The Mills & Boon Ultimate Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

Surprises

       Catherine Mann, Kat Cantrell and Jules Bennett

       Midwives’ Christmas Miracles

       Scarlet Wilson, Tina Beckett and Louisa George

       Christmas at the Tudor Court

       Amanda McCabe and Denise Lynn

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

       Christmas at Cedarwood Lodge

       Rebecca Raisin

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

       This winter it’s time to fall in love at Cedarwood Lodge…

      After years of dreaming, Clio Winters is finally fulfilling her childhood dream of renovating the gorgeous old Cedarwood Lodge in Evergreen and turning it into the perfect destination for celebrations, weddings and extravagant birthday parties. The huge property used to be a bustling holiday camp, but now Clio wants to bring it back to its halcyon days – which will be a lot of hard work!

      Returning to the small town of her youth, she’s glad to have one of her best friends still around to lean on: Micah, who is just as solid as he used to be. But with her own secrets pushing her to run from her glamorous life in New York, she’ll have to tread carefully, especially when the far-too-handsome-for-his-own-good contractor Kai shows up on her doorstep…

      Sure she’s here in Evergreen to change her life, but there’s no way she’s falling in love!

      Winter at Cedarwood Lodge is a delectable romance following Clio Winters’ journey back to her hometown of Evergreen.

       Praise for REBECCA RAISIN

      ‘This novel is a love letter to Paris, and even more so a love letter to books; it is absolutely a must-read book for book lovers.’ Rather Too Fond of Books, The Little Bookshop on the Seine

      ‘Drama and romance, but most of all it’s got a more general sweetness and love and happiness that is often hard to find these days.’ Love Reading Romance, A Gingerbread Café Christmas

      ‘Easy to read and devoured quickly, I literally could not get enough and I was so sad to finish it. It was a truly captivating, spellbinding tale of taking chances and living life to the full that I am sure will ring true with many readers.’ Compelling Reads, The Little Bookshop on the Seine

      ‘…the perfect read to get you in the mood for Christmas and my mouth was watering after reading about all of the delicious-sounding baking.’ Bookbabblers, A Gingerbread Café Christmas

      ‘I love love love this author, and this book cements the fact that this series is a winner!’ Fiona, The Little Bookshop on the Seine

      ‘Fun, quick, festive reads that’ll leave you glowing from within (or in my case a puffy mess).’ Into the Bookcase, A Gingerbread Café Christmas

      ‘I loved every second of The Little Bookshop on the Seine, easy to read, with words oozing charm and good feeling, that just made me feel warm and cosy.’ Rachel’s Random Reads

      ‘Simply divine, with stunning writing slipping between being utterly romantic, charming and fun-filled and a little emotional.’ Reviewed the Book, A Gingerbread Café Christmas

      Thank you to my bookish pals for your friendship.

      Writing would be a lonely job without you.

       For Marie Webdale whose friendship spans the oceans that separate us

       Chapter One

      Staring up at the imposing structure with its weathered façade, I had a terrible premonition that I’d made a mistake. A huge one. But, I reasoned, clawing back rising panic, I had always wanted to buy the hundred-year-old abandoned lodge. It had been put up for sale recently, and I’d jumped at the chance. The old place had good sturdy bones; it was solid, despite the desertion of its caretakers eons ago.

      Even though I’d always dreamed about owning Cedarwood Lodge I hadn’t expected for it to happen so soon. But it had, and I’d fallen madly in love with the place as it stood, shutters broken, doors in need of paint, ivy creeping through broken panes of glass, and cascading roses growing wild and free around the porch balustrades. Here was a place untouched for decades and I had a chance to bring it back to its former glory.

      The September sky shifted from foggy wisps of gray to country blue as dawn arrived in the small New Hampshire town of Evergreen. A sputtering car swung into the long, winding driveway and I turned to watch my oldest friend, Micah, leap from his battered hatchback.

      We’d been best friends since childhood and, though we’d drifted apart as adults, he was the first person I called when I bought Cedarwood Lodge – I offered him the job of maintenance manager, which he’d accepted with a ‘Hell, yeah.’

      “You look exactly the same, Micah,” I said, reaching up for a hug. “You haven’t aged a bit.” He’d filled out, no longer the lanky teenager I’d left behind, but aside from that he was the same old Micah with the same affable smile.

      “It’s the daily hikes up the bluff. That thin mountain air does wonders for my skin.” He waggled his eyebrows. “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I almost fell over when you called. Lucky for you I was between jobs…”

      “Lucky for me, all right.”

      I couldn’t believe it’d been so long – when was the last time we had properly caught up? Five years ago, six? Time had ticked by so fast while I’d been away.

      “You’re different,” he said, gesturing to my outfit and my usual flyaway curls restrained with a clip. “A little more polished.”

      I grinned. “Denim cut-offs and messy hair didn’t quite cut it in Manhattan.”

      “What? Crazy city folk.” He clucked his tongue.

      “Right?” I joked. “How’s Veronica?” I expected him to gush about his long-term girlfriend. Instead, his lips turned down for the briefest second, before he masked it with a smile.

      “Veronica? There’s a blast from the past. I haven’t seen her for two and a bit years now. She was like you, Clio, left town and didn’t look back.”

      Surprise knocked me sideways that she’d left town, left Micah.

      “Sorry, Micah. I thought…” Way to go, Clio!

      He touched my shoulder, giving me time to wrench the metaphorical foot from my mouth. “It’s OK.” He let out a half-laugh. “One day she just decided this place was too small for her big dreams. This town, it isn’t for everyone.”

      An awkward silence hung between us. What kind of friend had I been to him? If I’d known I would have come home for a visit to comfort him, make sure he was OK, like he would have done for me. Shame colored my cheeks, because I realized if he had called me I probably would have played the too busy card.

      I