Dottie's Christmas Wish

Christmas Creek Romance #9

by Rachelle Ayala

All Merry Jolly wants is to make Dr. Colton Dale smile. All his daughter, Dottie, wants is a dog. Will Christmas wishes come true for three lonely hearts?

~~~

Mail carrier Merry Jolly has the Christmas blues. She’s friendly, kind, and helpful, but unlike her three sisters, she’s never brought a date home for Christmas. One day, while dutifully delivering the Christmas Creek mail, Merry finds a little girl lost near the frozen creek.

Dr. Colton Dale knows how to set a broken bone, but he has no clue how to stitch up his broken life. He and his daughter, Dottie, moved to Christmas Creek two years ago after the death of his wife. When the pretty mail carrier finds Dottie lost in the woods, Colton is determined not to let gratefulness spill into temptation. He’s lost so much, and he has to protect his heart and Dottie’s at all costs.

Despite every barrier Colton sets up, the Christmas Creek magic is at work. Dottie’s looking for answers to her Christmas letters, and Merry can’t bear to leave them unanswered. Meanwhile, Colton’s lonely heart beats faster whenever Merry brings the mail. When Dottie is disappointed on Christmas Day, will Merry take the risk to deliver love and joy to their three lonely hearts?

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2021

About the author

Rachelle Ayala is an award-winning USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She writes emotionally challenging stories but believes in the power of love and hope.

Her book, Knowing Vera, won the 2015 Angie Ovation Award, and A Father for Christmas garnered a 2015 Readers' Favorite Gold Award. Christmas Stray was awarded the 2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Award and A Pet for Christmas had an Honorable Mention. In 2017, her book about a single mother with an autistic son, Playing for the Save, won the 2017 Readers' Favorite Gold Award for Realistic Fiction.

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She is also a writing teacher and founder of the Romance In A Month writing community. She lives in California with her husband and has three children and two birds.

For an updated, printable booklist:
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ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Broken Build
Hidden Under Her Heart
Knowing Vera

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Taming Romeo
Claiming Carlos
Whole Latte Love
The Remingtons: Leap, Laugh, Love
The Remingtons: Blush of Love
Bad Boys for Hire: Ryker
Bad Boys for Hire: Ken
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick
Laguna Beach: Lucky in Laguna
Sapphire Falls: Going Haywire
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Sapphire Falls: Going Hearts Over Heels

SPORTS ROMANCE
Played by Love
Playing the Rookie
Playing Without Rules
Roaring Hot!
Intercepted by Love
Playing Catch
Playing for the Save

SWEET ROMANCE
Christmas Stray
A Father for Christmas
A Pet for Christmas
A Wedding for Christmas
Christmas Lovebirds
Valentine Hound Dog
Spring Fling Kitty
Blue Chow Christmas
Valentine Wedding Hound

HOLIDAY ROMANCE
Christmas Flirt
Santa's Pet
Deck the Hearts
Her Christmas Chance
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe
Bad Boys for Hire: Nick

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Michal's Window

NON-FICTION
Your Daily Bible Verse
Romance In A Month
366 Ways to Know Your Character
Love Stories: Writing a Romance Novella

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dottie's Christmas Wish is a wonderfully heartfelt story that is sure to tug on your heart strings and encourage you to welcome Christmas in all of its spender and joy. Christmas is meant to be shared with those around us. Whether they are family or friends, the spirit of Christmas does not diminish or become lackluster. It is our heart that determines how much of Christmas we allow to change and challenge us. No other limitations beyond our own can truly impact the beauty and power of Christmas for a single soul.

Merry Jolly knows her family legacy within Christmas Creek. She does what she can do to make sure that it will continue throughout her life. All she truly wants is to touch the lives of those around her. She just wants to bring some sunshine into an otherwise dreary world. Dr. Dale knows how to provide for him and his young daughter, but he doesn't know how to mend their hearts. After a terrible tragedy, he hoped that they would find some solace in the small town of Christmas Creek. However, he isn't prepared for the mesmerizing ray of light and the surprising tug of temptation that he feels whenever she is near. Can he open his heart and mind to this intriguing town, or will he run from the unfamiliar sense of community and the confusing feelings in his heart?

Merry has one goal and that is to get Dr. Dale to smile, but Dr. Dale fears that he wants to offer more then just a smile to the cheerful beauty. He doesn't see himself as a prize for the sweet young mail carrier, but Merry is determined to show him that he is worth everything to her. Watching Merry try to push through his defenses was a fun and frustrating thing to watch. Can the spirit of Christmas save these two fragile hearts before they shatter what is left and walk away for good?

This is another perfect addition to the Christmas Creek collection of quirky and breathtaking romances. Rachelle Ayala shows us that all you really need for Christmas is a willing heart and someone who wants to shelter it. Christmas can mean something different for many people, but for me, it will always mean peace for the heart, joy in the circumstances, and love that never ends.

