February 7, 2026 – My Sanctuary

Other People’s Mariages By Caroline Finnerty

Two couples. Four sides of the story. A hundred ways to break their families apart 💔

Every Tuesday night, two couples see the same therapist for marriage counselling. At 8pm, as Liv and Jay are leaving their session, they see Maya and Hugo waiting to go in.

When their young boys start at the same school, things are initially awkward, but as the women get to know one another, they become friends, sharing the fractures in their respective marriages. Soon, they are confiding their deepest secrets.

Then Liv and Jay’s son comes home from school upset, saying that Maya and Hugo’s son is bullying him. There’s no choice but to confront the issue, but what should be a civil conversation between grown-ups soon takes a turn. As the delicate threads holding their relationships together start to unravel, they are all left to question the foundations that both their marriages and friendships have been built on.

An instant family

Is a gift he never expected!

The tiny town of Swan Falls, Alaska, has everything engineer Emily Cooper needs—except a nanny for the holidays. But her Christmas wish could be granted in the most unexpected way! Grounded as he waits for corrective eye surgery, pilot Nick Bernardi needs a place to stay. And helping his best friend’s widow with her two kids is an easy yes. But it’s not long before the dedicated bachelor starts to feel more than he should…especially considering he’s moving far away to Hawaii. Could falling in love change his flight plan?

About The Author

My Review

Beth Carpenter delivers a tender, heartfelt holiday romance in His Alaskan Christmas, a story about love, family, and finding new beginnings when you least expect them.

Nick Bernardo, a pilot waiting for eye surgery before starting his dream job in Hawaii, finds himself with time to spare in Alaska. A chance encounter with Emily Cooper—widow of his best friend—changes everything. Emily, juggling work and motherhood, invites Nick to stay through the holidays to help with her two children, Max and Lyla, while her mother-in-law takes a much-needed trip. What begins as friendship and shared responsibility gradually transforms as Nick sees Emily not just as his late friend’s wife, but as a strong, beautiful woman he’s drawn to.

Carpenter sensitively portrays the emotional complexities of moving forward after loss. Nick wrestles with guilt, while Emily wonders if it’s too soon, or too complicated, to open her heart again. The family dynamics, from the children’s warmth to the mother-in-law’s role, add both tension and heart to the story.

With its cozy Alaskan backdrop and emotional authenticity, this is a moving Christmas romance about second chances, healing, and love worth holding onto.

My Rating