(Winter Wishes, #3)

Publication date: January 25th 2024

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Synopsis:

She never wanted to return to her hometown.

He needed an escape from his family.

When a chance meeting brings them together, will their attraction keep them from drifting apart?

Doctor Olivia Burton never intended to return to her hometown of Pinehill. After graduating high school, she set off on a new path, eager to leave her past behind. However, years later, an unexpected phone call from her mentor pulls her back to Pinehill to take over a thriving medical practice as the town’s primary physician. Determined to avoid the local gossip mill, Olivia attempts to keep a low profile as she settles back into the community.

Alex Adams is desperate for an escape from his well-meaning but suffocating family. After a life-altering explosion ended his military career, he finds himself plagued with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Surrounded by his loud and overbearing family only intensifies his struggles. Seeking respite, he retreats to his aunt’s mountain cabin in Pinehill, desperate for peace and quiet.

When a chance encounter brings Alex and Olivia together, the sparks begin to fly. Olivia, cautious and hesitant to let anyone into her guarded heart, begins to question if it’s time to leave her past behind and embrace the possibility of a winter wonderland romance. Alex, yearning for connection and understanding, finds himself drawn to Olivia’s warmth and kindness.

As they spend more time together, will Olivia and Alex discover that love, much like freshly fallen snow, has a way of blanketing everything in a layer of beauty?

Uncover the joys that come with new beginnings, the transformative power of love, and the magic that can be found in the simplest moments in this sweet, wholesome, and tender romance.

Excerpt

“I’m Doctor Burton, and this is Nurse Milleson,” the lovely blonde said as she pulled on gloves and picked up a penlight in one hand and a pair of long tweezers in the other. “What’s your dog’s name?”

“Dude,” Alex said, keeping his arms protectively around the dog. He could feel Dude trembling as his wheezing grew raspier.

“Dude? Good grief!” The nurse gaped at Alex like he’d left most of his brain cells somewhere outside in the snow.

“He had that name when I got him,” he explained, then looked to the doctor again.

“I can’t make any promises, but let’s see what we can find. What’s your name?” She slowly moved closer to him and Dude.

“Alex. Alex Adams. I just got into town this afternoon. Maybe this is a sign I should go home instead of spending the rest of the winter here.”

“Believe in signs, do you?” the nurse asked, quirking her eyebrow as she bent down and gave the dog a shot just above his shoulder blades. “This will help him relax.” To his credit, Dude didn’t react to the prick he’d surely felt.

“Actually, I don’t, believe in signs, I mean.” Alex held Dude steady as the nurse moved back, then took the flashlight from the doctor.

“Try to hold his mouth open,” the doctor said as she bent down with the tweezers in her right hand. The nurse edged in close beside her and held the light as Alex lifted Dude’s head and tried to open the dog’s mouth wider.

“Can you tip his head back a little bit more?” the doctor asked as she tentatively stuck her fingers inside Dude’s mouth.

“Come on, boy. You can do this,” Alex said, uncertain if he was trying to bolster the dog’s confidence or his own.

Doctor Burton leaned closer, took the light from the nurse, and stuck the tweezers into Dude’s mouth. He could tell she was guiding them into Dude’s throat.

Alex heard the dog gag about the time the doctor said, “Got it!” She held up what appeared to be a bone from a chicken leg. Dude hacked a few times, like a cat trying to dislodge a furball, then flopped onto his belly, as though he needed a rest.

“Get him some water,” Doctor Burton said to the nurse, then carried the bone to a garbage can and dropped it in.

Nurse Milleson returned with a dishpan of water and set it in front of Dude, who lapped greedily at the liquid.

Much to Alex’s surprise, the doctor knelt by the dog and buried her fingers in Dude’s thick fur, giving him gentle attention. “You’re a good boy, Dude. Such a good boy.”

The dog turned and looked at her with puppy love in his eyes, dripping water on her fancy high-heeled boot from his wet chin.

She smiled at Dude, scratched behind his ears, then stood. Her gaze swiveled to Alex, and her smile faded. “Remember, you were never here, and I did not touch this dog.”

“Dude will never tell,” Alex winked at her.

She frowned and took a step back. “Where are you staying?”

“My uncle has a cabin on the edge of town.”

“I see,” Doctor Burton said, back to being prickly and professional. “Well, just make sure your dog rests this evening. And for heaven’s sake, don’t let him eat out of the garbage. You’re lucky that chicken bone didn’t puncture his insides or kill him.”

“I don’t let him eat out of the garbage. We were on a walk, and the old gents at the barbershop stopped me. They are a talkative bunch. Anyway, Dude found the bone before I realized he was eating garbage.”

Alex thought he heard the doctor utter something about gossiping old geezers, then she offered him a chagrined look. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.” She removed the plastic gloves she wore and held out a hand to him. “Welcome to Pinehill.”

Alex stood and took her delicate hand in his, feeling a zap tingle up his arm at the contact. Unsettled, he released her hand and took a step back, almost tripping over Dude. He kept from falling to the floor only by catching himself on one of the waiting room chairs.

As Doctor Burton and the nurse fought to hide their laughter, Alex sighed. What a way to make a first impression.

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About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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