Plot Synopsis

Formerly in charge of the Search & Rescue K-9 Unit in Afghanistan, Captain Grace Garland, receives an honorable discharge and returns stateside. Missing her Marine "family," including Christmas, her white lab, she heads cross-country to Cincinnati for a new job, but her jeep breaks down and sends her into a snow bank. Unharmed, she is greeted by a dog that leads her to his owner, Joe Peterson, the Judge of Rivers Crossing. He has her jeep towed to his uncle's auto shop, where she learns the damage might take three weeks to repair due to the busy holiday season. Luckily, Joe has a guesthouse and Grace finds that being stranded in Rivers Crossing during Christmas isn't so bad. She also finds herself falling for Joe, but is uncertain if he's still in love with his ex, who is in town for the holidays. As Grace and Joe spend time enjoying the Christmas festivities, their feelings for each other grow, and he begins to wonder if he should take the job of District Court Judge in Chicago as he'd planned. If he goes, Grace sees no reason to accept the sheriff's offer to run the town's Search & Rescue department. Accidentally overhearing Joe on the phone with his ex, she decides it's time to leave and, brokenhearted, she boards a bus for Cincinnati...until Joe sets in motion a surprise that could make her stay in Rivers Crossing forever.