cover image Never Christmas Without You

Never Christmas Without You

Nana Malone and Reese Ryan. Harlequin Kimani, $6.50 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-373-86517-8

Malone and Ryan deliver a double helping of Christmas romance in these lighthearted novellas. In Malone’s “Just for the Holidays,” hotel mogul Justin Morrison wants to cheer up his beloved—and sick—Grandma Lucy by bringing his girlfriend home for Christmas on Catalina Island. If only Justin hadn’t made her up to convince his grandmother he wasn’t working too hard. His best friend, artist Alexandra Winters, reluctantly agrees to play the role. But close quarters at Christmas will challenge them both when they try to hide the passionate feelings they’ve been keeping secret from each other. Ryan’s “His Holiday Gift” brings lawyer Dashon Williams a real Christmas surprise: a five-year-old daughter named Madison. Since her mom’s death, Madison’s been living with her aunt, Mikayla Mitchell—an old friend of Dash’s who’s been secretly in love with him for years. Dashon has no intention of letting go of his daughter, and Mikayla’s sex appeal is an even stronger reason to stick close to both of them. Both novellas have equal helpings of humor, frustration, and romance—just the thing for those looking for heartwarming, fast stories to enjoy during the holidays.[em] (Sept.) [/em]