I’m always drawn to Christmas covers and this is no exception. It’s so pretty!
ABOUT THE BOOK
A wonderful story of love, friendship and opening your mind and your heart to new possibilities that will enchant fans of Holly Martin and Heidi Swain.
The Copper Plough is at the heart of village life for the residents of Heritage Cove, and never more so than at Christmas, when the tree glows in the alcove and the smell of mulled wine carries out onto the street. So when new owners for the beloved pub arrive and decide to shake things up, not everyone welcomes the changes with open arms.
Local bakery owner Celeste is ready to keep an open mind. But she’s shocked to discover that one of the new landlords is Quinn, a former Navy sailor with whom she had a short but powerful romance years earlier.
Fate may have brought Quinn and Celeste back together, but life seems determined to keep them apart. Can the villagers learn to embrace the newcomers this Christmas? And will Quinn and Celeste find a way back to each other before snow falls over Heritage Cove?
MY THOUGHTS
I love the author’s writing style and I’ve read many of her books.
The characters feel realistic as though you’d want to stop in and have a lovely chat with them and snag a sweet or two at the bakery. I got hungry as I was reading.
The characters are so likable. from Barney (everyone knows and loves him) to Quinn (Celeste’s love interest).
I enjoyed seeing how compassionately the author writes about Quinn, he is a former Naval man and has PTSD from all he has experienced while serving. The author’s descriptions of his night terrors are so well done. It’s so heartwarming to see the characters so supportive of each other in all ways possible.
Bakery owner Celeste and Quinn had a short fling years ago. When the local pub is sold all the regulars are hoping the new owners will continue on in the same fashion as it was run before including the star attraction, a beautiful Christmas tree for the holidays.
New circumstances always mean changes though. When Celeste finds out her old flame is the one that has returned and bought the pub, she tries to stay away but Christmas magic comes a calling.
Very Christmassy and such a positive and encouraging read. I really loved it!
Pub Date 19 Sep 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women’s fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.
I have been reading books by this author since they have released back in 1983. Though the author has died her books have lived on through the ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman.
ABOUT THE BOOK
This atmospheric and moving novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic and Landry series—now popular Lifetime movies—combines a forbidden romance with a family fortune and a young girl in peril.
Caroline Brady is the daughter of a very conservative TSA agent and former military brat, Morgan Brady. Her mother, Linsey Brady, is a descendent of the Sutherland real estate family. Their organized, suburban life in Colonie, New York is rigorously regulated and leaves little room for deviation from the norm.
When Linsey, Morgan, and Caroline attend the wake of their neighbor Mr. Gleeson, they meet his charming daughter Natalie “Nattie” Gleeson, who works for the American ambassador to France. Linsey and Nattie strike up a fast friendship as women of a similar age in very different places in their lives—Linsey a devoted mother and housewife, and Nattie an international diplomat living an independent and freewheeling life. Their friendship soon evolves into a romance, leading to the collapse of Linsey’s marriage and her disinheritance from the Sutherland family fortune. In true V.C. Andrews fashion, a whirlwind of unexpected death, family estrangement, and a forbidden inheritance become Caroline’s new reality as she struggles to navigate the loss of her mother, the mind-boggling wealth of the Sutherland family (who quickly lock her away from the world), and the loss of contact with her father following the divorce.
288 pages publication date Oct 17, 2023 Gallery Books
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This weeks topic is March 7: Bookish People I’d Like To Meet (These can be authors, book characters, book bloggers/influencers, cover designers, cover models, etc.)
In no particular order here’s my list……….
I would love to meet the authors of these books to know what makes them tick and get an inside look at how they get their ideas for writing psychological thrillers.
I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…
The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.
As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.
Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.
And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.
What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.
