Sale Blitz & Teatime and Books Review ~ Christmas at the Chalet - A Novel by Anita Hughes

PRAISE FOR CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET BY ANITA HUGHES

"Christmas at the Chalet is the most sparkling and glamorous of all Anita Hughes’s wise and gorgeous books."
—Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of A Nantucket Wedding

"Christmas at the Chalet is a breathtaking glimpse into the glittering and magical world of St. Moritz. Part romance, part Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Hughes gives her readers a beautiful story about the meaning of true love, peopled with charming and endearing characters. This is a refreshing novel destined to create cravings for hot chocolate in front of a blazing fire, and make us all believe in Christmas miracles."
—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of Dreams of Falling

"The glam of St. Moritz is the stage for this modern fairy tale...Anita Hughes's Christmas at the Chalet sparkles with Christmas miracles." —Mariah Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of The Sugarhouse Blues

"The magic of the season is on full display in Christmas at the Chalet…In the best Christmas present of them all—a beautiful and authentically heartfelt tale—Anita Hughes reminds us of the true miracle of Christmas: love."
—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis

"In gorgeous detail, Anita Hughes paints a vivid picture of blossoming love amid the backdrop of snow-capped mountains and frozen lakes in the opulent setting of St. Moritz. This enchanting love story will leave you pining for the winter holidays. I loved every page."
—Tracey Garvis Graves, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know 

"Anita Hughes does it again! Christmas At The Chalet hits all the right notes—a beautiful backdrop, a budding romance and a little Christmas magic to help it all come together. A wonderful holiday indulgence!"
—Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, bestselling authors of The Good Widow 

"Another delicious treat…Christmas at the Chalet transports readers to a world of glamour and romance, and reminds us that a fairytale wedding isn’t just about the dress. It’s about making sure the right Prince Charming is waiting at the end of the aisle." —Barbara Davis, bestselling author of When Never Comes

"Christmas at the Chalet reminds us of why we first fell in love with reading. Escaping in the pages of picturesque St. Moritz and the glamorous world of bridal fashion, culminating in the fairy tale that every girl dreams of…a dazzling read." —Rochelle Weinstein, USA Today bestselling author of Somebody’s Daughter

"If you need to escape during the holidays, read this book. No, really. Read it. Your in-laws, your stress, and your to-do list will all go away as you head to St. Moritz for a sweet romance."
—Cathy Lamb, bestselling author of The Man She Married

"Hughes again crafts a highly readable story of love, hope, and going after your dreams... The detailed setting and winter love story centered on the holidays make it an easy recommendation for romance and women's fiction fans."

—Booklist

  

Christmas at the Chalet

A Novel

By Anita Hughes

Anita Hughes has skillfully crafted a series of novels that combine the adventure of dazzling locations, swoon-worthy romance, and the magic and charm of Christmas time that have been featured in Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Martha Stewart Weddings, PopSugar, and many more with the biggest names in women’s fiction. In her next novel, CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET (St. Martin’s Griffin; October 16, 2018), Hughes will once again pull at readers’ heartstrings, entangling them in a world of fashion where two heroines must confront not only their pasts, but also themselves. Set in the glamourous Swiss Alps, this heartfelt love story is essential for keeping cozy and warm this holiday season.

It's the day after Christmas, and Felicity Grant is at a gorgeous ski chalet in St. Moritz for the biggest fashion show of her career. Felicity is a rising star on the bridal design scene, and this is her best collection yet. But when her boyfriend gives her a spa day instead of a diamond ring for Christmas, she has to face the possibility that she may never walk down the aisle in one of her own stunning designs.

And then there's Nell, the top model headlining Felicity's show. Nell is planning her dream wedding to her wonderful fiancé with one catch: her divorced parents can't stand each other and threaten to no-show if the other is there.

Add to that Felicity's race against the clock to create a special gown for a prestigious bridal salon, and what both girls need is a Christmas miracle. What better place to find one than in the Swiss Alps with its dark forests and sparkling vistas?