[Patty Duplechin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Colton Dale moved to Christmas Creek with his daughter, Dottie when he loss his wife. He wanted a new place to have Dottie raised in a small community. All she wants is a dog for Christmas. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea. He lives to make his daughter happy. He is worried that Dottie will fall sick like his wife did. Will he change his mind and give her her wish?
Merry Jolly is a mail carrier. She was delivering the doctor’s mail when she found Dottie lost near a frozen creek. She ends up helping the doctor with babysitting Dottie. Can two people help each other through the Christmas holidays? Will he finally move on from the death of his wife? The more time they spend together, the more they seem to like each other. Will they walk away from each other? Will Colton let the past go and move to a new future with Merry and Dottie? Wonderful read. Well worth it.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Colton Dale lost his wife and now is afraid to love again. He has a six year old daughter Dottie who is such a sweet little girl. All she asks for is a dog but since her mother had been very allergic to dogs, he has a fear of her being around them. Merry Jolly is a mail carrier and totally fits her name as she is always jolly and a very merry human being. They live in a small town where everyone knows each other’s business but also are there for each other when needed. I found the story a little drawn out, even though it was a good story and a would have liked a little more about their future.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a highly enjoyable story. All the spirit of Christmas and wishes fulfilled. A little girl wishes for a puppy and for a mommy. Merry happens to save the little girl, Dottie and they form a close friendship. Her dad is a widowed doctor who does not let much joy in his life. Merry is joy personified and slowly chips away at his heart. But is he looking for a babysitter, a friend or a wife? He leaves Merry quite confused and he needs to make a big gesture to convince her he really loves her.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dottie will steal your heart. She is just precious. I love these books set in Christmas Creek. I want Merry Jolly to deliver my mail. This well written book had me engaged from page one and I just kept reading since I gad to discover how it all played out. There are great, realistic characters, the wonderful small town vibe, and a most satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a clean, Hallmark style book, try this one. It does not disappoint!

[Lucy Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastjc

I hope it was the last and there will be more as there are still some Christmas creek singles there. I couldn't wait for this to come out and I couldn't put it down. Loved it.

[Rose Helg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book

This was a Good Book. The ending was OK. Just wanted to know what happens in a year or two? Any kids?

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The Jolly Family is one of my favorites. In this one we have Merry Jolly and her search for the right man. The doctor in town is a single dad to Dottie. Merry befriends Dottie and is interested in her Daddy. But is the doctor ready to love again? Does the doctor want someone to complete the family or is he just looking for a new Mom for Dottie?
Dottie is adorable! I love her and her belief in Grandma Frost. I love how the author also brought in various “Santa” traditions from around the world and allowed us to peek at them through Dottie. My family includes a lot of traditions from around the globe so this part of the story was super fun for me. There is a lot of tension between the doctor and Merry. The doctor grapples with the guilt and loss of his wife while trying to be available to both his patients and his daughter. He wasn’t able to control the death of his wife so he has gone a bit to the extreme with Dottie. Merry loves Dottie but loving a child doesn’t mean you will find happiness married to the dad. There is a lot of uncertainty with this story but also some wonderful moments. The mix is a good one that keeps you turning pages.
This book is part of the Christmas Creek series. If you aren’t familiar with it, you might want to read it in order. I think you could enjoy it without reading the previous books but you will miss out on certain references and relationships. The series is a fun one so you would most likely catch up quickly. Rachelle Ayala is one of my favorite authors. She writes books in both the sweet and spicy sub-genres. I would put this on the sweeter side but with a hint of spicy as there is a bit of naughty references, (nothing I wouldn’t let a teen read or that made me uncomfortable. I laughed with them.). I recommend it if you are looking for something Christmassy to escape with.

[Jacqulyn Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, heart warming fast read. Tried to find book 10 but there isn't one yet. But when it comes out I will definitely look forward to reading it. Nice family, close town setting thank you for writing this book

[Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grannma Frost

It comes as no surprise that this is my favorite book this season.
Dottie is such an angel. Her Dad (Dr Dale) tried so hard to raise her right. The move from the big city to a small town is quite an adjustment. It might have been easier but he was the only Dr. So he's was on call 24i/7. He met Merry Holly she as impossible to ignore. But he felt unfaithful to his first wife Dottie's mother. Finding a babysitter on 24 hr call was hard to find. But he did have a calling list. Until she left her alone and Dottie went looking for Grannma Frost. Luckily Merry heard something and went to investigate
I could go on but I hate to rewrite perfection.
This is definitely a don't miss Christmas story for any age Christmas lover.

[Kaye Wingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this story