The perfect holiday or the perfect nightmare…
I sit sipping champagne in the warm water, bubbles frothing around me as I admire the breath-taking view of gorgeous blue skies and mountains. I can’t believe I’m here, at this stunning holiday home. It’s to die for…
My best friend and her husband have invited me and my family to their lakeside property for the weekend, to experience their luxury lifestyle. I’m not envious of their wealth, although I know my husband Ryan is. All I want is to escape from our recent troubles and get my marriage back on track.
Then I overhear Ryan having a whispered conversation late one evening, and he says something that sends a shiver down my spine. In this beautiful paradise my whole world is turned upside down.
Just when I think things can’t get any worse, I discover a second secret. The truth is even more shocking than I imagine, and now I have no idea who to trust.
AVAILABLE FOR 3 DAYS ONLY
Welcome to Eldey, an island with deadly secrets.
Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations.
Beth: the harried mother of a toddler, on the remote Welsh island for a weekend with her family.
Charlotte: a reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband.
One of them is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party. They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again?
An absolutely gripping Welsh crime novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Pearce and Lucy Foley.
She shuts the door behind her, relieved to be in the safety of her own home. But tonight her house is the most dangerous place she could be. Someone has been waiting for her, and they know she’s home alone…
Sasha loves her job finding accommodation for homeless people, and she’s proud of the small but cosy apartment she rents on the good side of town. She’s worked hard to leave her dark past behind her and make amends for the accident that still haunts her memories. She knows she was innocent, though she’s still careful about who and what she tells of her old life. But not all secrets stay hidden forever…
When her phone rings loudly in the middle of the night, Sasha fears what she’ll hear when she picks up – a deathly silence. It’s happened every night for weeks. Is it a childish prank, or a chilling warning that someone has uncovered her secret?
But the news of a body found at a local shelter means her worst nightmare has come true. It can’t be a coincidence that evidence related to the victim has been found at the same location where the most devastating moment of Sasha’s life took place.
Days later, a second body is found and Sasha’s heart pounds wildly as she takes in the victim’s unforgettable green eyes. She hasn’t seen her in a long time, but she’d know her old friend anywhere. She was the only other person who knew Sasha’s secret, so how can Sasha prove her innocence now?
Sasha doesn’t know who’s coming for her, but she’s certain of one thing: she’s next on the list…
Taking off my favourite striped apron to sit down for our family meal, I know something is wrong the moment the doorbell rings. A chill runs through me as the police officer places handcuffs around my wrists and I see my husband’s shocked face. They’re arresting me for murder…
We’ve been best friends with Victoria and Russell since they first moved to Dragonfly Close. My children love Auntie Vic. We spend long summer evenings together sipping my homemade lemonade in the garden, laughing and chatting and sharing everything. But now I’m accused of murdering Russell.
Sitting in the back of the police car, I can’t stop thinking about my kids. Who will take them to school in the morning? Who will make sure Holly eats more than a bite of dinner? She needs me more than ever.
Then my mind races back to the last time Russell and I met up in secret. Surely the police won’t know about the argument we had last week, and the terrible things we said.
I tell myself they don’t know about my past.
That they haven’t been listening to the conversations I’ve been having in my house.
I didn’t kill Russell. I’m a devoted mother, a loyal wife and a good friend to Victoria. But I know the police won’t believe me. The question is, will you?
Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.
I race across the fields in the gathering dusk. “Claire!” I cry, hearing my voice echo. “Claire!”
Every October, the school where I work takes a trip to a local farm, to pet the animals and search for the perfect Halloween pumpkin. This year is even more special, as my daughter Claire is coming. She’s so excited, and we really need some fun time together after what we’ve been through.
But the day turns dark when one of the children goes missing. I leave Claire safe with another teacher to join the search, desperately scouring the fields and playgrounds. When at last we find little Katy, lost in the corn maze, I am light-headed with relief.
I return to the rest of the group to hug my daughter tight. But Claire is nowhere to be seen.
Whoever took her waited till I was distracted. Whoever took her must be someone I know.
But who could want to punish me this badly? Is it linked to the night I refuse to think about, the night my husband died?