But for Felicity it's hard to recognize a miracle even when it's right in front of her, and for Nell one miracle might not be enough to fix the past. Can dreams really come true or is that the stuff of Swiss fairytales?

Anita Hughes' CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET is full of romance, gorgeous gowns, and the stunning scenery of the Swiss Alps. It's a story about love and forgiveness, and creating one's own miracles during the most festive time of year.

One

Seven Days Before the Fashion Show 5:00 p.m.

Felicity

Felicity stood on the elegant terrace of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel and thought St. Moritz really was the perfect location for the debut of her winter collection. The snow-covered mountain at sunset was pink and ivory, like the inside of an oyster shell. If she peered over the ledge she could see the village with its quaint chalets, as well as the frozen lake, rimmed with fir trees and filled with ice-skaters wearing bright parkas and fur hats.

When Raj first suggested holding the fashion show for Felicity Grant Bridal in St. Moritz during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, Felicity had been hesitant. It seemed like a logis- tical nightmare to transport the dresses from New York to Switzer- land. And how would they keep an eye on half a dozen models in one of the most hedonistic capitals in the world?

But Raj always thought bigger than she did, and that’s one of the reasons they were successful.

“We’ll book a whole row on the plane for the dresses,” he said

one evening as they sat in the bridal atelier on Madison Avenue in New York.

“What about the cream tulle?” Felicity asked worriedly. “If any- one so much as breathes on it, it wrinkles. And think about the models. I’m afraid of being responsible for them in a foreign coun- try. I know they have contracts, but what if one of them falls in love and runs off with an Austrian ski instructor and we never hear from her again?”

“I’ll personally hold the tulle on the plane,” Raj suggested. “And we’ll insist that the girls be responsible for each other. All the cosmopolitan set who frequent Paris and London will be there. At night there will be sleigh rides, and during the day everyone will attend the snow polo matches. They’ll practically be forced to watch the show if we use the famous catwalk at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel as a runway.”

Raj was right, and Felicity had given in. This was her eighth collection, and she needed a bigger stage than the usual shows in New York, held in downtown lofts littered with fake snow. The same tired press, squeezing in a viewing between Elie Saab’s event in her private atelier and the new designers who were always pop- ping up with outrageous designs: rhinestone-studded pantsuits for the bride, or leopard-skin bridesmaids’ dresses.

Felicity wished she were relaxing in the Palace’s lobby, with its massive stone fireplace and picture windows overlooking the ski runs. Instead she was shivering on the hotel terrace and waiting for Katie, the model, to arrive.

The sneak-peek photo shoot was scheduled to begin in thirty minutes, and the model was missing. If Katie didn’t appear soon, the pink-edged snow would be replaced by pitch darkness, and the wedding blogs and online fashion magazines would go with

their backup fluff pieces and probably wouldn’t cover the collec- tion at all.

And the dress! She stroked the crepe fabric and fell in love with it all over again. It had come to her as her best ideas always did, at completely inopportune times: when she and her boyfriend Adam were going to dinner with one of his important clients, or in the middle of a heated game of Scrabble, or even in the delicious after- glow of making love.

That was the wonderful thing about Adam. He didn’t mind meeting the client for cocktails by himself, or setting the board game aside, or letting her peel herself away from his embrace and slip out of bed. How many nights had she sat at the oversized desk in Adam’s bedroom, wrapped in his robe and sketching on her notepad? She mused at how lucky she was that he took her career as seriously as she did.

The crepe sheath wasn’t the most elaborate wedding dress in the show. That was an organza gown with diamond buttons shaped like snowflakes, which no one had seen except Raj and herself. That gown was safely locked in the hotel’s storeroom, and Nell, the show’s most famous model, would wear it for the show’s grand finale. Felicity could see it so clearly, it gave her goose bumps: Nell with her huge emerald eyes striding down the runway, while the orchestra played and fireworks exploded above the mountain.

