Book excerpt: It’s the Christmas season, and romance, friendship, and family conflict abound in the small seaside town of Willa Bay. Tia should be ecstatic -- she’s moving into one of the sunset-colored cottages at the Inn at Willa Bay with her friend Meg, but she’s preoccupied with a surprise newcomer to town and the impending holiday visit of her overbearing parents. Cal has spent the last year forging a new life for himself in Willa Bay, seemingly worlds away from the rat race and trouble he’d been sucked into in Seattle. Cassie has finally found happiness with a rekindled romance with her ex-husband and her ownership of a popular bakery, but she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Reeling from a recent job loss and the end of a long-term relationship, Samantha seeks refuge as a housemother at a local private school, although she isn’t quite sure she’s a good fit for the position. Debbie is deep into planning a fundraiser in honor of her good friend, but it’s more difficult than she’d expected.