Tag: holiday

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Christmas Sweater Weather by Jaqueline Snowe

ABOUT THE BOOK

Charlotte Calhoun has avoided Hayden Porter, her older brother’s sexy-as-sin best friend, ever since that mortifying night when he flat-out rejected her. Fine. Except this Christmas season, they’re thrown together at a snowy ski resort for her brother’s bachelor party, complete with mistletoe, cozy fireplaces, and adjoining rooms. She can tell herself to get over Hayden, but holiday cheer is turning to holiday lust every time he is within ten feet of her. 

Between being a full-time single father and his high-pressure college coaching job, a romantic relationship is off the table for Hayden. But he’s fought his attraction to Charlotte for as long as he can. A one-night stand is starting to sound like a good idea—as long as her brother never finds out. But with two long weeks until the wedding, hiding their growing feelings is going to take a Christmas miracle.  

MY THOUGHTS

I would call this a holiday delight.
A second chance romance between Charlotte and her older brother’s best friend, Hayden. She’s been able to mostly avoid him after totally embarrassing herself around him but not this time. Thrown together when her brother is set to marry there’s no avoiding him this time.
After the initial awkwardness wears off things get hot quickly. The chemistry sizzles between these two. We also find out he’s a father of a little girl; she is the sweetest. He is a single dad as the mother isn’t ready to commit to much of anything. Sad!
The characters are charming, and you can see the encouragement given when needed. Another win for the author, her books are so much fun!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Jaqueline Snowe lives in Arizona where the “dry heat” really isn’t that bad. She prefers drinking coffee all hours of the day and snacking on anything that has peanut butter or chocolate. She is the mother to two dogs who don’t realize they aren’t humans and a mom. She is an avid reader and writer of romances and tends to write about athletes. Her husband works for an MLB team (not a player, lol) so she knows more about baseball than any human ever should.

For more information on her upcoming books, please visit her website.

Hope you’ve had a pleasant day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Finding Family at Seabreeze Farm: A wonderfully uplifting, heartwarming read from Jo Bartlett 

220 pages Boldwood Books December 2,2022 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to Seabreeze Farm.

Freya Halliwell is looking forward to marrying the man of her dreams and starting their new life together. After the death of both of her parents, Ollie, along with Freya’s aunt, are the only family she has, but they are all the family she needs.

Until Freya discovers a shocking secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her once happy family and especially the man she used to call Dad. Devastated, and feeling more alone than ever before, Freya needs time and space to come to terms with the news. But until then the wedding is off!

Seabreeze Farm is the perfect place for Freya to recover. But could this beautiful farm perched high on the cliffs, also hold the answer to Freya’s past and reunite her with the family she never even knew she’d been wishing for?

MY THOUGHTS

This is another book in the Seabreeze Farm series and the whole series is so charming.
You really get drawn into Kelsea Bay and the characters are so realistic .
A total misunderstanding stops a wedding days before it’s to happen.
When shocking secrets are revealed our main character feels like she no longer knows herself or the man she called dad.
Dealing with such news will not be easy but Seabreeze Farm is the perfect place to get away from it all and forget. The setting is beautiful, the rugged coast, the gulls and the farm animals provide just the tonic she needs. A second chance at love. found family and complete holiday warmth.
Warm and fulfilling story.
Looking forward to more by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Jo Bartlett was born a stone’s throw from the English Channel and still lives near the sea in Kent, with her family, so close to the South Eastern edge of England that they’re very nearly French. It’s probably why so many of her books are set near the sea too. Jo has made up stories for as long as she can remember, but never really took it any further, until a catalyst called cancer gave her the impetus to follow her dreams.

Since having her debut novel published in 2015, Jo has had numerous bestsellers in the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada. Jo writes contemporary women’s fiction, with mostly series-based stories that focus on love, friendship, family and community. She also writes grittier standalone novels focusing on a wide range of issues. Since joining Boldwood Books in 2021, Jo has written two bestselling series – the Cornish Midwife novels and the Cornish Country Hospital books, with the first book of a brand new series coming in early 2026.

