Christmas in Christmas Beach was always magical, but for Norah Wells, it was also a reminder of everything she'd lost. After years of keeping her heart closed off, the last thing she expects is for an adorable stray dog to lead her back to Matt Gray, her girlhood best friend and the man she never dared to love.

Now twenty years later and a successful veterinarian, Matt never forgot Norah or the connection they shared. As he prepares for his clinic's big Christmas adoption event, fate brings Norah to his door with a mischievous Irish setter named Paddy in tow.

As they work together to find homes for the shelter animals and a family for Paddy, unspoken feelings finally surface. But Norah's fears of loss and heartbreak threaten to keep her walls up. Can the spirit of Christmas - and a lovable Irish setter with a talent for escape - help these longtime friends discover the love that's always been there?