I’ll do anything to get my daughter back. But if the truth comes out, I might already have lost her…
A brilliantly twisty thriller that will have you gripped from the first page to the final reveal. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell.
Four friends. One dream getaway. But who will make it out alive?
When the gold-rimmed invitations arrive through the doors of best friends Simone, Hannah and Vicky they’re instantly taken aback. Their ex-friend Jodie is inviting them to a lavish Mediterranean villa to celebrate her birthday. They haven’t spoken in years since she betrayed them in the worst way. So how did they make the guest list?
They all have their reasons for saying yes. Stay-at-home mum Simone had her dream job snatched away. Hannah lost the love of her life. Café-owner Vicky wants the chance to help a wronged friend. Is the reunion a chance to confront Jodie and the past once and for all?
Arriving at a villa that looks straight out of a movie set, the friends relax by the sumptuous pool as they wait for the other guests to arrive. But as the chilled wine is poured and the three friends reminisce, they see Jodie walking towards them with a look of shock on her face.
Because Jodie didn’t invite them here.
But by the end of the weekend it will become clear who did. Someone else has a reason for revenge. Who will make it out alive?
An absolutely addictive and twist-filled psychological thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Lisa Jewell and T.M. Logan.
Trusted surgeon. Loving wife. Murderer?
Before my world came crashing down, I had it all. The successful career I dreamed of. The beautiful red-brick home where I could relax in front of the fire. The handsome, devoted husband whose blue eyes and charming smile always made me feel safe.
As I call time of death, my voice is steady. My colleagues stand hushed around me, their eyes on me, confused, concerned.
I have never lost a patient until today.
My hands tremble inside their gloves. I slide down the cold tiled walls, my heart racing in my chest.
I have never hated a patient until today.
But what choice did I have, once I recognized him?
And what will I do to protect myself, if someone learns the truth?
A totally gripping psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages, gasping for breath until the final jaw-dropping twist. If you love Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena and The Girl on the Train, you won’t be able to put this down.
Ten years ago: On a warm summer’s evening, four childhood friends gather at a slumber party… Before dawn breaks, the nightmare begins. One of them dies. One of them is a killer.
Liz was the bubbly girl-next-door. She could never have imagined how everything would fall apart.
Sami was the clever one, quieter than the others. She was meant to keep all their secrets…
Amy had the voice of an angel, destined for Hollywood. She would never make it there.
Mo was leader of the group, charismatic and protective. But she was not who she appeared to be…
They were childhood friends, on the cusp of the rest of their lives. They’d shared everything with each other. Or so they thought… Until one of them died.
Today: Liz tries not to think about the night that destroyed their lives. She focuses on her beloved husband and their sweet-eyed daughter. But when she receives a note, there’s no more running away: “I’m back. Did you miss me?”
A wave of dizziness crashes over her. Her best friend can’t be back. She’s dead. So who sent the note? What do they know? And, most terrifying of all, are they planning to make her pay for what happened…?
They both want their happy ever after. But who will kill for it?
We were such good friends… until the day she married my ex-husband.
Now, I’ve married hers, and we’ve agreed to get along for the sake of our families.
It’s all very civilized, but then there’s a freak accident and I wake up in a hospital bed.
As I take in my surroundings, a familiar and loving sight greets me – my darling husband.
He tells me everything is going to be alright. That he loves me and that whatever challenges come our way, we’ll get through them together.
For an instant, I feel safe. I push the nightmare that has haunted my dreams to the back of my mind – an unknown man forcing someone under water, vowing that their next breath will be their last.
But as I gaze into his eyes, I begin to pale. Because I’m sure the man sitting opposite me is not my husband.
He’s hers.
So why do I feel he is the only person in the world I can trust?
A completely addictive, twist-laden psychological thriller with an ending that will leave you speechless. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Nicole Trope and Adele Parks.
Who is on your list of bookish people?
Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in, I love to read your comments.
Hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is genre freebie, we are to build a theme around this. I’m going to list some general fiction books with the word Summer in the title as I’m ready for warmer weather and summer reads. Come join me.
