She Runs Hot: a grumpy sunshine runaway bride ex-hockey player small town romance

A runaway bride. A retired hockey player turned barista. One small-town coffee shop. Three weeks until Christmas. Lizzie Fairbanks fled her wedding, stole her fiancé's car, and drove until it died—right outside Holly Peak, the hometown she hasn't seen in a decade. Broke, freezing, and wearing a mud-stained cocktail dress, she crashes into the local coffee shop and destroys an entire gingerbread display. Not her finest moment. Darrell Rowe traded his hockey skates for an espresso machine after a career-ending injury. He's not looking for complications—but when a beautiful disaster literally falls into his café, he can't turn her away. One job offer. One tiny apartment upstairs. One terrible barista who's suddenly everywhere he looks. As the Christmas festival approaches, Lizzie finds something she never expected: a place worth staying for. But her past is hunting her down—and it's about to walk through the door. Grumpy-sunshine sparks. Fierce café regulars. Forced proximity steam. A happily ever after worth fighting for. Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Lucy Score, and Sarah Adams. Standalone steamy Christmas romance. Open door. HEA guaranteed.