Back in 2023 Jo celebrated one million sales worldwide and, after twenty-five years in teaching, now writes full time. You can follow Jo on Instagram, her author page on Facebook, or sign up to her newsletter – the details of which can be found on any of her social media accounts.

Have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Christmas at the Highland Flower Shop: A perfect feel-good, small town heart-warming read! 

339 pages Publisher Embla Books Publication date September 20, 2022

ABOUT THE BOOK

Four months. One impossible task. It’s time to save Christmas at The Highland Flower Shop…

Bella Reed has worked at The Highland Flower Shop ever since she left college and now her Aunt Jane has handed the keys and the lease over to her. With the business under her reign, Bella is ready to hit the ground running – until she’s dealt a massive blow. They’re being evicted.

When dashing businessman Maverick McIntyre turns up in Fort William, Bella discovers the reason they’re being kicked out. He has no intention of honouring a ridiculous deal his father made many years ago.

As Maverick and Bella lock horns, they both begin to see different sides to one another and before long the two strike up the most unexpected of friendships. Bella knows she has to keep business separate, but when her head and her heart are saying two different things, life starts to get complicated. No matter her feelings, Bella isn’t about to let anyone down and the entire town’s counting on her to save Christmas.

MY THOUGHTS

Bella Reed’s home away from home is at the The Highland Flower Shop as she’s worked at her aunt’s flower shop ever since she’s left college.
When her Aunt Jane hands the keys over to her, she’s ecstatic, what could be more perfect and she’s already dreaming and planning now that she’s in charge.
A terrible miscommunication leaves her being evicted before any of those plans can come to fruition.
Set in a beautiful small town setting the flower shop is a pillar of the community and always so beautifully decorated for Christmas and quite busy.
Maverick McIntyre is quite hardlined and not interested in honoring a deal his father made years ago.
If only while in business meetings Bella didn’t find Maverick quite so handsome and has to remind herself, he’s the enemy.
A typical enemy to lover’s romance with a lovely Christmassy theme that was an enjoyable story.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Lucy Coleman is a #1 bestselling author of contemporary romantic fiction. Originally from Bristol, she has also lived in Gloucestershire, the Welsh Valleys and is now based in Somerset.

For Lucy, life is all about family, friends and writing. She is a self-confessed hopeless romantic and an eternal optimist. Lucy is often found with a paintbrush in her hand indulging her passion for upcycling furniture, or in the garden. She’s hoping to fulfil her dream of moving to a smallholding, together with her husband – and their adorable Bengal cat – in 2026!

Her novels have been translated into Italian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Estonian, Slovenian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Danish and German.

Lucy also writes as Linn B. Halton and is represented by Sara Keane from the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

Thank you for stopping in.

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The Recipe for Hope by Fiona Valpy #Backlistread

198 pages Publisher Lake Union Publishing Publication date September 1, 2022

I have sooooo many books on my back list and I’ve come to accept I’ll never be caught up because I keep adding more new ones. Do you have a miles long back list as well?

ABOUT THE BOOK

n this charming novel from the bestselling author of The Dressmaker’s Gift, food was once the language of Evie’s soul. Now, can she remember the recipe for happiness?

Revised edition: Previously published as The French for Christmas, this edition of The Recipe for Hope includes editorial revisions.

Evie’s running away: from her soon-to-be ex-husband’s shiny new life, from the devastating loss of her baby last year, from a memory-filled London and, most particularly, from Christmas. A remote cottage in the South of France seems like the perfect peaceful place to soothe her sorrows.

But the countryside soon proves anything but quiet, from the rooster crowing at dawn to the barn owl hooting through the night—not to mention Evie’s handsome neighbour, doctor Didier, who works away in his garage at all hours.

Unexpectedly, the sights and sounds of life amid the sparkling beauty of the Dordogne give Evie a renewed sense of inspiration, and with her French grandmother’s recipe book for company, she begins to rediscover her love of cooking. Soon, the tight-knit community begins to enfold her, reminding Evie what really matters in life.

But are Didier’s gorgeous blue eyes on more than Evie’s delicious dinners? And can a cancelled Christmas—complete with a Not-Christmas feast for two—heal her heart?

