Christmas Cove

November 14, 2023

Christmas Cove

by Sarah Dressler

GENRE: Romance

With only three weeks left in December, travel editor, America Greene, arrives in the idyllic Christmas Cove to find it... Christmasless!

America needs a story, and fast, so she teams up with the town’s good-looking (and eligible) mayor, Leo, to light up Main Street and salvage her chance at being a full-time writer. The connection between them heats up, halls are decked, sleigh bells ring, and lights twinkle. Just when she thinks the holiday is saved, a nearby city threatens the future of Christmas Cove. With her heart, and career, hanging in the balance, she must learn that Christmas is much more than just a place on a map before time runs out.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

“Your honesty is very—”

“Annoying?” she finished.

“No,” Leo said. She sensed the grin on his face but refused to look. “Refreshing. Endearing. I’ve never met anyone like you, America Greene.”

This was too much, she decided. “Are you reading my mind or something?” She looked at him. Her suspicions about his grin’s gauge were confirmed, and only widened with the pause that danced between them. “I’ve never met anyone like you, either.”

Leo didn’t say anything. It was as though they were each sizing the implications of the revelation. She desperately wanted to know what was traversing his mind. Hers, meanwhile, swam with all the silly dreaming of a young woman still in her youth. The version of herself that would doodle his name in her Trapper Keeper, the one that would pass notes to him in biology, and the one who would have begged to switch lockers with a friend just to be nearer to him.

What was happening to her? She had an assignment to do. And crushing on the small-town mayor of Nowheresville was not on the agenda. She looked at his face, with its strong jawline covered in two- or three-day-old stubble, his serious brows, and his red lips, and weighed the harm in enjoying the man’s company.

“Did you say something?” Leo asked with a giggle in his throat that he attempted to disguise as a cough.

“Um . . . I don’t think so.” America scoured her memory. Had she said something aloud that she meant to keep to herself? “Did I say something about a Trapper Keeper or locker?”

Another laugh. “No. But now you have me fully engaged.”

The way he strung out the word engaged made her think that was the word she had accidentally said aloud. It was better for her to ignore it than to address the slip. A sigh escaped her the moment the cabin came into view. And not a moment too soon. She was glad that the inelegant adventure could be over for the night.

About the Author:

Sarah Dressler, originally from Florida, now calls the mountains of Colorado home. Beginning her writing career as an award winning fashion blogger, Sarah now writes fiction full time. She has spent her life traveling the world, first as the daughter of a US Air Force officer, and later as a military spouse. She enjoys sunset walks with her husband of nearly twenty years, and raising two very busy teenagers.

Q&A With the Author:

What was your inspiration for writing this book?

On the morning of July 17, 2022, I woke up from an incredible dream. It was unlike any dream I had ever had. It was the complete story of Christmas Cove as though it had been downloaded into my consciousness. I know not how else to describe it other than to say it was inspired, God given. I had been praying about what my next project should be, and bam! Here it was. The previous three novels that I wrote were in a completely different genre and I hadn't considered writing sweet contemporary romance. But boy, did that dream have a huge impact on me. That morning, I got my notebooks out and regurgitated every detail that I could remember, and by lunch time, I had a detailed twenty-chapter outline drafted. I dove headfirst into writing Christmas Cove and never looked back.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

When writing Christmas Cove, I really enjoyed exploring and researching charters who are different from myself. As a storyteller, it’s important to get certain details correct, but no one, not even in real life, fits perfectly into a box. Everyone has things that make them stand out. Like Leo, my main male character, he kicks the dirt when he’s thinking about things, and America, my main female character, just wants to make everyone happy, all the time, as though her life depends on it.

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about?

I’m excited to share the news that my next novel, Spring Showers, will be published in mid-2024. Spring Showers is a stand-alone sequel to Christmas Cove. It features a brand-new cast of main characters. While some of the original cast makes guest appearances, Spring Showers follows the healing journey of two strangers who are desperately running from their respective pasts. When they collide at a wellness retreat, their lives change forever.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future?

I have two more novels set in Christmas Cove that are in the works. I can't imagine a life where I'm not writing something and telling my stories. So, stay tuned.

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans?

As a debut author, I have set my expectations according to all the horror stories I read from fellow authors. It’s safe to say that you all have blown me away with your reviews, encouragement, kind words, and friendship. It’s no small thing for an author to let people into their mind when you read a story. My life is a mess sometimes, and that comes through in my characters. My life is full of laughter and romance, and that too spills onto the page. Thank you for letting my stories into your heart, and I hope there’s many many more to come.