Rachael Phillips

Can you feel it in the air? That bite and tingle of approaching winter? No? All you feel is heat and humidity?

Perfect! That’s the perfect time to consider sitting down to laugh-your-way through a series of romantic comedies set in picturesque, quaint, and more than a little quirky Door County, Wisconsin.

A DOOR COUNTY CHRISTMAS (Barbour Publishing) is a novella collection of stories by Becky Melby, Eileen Key, Rachael Phillips, and Cynthia Ruchti. We collaborated in the best sense of the word to create stories that were unique but shared a handful of common characters and a deep appreciation for the string of villages that dot the western coast of the thumb of Wisconsin’s mitten.

Here’s a glimpse at each of the stories in A DOOR COUNTY CHRISTMAS:

The Heart’s Harbor by Cynthia Ruchti

Amanda Brooks retreats to picturesque Egg Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, to escape an empty holiday season in her Chicago apartment. Peace on earth is what she needs but instead finds herself in charge of the legendary Christmas Tea at the Heart’s Harbor Victorian Inn. Dealing with its quirky guests, bare-bones budget, antisocial puppy, matchmaking owner, and her match-resistant son, Jordan, deepens her doubts that Christmas and love have anything in common.

Ride with Me into Christmas by Rachael Phillips

An offbeat innkeeper offers Joanna Flick a Christmas cactus, promising the flowerless plant–and hope–will bloom. A recent widow, Joanna can’t believe it. But new neighbor Paul Sorensen, a fifty-something flannel-shirt fanatic with a bad haircut, shares Joanna’s passion for bicycling through gorgeous landscapes and faith in the One who created them. Will love flower this bleak winter, or will their Grinch-y grown children nip romance in the bud?

My Heart Still Beats by Eileen Key

Hired by two octogenarians to escort them on their last visit to their bayside cottage in Ephraim, Wisconsin, Madison Tanner literally “runs into” Realtor Grant Sterling. Grant is intent on selling the cottage before Christmas, but every prospective buyer finds a new problem with the property, prompting Grant to suspect Madison is guilty of sabotage. Each new setback pushes Grant further from his goal and closer to the hazel-eyed chauffeur.

Christmas Crazy by Becky Melby

Jillian Galloway sacrifices her fall colors vacation in Sister Bay to help Uncle Buster, owner of Doorbuster’s Comedy Theater, salvage his business in time for the Christmas crowd. With a hole in the roof, no chef, and only two oddball actors, Jillian’s eternal optimism is put to the test. Enter Ricky Jimmy, a mysteriously handsome Brazilian with an offer to help. Should she listen to the rumors of Ricky’s suspicious clandestine behavior or trust those dark Latin eyes?

A Door County Christmas is available at your local Christian bookstore or on-line at:

Amazon

Barbour Publishing

Christianbook.com

Barnes and Noble