MY THOUGHTS

A poignant and deeply moving story.
Set in the beautiful South of France this was with its original publication titled Escape to France.
Evie has had a most dreadful year, the stillbirth of her baby and her marriage has dissolved.
This short story takes her to France, away from the tear-soaked nights in London to a soothing escape in a remote cottage. A place to recover, relax and move forward in life.
Emotion filled story that had me filled with compassion and hope of healing for Evie.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Fiona is an acclaimed number 1 bestselling author, whose books have been translated into more than thirty different languages worldwide.

She draws inspiration from the stories of strong women, especially during the years of World War II. Her meticulous historical research enriches her writing with an evocative sense of time and place.

She spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007, before returning to live in Scotland. Her love for both of these countries, their people and their histories, has found its way into the books she’s written.

Fiona says, “To be the first to hear about my NEW releases, please visit my website at http://www.fionavalpy.com and subscribe to the mailing list. I promise not to share your e-mail and I’ll only contact you when there’s news about my books.”

Thank you for stopping in.

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Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop

A heartwarming, cosy, utterly uplifting romcom

by Kiley Dunbar

292 pages Publisher Hera Publication date September 1, 2022

Description

‘Tis the season for finding love… and the perfect book

With just two weeks until Christmas, everything in Clove Lore should be perfect. But the latest holidaymaker to the Borrow a Bookshop is feeling far from festive…

Icelandic ex-bookseller Magnús Sturluson might be surrounded by love stories in the Bookshop, but he’s nursing a sadness that not even fiction can fix.

When Alexandra Robinson finds herself stranded in Clove Lore, she finds a safe place to hide from heartbreak. After all, all that’s waiting for her at home is a cheater boyfriend and the memories of her parents. As Alex finds herself embraced by the quirky village community, she finds her tough exterior thawing – and as she grows closer to Magnús, she finds an equally soft heart under his gruff shell.

It seems that Clove Lore is working its magic once again – until a great flood on Christmas Eve brings devastation in its wake. It’s up to Magnús and Alex to batten down the hatches and help bring the village back together again, while also introducing the locals to the Icelandic tradition of the jólabókaflóð – Yule book flood – where families and friends gather on Christmas Eve to exchange books and read together.

But can Magnús and Alex truly rescue the ruins of the village, and salvage their Christmas spirit? Or is there another complication lurking even closer than they thought?

MY THOUGHTS

This is the second book in the Borrow a Bookshop series and though I haven’t read the first I easily jumped right into the story.
Such a heartwarming and uplifting story brimming with goodwill and cheer.
Loved the seaside village of Clove Lore and its characters. It felt like I was visiting with old friends.
I enjoyed reading about the Icelandic customs especially jólabókaflóð – Yule book flood – where families and friends gather on Christmas Eve to exchange books and read together. It’s great to see such an importance put on literacy there.
Very much enjoyed this holiday read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Hi! I’m Kiley Dunbar, and I write bestselling, uplifting romance novels centering radical kindness and community.

I’m Scottish, a parent carer, lover of all things thrifty and money-saving, and I exist to drink tea and visit gardens or potter round the charity shops looking for vintage bargains.

I’m so excited to share my new ‘repair shop’ series which launched on 24th JULY 2025 with FIXING A BROKEN HEART AT THE HIGHLAND REPAIR SHOP. You can buy it here right now on eBook, paperback, audiobook as well as large print! Request it to your library or your fave indie book shop too if you like!

I hope you absolutely love my new books. If you enjoy visiting my Highland Repair Shop, why not pay a visit to the BORROW A BOOKSHOP? Check out the whole gorgeous, nerdy, funny, romantic series here too!

Happy reading,

Love,

Kiley, x

Happy weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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Once Upon a Christmas Carol: (A Sweet Christian Fiction Holiday Story with Themes of A Christmas Carol set in Michigan)

176 pages Revell Publisher Publication Date September 2,2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

What will happen when a tropical escape from holiday blues turns into a snowy wonderland filled with joy and cheer?

Carol Langstrom hates Christmas. Growing up in a dysfunctional home, with a birthday on December 25 and too many dashed childhood expectations, she would rather avoid the holiday season. And working in the design industry where she manages seasonal decor for wealthy, entitled clients certainly hasn’t helped!   

