The Christmas Express on the Brambleberry Steam Railway

Steam, soot, and a second chance at safety ... Can Dora find her way home this Christmas? Engineer Dora is more comfortable with a wrench than a camera. A former teen model, she traded the runway for fixing steam trains on a Heritage Railway and now she's built a life protected by iron-clad boundaries. She finally feels safe - until the Christmas Express brings the threat of bankruptcy and a donor who doesn't understand the word "no." Adam swapped his city suit for farm overalls to save his family's struggling estate, now he's drowning in debt and his father's disapproval. He's admired Dora from afar for years, but she's made it clear she's not interested. When a winter storm crashes a tree through Dora's roof, she's forced to move into Adam's farmhouse. Under the same roof, the ice between them begins to thaw. Adam realizes the "cold" engineer is actually a woman healing from a fractured past and Dora dares to hope that Adam is a man who will truly respect her space. But when a festive celebration turns into a nightmare, Dora assumes history will repeat itself and retreats into her shell. With the farm facing ruin and the railway on the brink of closure, Dora and Adam must decide: will they retreat to their separate bunkers, or can they move beyond their past hurts to stand together? This closed-door (low spice) cosy romance is a standalone novel and is ideal for fans of Milly Johnson or Jessica Redland.

Rhoda writes contemporary women's fiction with a hint of geek. Back in the early 2000s, when she commuted into London every day, Rhoda read romance novels and wished there were more stories about women who were not obsessed with shoes. Besides which, where were all the nice men - the sort that rely on wit and charm rather than money and biceps? Rhoda now writes the sort of books she wanted to read. She's lucky enough to have several books published by a traditional publisher (thank you Choc Lit!). Her books have been nominated for prizes and her articles have appeared on various websites, including USA Today. In real life, she has a DPhil in microbiolgy, so if her pen name sounds vaguely bacterial, you can guess why. You can find her wittering on about cake and science or making bad puns on her website (www.rhodabaxter.com), or on Facebook or Twitter (@rhodabaxter). Or, if you like, you can email her at rhodab@rhodabaxter.com. Please do say hello if you're passing.