The whole townâs in on this Christmas secret!
Maeve Buchanan isnât the jealous type. But with another Valley Ridge wedding approaching, sheâs feeling a twinge of envy. Everyone seems to be finding âitââexcept her. Not that romance is high on her priority list! Inspired by the arrival of a homeless family one snowy night, MaeveâValley Ridgeâs own George Baileyâis determined to give them a permanent home by Christmas.
To make this surprise happen, fiercely independent Maeve is going to need a lot of help. Particularly from the irritating newcomer Aaron Holder, who thinks Maeve is just too good to be true and suspects her motives. Working together wonât be easy. But itâll be worth itâ¦in so many ways!
He spotted Maeve Buchanan crossing the street.
Aaron didnât know what to make of the fiery redhead who volunteered her time to a library and took in stray homeless families.
She had to have an angle. He wasnât sure what it was, but heâd learned the hard way that everyone had an angle. Everyone was out for something. Just because he couldnât see what Maeve was after, didnât mean she didnât have an agenda.
To listen to his uncle and the customers at the Feed Store, she was too good to be true. And Aaron realized that if something seemed too good to be true, it generally was.
Maeve was a puzzle.
Dear Reader,
My love of Christmas has nothing to do with my holidayish name. Many people think my birthday must be sometime during the festive season. Itâs not. Itâs in August. Mom liked the name Holly because she didnât see any potential nicknames in it. This is why I spent most of my life as Hall. To the point that I turned in papers in school as Hall. Move over Madonna and Cher.
So, the fact Iâve written seven Christmas books over the years doesnât have anything to do with a birthday, or my name. I just love the season. Itâs a special time. Thereâs a spirit of giving and kindness that Iâd love to see last throughout the year.
My heroine Maeve Buchanan carries that spirit with her year-round. As opposed to Aaron Holder, whoâs troubled by his past and future. Ultimately, he finds his place in the present next to Maeveâa place he never thought heâd find.
It was so much fun to return to Valley Ridge and meet up with the other couples from the first three books. Itâs at one of their weddings that Maeve and Aaron share a very special dance.
Thank you for sharing your holiday with me and Maeve and Aaron! I hope you enjoy A Valley Ridge Christmas.
Holly Jacobs
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In 2000, Holly Jacobs sold her first book to Mills & Boon Books. Sheâs since sold more than twenty-five novels to the publisher. Her romances have won numerous awards and made the Waldenbooks bestseller list. In 2005, Holly won a prestigious Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews. In her nonwriting life, Holly is married to a police captain, and together they have four children. Visit Holly at www.hollyjacobs.com, or you can snail-mail her at P.O. Box 11102, Erie, PA 16514-1102.
For Jack
And for librarians, who have made such a difference in so many peopleâs livesâ¦including mine. Special thanks to Miss Kitty here in Erie.
PROLOGUE
BOYD MYERS WANTED more than anything to glance over at his wife, Josie, but he didnât dare take his eyes off the road. Not that he could see much of the road beneath the white wall of snow.
âWe need to pull off the interstate.â His voice seemed very loud after listening to the wind buffet the RV for so long.
He white-knuckled the steering wheel and hunched forward, as if moving closer to the windshield would help him see some landmark. A guardrail. A sign. Another car. He hadnât seen headlights in what felt like forever. That didnât mean there was no one else on the road, only that the snow hid themâand that possibility scared him.
âThere,â Josie said, pointing to the right.
Boyd jumped and tightened his grip, thinking sheâd spotted some other vehicle, but Josie simply said, âA town. Valley Ridge.â
A small sign bearing the words, Valley Ridge, lit up for a split second under his headlights. There must have been other signs farther back that theyâd missed because the turnoff was almost immediate. If heâd been going sixty-five miles an hour, heâd have shot right by the exit ramp. But because he was only going ten, maybe fifteen miles an hour, it was possible for him to ease the RV off the highway.
âNow I know how the shepherds felt,â Josie murmured.
âShepherds?â he asked.
âThey had a star that lit the way to Bethlehemâall they had to do was follow it.â
Despite the weather and his anxiety, he chuckled. âIf there were stars tonight, weâd never see them through the snow. Weâll have to be thankful for the street signs.â The off-ramp ended and he brought the RV to a halt. âWhich way?â