Christmas at the Penalty Box Inn

A Cozy Small-Town Hockey Rom-Com

By: Lola Rush

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Holly Merrin has one final chance to save her late mom’s Christmas inn -- and absolutely no time for a boyfriend.

The Penalty Box Inn in North Spruce, Vermont, is her whole world: creaky floors, crooked railings, and cocoa-fueled holiday events that might convince the state tourism board to hand over a life-changing winter recovery grant. The only problem? The committee is obsessed with “couple-run destinations”… and Holly is as single as the last ornament on the tree.

Enter Brad “Brick” Kroft, grumpy, broad-shouldered NHL enforcer on league suspension, hiding out where no one will think to look: a tiny Vermont inn with terrible Wi-Fi and way too many twinkle lights. He just wants to lay low, fix a few things, and figure out who he is when he’s not throwing punches on national TV.

When the grant committee shows up unannounced and assumes Brad is Holly’s partner, he backs her play without missing a beat. One fake relationship, strictly business, strictly temporary... just until Christmas. But as they fumble through tree lightings, gingerbread house showdowns, family skate nights and a full-on blizzard, their “for the cameras” chemistry starts feeling dangerously real.

Brad has spent his whole career chasing the next game. All Holly wants is to save her inn. When the snow clears and the lights come down, will a sunshine innkeeper and a reformed hockey bruiser choose a clean break -- or a messy, real forever?

Perfect for fans of cozy small-town Christmas rom-coms, grumpy/sunshine hockey heroes, fake dating, forced proximity, blizzards, and small towns that can't resist playing matchmaker.