ONE CHRISTMAS WISH

An exonerated Wall Streeter returns to his Louisiana hometown for a second chance at life and the possibility of romance with a newly divorced cafe owner.

Vaughn Miller is trying to get his career back on track after a wrongful conviction left him serving two years in jail for a white-collar crime he didn't commit. Going back to his hometown of Catalina Cove is the first step in trying to start his life over, but encountering beautiful divorcée Sierra Crane upends his world in a way he never could have expected. As far as a romantic relationship is concerned, however, Sierra is feeling particularly reluctant to venture into anything serious after her ex-husband's lies and infidelity shattered her trust. Trying to keep the situation with Vaughn casual proves to be harder than Sierra though, though, and she can't resist her attraction to him, let alone ignore his persistence in trying to prove that he's worthy of her heart. Meanwhile, Sierra's ex has a plan of his own to get her back, and it could prove threatening to not only her burgeoning romance, but the newest member of her family: her goddaughter. The small-town setting of Jackson's Catalina Cove series provides a soothing backdrop here for a storyline that fluctuates in drama and intensity. Although the book takes place around Christmas, the seasonal element frequently feels like an afterthought—and the titular wish seems like window dressing grafted onto a story already stacked high with characters and side plots. The low-angst romance will be a comfort to readers in search of an easy read this fall even if the final twist is fairly predictable.

A small-town Christmas romance that focuses more on the community than on the holiday season.