Brrrr the weather is feeling more and more wintery by the day! The festive season is truly upon us, so we asked Louisa George what it was like writing about a truly Chrsitmassy, winter escape in her new book, ER Doc to Mistletoe Bride. 

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Around twenty years ago we booked a ski-ing holiday in the French alps for over the Christmas and new year period. I was so looking forward to having some fun and relaxation with friends and family (and none of us having to cook a single thing!). To me, a Christmas in the snow, depicted on all those traditional cards we send, was such a magical idea and I was all for it!

I imagined cosy, crackling fires and pristine ski slopes. Delicious food, fun apres ski. Fresh air and exercise to nurture our bodies and the alpine beauty and time spent with people we love to fuel our souls. Although, with our two toddlers and our group of friends’ kids totalling four boys and three girls all under the age of six, I’m sure the reality would have been quite different. (A girl can dream…)

But life intervened and we had to cancel the holiday plans because we were suddenly emigrating across the world to New Zealand. And, while the last 19 years of hot, sunny, beach holiday Christmases have been awesome, I’ve always hankered after that snowy, spa and ski Christmas.

Enter ER Doc to Mistletoe Bride. If I can’t have that idyllic snow-filled festive break then I can create it for my characters, right? Although, for hero Matthieu who owns the exclusive resort of Sainte Colette, and the new team doctor Rachel, their focus is more on looking after the guests and trying not to fall in love with each other, than thinking about their own special Christmas.

But I wanted the backdrop to their relationship to enhance their journey so I threw all my dreams at it, aided and abetted by stories from my sister who used to work in a ski resort. I wanted Sainte Colette to be a healing place for them both, with a sense of supportive community…and great food. And romantic…absolutely! With roaring fires, towering Christmas trees to decorate and husky dog sleigh rides. And for the children—Santa! (Okay, for the adults too, because we all know the magic of giving and receiving presents!). I also gave them a white-out snowstorm for added drama, but I’m not so keen to be caught in one of those in real life! As you can see, I had a lot of fun helping Matthieu and Rachel’s relationship develop (with a few roadblocks…or should that be iceblocks?…along the way.)

If you can’t get away to a magical place this Christmas, I hope you get the chance to pause during this busy season and cosy up in front of a crackling fire and read a good book that whisks you away to one. I wish you and your family a very happy and healthy holiday time, wherever you are in the world.

And who knows, one day, I may actually get my white Christmas…as I said before, a girl can dream.

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ER Doc to Mistletoe Bride by Louisa George is out on November 25th. Pre-order here.

By Lauren Gardiner