All her life she’s been searching for the truth . . .
The three daughters of stunning but unstable movie star Jillian Croft and her famous acting-teacher husband, Daniel Braddock, grew up being treated as special, even after their mother’s tragic death. Years later, their world is overturned when they discover a medical document suggesting Jillian could never have given birth to them.
Whilst Olivia and Eve insist there’s some mistake, quirky, impulsive middle sister Rosalind can’t leave the matter alone. Rosalind has always felt separate from her poised, successful sisters. If she has a different birth mother, she wants to know.
Investigation leads her to Leila Allerton, an opera singer from New Jersey with a vibrant, close-knit family to whom Rosalind aches to belong. At first its members warmly welcome their new neighbour – but circumstances and personalities soon clash, leaving a bewildered Rosalind unsure how they’ll feel when they discover her true reason for seeking them out . . .
Rose Anderson is done with being known as “the nice one” in the small town in Northern California where she lives. She’s done with playing third, fifth, seventh wheel at loud gatherings on her family’s flower farm. And most of all, she is done with the pitying looks and well-meaning comments she gets about her single status from the way-too-interested townsfolk.
No one seems to care that she’s single by choice. That she actually enjoys going to bed early with a good book—love stories are always better in fiction anyway. Busy with her flower arranging business, Rose has no time for a man, thank you very much. So when news spreads that Hillsboro is being used to shoot an upcoming Hollywood movie, Rose gets an idea. One that will appease her family while keeping her heart safely intact…
Bestselling author Debbie Burns combines her love for rescue dogs with a compelling woman’s journey in her brand new series.
Making a new start in a new part of the country is particularly challenging for a single mom. Fate and good fortune lead 27-year-old Josie Waterhill to Galena, Illinois where she and her six-year-old daughter, Zoe, move into a historic mansion that operates as a tea house. When 34-year-old journalist Carter O’Brien comes to stay at the mansion while researching his next story, Josie isn’t sure what to think of this charming stranger and his 110-pound rescue dog.
Carter’s curiosity about Josie deepens and he inadvertently stirs up trouble when he learns things about Josie and her daughter that she would rather not have known. Ready or not, Josie has to let go of her painful past so she can create a glorious future.
A new start can come from the most unexpected places…
It’s been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren’t.
After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it’s time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were… starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she’s never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.
Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.
Each year, the start of summer brings bustle and much-needed tourist dollars to the little town of Albany Beach, Delaware. For Natalie Sullivan, this season is proving more stressful than others. It’s make-or-break time for the Irish pub her husband, Conor, recently bought with his brothers. Their two children are thriving, but she’s experiencing pangs of loss at the end of her childbearing years.
When sixteen-year-old McKenzie starts gushing about Bella, the new coworker at her summer job, Natalie suddenly finds her past and present in conflict. Bella, two years older than McKenzie, looks so similar that a customer remarks that they could be sisters. And when Natalie learns that Bella was adopted, she is propelled back into a heartbreaking decision. As a college student, Natalie became pregnant and put her baby up for adoption. Now, the more McKenzie talks about Bella, the more Natalie wonders: could Bella be her daughter?
Conor insists it’s a mistake to pursue the matter. Natalie’s child belongs to another family now; that was the agreement in the closed adoption. Still, Natalie can’t resist spending time with Bella. As their bond deepens, McKenzie accuses her mother of caring more for a stranger than for her, and Natalie begins imagining what it would be like to have Bella as a second daughter. What will the impact be if Bella really is her biological child? And if she isn’t, can Natalie embrace the joy and potential in her own family, without always wondering about what could have been?
In the summer, everything feels possible… A heartwarming small-town romance about new beginnings, old secrets and how home is truly where the heart is. Fans of Susan Mallery, Pamela Kelley, and Mary Alice Monroe will fall head over heels for this romantic page-turner.
