Guest post by Angie Tompkins
If you could spend one festival weekend in Harbor’s Hope, which would you choose: Christmas lights beside the water in July, or an autumn lantern walk?
Both belong to this coastal town, but they offer different ways to settle into a story. Sometimes the weather outside makes the decision easy. Other times, a book is a chance to visit the season you’re missing.
In Christmas in July at Harbor’s Hope, Evergreen Tide Resort gives Christmas its own place on the summer calendar. There are lights along the harbor, a tree on the sand, and iced cocoa by the water. You can imagine taking your time, finding somewhere to sit, and staying out a little longer once the lights come on.
Hauntfest at Harbor’s Hope brings lantern walks and masquerade preparations. Cass Whitley is leading the lantern route, which means there’s plenty to organize before anyone gets to enjoy the evening. An old boathouse adds a little mystery to the autumn setting.
So, what draws you into a fictional festival? The decorations? The food? A familiar town seen in a different season? Or the possibility of getting caught up in somebody else’s plans?
Those small choices make a useful starting point when you’re picking your next read. You might want a bright summer celebration after a wet week, or a lantern-lit evening that matches the leaves outside your window. There’s room for either mood.
Christmas in July at Harbor’s Hope is available now. Hauntfest at Harbor’s Hope releases October 27, and Cass and Jeff’s clean romance can be enjoyed on its own. Both offer a coastal visit with a happy ending.
I’d love to hear your choice: summer Christmas or autumn lanterns? And what’s the first thing you’d do when you arrived?