This dress was simple and fluid, like a waterfall that had fro- zen midflight. She had specifically chosen Katie to wear it, because Katie’s natural beauty wouldn’t overpower the sweetheart neckline and illusion sleeves. But Katie had disappeared when all the other models went to watch the luge races, and no one had seen her since. Felicity spotted Raj striding toward her and gulped. He was alone, his shoulders hunched the way they were whenever he had

to deliver bad news: a bolt of fabric had been ruined in a warehouse flood, etc.

“You promised you wouldn’t come back until you found Katie,” Felicity said. “St. Moritz is a small village, and it’s five o’clock in the evening. It’s much too early to go dancing, and anyway, she must be exhausted. We only arrived this morning; I can barely keep my eyes open from jet lag.”

“I did find her.” Raj joined Felicity on the terrace. “She’s bur- ied in an eiderdown comforter with a hot compress on her fore- head. Apparently Katie suffers from altitude sickness, and every time she stands up she passes out.”

“You specifically requested models who were used to high altitudes.” Felicity frowned. “It was one of the prerequisites of the job.”

“Katie’s from Kentucky. The highest thing she’s ever climbed is the ladder in her parents’ barn.” Raj sighed. “She sent the money she made this fall to her mother to buy Christmas presents for her younger siblings, and she’s going to be late on her January rent.” Raj paused. “She lied to the agency.”

“Oh, dear,” Felicity commented. That was one of the pitfalls of working with high-fashion models. They seemed impossibly so- phisticated, with their long eyelashes and wide red mouths, but many of them had arrived in Manhattan with nothing but over- due credit cards and a suitcase. They supported boyfriends or families back home, and spent the rest of their money on trendy restaurants and apartments in doorman buildings.

“We’ll have to send her home and ask the agency to provide a replacement,” Raj suggested.

“How could she! Everyone knows how important this show is,” Felicity said angrily. But then she thought of the pictures Katie had

shown her of her twelve-year-old twin siblings. They both had big brown eyes and freckles on their noses. “It would be awful to send her home. It’s Christmas; what if her mother has to take back the presents? Perhaps we should give her another chance.”

“Katie is scheduled to wear three dresses in the show. The A-line with the matching ermine cape, the hand-embroidered tulle, and that spectacular Grecian column with the twelve-foot silk train.”

“Katie would look lovely in the Grecian gown,” Felicity said longingly. “I sewed two dozen amethysts into the train to make her eyes look like tide pools. Why don’t we give her one day to stay in bed? If she’s still not better, we can get someone else to model the dresses.” She surveyed the terrace, packed with men and women sipping après-ski cocktails. “A pretty Swiss girl who’s a waitress or works in a boutique.”

“Modern Bride and all the important magazines will be there.”

Raj shook his head. “We can’t parade around some girl who’s used to folding sweaters or carrying trays of peach Marnier.”

Felicity thought how lucky she was to have Raj as her business partner. If it weren’t for him, Felicity Grant Bridal would still be a collection of doodles that covered every surface of the apartment they’d shared seven years ago during college.

Raj’s parents had sent him to America from India to attend NYU and study computer science. He’d lasted three semesters be- fore he realized he wasn’t cut out to sit in front of a screen all day and decipher code. Raj was a people person; everyone loved his good looks and warm smile.

Felicity used to laugh at how girls would stop by the flat with a warm paper bag and tall-sized cups from Starbucks. Raj had somehow gotten into a conversation with a girl standing in line,

and they’d both agreed the pumpkin muffins were the best they’d ever tasted. They exchanged contacts, and he might have men- tioned he could only afford Starbucks once a week, but he hadn’t expected her to show up with a whole bag of muffins and two cinnamon lattes with extra foam.

The wonderful thing about Raj was that he never hurt anyone’s feelings. If he had to break up with a girl, he sent her flowers and said she was beautiful but he wasn’t ready for anything serious. His work was his passion, and he didn’t want to shortchange her.

