Fairy tales do come true -- at least that is the premise of
these three stories about love found or rediscovered in a
rented cozy cottage in Lake Tahoe. The owners decided to
start keeping statistics on the success ratio of those
lucky couples renting this enchanted cottage and
scientifically challenge or confirm their suspicions. But
truthfully they were not above salting the path toward love.
In the Thanksgiving Fix, Beth decided spending Thanksgiving
with her parents was going to repeat an ongoing theme as to
why she was still single. Armed with a pad and pencil she
headed out to a cabin to outline why she was happy being
single and did not need a man. Need being the operative
word since, as manager of a hotel, she was perfectly capable
of handling all sorts of emergencies. She was not willing
to settle for a man to warm her bed. Her requirements were
high. She had just about given up looking for her prince
charming. But this cozy cottage came equipped with Mac, a
gorgeous handyman, summoned to fix an errant leak and
dutifully appeared in the middle of a snowstorm only to
find Beth did the repair herself. Mac guessed the set up
but stuck around to figure out why this beautiful woman was
here alone. It turned out they had lots in common most
importantly both looking to duck out of a holiday family
dinner replete with a blind date. Perhaps they wouldn't
really need their family's interference at all.
In the Christmas Set-Up, Jason Monroe's brother Mike has a
plan that includes Jason and Zoe, the hot architect vying
with Jason for a promotion at their company. Mike is aware
of the responsibilities Jason undertook since their parents
death and is concerned that Jason seems so unhappy. It was
evident in the office that there was an attraction between
Jason and Zoe -- only the two of them were just too busy to
notice it. Help was on the way. Mike made a reservation for
Jason at this cottage and with a bit of help got both Jason
and Zoe there -- at the same time. Ingenious. This cottage
had the reputation for helping couples and if any couple
needed help it was them. Zoe found herself with unexpected
feeling for her rival at work but Jason was encouraged by
those tender moments and would do anything to keep those
feelings alive.
In New Year's Deal, Josh and Cleo drifted apart years ago.
Josh had an obligation to his family's business and Cleo
pursued her dream of becoming an attorney. Reluctantly
they decided against a long distance relationship. Josh
wouldn't accept breaking up and so they made a deal to meet
in five years and see if their relationship was still
strong. They seemed to lose contact but Cleo's latest case
required expert testimony. She immediately thought of Josh.
Odd that this would coincide with the fifth year. Meeting
up with an ex-professor who had a rental cabin turned out
to be a lucky break for Josh and all he could hope was that
Cleo would remember their promise.
The Thanksgiving Fix by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Finding Mr. Right is the furthest thing from Beth Davis's
mind when the Reno professor takes Thanksgiving break at a
colleague's Lake Tahoe cabin. Until Coinneach McFarland
arrives to fix a suspicious leak. It looks like somebody's
playing matchmaker for two people sworn to stay single.
But as things heat up, Beth is astonished to find she has
discovered her soul mate just as she'd given up looking.
The Christmas Set-Up by Jill Shalvis
Competing architects Zoe and Jason have two weeks to come
up with the design to win a coveted new project. But when
a snowstorm strands them together at a secluded cabin, Zoe
sees her chance to show Jason how she really feels. With
romance blooming under the mistletoe, can she get the
gorgeous Scrooge into the true Christmas spirit?
The New Year's Deal by Julie Kenner
Five years ago, Cleo Daire and Josh Goodson said goodbye
and went their separate ways. But first they made a
promise to reunite. Now the ex-lovers are spending New
Year's Eve in a romantic cabin, where passion takes them
by surprise and long-wished-for dreams can sometimes come
true.