So, this year her goal is to flee to the Bahamas–by herself–bah humbug! But bad weather and God’s radically different plan redirect her flight to blustery Michigan, where she gets stuck on her aunt’s farm and discovers a different kind of Christmas–one wrapped in love, family, and holiday spirit.

Melody Carlson’s Christmas novella delivers all the charm of a holiday Hallmark movie, is rooted in Christian faith, woven with sweet romance, and features A Christmas Carol themes.

MY THOUGHTS

Once again, the author writes a lovely Christmas story that tugs on your heartstrings.
Carol Langstrom strongly dislikes Christmas. With a Christmas birthday and way too many disappointing holidays as a child Christmas is something she’d rather avoid at all costs.
A tropical vacation is what she’s planned this year, sun, warmth and relaxation. Others can have Christmas she’ll leave those memories behind though.
Bad weather has other plans for her though as she’s stranded on an aunt’s Michigan farm that she hadn’t ever met. A beautiful example of how changed plans aren’t always a bad thing. Found family, feel good story, unexpected romance and holiday spirit.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Have a wonderful Wednesday. Thank you for stopping in.

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Christmas on Fifth Avenue- Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas on Fifth Avenue

Welcome to New York, where the Christmas lights dazzle, the snow is falling and love is just around the corner…

Evie Green’s Christmas dream turns into a nightmare when a viral video makes her the laughing stock of the internet. But then a 5 star hotel sees a PR opportunity and invites her to New York for a Christmas she’ll remember forever.

Enter Noah Sanderson, a disgraced soccer star seeking anonymity. Forced to fake a festive romance for the cameras, sparks fly – but not the twinkling Christmas kind!

As Fifth Avenue sparkles in all its holiday glory, can The City that Never Sleeps show these two frosted hearts that, maybe, the best love stories are the ones you never see coming.

Don’t miss this cozy Christmas spin off series from the million-copy-bestselling author of the Romantic Escapes series! Each book can be read as a standalone.

Guaranteed:

Forced proximity

Grumpy sunshine

Happy ever after

Cozy comfort read

New York Christmas magic – think red velvet bows, chunky tartan-knit scarves, giant red baubles, the Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree, Macy’s, The Nutcracker and more!

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/Brand-Christmas-Romance-Julie-Caplin-ebook/dp/B0DJ6HS9NJ/

MY THOUGHTS

After reading several books by the author I knew I’d want to read this book, the most current before this, A Little Place in Prague. I loved that one as I did this one.
This is the first book in a new series, Christmas Escapes #1.
This is such a fun romantic holiday book. Perfectly imperfect couple that have things to work out on their own and together.
The descriptions of The Plaza were warm, festive and brimming with holiday cheer. Now I want to experience a New York Christmas.
A cozy Christmas read that’ll have you cheering for the couple as this one’s perfect for the holidays.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Jules Wake aka Julie Caplin is an internationally bestselling author with over 2 million sales over twenty five books including the highly successful Romantic Escape series which has been translated into over 24 languages. Her books have topped the charts in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Iceland, Italy, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

After reading English at university, Jules Wake worked in PR where she honed her fiction writing skills on press releases and swanned around Europe taking journalists on gastronomic press trips. These visits inspired the locations of many of her books. She’s now a full-time author and what better job is there than making stuff up! It certainly beats housework.

As an avid romance fan, she’s written in several genres including historical romantic fiction, contemporary women’s romance fiction and romantic comedy. October will see the publication of her twenty eight book, Christmas on Fifth Avenue.

Social Media Links

https://www.facebook.com/JulieCaplinAuthor/

Instagram @juliecaplinauthor

Happy Terrific Tuesday! Thanks for stopping in!

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Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

320 pages Publisher Canary Street Press Publication date October 7, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.

Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So, they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.