And Raj charmed everyone in business. Every editor and online blogger fell in love with his easygoing nature and enthusiasm. If Raj predicted that Felicity’s newest line was going to rival any- thing by Monique Lhuillier or Reem Acra, they happily agreed. And when he’d promised one mother of the bride (referred to him by Manhattan’s most exclusive planner) that Felicity would design a tiered lace gown with a headdress that would make her daughter resemble Grace Kelly, the woman couldn’t hand him a deposit fast enough.

Few people besides Felicity knew that underneath Raj’s casual image—the dark hair that was always in need of a cut, the loafers that had seen too many years of wear—he had the sharp focus of an attack dog. Felicity Grant Bridal had grown from a sewing machine wedged into the hall closet to showrooms on Madison Avenue and in the Hamptons.

“You don’t want to only be known in Manhattan and Sag Harbor forever.” Raj rubbed his leather gloves. “We want Felicity Grant to be the name on everyone’s lips in Hong Kong and Milan and Dubai.”

Felicity pictured the dresses draped over every surface in her

hotel suite and sighed. She had been working on this collection for so long; she couldn’t let anything spoil it now.

“Call the agency and ask them to put a model on the next plane,” Felicity said, relenting. “We’ll loan Katie the money out of petty cash until her next assignment.”

“You do know that Felicity Grant isn’t a charity or a bank, right?” Raj grunted. “But it is Christmas, and Katie does have the loveliest smile. I guess this time I can make an exception.”

“We’ll have to cancel today’s photo shoot,” Felicity said, re- membering. “The photographer will be furious. He was already grumbling about missing happy hour at the Dracula Club. All the celebrities hang out there, and a quick photo of some actor drinking schnapps and yodeling can earn him a fortune.”

“We can’t cancel,” Raj protested. “I told Style Me Pretty and

Martha Stewart Weddings that they had the exclusive first look at your collection.”

“You promised both of them an exclusive?” Felicity laughed. “I can’t help it if someone leaks a photo and it ends up on more

than one site. We have to do the photo shoot.” He shrugged.

“I don’t see how,” Felicity said. The sun was setting, and sud- denly she was cold. She was wearing almost every warm item she owned—cashmere slacks and a turtleneck under a wool coat—but they were no match for the Alps. Now she understood why so many of the women she saw had swathed themselves in mink and fox. She’d never kill an animal, but it really was the only effective way to stay warm.

Raj was looking at her the way he examined yards of brocade from a new supplier for blemishes. “You’ll have to wear it.”

“Me!” Felicity choked out. “Katie is almost six feet tall; the dress

would be much too long. And I don’t have a big enough bust. I’d look like a pipe cleaner.”

“You don’t have to walk down a runway. These are mood shots. Lean against the balcony and gaze at the snow-capped mountains. Hold a champagne flute and wink enticingly at the camera,” Raj said, waving his hands. “And you’re the designer; you know how to make small-breasted women look like Sports Illustrated covers.” “I’d never encourage a bride to wear a dress that isn’t a natural

fit for her figure,” Felicity replied.

“You did when she waved a big check and insisted on wearing a mermaid-style gown, even though it made her look like a baby hippo.”

“That was only once,” Felicity said, feeling slightly guilty. Felicity had tried to convince the bride that a classic ball gown would show off her small waist and slender calves, but she had her heart set on the form-fitting dress she’d seen in a magazine. It was just after they had moved into the showroom, and Raj was worried about making rent, so Felicity had swallowed her sug- gestions and designed a dress that could barely contain the bride’s curves.

“I suppose I could pin the hem and stuff some tissues into the bodice,” Felicity said uncertainly. “But what about my hair and makeup? And I’m wearing boots. If I go all the way back to my room to get a pair of shoes, we’ll lose the light.”

