A jingle bell mingle

From bestselling duo Murphy and Simone comes the hilarious and sexy third installment of the Christmas Notch series (after A Holly Jolly Ever After). Porn star Sunny Palmer stumbled into a meeting with executives at the über-conservative Hope Channel and accidentally sold them on her idea for a holiday romance screenplay. Now she and her grumpy cat, Mr. Tumnus, settle into the winter wonderland of Christmas Notch, Vt., the self-proclaimed home to Christmas miracles, hoping for some inspiration. That's also what drives former boy band member Isaac Kelly to Christmas Notch. Five years ago, Isaac's life turned upside down when his wife died. Now he must complete a final album for his record label without his muse. A hot one-night stand between Sunny and Isaac ignites passions neither is prepared to handle, leading Issac to invite Sunny to be his "roommate with benefits" as they both search for creative motivation. But how long can they keep feelings from entering their arrangement? Though the pace drags at the end, Murphy and Simone continue to mine gold from juxtaposing the expectations set by Hallmark movies with the messiness of real life. Series fans--and anyone looking for Christmas romance with an edgier twist--will find plenty to enjoy. (Oct.)

Sunny Palmer has returned to Christmas Notch, VT, to attend her best friend's wedding and write her first screenplay; the deadline's looming, but she still has no words on the page. She's basing the screenplay on a Christmas Notch legend and hopes to find some inspiration in her trip. Former band member Isaac Kelly lives in Christmas Notch, where he has bought a historic mansion and is seeking his own inspiration. When his wife died, his music died with her. He has one album left on his contract, and then he's free to wallow in his grief. When Sunny and Isaac meet, their attraction is immediate, and they retire to Sunny's dilapidated, run-down hotel room. Isaac doesn't particularly like Sunny, but he can't stand the thought of her staying in that room while she writes her screenplay, so he invites her to move in with him temporarily. Even better, he'll help her research the local legend, and she'll find him a new muse in return. This steamy romance has emotional depth and relatable experiences. VERDICT Readers won't be able to put down the third "Christmas Notch" story (following A Holly Jolly Ever After), a quirky, hot opposites-attract romance.--Heather Miller Cover