MY THOUGHTS

A very get you in the Christmassy mood kind of fun romantic book.
I loved all the characters right away, especially the young daughter. What can I say, young children always make a family story so much better in my opinion.
Tough as nails, Ryan Caldwell, a Navy pilot man isn’t sure how he’s been roped into babysitting his niece this holiday season while her mom is in rehab but somehow, he has and while in town he wants to make the holiday season special for her.
She’s just doing her job right? Holly Goodwin Moore is a florist and preparing the flowers for her ex’s wedding, no problem. She can handle it right, especially when they already have a baby on the way.
When Ryan and Holly meet, Ryan finally feels as if he’s come home and this fake dating thing is starting to feel a little too real when real emotions and stolen kisses turn into the real thing.
Lots of holiday cheer in this upbeat read that’ll have you want to start holiday decorating and baking.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

1 Publishers Weekly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including seven RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine. RaeAnne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at http://www.raeannethayne.com.

Have a lovely weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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On a Midnight Clear: A 3-in-1 Christmas Western Historical Romance Novella Collection

304 pages Bethany House Publishers Publication date September 2, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Shepherd’s Heart by Tracie Peterson
On the frontier, widowed sheep rancher Vincent Duran seeks a mother for his two children. Angel Lewis agrees to marry him despite believing Vincent will never truly love her, but as they work together during a fierce winter storm, will their broken hearts finally find peace, joy, and love? 

No Room at the Inn by Misty M. Beller
When Noah Bentwood and his charge are snowed in while traveling through the Rocky Mountains, he must stay in a barn since the stage inn has no vacant rooms. Then innkeeper Hope Palmer’s family heirloom disappears, and she and Noah work together to find it before Christmas. While the snowfall holds them captive, will unexpected feelings bloom?

A Star in the West by Karen Witemeyer
Friendly correspondence with Stella Barrington evolves into something more when Harvard mathematics professor Frank Stentz arrives in Waco, Texas. As the two experiment with extending their relationship beyond letters, an impossible dilemma arises between love and logic. Will her wise man be able to calculate a way for them to be together?

MY THOUGHTS

I have read many books by each of the authors, so I was excited to see a novella collection with all of these authors contributing to it.
These are Christian fiction authors who wrote clean, well thought out enjoyable Christmas stories with each having a connecting theme. I loved each story equally and am grateful I had a chance to read them.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you for stopping in.

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Christmas at the Nantucket Restaurant (The Nantucket Restaurant series Book 2) 

208 pages Sourcebooks Landmark Pub Date Oct 07 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nantucket’s famous Christmas Stroll is always the first week of December and this year Mimi’s Place co-owners want to do something extra special for the restaurant. It will be Emma and Paul’s first Christmas together as a couple and Mandy’s first holiday as a newly divorced mother of two. Although Mandy does have a promising new relationship, she wants to take things very slow, and the holidays are for sure not the time to dive in too deep.

Their sister Jill and her new husband, Billy, are planning to spend the whole month of December on Nantucket too, juggling remote work for the executive search firm they own together in Manhattan with relaxing, spending time with family, and helping out at the restaurant too.

Gina Caruso, the awesome bar manager, is spending her first winter on Nantucket after having lived for years in Boston. It’s a bit of an adjustment―winters on Nantucket are so much quieter than the city life she was used to. She’s even more confused when someone she had a major crush on back in the city moves to Nantucket, while Jared Hawthorne, the new sous chef at Mimi’s Place makes it his mission to introduce Gina to all of Nantucket’s holiday festivities. Suddenly her boring winter is starting to look a lot more interesting.

MY THOUGHTS

This is my first read by the author and I really loved the book.
I also appreciate it being a clean read a well.
Three sisters inherit a restaurant and it’s their story as they run it along with other women.


The book is warm you feel a happy good feeling while reading it and surely want to recommend it to a friend.
It’s a story of family and friends.

I loved seeing the support the sisters gave to each other as they all lead similar yet different lives. All have things going on, children, relationships, business but yet at Christmas time things seem a bit brighter a bit less stressful. I look forward to diving in and reading more books by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women’s fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you’d want as friends.

She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women’s fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There’s also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two.

Feel free to sign up for her list to hear about new releases as soon as they are available as well as extras like early bird discounts. Just cut and paste into your browser, http://eepurl.com/IZbOH

Thank you!

~Pam

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