Laura Crawford loves helping children and teens at The Learning Center for ASD. It's the one part of her life she can count on after her fiancé leaves her for someone else.

Heartbroken and burned out, Laura throws herself into work—until her boss sends her to Waverly Lake to help organize a holiday fundraiser. A change of scenery is exactly what she needs.

Falling for someone new isn't part of the plan.

Attorney Steve Albertson is tired of small-town drama, holiday chaos, and everyone expecting him to fix their problems. With Christmas approaching, he's counting down the days until his Gulf Coast escape.

Then Beverly Bennett asks for one favor... Help with the fundraiser.

Steve expects spreadsheets and planning meetings. Not Laura Crawford.

The determined organizer immediately decides he's arrogant, impossible, and far too self-absorbed to care about the event. Laura thinks Steve is everything she doesn't need.

Steve thinks Laura has him completely wrong.

As holiday preparations pull them together, first impressions begin to crack. Between winter festivities, unexpected adventures, and the magic of Christmas in Waverly Lake, Laura and Steve discover healing sometimes arrives when—and where—you least expect it.

But when Laura's past resurfaces and someone threatens to derail the fundraiser, they'll have to decide if what they're building is worth fighting for.

Perfect for readers who love small-town romance, holiday romance, enemies-to-lovers chemistry, forced proximity, grumpy hero vibes, Christmas magic, and heartwarming happily-ever-afters.