BooksCanadian

The Holiday Swap

A novel by Maggie Knox.

Maggie Knox

CBC Books Posted: Nov 15, 2021 4:40 PM EST | Last Updated: December 17, 2021

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track? (From Viking)

Maggie Knox is the pseudonym of Canadian writing duoKarma Brown and Marissa Stapley. Brown's bestselling books includeRecipe for a Perfect WifeandThe 4% Fix,while Stapley's known for romantic novels likeMating for LifeandThings to Do When It's Raining.The Holiday Swapmarks their first collaboration.

From the book

Charlie Goodwin drew a shaky breath and tapped furiously on her phone, the screen illuminating her face in the otherwise dark storeroom. She opened an app and searched for the emergency two-minute stress-release meditation. Once the soothing voice began, she closed her eyes and took another deep breath, trying to slow her frantic heartbeat. But all that did was bring the sharp scent of peppermint extract further up her nose and into her throat. Normally she loved the smell of peppermint and all Christmas-related things. But this had been sabotage. She smelled like a giant candy cane-and she wasn't feeling very festive about it.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and she cracked an eye, glancing at the screen. Priya Basu, her friend and on-set makeup artist.

Don't let him get to you.

He's a jerk and you're YOU.

Priya was right. Sighing with frustration, Charlie leaned her head back against the wall. She whispered the mantra in time with her exhales and peppermint-scented inhales:Don't let him get to you.

FromThe Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox 2021. Published by Viking.

Add some good to your morning and evening.