All that Meghan Gray has left of her beloved Pappy is his cottage on the edge of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Longing to feel close to her grandfather, she returns to the golden sands of Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for the summer, clutching the manilla envelope he gifted her tightly in her hand.
On her first night on the sun-drenched island, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, a local businessman. She might feel lost without Pappy, but looking into Toby’s sparkling blue eyes feels like coming home.
The beach house where she spent her childhood is just how she remembers: a shingled bungalow with two rocking chairs on the porch and shutters on the windows. As Meghan strolls along the sand with Toby, breathing in the salty air, she realizes she is making new memories…
When Meghan opens the envelope, she finds a black-and-white photograph of someone she doesn’t recognize. If she can find out its meaning, and why Pappy gave it to her, she’ll unlock a secret that has been hidden for decades. The truth has the power to change everything Meghan and Toby thought they knew about their lives—and it will either bring them together, or break their hearts…
In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics.
German power is rising again, threatening a war that will be even worse than the last one. The English aristocracy turns to an age-old institution to stave off war and strengthen political bonds—marriage. Debutantes flock to Germany, including Viviane Alden. On holiday with her sister during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Viviane’s true purpose is more clandestine. While many in England want to appease Hitler, others seek to prove Germany is rearming. But they need evidence, photographs to tell the tale, and Viviane is a genius with her trusty Leica. And who would suspect a pretty, young tourist taking holiday snaps of being a spy?
Viviane expects to find hatred and injustice, but during the Olympics, with the world watching, Germany is on its best behavior, graciously welcoming tourists to a festival of peace and goodwill. But first impressions can be deceiving, and it’s up to Viviane and the journalist she’s paired with—a daring man with a guarded heart—to reveal the truth.
But others have their own reasons for befriending Viviane, and her adventure takes a darker turn. Suddenly Viviane finds herself caught in a web of far more deadly games—and closer than she ever imagined to the brink of war.
All NEW from bestselling psychological thriller writer Keri BeevisMead House was once our childhood home. Despite my fears, I always knew we would have to return to face the demons of our past. Back to the place where it happened, to where, as carefree teenagers, we lost our elder sister in the most brutal of circumstances. As executors of our grandmother’s will, my twin brother, Ollie, and I needed to empty the house for resale. What I didn’t expect to discover was my sister’s secret journal that contained her most private thoughts and shocking dark secrets. Now I am questioning everything that I saw that night. Did I get it wrong, who I saw? Did my evidence send an innocent man, my then boyfriend’s brother, to jail for the last 17 years? I know I have no choice. If I want to find answers, I will have to go back to that fateful night my sister died. When she made her last visit to the summer house.
Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon…
A new beginning…
As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.
A fragile heart….
Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.
A summer to remember…
For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…
Preorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series
Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what
When Bea Fernsby discovers her fiancé’s eyes have been wandering, she calls off the wedding and hits the road. The village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands is about as far away from home as she can get, and when she stumbles into the ideal summer job at The Little Blue Boathouse and meets gorgeous vacationer Nolan Hemingway, things finally start looking up.
Now, as an old mystery surfaces and Bea and Nolan band together to find out what happened to his late grandfather’s one true love, fate throws Bea some unexpected curveballs…and promising opportunities.
Bea’s stay is only supposed to last a couple of weeks, but as the old saying goes: ‘Once you arrive in Heartcross, you never want to leave…’
I have lots of books with the word summer in the title. Some have released some have not. Would you read any from my selection?
Thank you for stopping in. Your visit is a blessing.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by thatartsyreadergirl with a new topic every week. This week is a freebie so I’m choosing Christmas books that I still haven’t read from last year or before. Let’s not even talk about the ones still on my list from this year 😉 Ready for Christmas book reviews in March? Christmas books are great to read any time of the year though in my opinion .
I have tried reading this because everyone should read this classic, right? It’s just can’t get into the writing style.
A Christmas Carol was first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843. It has become a Christmas classic and has been continuously in print since its first release, as well as being made into numerous plays and movies. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. It explores themes about the treatment of the poor and the ability of people to reform themselves. It is worth reading every Christmas.
