The seventh book in the 24 Hours series, 2008

Dear Reader,

If a girl is going to be lost for twenty-four hours, my choice would probably be a high-end department store or the food court at a local mall. But throw in a handsome companion and I might opt for a deserted tropical island. After all, where else would clothing be optional?

In Who Needs Mistletoe? I had a chance to combine a bit of Survivor, a dash of my last Caribbean vacation and a few other secret fantasies to pen my latest effort for Harlequin Blaze. Added to that was a little bit of Christmas, too. It’s not the typical Christmas story-no twinkling tree or stacks of wrapped presents. But hopefully this book will give you more than a little holiday cheer.

So enjoy this escape to the South Pacific while you’re drinking eggnog and sitting in front of the fire. And have a wonderful holiday season!

Happy reading,

Kate Hoffmann

THE ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE looked even tackier than it had the previous year, the plastic pine needles worn thin in spots and the wire branches drooping. Sophie Madigan hung the last of the ornaments on a high bough, then stepped back, forcing a smile. “Doesn’t that look festive, Papa?”

She glanced over her shoulder at her father, who sat at the huge desk in their parlor, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose, aviation manuals and charts spread out in front of him. He nodded distractedly, then took another sip of his whiskey. It was barely noon and he had already poured himself a drink, Sophie mused.

“I should have bought some new lights,” she continued. “Half of these are burned out.”