Gift-Wrapped Romance

Cabin fever can spark unexpected flames MAGGIE After being dumped last Christmas, I'm taking extreme measures to ensure nothing and no one ruins my happy holidays this time around. I'll be safely wrapped in a cocoon of kitschy Christmas decor, complete with surrounding winter wonderland at the ultimate holiday mountain cabin. So, what if the countless elf figurines make me a little uneasy or if there are a couple hiccups with cabin maintenance? There's a bigger problem: the assistant manager happens to be one of (many) teasing classmates from my childhood and my former crush. He keeps showing up to my cabin to fix things. I'm more worried about what he might break... WES Here at Crystal Peaks Resort, I've got everything I need: tall trees, fresh air, and no cell phone service. This is my happy place, and if I prove to my boss, I can handle the job, the management position here will be mine. Everything is falling into place. Until the newest guest arrives. The quirky cabin she's in is the bane of my existence, causing issue after issue. But the more I'm there, the more I realize the real obstacle between me and my future plans: proving to my boss I can keep a professional relationship with the guests. Or one guest in particular.

Ruben Palmer is on every woman's Christmas wish list. Except mine. I grew up with him and bested him in practically everything we did together—debate, grades, mini-golf, you name it. So I've built an immunity to his boy-next-door charm. Sure, sometimes I might accidentally type his name into my search engine, but his dimples, hotel empire and thirst-trap photos don't tempt me. I've got my sights set on earning my way to the top of the Palmer Hotel empire, and nothing is going to get in my way. Until my stepsister leaves her secret toddler with me before skipping town for three months. Now suddenly everyone thinks he's mine, and instead of powering my way to the top, I'm struggling to not get fired. And instead of Ruben staying on the executive floor where he belongs, he's invading my apartment, breaking dates with starlets, and looking disappointed that I decided to settle down with anyone except him. But I know Ruben, and Ruben doesn't settle down. So, there's no way I'm giving him my heart. Not even for Christmas.

All I want for Christmas is some Ben and Jerry's and a chocolate-induced coma until the holiday's over. Shay I just got dumped…left at the altar! But instead of licking my wounds in the darkness of my apartment, I take the errant advice of my best friend and go on the honeymoon by myself. I mean, who does that? Apparently, me. I do that, even as the universe repeatedly shows me it's a bad idea. Things only get worse when the rental property I'm staying at floods in the middle of the night. What am I supposed to do? It's Christmas Eve. There's no place else to stay, except at the landlord's place next door. That won't be a problem, right? It's only for a week. It doesn't matter that he's handsome, sweet, and everything my ex isn't. I don't need-no, I don't want-a rebound guy. Evan My old college roommate and his new wife just arrived to stay in my rental property for their honeymoon. Except, my friend isn't with her. He didn't show up for the wedding. And he says it's because of my advice. Crap! Now I have this teary-eyed woman staying in my rental. And from what I've seen of her, she may not be completely stable. I should have gone home for Christmas with my family. Now, because of a broken pipe, she's staying in my guest room. I may have neglected to mention that her ex and I are friends. But that shouldn't matter, right? She'll only be here until New Year's and then it will be back to business as usual. I don't want to be the guy who gets his friend's cast-off. Even if I think he's crazy for letting her go. Now if only I can keep my growing attraction and lips to myself for one measly week. Mindy loves all things history and romance, which makes reading and writing Regency romance right up her alley. When she isn't living in her alternate realities, she is married to her real-life Mr. Darcy and trying to raise five proper boys. They live happily in the beautiful mountains of Utah. You can follow her on her website at properlovestory.com and on Facebook at Mindy Burbidge Strunk- Author. You can also be apart of her Shout Out Crew by following her on Facebook at Mindy Burbidge Strunk's Shout out Crew.

This Christmas, all she wants is him. Rachael I've had a crush on my brother's best friend my entire life. Once, in high school, I even got a taste of what it would be like to be with him thanks to some well-placed mistletoe: incredible and humiliating. We always spend Christmas with Max's family at our cabin, and every year I have to suffer through a blissful week with him in a completely platonic way. His steady stream of girlfriends have made him off limits... until now. It's Christmas. We're at the cabin together. And Max Dawson is single. Max I've never looked forward to Christmas less in my entire life. My parents' holiday will be ruined after I tell them my news, and to make matters worse, I blabbed to Rachael on the drive out to the cabin. Now she has to keep my secret until I'm ready to share with my family. Which is probably why she's acting so weird. Watching me. Touching me. Flirting. It would be terrible if I wasn't enjoying it so much. But her brother has made it clear she's off limits. And besides, I kissed Rachael once, and we all know how that ended. So, we definitely shouldn't do it again. Right?

BRIE Things I should never have done: 1. Put my ex-boyfriend's name on my Christmas wish list. 2. Grin dumbly at him when he shows up at my door. 3. Think it's kismet that he's staying on the other half of my duplex for the holidays and means we're meant to be together. Because we're not. He broke my heart in High School and never looked back. ROCKWELL Things I will never do: 1. Move back to Bearwood. 2. Repeat my parents' mistakes by getting married. 3. Kiss Brie Holland under the mistletoe. I know how good her kisses are, and if I want to make sure number one and two don't happen, I'm going to have to keep her safely in the friend zone until I'm out of Bearwood for good. **Part of the Gift-Wrapped Romance series, Merry Kismet is a second-chance, sweet and clean, romantic comedy.