February 19, 2026 – My Sanctuary

Healing Hearts At The Forever Cottage By Jill Steeples

The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.

After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.

With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.

Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?

Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?

How To Resist Your Boss By Leslie North

From the moment I bumped into Drew Ashford I knew one thing: I’d rather lick a subway pole than deal with him again.

Sure, he’s sexy as hell—in a hot movie-villain kind of way. Too bad he’s also obnoxious, arrogant, and worst of all, a dog hater.

Not my problem…if he didn’t own the hotel where the biggest wedding of my career is taking place.

Landing the wedding of a mega-famous reality star couple could make my career. All I need is everything to run smoothly: no scandals, no drama, no Drew.

But when a very compromising, very viral video catches him with the bride, Drew decides to drag me into his mess. Announcing—to millions of the couple’s rabid fans—that we’re engaged!

Spoiler: we are not.

Now to protect the wedding (and our own reputations), Drew convinces me to play along. The ring? Fake. The backstory? Fabricated. The chemistry?

…Unfortunately, very real.

And somewhere between the forced smiles and infuriatingly hot kisses, I start to wonder… what if I hate him a little less than I should?

What will it take to save her family’s candy company…and end a decades-long feud?

For generations, the Evergreen Candy Company has been a beloved small-town Alaskan tradition run by Jovi Wright’s family—until now. With her grandparents no longer at the helm, Jovi’s parents are considering selling it. When her sister calls with the news, Jovi hops on a plane back home to help rescue the family business. Her plan: launch Grammie’s salted caramel chews as a new product. But with Grammie’s memory fading and the recipe missing, Jovi has her work cut out for her.
Still reeling from being jilted by her fiancé, Jovi welcomes the distraction of trying to re-create the recipe from scratch. The distraction she’s not so sure about is single dad Burke Solomon. The disillusioned author and his adorable little girl have moved in to his late aunt’s cabin just down the road from her grandparents’ home, where she’s staying. And the discovery that their families have been feuding since before either of them were born is too irresistible to ignore.
With a looming deadline and the stresses of single parenthood, the last thing Burke needs is a bright-eyed optimist like Jovi next door. But he finds himself asking for her help adjusting to life in Evergreen more than he’d like to admit. And untangling the history of what happened to the friendship between his late aunt and Jovi’s Grammie provides an antidote to his writer’s block. But when Burke unearths several shocking family secrets, will revealing them settle the feud or bring everything he and Jovi have been working toward crashing down around them?

About The Author

My Review

This is a heartwarming small-town holiday romance that blends family, community, and second chances with a touch of mystery. For generations, the Evergreen Candy Company has been at the heart of Jovi Wright’s family, but with her grandparents aging and her parents considering selling, Jovi rushes home to help. Her plan: relaunch Grammie’s famous salted caramel chews. The problem? Grammie’s memory is fading, and the treasured recipe is nowhere to be found.

Enter Burke Solomon, a widowed author struggling with writer’s block and single father to the utterly endearing Darby Jane. Moving into his late aunt’s cabin places him right next door to Jovi—and right into the middle of a decades-old feud between their families. Their reluctant partnership soon turns into something much deeper, with Burke’s guarded heart slowly opening under Jovi’s optimism and determination.

McCahan delivers cozy festive vibes—snowy Alaska, twinkle lights, candy shops, and heartfelt family moments—while weaving in themes of forgiveness, resilience, and love. Sweet, uplifting, and brimming with holiday charm, this story is a perfect seasonal read.

My Rating