On the 16th Day of Christmas

by Kristi Pelton

Growing up in the picturesque small town of Mystic, Connecticut, Scarlett assumed that small town love would be thrown into her lap. Hallmark movies preached it. Perfected it. Promised it. A storybook love life should be hers for the taking. A lumberjack. A Christmas tree farmer. A rich executive visiting from the city. She’d won second place in a baking championship on national TV. She is a baker, for God’s sake. Something the romantic Gods love. Yet the closest she has been to love is a failed relationship and a dysfunctional family. Taking a leap of faith, she packed up her life and moved to the other side of the country, hoping to reignite the possibility of small-town love in Astoria, Oregon. Yet two years later, her love life is still a big, fat nothing. Nada. Zero.

Setting off on an obligatory trip back to Connecticut for Christmas, she meets a handsome stranger in a dog park of all places. Since they are both traveling east, they decide to travel separately but together. With his boyish charm and Irish accent, it’s the story Christmas books and movies are written about: A Baker and the Irishman. But after five days of lengthy phone conversations and five nights of building attraction, all it takes is one word to remind Scarlett that fairytales only happen in books and that movies never get it right.

Scarlett has literally provided the romantic gods with every essential item for a good love story, yet there she sits, driving back to her small town…alone. The happily ever after always promised, nowhere to be found. Scarlett thought she had finally found the secret ingredient for her romance recipe but as every baker knows, even the most perfect recipes sometimes don’t work out…or do they?

Genres: Christmas, Rom Com, Contemporary

202 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2022

About the author

HI! The Just One of the Guys series was my first writing experience. I love writing romance. I struggle writing sex… But usually like the end product. I think…

I work part-time as a probation officer for juveniles. But i spend the majority of my time with two of the most freakishly awesome boys ever...MY two sons!

I am a huge Kansas Jayhawk fan, Oregon Duck fan and Chicago Cubs! I'm deliciously addicted to music...Love all kinds! Dr. Pepper is a close second in my addictions.

Life is taken way to seriously by most...i say enjoy every moment, have a drink and READ!

Reviews

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect holiday read from Kristi Pelton! Hilarious banter, great characters and two awesome dogs. So glad I finally read this one this holiday season!

[Clista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of reading this novella early. This will put you in the mood for the Christmas season. I love a good "road trip" trope, this one checks that box. Scarlett is making the cross country road trip from her new home in Oregon, back to Connecticut for the holidays. She feels obligated to visit her dysfunctional family, although she mostly avoids the visits because of her wretched mother. She sets off with her companion, Thatcher, and at the first rest stop she encounters another traveler with his dog. Scarlett likes what she sees in the handsome guy & his well behaved dog. The added bonus is his license plate is from Rhode Island. Is he also on a road trip back east? Let the fun begin. Scarlett soon discovers Killian is Irish, and has a sexy accent. They share on the road phone calls, meals together, funny banter, staying in same hotels, and adventures along the way. Love eyes emojis work well here. They get to know each other, but Killian is definitely holding something back from her. You'll enjoy the emotional ride, just buckle up and enjoy. Their chemistry is off the charts. Kristi Pelton has written a sweet story, thanks for the HEA!

[CeeJay Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

💜🌼I Fooking Love This Book!!💜🌼
I have to say, right up front, the premise for this book is original and refreshing…Killian and Scarlett meet in a dog park and with their strong, mutual and instant attraction and their undeniable chemistry, their decision to travel cross country, together, is made…💜🌼
Killian and Scarlett are great characters…they are mature and smart and their banter is funny and natural… I didn’t even realize until the end of the book, that they didn’t have sex…until the end of the book…I never even noticed…💜🌼
This author’s humor drives this book…I laughed more reading this book than I have in a while…but she is equally adept at tugging on your heartstrings…I laughed, I cried…at one point, I laughed while I cried…I have had a major reading burnout, and I read this one straight through…I highly recommend this book…💜🌼

[Renee Entress · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, small town romance, and a Christmas trip home.

This is Scarlett’s story. Scarlett assumed that love would be thrown her way after all she grew up on Hallmark movies preaching that exact thing. But years later she is still looking for that love. When she meets a handsome stranger in a dog park of all places, she thinks maybe her luck is changing. After talking for days and falling for him all it takes is a single word and everything falls apart. Scarlett is fearing she is doomed by love. After all she is a baker and literally had all the ingredients for a love story, but it all fell apart. Will she ever get that love?

I recommend this book.

[Michelle Rene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristi Pelton gave me the perfect holiday story, complete with a swoon-worthy Irishman, and small-town baker. Oh, and let's not forget Thatcher and Ringo. Scarlett and Killian's story was sweet and sassy with laugh out loud moments and a few bumps along the way.
But never fear, Kristi works her magic to give the characters we've fallen in love with the HEA they deserve.
Now excuse me while I plan a cross-country road trip.

[BookReadingJenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I “fooking” loved this book! This is just the best Christmas holiday vacation road trip romance. It’s laugh out loud funny, sweet, sexy and emotional. The family traumas will pull at your heart strings and the danger will steal your breath. Go on. Open the pages and let this story of the baker and the Irishman steal your heart.

[Zaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all this was too short. I could have read about Scarlett and KILLIAN FOREVER. They were beautiful characters. Even though it wasn't as long as I'd liked, i felt like I knew these characters. Though I'm not a huge fan of instant love, this worked. Perfectly. I would have loved and epilogue 2.0 then 3.0 then 4.0. Now i'm hoping for a Valentine story about them. :)

[Bluepolkadots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely spectacular! Cute - not so clean - story about taking a chance and meeting your match. Just like “Die Hard” it’s a story that happens to have Christmas things in it. I would read this again and again. Read like a movie - quick, witty, and with a little twists to keep it from being too picture perfect! Wonder read - would recommend.

[Liv Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristi Pelton does an amazing job of creating characters that you will care about. You will want to jump right in and enjoy this emotional romantic romp as these characters traverse the sometimes rocky terrain of love. Kudos to this author for giving us all an unexpectedly merry Christmas!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fook, this was spectacular.
Road trip into love.
Would love to hear this on audiobook.

[Pamela Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little cheesy, but cute.

[Lyndsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Debbie Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Christmas Book!

Incredibly witty Christmas read! Laugh out loud funny! Kristi never disappoints her readers! Purchase your book quickly! There is time before Christmas!!!

[Cheri Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this. What a great Christmas story and romance.

[Tami C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so damn cute, the story line was super original. The brownie scene was so funny. Fun quick Christmas novella.

[Owella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the plot of this story! And I loved the main characters. Insta love that will give you all the Christmas feels!