Martin Gibson is cursed. Ever since a childhood clash with a Christmas elf, the holiday has brought him bad luck. In a desperate attempt to avoid the Curse—or at least protect his loved ones from its calamities—he leaves Scotland and travels to America for a Christmas utterly alone.

Anthony Bello is adrift. Fired from his job as a TV weatherman, he’s returned to West Virginia to be caretaker for his family’s vacation rental properties. When a hot Scot with an unlucky—and unlikely—story checks into one of the tiny homes he oversees, Anthony is more than smitten. Now he has a thrilling new project: help Martin break the Curse for good.

Will a wild winter storm let Martin and Anthony’s attraction build into something real, or will it trigger the most cursed Christmas yet? And when Martin’s transatlantic escape is over, can they bear to walk away with nothing but memories?

Load up on holiday warm fuzzies with this standalone tale featuring a Christmas-tree heist, a bed-hogging dog, and the coziest hot tub ever!

Related:

• In the mood for more seasonal fun? Check out all of of Avery’s holiday stories.