Cozy by the Fire(Man)

Cleo is doing her best to hold things together after losing her parents and becoming guardian to her younger brother, Cameron. Between work, simple dinners, and backyard games of catch, there isn’t much room left for her own wants. Ansel, a dedicated small-town fireman with a strict, by-the-book approach, gets called out to Cleo’s property for a bear problem and finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her strength and kindness. This is a short, Christmas-season romance novella in the multi-author Letters to Mrs. Claus series, told in third person and focused on Cleo and Ansel’s growing connection. The story leans on cozy moments, community support, and gentle attraction rather than explicit content, making it a good fit for readers who like clean holiday romance with a responsible heroine, a protective hero, and family at the center of the story.