Saturday, December 31, 2016

The Book Connection Year in Review



We are about an hour away from 2017. Have you already considered your new year's resolutions? I only have one this year and it is based upon on what I missed in 2016: time to enjoy what I love most.

I was just browsing through The Book Connection's archives for this year and discovered I read 23 (not 21 as I said earlier this week) books. Seven of them were picture books that didn't appear here. Here's a look at what was reviewed:

















The problem is, I used to read over 100 books a year. Now, I don't expect that will be the case in 2017 because I'm working outside of the house now and I wasn't before; but just like I took last year's resolution to lose weight, eat better and exercise more seriously, I am embracing this resolution 100%.

I vow to make more time for:
  • Family
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Cooking
  • Gardening
These are the things I enjoy the most. Those are the people I want to dedicate more time to. As such, I am working on my 2017 calendar and seeing how I can arrange things to dedicate at least one day off to family each week and cook real food at least three days each week. I also want to plant a garden in the spring, something I didn't get to this year. Even if I only write a chapter once a month, that will be more than I did in 2016. As far as reading goes, I would like to double the number of books I read in 2016. 

If you have any tips to share I would love to hear them. 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

Thursday, December 29, 2016

E-Book On Sale Now: Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway


Unsinkable is the definitive memoir by film legend and Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds.

Actress, comedienne, singer, and dancer Debbie Reynolds shares the highs and lows of her life as an actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age, anecdotes about her lifelong friendship with Elizabeth Taylor and her experiences as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia, and intimate details of her marriages and family life with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher.

A story of heartbreak, hope, and survival, “America’s Sweetheart” Debbie Reynolds picks up where she left off in her first memoir, Debbie: My Life.

Unsinkable is illustrated with previously unpublished photos from Reynolds’s personal collection.

File Size: 12516 KB
Print Length: 339 pages
Publisher: William Morrow; Reprint edition (April 2, 2013)
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Language: English
ASIN: B0089LOHFG

Purchase at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Google Play
iBooks
Kobo

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge


The 2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is hosted by Passages to the Past! Sign Ups are open and ready for all that would like to join the challenge.

Here are the Reading Challenge details:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

  • Everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)
  • Add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)
  • Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, etc.)

During the following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

20th century Reader - 2 books
Victorian Reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books
Medieval - 15 books
Ancient History - 25 books
Prehistoric - 50+ books

CHERYL'S GOAL FOR 2017: 5 BOOKS

To join the challenge you only need to make a post about it, add your link in Mr. Linky here or find instructions for how else you can join by clicking the link.

The challenge runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2017.

Don't forget to grab the Reading Challenge Button (above) to post on your blog. Please share about the Reading Challenge to your fellow friends and readers using the hashtag below!

#2017HFReadingChallenge

If you have any questions or comments please email Amy at passagestothepast@gmail.com.

What books are you most looking forward to in 2017?

2017 Blogger Shame Challenge


Yes. We're hanging our heads in some blogger-girl shame. lol

The Blogger Shame challenge is a cheeky way to admit our guilt...and go about fixing it. Tackling those review books that have slipped through the cracks over the years. Any review book over 4 months past due is game!

WHAT COUNTS

Any review book that is 4+ months PAST DUE.

Yep. Only OLD review requests that have slipped through the cracks count. Any format, any length.

LEVELS

Number of books tackled is entirely up to you! Minimum...1 review book.

CHECK IN POSTS


There will be three posts for the challenge.


  • Sign Up Post: Link Up your sign up post on this page (let us know what you'll be tackling! make a list of specific titles or just the number of books you're tackling)
  • Mid Year Check In: First week of June
  • Wrap Up Post: Last week of December


GIVEAWAYS

There will be one end of the year giveaway picked from those that do the link up posts and finish at least one Blogger Shame review.

LINK UP

Once you have your SIGN UP post live just link it HERE. If you aren't a blogger but have past due requests please set up a Goodreads shelf dedicated to the challenge and link that up.

You can also snag the challenge button to add to your site!

2016 Book Challenges Fail



Yes, this is me crying because I did not come anywhere close to meeting my book challenges this year. I read a whopping.....

21 books in 2016

And seven of them were children's books. I read one book, yes one, from 2016 Reading Challenge List--which I am going to promptly rename my 2017 Reading Challenge List. LOL! 

Sometimes life tosses you lemons and you just have to make lemonade. This was one of those years. I worked through most of my vacation and didn't get to read or review as much as I would like. Doo-doo happens. 

