Book excerpt: Single mom Karina Barrett is thrilled to treat her kids to a fairytale Christmas vacation... but will a sexy innkeeper make her own holiday dreams come true? For Karina, it's the chance of a lifetime: a free cocoa and gingerbread-filled holiday at a quaint Michigan B&B called The Christmas House. In return, Karina will play spy and report back to the company hoping to buy out the popular hotel. It's all too good to be true...especially when Karina meets innkeeper Reid Sullivan. The man is a walking talking Christmas miracle—and she's hoping to meet him under the mistletoe... Single dad turned globe-trotting adventurer, Reid isn't quite sure how he and his daughters got roped into helping out this year at his family's B&B. But once he arrives, it doesn't take long for a certain guest to catch his eye. Fun-loving California girl Karina is hard to miss, and Reid senses the attraction is mutual. As Christmas approaches and the weather grows colder, things between Reid and Karina heat up. But when the true reason behind Karina's visit is revealed, will the holiday magic disappear before the ball drops on New Year's Eve? Kudos & Honors * featured alternate selection of the Doubleday Book Club, Rhapsody Book Club, and BOMC2 * Top Pick/Romance of the Month from Bookpage magazine * awarded 4½ stars from Romantic Times magazine, 5 hearts from The Romance Reader, and 5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies What People Are Saying... "Secrets and subterfuge add complexity and zing to this well-crafted, heartwarming story that features a wealth of engaging characters, including five remarkable, memorable children, and great sexual tension. A deliciously satisfying, cocoa-worthy holiday read." —Library Journal "A delightful story with utterly charming characters. It brings to life the sounds, smells, and tastes of Christmas as it brings together more than just the two main characters for a joyous holiday season." —Romantic Times (4½ stars!) "Lisa Plumley's latest holiday novel delivers. It has warm gooey holiday moments complete with happy children, Christmas traditions such as caroling and decorating Christmas cookies and, oh yeah, hot and steamy romance. Loaded with fun pop-culture references and witty dialogue, Holiday Affair delivers on entertainment!" —The Romance Reader (5 hearts!) "As is the case with most of Plumley's books, Holiday Affair has quirky characters that will make you smile and a fast-paced story that will make you hesitate to slip a bookmark between the pages. Holiday Affair is full of Christmas atmosphere and activities, which makes it a great read during the holidays." —Lezlie Patterson, McClatchy-Tribune News Service "I love a good romance for the holidays, and Lisa Plumley's latest "Holiday Affair" is a great one to celebrate all the good things about being in love at Christmas! With just the right amount of humor, a touch of mystery, and a lot of good, old-fashioned romance, "Holiday Affair" is sure to please any fan of romantic fiction!" —Sharon Galligar Chance