Merry: A Short Rivers End Holiday Romance

By CJ Hunt

"Island settings have a special kind of nostalgic magic, and CJ Hunt has imbued River's End with a mix of small town charm and sexy fun that pulls readers in and makes them want to stay for more." ~Laurel Greer, author of From Exes to Expecting"

Merry Tremayne loves Christmas in Rivers End. Festivals, food, and family make the holiday magical—which is fantastic, as long as she’s not the one making the magic. The last time she used her Gift to improve someone’s Christmas spirit, it ended in catastrophe. So when she accidentally casts a spell on a grumpy, gorgeous Grinch, she thinks she’s ruined everything. That is, until he kisses her with enough heat to melt a snowman.
For Dillon Clarke, nothing good has ever come from Christmas. But things start looking up when he meets perky, sexy Merry, who’s determined to put the tinsel on his tree and the jingle in his... bells. Together, they might just be able to conquer their fears and begin some new Christmas traditions of their own.
When a Christmas witch meets a gorgeous grinch, sparks fly... literally! Come home to Rivers End and fall in love with this ‘sweet with a dash of heat and magic’ small town, holiday romance.
A note from author CJ Hunt
Welcome to Rivers End! All my stories take place in the same small town and there is no right or wrong way to explore the stories. You can read them in chronological order, by miniseries (family or theme), or just jump in with any book, novella or story that interests you.
A Touch of Magic in Rivers End
Merry (Merry+Dillon)
Oona (Oona+Sam)

The MacAllisters of Rivers End
Silver Bells (Jenna+Isaac, Beginnings)
Tipsy (Shannon+Lucas)
Reindeer Games (Ginger+Eli)
Wedding Bells (Jenna+Isaac, HEA)
Elfed (Lindsay+Noah)

The O'Donnells
The List (Selina+Connor)

The Martinez Family
Maybe (Lucie+Daniel)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thigh High Ink
• Release date: Dec 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781926691619

Book preview

Merry

MERRY

A MAGIC CHRISTMAS IN RIVERS END #1

CJ HUNT

MERRY copyright © 2017 by CJ Hunt

A Magic Christmas in Rivers End #1

All rights reserved.

MERRY first published in Canada and around the world by Thigh High Ink. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

---

ISBN:

978-1-926691-61-9 (eBook)

978-1-926691-78-7 (audiobook)

---

Cover image licensed from shutterstock.com

Please note: this is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

CONTENTS

Welcome to Rivers End!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Get FREE READS!

Sneak Peek of OONA

OONA

Rivers End Romances by CJ Hunt

About the Author

Acknowledgments

WELCOME TO RIVERS END!

All my stories take place in the same small (fictional) Canadian town—Rivers End—and there is no right or wrong way to explore the stories. You can read the stories in chronological order, by miniseries (family or theme), or just jump in with any book, novella or story that interests you. Click here for suggested reading order options.

A Touch of Magic in Rivers End stories are a little bolder, a little sexier, and of course a little more…well… magical than the regular Rivers End Romances.

---

Click here to join the Rivers End Bookclub and get your free starter library of Rivers End Romances—including a couple of stories that are EXCLUSIVELY available to Book Club Members!

---

Visit RiversEndBookclub.com to explore Rivers End—you’ll find alternate reading order lists, recipes, maps, music, family trees, bookclub questions and more!

xo CJ Hunt

---

Newsletter subscriber EXCLUSIVE stories!

Trick or Treat

Dark and Stormy

---

The MacAllisters of Rivers End

Silver Bells (#1)

Tipsy (#2)

Reindeer Games (#3)

Wedding Bells (#4)

Elfed (#5)

---

The Martinez Family of Rivers End

Maybe

---

The O’Donnells of Rivers End

The List

---

A Touch of Magic in Rivers End

Merry

Oona

Amanda, this one’s for you.

xo

CHAPTER 1

Merry Tremayne loved the River Walk at Christmas. The town of Rivers End went all-out decorating for the holidays, and the event was the perfect opportunity to spend time with her cousins and grab any last minute gifts she needed. She took a deep breath. The air smelled like mulled wine spices and peppermint chocolate. It was glorious. But the very best part of the festival was the eggnog hot chocolate from The Serving Spoon’s food cart.

Especially this year. It was a colder-than-usual December in Rivers End, and there was plenty of snow on the ground. They didn’t get a white Christmas often, and Merry was determined to enjoy every second of it. She tucked the ends of her reindeer scarf into her red wool coat and rubbed her mittened hands together.

She’d been in line for fifteen minutes already, but she didn’t mind the wait. There was plenty to look at. The booths were strung along the river in a winding row—little white pop-up tents linked together with Christmas-coloured lights twinkling overhead and the cutest little candy cane fence that kept people on the paths and out of the vendor area.

There was a stage in the middle of everything, and the singer on it was fantastic. Merry loved Silent Night, and she’d never heard it sung quite like this before. The acoustic guitar and the velvet of the singer’s voice were mesmerizing.

The place was packed with families strolling around, kids wired beyond belief with only two more sleeps till Santa, and couples hand in hand. There were plenty of people she recognized—she’d spent every Christmas here since she was a baby, after all—but a number of faces she didn’t recognize too.

Like Hot Chocolate Guy. Merry turned her attention back to the guy behind the counter of the food cart. Maybe Adam hired someone new?

She liked the look of him. Blond curls just peeking out from under his knitted hat, funky glasses highlighting big brown eyes. Too bad about the scowl. Otherwise, he’d totally be her type.

Merry watched as he handed out cup after cup to people with hardly a word. What was his problem? This was supposed to be a fun night. Would it kill him to wish someone happy holidays, or even just to smile at them?

Her fingers itched.

Just a little boost, Merry. You’d be doing him a favour.

She clenched