours. Fame arrives fast. The song that began as genuine emotion becomes a ticket to bigger stages and greater recognition. Jimmy gets so caught up in his rising career that he chooses a Christmas Eve performance over Jack's wedding in Ireland. His relationship with Charlotte starts falling apart. Christmas Eve finds Jimmy alone in New York City, surrounded by success but empty of what matters most. Two small miracles help him see clearly. He realizes he has traded love and family for material rewards. Jimmy faces a crucial question: can he still reach Ireland in time for his brother's wedding and win back the love he nearly lost?
Genres: romance, music, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Seaboro, South Carolina, Ireland, New York City
Period: Christmas Eve
240 pages · Hardcover · Vanguard Press