As the stars twinkle and the snow drifts over the town… someone’s about to find the magic she didn’t even know she’d been missing…
Jenna has lived in Starr’s Fall for most of her life, and has run the general store for over ten years. Secretly she might dream of love and romance, but she’s happy as she is. Really.
That is, until Starr’s Fall’s newest resident—ex-New Yorker, millionaire investment banker—Jack Wexler breezes into Jenna’s store, seemingly furious they don’t stock smoked salmon. Jenna is as amused as she is annoyed. Who is this ridiculous guy, and doesn’t he realize he’s not in Manhattan anymore?
Jack meanwhile can’t believe he lost it in public. But ever since being forced to leave his high-flying career to focus on his health, he’s not been himself. What’s more, the last person he’d expected to be attracted to is the shrew of a storekeeper he’s just encountered… which he might have called Jenna, in a moment of temper…
Neither of Jenna or Jack’s ideal of romance includes these sorts of furious sparks flying. But when they’re both roped in to organizing the town’s Winter Wonderland parade, they’re forced to work together. And as Christmas approaches – will two opposites merely attract? Or, in magical Starr’s Fall, could they fall in love for keeps?
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My Review
Jenna, the tough-as-nails owner of the local mercantile, has been holding Starr’s Fall together while carrying the weight of heartbreak and family struggles. Enter Jack Wexler, a polished ex-New Yorker with a recent heart scare, who breezes into her store demanding smoked salmon and manages to annoy her instantly. Their frosty clash sets the stage for an enemies-to-maybe-something-more arc, especially once the town ropes them into organizing the Winter Wonderland parade together.
The romance here is a slow simmer—more snark and cautious sidestepping than fiery passion. At times, the angst lingers longer than necessary, and the repeated full-name mentions of “Jack Wexler” had me feeling like I’d wandered into a courtroom drama. Still, their push-and-pull has a tender edge, especially as real-life challenges—Jack’s forced retirement and his mother’s Alzheimer’s, Jenna’s financial strain and family ties—add depth beneath the festive fluff.
Where the novel shines is in its setting. Starr’s Fall itself feels like a character: warm, bustling, and snow-dusted with holiday magic. Familiar faces from previous books enrich the story, making it feel less like a standalone romance and more like returning home for Christmas with old friends.
Overall it is a cozy, small-town holiday romance that leans heavily into its Hallmark-esque charm, complete with snowy parades, second chances, and enough stubborn banter to keep things lively.
My Rating
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