Twenty tales for the holiday season selected for their spiritual value and literary quality.
They are some of the warmest childhood memories, those unhurried evenings around the fireplace, Christmas tree, or dinner table, when there was time for a story… Now, with this collection, you can keep the story-telling tradition alive in your family, and pass it on to your children or grandchildren.
Home for Christmas includes twenty time-honored tales. Several are by world-famous authors; others are little-known treasures translated from other languages. Selected for their literary quality and spiritual integrity, they will resonate with readers of all ages, year after year.
With original woodcuts by David Klein
Tucked away inside an old lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, bakeshop café owner Lindsey Bakewell is ready to make her first Christmas in town shine bright. But her merry plans crumble fast when murder appears under the mistletoe…
With the spirit of the holidays wafting through the Beacon Bakeshop, Lindsey thinks she has the recipe for the sweetest Christmas ever—winning the town-wide cookie bake-off. Unfortunately, striving for a picture-perfect December in Beacon Harbor is a lot like biting into stale shortbread. Low on staff and bombarded by visits from family, Lindsey can barely meet demands at work, let alone summon the confidence to face fierce competition…
Self-appointed Christmas know-it-all Felicity Stewart is determined to take the top spot in the bake‑off, and she’s not afraid to dump a little coal in everyone’s stocking to do it. Just as the competition heats up, everything falls apart when the judge is found dead—and covered in crumbs from Lindsey’s signature cookie!
Solving a murder was never on Lindsey’s wish list. But with her reputation on the line during the happiest time of the year, she’ll need to bring her best talents to the table in order to sift out the true Christmas Cookie culprit.
I like the simplistic cover, but I’ve heard this one is a bit of a downer. Anyone have any thoughts on this one?
Every December, Josie posts a letter from her home in London to the parents she lost on Christmas night many years ago. Each year, she writes the same three words: Missing you, always. But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger–a stranger who will change the course of Josie’s life.
Josie always thought she was the only one who avoided the Christmas season, but this year, Max has his own reasons for doing the same—and coincidence leads them to spending the holiday together. Aglow with new love, Josie thinks this might be the start of something special.
Only for Max to disappear without saying goodbye.
Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they’d never expect. New York City. Edinburgh. The quiet English countryside. And it turns out, Max had every reason to leave and every reason to stay. But what does fate hold for Josie and Max as Christmas approaches again?
A devastating, romantic, life-affirming love story, Always, in December will stay with readers long after they’ve finished the last page.
The brand new romantic Christmas read from Alex Brown –the Queen of Feel Good Fiction and #1 bestseller!
Bridget smiled to herself, certain she could see one of the stars twinkling extra brightly in that moment as if to acknowledge her wish and convince her that, yes, Mulberry-On-Sea was just the place they all needed to be. Surrounded by those happy memories of holidays and special times where nothing bad ever happened…
Finding yourself without a home in the weeks before Christmas would break most people, but for Bridget Carrington it’s a chance to start again. Mulberry-On-Sea has always been her happy place and she’s hoping it can work its magic this festive season and heal her family after a difficult year.
Now, as the community wraps Bridget and her children in its warm embrace, she starts to feel like herself again. With a new business, kids who are starting to smile, and the promise of a second chance at love, Bridget’s holiday season might just be a happy ever after…
He’s willing to risk his life to save others. Is she willing to risk her heart on him?
Morgan’s late husband was a daredevil…and now she’s a widowed single mom. All she wants now is to set up a stable life for herself and her son in the small town of Pine Hill, Kentucky.
Andrew’s a firefighter who thrives on the rush of saving others. His secret dream is to become a smokejumper and fight raging wildfires across the country. But it’ll mean leaving his hometown and the people who rely on him.
