The crisp months of autumn are flying by and Catoctin Creek is booming, thanks to new businesses and the support of Caitlin Tuttle, human whirlwind and real estate investor. The new girl’s school has opened at Long Pond, bringing an influx of visitors and shoppers on weekends. Nikki’s bakery is thriving, Rosemary’s horse education classes are keeping her busy, and Nadine and Sean are settling into a rhythm running the school riding program. Things seem perfect-and the schedule is full!

So when Rosemary’s farm is suddenly asked to take in twelve rescue horses, the town rallies to support them with plans for a Christmas carnival such as Catoctin Creek hasn’t put on in forty years. There will be music, rides, food, and more. It’s an exciting next step in the town’s comeback story.

But there are also secrets in town: a missing hiker making headlines, a reporter from Virginia with a secret agenda, and a long-lost friend intent on locking himself away in his family’s old mansion. When Kelly O'Connell comes to town in search of answers about the woman who went missing in the Catoctin Mountains, she has more than one run-in with reclusive William Cunningham - and something between them might just spark.

This book features multiple POV chapters, with storylines featuring Nadine, Nikki, Rosemary, and others, including some new friends you’ll love welcoming into your life!