HAPPILY THIS CHRISTMAS is the next installment in The Happily Inc series about a group of friends that support each other and are openly honest with each other.  This is a spin-off series from the Fool's Gold series that is a very entertaining, fun to read series.  The series began with the Mitchell brothers  (Nick, Mathias and Ronan) who ended up leaving Fool's Gold and moving to Happily Inc  because of family issues and secrets that will tear the family apart.  Each of the brothers will meet the women that will complete them.  Sculptor Nick Mitchell meets wedding venue owner Pallas Saunders and they both have parental issues.  Artist Mathias Mitchell follows his brother Ronan to Happily Inc and meets gameskeeper Carol Lund.  

A family secret split the family apart and Mathias is trying to re-establish a relationship with his twin Ronan. Artist  Ronan Mitchell is devastated when he discovers a well-kept family secret.  He moves to Happily Inc and cuts himself off from everyone, including his family.  This family secret has him questioning his identity and where he belongs.  There he will meet art gallery office manager Natalie Kaleta.  Natalie helps him to come to terms with his feelings and his family.

Friendships and families grow and expand the series.  The women form a group where they get together over drinks and food and give and receive advice and encouragement.  The guys get together over drinks and sports and talk about family and get advice when they mess things up. Susan Mallery does a great job of showing how relationships and friendships grow and how to handle adversity and hardships.

This latest story is about a single mother with a teenage son and a successful business who has a crush on her next door neighbor, a local cop.

Wynn Beauchene is an independent woman who knows what she wants but has been punishing herself for decisions from her past as a young woman.  Garrick McCabe is anxious about his pregnant daughter coming to stay with him for Christmas.  From her birth, he and his daughter had an ideal relationship.  Then during her teenage years, their relationship changed and became almost non-existent-- leaving Garrick wondering what changed.  Hoping to mend their relationship Garrick asks Wynn to help make his home more welcoming for his daughter.  Trying to win back his daughter's affection will be a challenge for Garrick.  But with the help of Wynn, her son and their friends her heart will eventually begin to thaw.

Wynn and Garrick develop a relationship but both of them are haunted by their pasts that may be a roadblock to happiness.