My favorite challenge....


...is taking a break in 2017. Freda has been dedicated to it and the girl deserves some time off. I've been invited to some other reading challenges so I'll check them out and let you know what the plan for 2017 is soon. More reading is part of that plan. 

Hope you had a great 2016. Let me know how you did with your reading goals. 

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The Rebel Series–Stories of Love and Liberty by Linda Weaver Clarke

The Rebel Series–Stories of Love and Liberty

There was a time when swashbuckling men and brave women engaged in daring and romantic adventures, those who fought with bravery and valor. These courageous men and women were looked up to because they defended the people.

“This creative take on a Robin Hood-like story is charming and touching, and teaches some great morals about agency and choice. It reminded me of childhood fairytales of good versus evil, with a nice romance weaved into it.” –Author Charissa Stastny

In The Rebels of Cordovia, a group of men and women who called themselves Robin’s Rebels realize they must help the people survive this oppression. In this battle for freedom, a love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn’t realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin’s Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin’s Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be?

After reading this story, Susan Ortlieb from Suko’s Notebook Reviews wrote: “Linda Weaver Clarke writes with passion and grace, and the love story in this book is simply wonderful. In fact, this aspect of the story was the strongest draw for me. (Are love stories set in the past more romantic than those set in the present day?) I thought that Robin and Daniel sounded perfect for each other, and I enjoyed the steady development of their relationship. This charming book was a pleasure to read,
and I relished it.”

The tales from The Rebel Series have adventure, sweet romance, and delectable kisses. These are stories of love and liberty that takes place between the 18th and 19th Century. In the sequel, The Highwayman of Cordovia, the people enjoy their new-found liberty but all is not well. One year after Cordovia gains its freedom, a group of powerful men plan to take over the small country and replace the leader with a king.

With the help of a bold highwayman and a pastor’s daughter, they try to save their country from being taken over by a power-hungry leader. As they strive to stop the Kingmen and thwart their plans, Christine finds herself falling in love with Austin Knight. The only problem with their relationship is that she thinks he is her knight in shining armor instead of a highwayman. If she finds out his trade, what will her reaction be? As a pastor’s daughter, will love override her values?

“Linda Weaver Clarke has a storyteller's talent for enchanting and mesmerizing the audience. There are also some exciting surprises and twists that will delight the heart. Definitely a must read!” --Cindi Clubbs, Mommasez Reviews




The Rebels of Cordovia from Linda Weaver Clarke on Vimeo.

Buy links:
Rebels of Cordovia:https://www.amazon.com/Rebels-Cordovia-Linda-Weaver-Clarke/dp/1484147650

Highwayman of Cordovia: https://www.amazon.com/Highwayman-Cordovia-Rebels-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0214KX


Linda Weaver Clarke has traveled throughout the United States, teaching people to write their family history. She is the author of historical romances, mystery/adventure series, a children’s book, and a cozy mystery series. All her books are family friendly. Read sample chapters at http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Musing Monday - Dec 26


Musing Monday is now hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker It is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM QUESTION: Did you get any good books for the holidays?

Here we are with the last Musing Monday of 2016. How did it go by so fast?

I hope you had a great holiday filled with many blessings. We picked up my father-in-law from the nursing home and took him to church. My son came over with his wife and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law came with their son. We had a day of family fun opening gifts, eating, laughing....

As for the answer to this week's question, I did receive some great books. The first one helps to feed my LHOP fixation.


Charlotte Stewart is known by millions of fans worldwide for her role as the beloved schoolteacher, Miss Beadle, on the iconic TV show, Little House on the Prairie, currently broadcast in syndication in more than 100 countries around the world.

Here for the first time an adult cast member writes about the experience of making the show --the challenges, the joys, and the sometimes-turbulent behind-the-scenes relationships. Charlotte, with Andy Demsky, reveals fifty years in film and television offering a backstage pass to Hollywood's cocaine-fueled 1960s, '70s and '80s, including Charlotte's celebrated work as Mary X in David Lynch's cult classic film, Eraserhead, as well as her later work as Betty Briggs in the highly-rated television series, Twin Peaks.

Charlotte recounts stories of working with leading men from Jimmy Stewart and Elvis Presley to Kevin Bacon and Kyle MacLachlan. She details off-stage friendships with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, as well as relationships and flings with some of TV, film, and music's biggest names, including Jon Voight, Richard Dreyfuss, Tim Considine, Bill Murray, Jim Morrison, and more.

