Wrapped in Blue by Kara Emerson

When Seattle journalist Julian Parris is sent to cover a seaside town’s quirky Christmas festival, he expects tinsel, tourists, and a forgettable puff piece—not a woman who knocks him off his feet. Literally. Iris Callahan, lifelong Indigo Beach local and reluctant festival coordinator, has too much on her plate to play tour guide to a brooding city reporter. Between juggling family obligations, small-town drama, and her dream of reopening her late mentor’s local surf shop, the last thing she needs is a man who’s just passing through. But when a chance encounter leads to shared sunsets, salt-sprayed laughter, and sparks neither can ignore, Iris and Julian find themselves caught between the pull of possibility and the promise of goodbye. In a town draped in shimmering lights and second chances, sometimes the hardest thing isn’t falling in love—it’s deciding whether to stay long enough to see what happens next.