Marceline Freeze is home in small-town North Carolina for her first Christmas in years. She’s a Grammy-winning musician who just wants to spend a normal Christmas with her family. Unfortunately, it’s hard to be normal when everyone treats you like a celebrity.

Everyone except Lucas North.

The former bad boy now owns her favorite coffee shop, and he treats her like she’s just Marceline.

One of my favorite parts of this book was Marceline questioning whether fame was everything she’d hoped it would be. She’s struggling to work on her next album, and being home gives her a chance to consider what she really wants. She finds comfort and friendship at the coffee shop, where she can escape some of the pressure that comes with being famous.

I also loved the small-town Christmas atmosphere. The Freeze family has its annual Christmas party and traditions, and despite this being a short book, there are plenty of local characters who make the town feel like an actual community rather than just a backdrop for the romance.

My biggest complaint was how abruptly some things happened, particularly the first spicy scene. Marceline had been up extremely late playing her violin, and when the scene started, I genuinely thought she might be dreaming. Once I realized we’d moved to the next day, I understood what was happening, but it felt like we’d skipped a few steps.

There’s also a side trip to the Biltmore Estate that now has me wanting to visit. It sounds beautiful, and who wouldn’t want a private tour?

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It’s a quick Christmas romance with a little more going on than just falling for the hometown bad boy. There’s also the question of what happens when you get everything you thought you wanted and start wondering whether it was worth it.