As a brewing ice storm approaches, and despite the icy conditions that have always existed between him and Lolly Helton, combat veteran Gabriel McQueen makes the long haul to the middle of nowhere to find out whether she is safe and sound. Spotting strangers in Lolly's home--one of them packing a weapon--Gabriel rescues Lolly from her captors ... but when the escape is discovered, the heat--and the hunt--are on.

Nine-year-old Sumac Lottery considers it her job to make sure none of the Lottery celebrations are forgotten, especially now at Christmas time, and in her large, gay, and multiethnic family there are a lot of occasions for celebration in the house they all call Camelottery--but when a terrible ice storm hits Toronto, one of her dads, and her favorite brother cannot make it home from India, and it becomes increasingly difficult to hang on to the holiday...

It's Christmas Eve in icebound Wichita, Kansas, and this year Charlie Arglist just might have something to celebrate. Charlie is an attorney for the sleazy businesses of Wichita, along with his unsavory associate, the steely Vic Cavanaugh, the two have just successfully embezzled $2 million from Kansas City boss Bill Guerrard. But the real prize for Charlie is the stunning Renata, who runs the Sweet Cage strip club. Charlie hopes to slip out of town...