Charming the Prince — Maddie James

Krissy Kringle's dream of owning her own business and settling into a community with her daughter, Merry, came alive when she moved to Charmington—the small Christmas village in the Adirondacks. Hard work, sacrifice, and a bucket-load of luck make her dream come true—Kringle's Diner exists, business is booming, and above all else, she and Merry are happy. She's also weary beyond words doing the work of three people. So, she hires a man who wanders into the diner. He needs work, or so it seems. He comes with a huge Bernese Mountain dog named Prince, who takes up residence in the diner corner booth every day with Merry. Krissy can deal with it—help in the kitchen trumps dog germs. Right? Contrary to popular belief around Charmington, Max Alexander (aka Alex Maxwell) is not homeless. In fact, he is royalty. Alexander Henrik Vincent Maxwell III, Prince of Beldova, heir apparent to the throne, is searching for something. Incognito, of course. That something is Krissy. Twenty years earlier, as awkward pre-teens, the two shared a magical summer vacation on a lake in Wisconsin. The next year, circumstances cause both of their lives to change forever—and they never see each other again. Years later, finding Krissy becomes a mission for Alex—before he takes the permanent step toward becoming King. Krissy and Alex work together for several weeks. Their attraction for each other grows, but Alex never tells Krissy he is the boy from the lake. He understands her need for community with the security of home, and he doesn't want to disrupt her happiness. Besides, his future is uncertain. Will he become King? Or not? When Alex must suddenly return to Beldova, a rapid unraveling of entangled truths reveals his reality to Krissy. Can they untangle the omissions and half-truths, and recover the magic of that one special summer for the holidays?