The Christmas Crush : A Novel

Career-focused Elena is climbing the corporate ladder all the way to the top, so when Sparkle Cookie, the cookie manufacturer she works for, opens a new branch, she jumps at the opportunity to impress her bosses. But the townsfolk in New Hope, Pennsylvania, aren''t exactly thrilled about a large company coming in to ruin their small-town feel with factories and truckloads of Sparkle Cookie products on their roads, yet Elena is determined to prove herself and make the new branch a success. Local baker Lawrence - and his dog Sugar - have been a beloved staple in New Hope for the past two years. Their bakery specializes in cookies, but with Sparkle Cookie coming in, he''s worried their market will be quickly squashed by franchise locations selling mass-produced (and, in his opinion, terrible) cookies on every street corner. Elena and Lawrence immediately butt heads at a town hall meeting, and Lawrence is determined to drive Sparkle Cookie from town at all costs - but Elena is just as ruthlessly determined to make the New Hope location a success and win over the townspeople. When a cookie competition makes them join forces, sparks fly, and they''re both forced to decide just what price they''re willing to pay to reach their goals.