Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.
But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.
With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.
Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?
The trees that circle Someday Valley near Honey Creek are dressed in their fall finest, providing a pretty backdrop for the local businesses—including the little bookshop loved by schoolteacher Cora Lee Buchanan. There, under the watchful eye of owner Noah O’Brien, Cora Lee and her sister, Katherine, meet each Wednesday. Their talk mostly revolves around one subject: their father, known to everyone in town as Bear.
Both Cora Lee and Katherine worry about Bear Buchanan. They’ve no idea Bear has a secret life of his own. As for the sisters, Katherine, beautiful and self-absorbed, is in search of her third husband, while Cora Lee is in love for the first time. On warm nights, she climbs up to her building’s roof to chat with Noah and listen to the melody of the water below. Yet there is more intrigue afoot in Honey Creek . . .
Andi Delane has arrived in town to hear the last wishes of the father she never met. She was shocked to get a letter from lawyer Jackson Landry, and she has few expectations—of this mysterious will, or of Deputy Danny Davis who’s been assigned to protect her. But fall always brings changes, and this year there will be enough to alter not just the lives of those who call Honey Creek home, but the future of Someday Valley itself . . .
“The Wild Lavender Bookshop” by Jodie Thomas follows the lives of six different people whose paths converge in unexpected ways, ultimately helping each other find their destinies and a place to call home.
Noah O’Brien is a reserved young man who leaves New York to move to Someday Valley, settling into the Wild Lavender Bookshop and its upstairs apartment, owned by Bear Buchanan, the local handyman. Noah is an observer of his surroundings, often watching his renter Cora Lee Buchanan, a sweet elementary school teacher and Bear’s younger daughter. They quietly watch each other as they go about their daily routines.
Andi Delane is a newcomer to town, staying in a cabin near the river. She recently learned about her birth father’s passing and the existence of half-brothers, leading to a will that complicates her life. Andi’s safety is at risk due to her involvement in a legal case, and while the local sheriff and a Texas Ranger watch over her, young deputy Danny Davis takes a special interest in her safety, determined to prove himself.
Bear Buchanan is a Vietnam veteran and versatile fixer-upper, who occasionally disappears on mysterious trips. His neighbor, Eliza Docela, is the only person who truly understands him, and their unique connection plays a crucial role in bringing this diverse group of people together.
The story explores the individual journeys of these characters as they navigate personal growth, relationships, and the challenges that bring them together. The book weaves a compelling narrative of intertwined lives in a small town, offering a fresh perspective on their journeys. With elements of suspense, romance, and community, it’s a captivating tale that brings warmth and a sense of belonging to its readers.
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