Cassidy (The Revenge List, as Hannah Mary McKinnon) whips up a fluffy rom-com that would be right at home on the Hallmark channel. Ambitious urbanite Bella, a real estate developer, finally has an assignment that could get her the promotion she craves. If she can purchase the building that houses Always Noelle in Maple Falls, Colo., her boss has essentially promised to put Bella in charge of the firm's new Denver office. Though the Christmas shop has been in the Harrison family for generations, sales are poor and elderly owner Clarence is willing to consider Bella's offer--until his handsome grandson, Jesse, steps in and demands a fairer price. Clarence proposes a wager: Maple Falls has a tradition of outdoor winter games, and one of the teams needs a substitute. If Bella participates and beats Jesse's team, Clarence will sell at the desired price; if she loses, she'll have to come up with another $150,000. By day, Bella and Jesse become fierce competitors, but at night these opposites' mutual attraction threatens to sabotage the bet. Meanwhile, Bella overcomes her aversion to both small-town life and Christmas cheer. The plot is by the numbers, but humor and charm make it zip by. This simple, feel-good tale is just right for fans of Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren. Agent: Carolyn Forde, Transatlantic Literary. (Oct.)

Bella Ross arrives in small-town Maple Falls, CO, to close a property deal on a local Christmas shop for her boss--a move that will win her a promotion and keep her from being fired. What should be a simple trip to the Always Noelle store becomes complicated when the seller refuses to sign, instead insisting that Bella stay in Maple Falls and win the annual holiday games to clinch the agreed-upon deal. To complicate matters further, the owner's grandson Jesse is competing against Bella in the games and wants nothing more than to see her fail. With her job riding on the sale of the store, Bella tries not to see the beauty of the small town and the people who grow so close to her, including Jesse, who ultimately opens his home and his heart to her. She'll have to decide between the town and her big city dreams. VERDICT Escape to small-town life where the holiday spirit takes on a whole new meaning as tradition and family are tested by love, money, and one wacky community, in Cassidy's first romance (she also writes suspense novels as Hannah Mary McKinnon).--Judy Garner