“Your hair looks fine—just add a little blush and lipstick and you’ll be gorgeous. Leave the shoes to me.” He propelled her toward the glass doors. “Take the dress into the nearest bathroom and I’ll meet you here in ten minutes. And practice that pouty look you get when you’re angry at me for not letting you tip the pizza guy ten dollars.”

A huge dynamite 5 teacups for Christmas at the Chalet by Anita Hughes! You will for sure be up all night long drinking tea and reading this wonderful Christmas novel! This story is about two very strong women who must face many obstacles, but amidst the beautiful Swss alps, each finds the true meaning of Christmas and her own special miracle!

Such a delightful tale that is deeply rich in love, compassion, and hope. The characters are well developed and very relatable and the setting is so breathtaking and magical! A story you will for sure want to add to your Christmas list this year!

About the Author

ANITA HUGHES is the author of Monarch Beach, Market Street, Lake Como, French Coast, Rome in Love, Island in the Sea, Santorini Sunsets, Christmas in Paris, White Sand, Blue Sea, Emerald Coast, Christmas in London, and California Summer. She attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing Program, and lives in Dana Point, California, where she is at work on her next novel. For more information about Anita and her books, visit anitahughesbooks.com

CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET:

A Novel

By Anita Hughes

Published by St. Martin’s Griffin

**On Sale October 16, 2018**

Trade Paperback | $ 15.99

ISBN: 9781250166678| Ebook ISBN: 9781250166685

For more information or to set up an interview with the author, contact:

Meghan Harrington at meghan.harrington@stmartins.com or 646-307-5556

Additional Praise for Anita Hughes:

“Hughes bring her signature combination of haute couture and high-society romance to Paris, adding a touch of magic and allowing us to live vicariously through Isabel as she falls in love in the most glamorous city in the world—and buys labels most women can only dream about. A charming modern-day fairy-tale romance.”

—Kirkus Reviews on Christmas in Paris

“Christmas. Paris. Star-crossed lovers. Yup, it’s the perfect holiday read!”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dashing Through the Snow on Christmas in Paris

“Gorgeously festive and evocative, this is a compelling story filled with characters you truly care about. I adored it.”

—Melissa Hill, USA Today bestselling author of The Charm Bracelet on Christmas in Paris

“I was instantly transported back to France, once again strolling the Champs-Élysées, taking in the scents, the sights, the taste of Paris.  It doesn’t get any better than falling in love in La Ville-Lumiére, the City of Light, during the most magical time of year.  Delicious, delectable, and delightful!”

—Donna Kauffman, USA Today bestselling author of Starfish Moon on Christmas in Paris

"Reading Christmas in London you’ll feel magically transported!"

—Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on Christmas in London

"Hughes has romance readers’ mouths watering and hearts melting with this food-and holiday-themed novel. A quick read with a friendly, familiar tone, Hughes’ latest brings her characters to life."

—Booklist on Christmas in London

"Anita Hughes' charming characters and sweet romance transported me to London during the most festive time of year. Enjoy!"

—Brenda Novak, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author on Christmas in London

“A charming modern-day fairy-tale romance.”

—Kirkus Reviews on Christmas in Paris

“Anita Hughes has a knack for taking us on a journey to a far-off place and making us feel like we're on vacation...Get swept away in this story of love and adventure, and don't forget the SPF!”

—PopSugar on White Sand, Blue Sea

“A fabulous escape.”

—Booklist on White Sand, Blue Sea

“Stunning location: check. Beautiful people: check. Romance: of course! Rome in Love...delivers on all three fronts.”

—Huffington Post Books on Rome in Love

“Reading an Anita Hughes novel makes you feel on vacation.”

—PopSugar on Island in the Sea

“Hughes has a way of transporting us to the most exotic places with her writing.”

—BellaNYC on Santorini Sunsets

“Hughes’ novel will make you feel all warm on the inside... The descriptions throughout will almost have readers feeling like they’ve taken the trip to Spain themselves, and the romance is fierce.”

—RT Book Reviews on Island in the Sea