A few days ago, I bought a greeting card at my favorite independent bookstore. It has the words Merry Christmas, written in red and green and crossed out. Then it has the words Happy Hanukkah written in blue and crossed out. Then it has the words Happy Holidays written in red and crossed out. Then it was the word December.

The card made me laugh.

But it’s not entirely accurate. Because Hanukkah is super early this year. The eight-day holiday actually begins the night of November 29.

That means that I had to rush to get my short story, “Harmony Lights”, in stores by today. Because a story about Hanukkah should be available before the actual holiday. You know. To get everyone in the mood for some latkes. And some candle lighting. And a sweet-spicy small town reunion romance. Or as the “back of the book” blurb puts it:

A Hanukkah miracle is the only hope for transforming this small-town second chance reunion into true love.

It’s Hanukkah in the small town of Harmony Springs, and Abigail Cohen is surrounded by latkes, holiday candles, and a mother who seems determined to push her into the arms of the one man she’s vowed to forget.

Abby got over Ethan Weiss years ago. She moved away. She became a doctor. She hardly ever thinks about her first true love.

But when her mother has a medical crisis, Abby must return to West Virginia. And when Ethan shows up on the first night of the Festival of Lights, long-buried secrets are revealed.

The Jewish holiday celebrates an ancient miracle. But can any miracle heal a broken heart?

This story was originally published in Eight Kisses, the Hanukkah romance anthology I co-edited with Lori Ann Bailey. It’s one of my True Love Classics (a collection of romances by USA Today bestselling Harlequin authors, including originals and popular reissues.)