They don’t believe in Christmas magic—until they make their own

Summer McKenzie hates the holidays. Maybe it’s because she’s an atheist who’s never had a reason for the season. Maybe it’s burnout from working at the second-best hotel in Yosemite National Park. Or maybe it’s because nothing has felt truly festive since she lost the love of her life in a climbing accident.

Still, even Scrooges have to do their jobs, and this year, Summer is determined to nab a promotion to sales director by throwing Granite Grove Lodge’s merriest masquerade yet. She’s not expecting anyone to get her out of her bah-humbug funk. She definitely isn’t expecting John Beecher.

With his punk-rock aesthetic and graphic designer’s eye, John’s talented at many tasks: creating seating charts, painting stunning landscapes, and helping out in a pinch. He’s also a fellow heathen who understands her grief in a way no one else has. As one party-planning catastrophe after another brings them closer, Summer starts to feel something she never thought she’d feel again: hope.

In the final days before Christmas, they fall for each other like a surprise Sierra Nevada snowstorm—hard, fast, and totally unplanned. Sweet, spicy, and full of heart, Love Me Merrily is a holiday novella for anyone who’s ever found joy in unexpected places and love on their own terms.