Charmed at a Yuletide Ball — Sandra Sookoo

Unexpected surprises have the sweetest impact.

Emmaline, the Countess of Archewyne, is looking forward to Christmas Day. She and her family are assembled at their Cairo estate, and though she misses London and all the hustle and bustle and the snow, there is something endearing about the holiday away, for romance -- and love -- is always just around the corner.

Miles Lawrence Hawkins, the fifth Earl of Archewyne, is wrapping up the paperwork and packing as a result of a successful tomb discovery. However, when a valuable statue goes missing, he becomes distracted. Which is a blessing, for he's also worried about the impending birth of his next child. So far away from home and civilization, anything could go wrong.

Their tranquil days leading up to a Yuletide ball are interrupted with the arrival of old friends and fellow king's agents bearing news, gifts, and concerns of their own. As the house fills with anticipation, Miles fears they have a thief in their mix, while Emmaline's worst fear comes true. A romantic tryst during the holiday revelry brings their lives into sharp relief, and if everyone survives the harrowing events that follow, Christmas will never be a happier time.