cover image The Christmas Dare: A Twilight, Texas Novel

The Christmas Dare: A Twilight, Texas Novel

Lori Wilde. Avon, $7.99 mass market (400p) ISBN 978-0-06-246831-4

Holiday spirit pervades this emotional second chance romance, the eleventh in Wilde’s Twilight, Texas series (after The Christmas Key). When Kelsey James’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, her friend Tasha Williams takes her on a trip with the theme “A Christmas of ‘Yes’ ”—for two weeks, Tasha will give Kelsey dares to get her out of her comfort zone. Tasha surprises Kelsey by bringing her to Twilight, Tex., to stay at a boat motel owned by Noah MacGregor, a former NBA player whom Kelsey dated when she was 17. Dodging her narcissistic mother’s incessant demands that she return to Dallas, Kelsey gets reacquainted with Noah, and her broken heart starts to mend. As Tasha’s dares push Kelsey to be bold and sparks fly between her and Noah, Kelsey must work up the courage to break free from her mother’s control and take a chance on love with Noah. Kelsey and Noah’s sizzling chemistry leaps off the page. Plenty of Christmas trimmings will put readers in a festive mood. Agent: Jenny Bent, the Bent Agency. (Nov.)