Carly Phillips

Simply Sexy Carly Phillips

It all started with a not-so-innocent sprig of mistletoe ...

In retrospect, Rina Lowell should have known that Emma Montgomery's mistletoe was a matchmaking ploy.

Rina is new to Ashford, to her newspaper job, to her whole life. And she can't wait to write Hot Stuff, a series of columns that will definitively pin down what men really want.

When Emma maneuvers her under that pesky sprig of evergreen with Ashford's prodigal son, Rina can't resist the chance to plant one on that dark-haired, blue-eyed man's sensual mouth. She never expected that kiss to go down like a shot of fine tequila. The man is perfect for her, or so she thinks.

When his adoptive father Joe falls ill, globetrotting news reporter Colin Lyons doesn't hesitate to drop everything to fly home and take over Joe's baby, the Ashford Times. Which, Colin discovers, is veering away from hard news to sexy, smutty fluff. Something he can't let happen.

He's only got until New Year's to save this sinking ship, and to do that, he needs an ally. Rina, with her sparkling brown eyes and frumpy clothes that make his fingers itch to discover what's underneath, is the perfect target to help him. Even if it means the job she loves will be cut in the end.

He never expected one kiss to take his simple plan to save the Times and tie it into impossible knots ... and possibly cost him the woman he loves.