Betting on Santa

With her sister's critical injury, Tessa Jamison is left with her two year old nephew Joey. However, although she loves the child, she feels the father should be made aware of what happened; but she has no idea who sired Joey. Her sister's diary mentions the kindness of and much more about Cole Lawry of River Bluff, Texas. Deciding he is the prime suspect, Tessa and Joey travel to the small town. She explains why she came to see him, but he persuades her that though he knew her sister and cared for her when she was in town, he is not Joey's dad. Cole joins Tessa in her search to find Joey's biological father even as she falls in love with her host, who denies he feels the same way as she does. The lead couple makes BETTING ON SANTA a wonderful holiday romance enhanced by a fine mystery. Tessa knows how she feels about Cole and refuses to accept his insistence that he's not in love. The amateur sleuth investigation adds to the fun as neither knows what they are doing. This contemporary is an entertaining sure bet. Harriet Klausner