Morgan and Andrew are drawn together as they both volunteer to make quilts for veterans at the local quilt shop. Morgan’s son looks up to Andrew, and Morgan can’t help but notice how good Andrew is with him. Meanwhile, Andrew’s torn between his ambition and his growing attraction to Morgan. They both have choices to make about their future…and about each other.
Christmas has come early to the beautiful Poconos resort that’s the setting for the American Baking Battle’s holiday special, where chef Courtney Archer is on hand to sample festive fare—and lift the lid off a killer…
Six ambitious bakers are competing for glory and a grand prize, showcasing their most delicious candies, cookies, and desserts. Courtney detects some on-set grinchiness from her coworkers, especially judge Shannon Collins, but she’s hoping the sweet treats will restore everyone’s festive spirits. That Christmas wish swiftly fizzles when assistant director Kinzy Hummel is found strangled—with an apron from Shannon’s new product line…
Shannon insists she’s innocent. Meanwhile, Kinzy had been under pressure from a disgruntled attorney to settle her late grandfather’s estate. But could that be a motive for murder? The show must go on even as Courtney sifts through competitors and crew for likely suspects. But unless she can quickly get to the truth, there’ll be another helping of homicide amid the pinwheel cookies and fruitcakes…
In The First Christmas, Stephen Mitchell brings the Nativity story to vivid life as never before. A narrative that is only sketched out in two Gospels becomes fully realized here with nuanced characters and a setting that reflects the culture of the time. Mitchell has suffused the birth of Jesus with a sense of beauty that will delight and astonish readers.
In this version, we see the world through the eyes of a Whitmanesque ox and a visionary donkey, starry-eyed shepherds and Zen-like wise men, each of them providing a unique perspective on a scene that is, in Western culture, the central symbol for good tidings of great joy. Rather than superimposing later Christian concepts onto the Annunciation and Nativity scenes, he imagines Mary and Joseph experiencing the angelic message as a young Jewish woman and man living in the year 4 bce might have experienced it, with terror, dismay, and ultimate acceptance. In this context, their yes becomes an act of great moral courage.
Readers of every background will be enchanted by this startlingly beautiful reimagining of the Christmas tale.
The brand new seasonal romance from the author of Duvet Day. Escape to the Arctic Circle and fall in love under the Northern Lights . . .
All it takes is one moment to change your life . . .
When a cleverly edited video of radio host Lucy Fairweather goes viral, she knows she needs an escape. And preferably somewhere far away.
Where better than Wild Zone – a destination for people who want to experience the Arctic Circle? Owned by the gorgeous but brooding Tommi, Lucy agrees to help with the guests in return for her stay. But getting to grips with her skis is proving harder than it looks.
Far from home and in a winter wonderland, will an encounter with the breathtaking Northern Lights change her luck, in both life and love?
Can neighbours become more than just good friends this Christmas?
Bella Moore is excitedly counting down the days to Christmas. That is until she arrives home one evening to find her boyfriend leaving her for another woman. Completely heartbroken, Bella is left wondering if Christmas can still be the same this year.
Next door, Bella’s neighbour Nick is facing his first Christmas as a single dad and doubting whether he can make it the magical time his son Freddie deserves.
Determined to fix both Christmas and their broken hearts, Bella comes up with an idea: a Christmas giving tree for the whole village, where the community can unite and secretly give each other the Christmas presents they truly need.
As Bella becomes chief elf, taking donations and delivering gifts with much-needed help from Nick and Freddie, the two neighbours grow closer and start seeing each other in a whole new light.
But when Nick’s estranged wife returns just before Christmas, is their budding romance over before it’s begun? Or will love be Nick and Bella’s perfect gift this Christmas?
Have you read any of these or plan to? What are your thoughts on them?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
There are so many wonderful places to visit around the world so I’ll list a few here.
We’ve just returned from traveling on a week long anniversary trip last month and the urge to travel has hit again. So many exciting and wonderful things to see.Let me know in the comments if you’d like to read any of these books and where you’d enjoy traveling even if just through books which I do a lot.
Vegan Book Blogger 