Hot Mess in a Christmas Dress

A Christmas Rom-Com About Love and Chaos (Pine Hollow Christmas, Book 2)

By: Stephen Penezich

Narrated by: Ariana Abrego

Hot Mess in a Christmas Dress is a standalone and Book 2 in the Pine Hollow Christmas Series. Each book in the series can be enjoyed on its own. This story dives into the messy side of love, regret, and second chances, all wrapped in holiday magic.

Hot Mess in a Christmas Dress

She had the perfect guy, the perfect small-town life, and a future that was almost too steady. So she traded it all for glitter, city lights, and a holiday glow-up that didn’t go quite as planned.

Melissa thought she wanted more. More excitement. More attention. More everything. She reinvented herself, dropped the weight, ran from Pine Hollow, and slipped into a red velvet dress that promised a new version of her. But hot hookups, loud music, and one too many holiday cocktails can’t fill the Keith-shaped hole she left behind.

Now, nearly a year later, she’s back in town with a suitcase full of regrets and a dress that doesn’t fit the way it used to. Her ex has moved on with a woman who seems practically perfect. Her family watches her like she’s a walking cautionary tale. And Melissa is finally realizing she didn’t run toward something better. She ran away from herself.

Hot Mess in a Christmas Dress is a raunchy, romantic comedy about heartbreak, reinvention, and figuring out who you actually want to be when the fairy tale burns down. Full of heat, humor, and holiday chaos, it’s perfect for listeners who love small-town Christmas stories with a little extra spice.

Hallmark sparkle. R-rated heat.

©2025 Stephen Penezich (P)2026 Stephen Penezich