Tess Stapleton, a successful country music starlet, is facing a crisis when her album sales start to decline. Her label proposes a Christmas album as a way to revive her career, but with a catch: she must team up with Derek Copeland, a former teen heartthrob and pop-star who also needs a career resurgence. Initially, the two are resistant to working together, but they soon realize they share a passion for music.
As they start recording, Tess and Derek clash over styles and creative direction. It doesn't help that they have different approaches to music: Tess values authenticity and storytelling, while Derek is more about catchy hooks and dance beats. However, through the process of making the album, they find common ground and start to appreciate each other's strengths.
As Tess and Derek work together, they also start to see each other in a new light. The initial irritation and tension between them turn into something more as they bond over shared experiences and a mutual love of music. As Christmas approaches, they find themselves falling for each other.
However, just as they finish the album and realize their feelings for each other, Tess gets a call from her label: the album was a flop, and she's being dropped from the label. It seems like everything Tess and Derek worked for is coming undone, but they refuse to give up. Tess decides to release the album on her own, and thanks to word of mouth and online buzz, it becomes a sleeper hit.
In the end, Tess and Derek are not just successful in their careers, but also in their love lives. As they celebrate a Country Christmas, they realize that their differences only make them stronger together.