Back to Reality: Christmas in Sunshine Lake

by Erin Soderberg Downing

Sometimes, taking a step backward is the only way to move forward...

Emilia Rossi never expected to end up on the dating show She's the One!, and she certainly didn't plan to humiliate herself on national TV. But what started as a joke ended with Emilia becoming a reality show punchline. Now, with her New York life and reputation crumbling, she's forced to head home to Sunshine Lake, Minnesota, to figure out her next move.

Emilia spent years trying to get away from Sunshine Lake, and now she's crawling back with her tail between her legs. To make matters worse, everyone in town has seen her embarrassing reality TV debut, including Asher Bergstrom - the high school boyfriend Emilia rambled on (and on, and on...) about on national TV. But much to her surprise, Asher doesn't seem interested in teasing her; he seems set on rekindling a romance that was obviously never extinguished.

Just when Emilia's starting to get back on her feet and feels her life--in Sunshine Lake, of all places--is finally on the mend, she's offered a chance for redemption. The producers of She's the One! want "Messy Emilia" to come back to help boost ratings, and Emilia's willing to take any chance to prove she can lead the successful life she's been faking for years.

But to move forward, Emilia must make a decision: trust the reality show that destroyed her to restore her reputation...or give up on her childhood dream to pursue a life with the man she might truly love?

This funny, sweet holiday romance is perfect for fans of Kristan Higgins, The Bachelor, and feel-good romantic comedies.

Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2020

About the author

I read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids, tweens, and teens (and even a few romantic comedies for adults, too!) that are ultimately about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.

Reviews

[Erin Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book, so of course I gave it five stars. The reality is, as an author, you have to read your stories so many times before they’re published that you *better* love them, or writing books would be a painful job! It took me more than five years - and a whole lot of rereading and rewriting- to get this one right, but I love the result and am excited and proud to release this romantic comedy for adults as a Kindle exclusive this fall!

This book is perfect for readers who love sweet romance, believe in the magic of small towns (Sunshine Lake is loosely based on one of my favorite places on earth - Ely, MN!), and love/hate reality TV shows like The Bachelor (let’s face it: they’re all really awful, but once you get drawn in, it’s so very very hard to look away!!). I hope you decide to visit Sunshine Lake, and that you fall in love with Emilia and Asher and this whole cast of fun and charming characters!!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect easy and fun read

Being from a small town in Minnesota myself with dreams of moving to the big city in high school, I could totally relate to Emilia’s hopes and dreams. Reading along as she discovered what mattered most in life felt familiar but also like a fantasy. The steamy romance scenes were fun and delicious. Just the perfect book to escape the reality of 2020!

[MaryAnn Quellos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A typical ending

A typical ending to a good love story. Figured out it would be Asher as the second contestant in the show for Emilia.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun and light read. Perfect for watchers of The Bachelor! This was the perfect book to relax and get lost in!