Ultimately, Charlotte's story is that of a survivor. Six years after her career-making role on Little House on the Prairie, she lost everything. Yet through the darkest periods of her life -- divorce, drug-use, cancer, financial ruin, the death of a spouse, and alcoholism -- she never lost her humanity or sense of humor.

Charlotte's story is far from over. She is set to reprise her role of Betty Briggs in the new Twin Peaks series to be seen on Showtime in 2017. Throughout the year, she is a featured celebrity in fan events and festivals for Little House on the Prairie and Twin Peaks both in the U.S. and abroad.

Co-author Andy Demsky is a writer and journalist, whose work has been published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times magazine and Better Homes & Gardens, and he co-wrote Doug Shafer's critically acclaimed memoir, A Vineyard in Napa.

I also received "The Mistletoe Collection." This is a boxed set of Richard Paul Evans' Mistletoe books.


Elise Dutton dreads the arrival of another holiday season. Three years earlier, her husband cheated on her with her best friend, resulting in a bitter divorce that left her alone, broken, and distrustful.

Then, one November day, a stranger approaches Elise in the mall food court. Though she recognizes the man from her building, Elise has never formally met him. Tired of spending the holidays alone, the man offers her a proposition. For the next eight weeks—until the evening of December 24—he suggests that they pretend to be a couple. He draws up a contract with four rules:

1. No deep, probing personal questions
2. No drama
3. No telling anyone the truth about the relationship
4. The contract is void on Christmas Day

The lonely Elise surprises herself by agreeing to the idea. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.


At thirty-two Kimberly Rossetti, a finance officer at a Lexus car dealership, has had her heart broken more times than she wants to remember. With two failed engagements, a divorce and again alone with no prospects, she hardly seems the type to dream of being a published romance author. Dreading another holiday alone, she signs up for The Mistletoe Retreat, a nine-day writing retreat in Savannah, Georgia. Deep inside Kimberly knows she's at a junction in her life and it's time to either fulfill her dream or let it go. The other reason she decides to attend the conference is because famed romance writer, H.T. Cowell, once the best selling romance writer in America, and the author whose books instilled in her the desire to be a writer, will be speaking in public for the first time in more than a decade.

In one of her breakout sessions Kimberly meets another aspiring writer, and one of the few men at the conference, Zeke, an intelligent man with a wry wit who seems as interested in Kimberly as he is in the retreat. As Kimberly begins to open up to him about her stories and dreams, she inadvertently reveals her own troubled past. As Zeke helps her to discover why her books fail to live up to their potential she begins to wonder if he's really talking more about her life than her literature. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes that Zeke has his own darkness, a past he's unwilling to talk about.

The theme of The Mistletoe Inn is that like literature, relationships must be lived with passion and vulnerability to succeed.


Dear Universe,
Is anyone out there?

Thinking no one is reading, a blogger who calls herself LBH writes about her most personal feelings, especially her overwhelming loneliness. She goes from day to day showing a brave face to the world while inside she longs to know how it would feel if one person cared about her.

Alex Bartlett cares. He’s reading her posts in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nursing his own broken heart and trust issues, he finds himself falling for this sensitive, vulnerable woman whose feelings mirror his own. Following a trail of clues LBH has inadvertently revealed, he discovers that she lives in the small town of Midway, Utah. He makes his way there just after Thanksgiving, determined to find LBH. Maybe she’s a Lisa, Lori, or a Luanne. Instead, he finds a woman named Aria, a waitress at the Mistletoe Diner, who encourages Alex in his search while serving his pie along with some much-needed sympathy and companionship.

Alex finally finds his LBH, a woman who is as beautiful and kind as he imagined she would be. How can he tell her that he knows her secret? What’s holding him back? Could it be his feelings for Aria?


Did you receive any books for Christmas?


Thursday, December 22, 2016

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Bridesmaid's Checklist: Marisol's Wedding



Title: The Bridesmaid's Checklist: Marisol's Wedding

Author: K.T. Castle

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ New Adult

Edited: Kathrin Hutson

Revised by: Lindy S. Willson and Timothy J. Ryder

Cover Design: Victor Alberto Rivera

Photography by: Dani Rangel (model) and Finca La Devoción (background)




Take advantage of its FREE PROMOTION


Kassandra’s last single friend got married in the summer. But even if she’s the only unmarried girl in the pack she isn’t single anymore. Now that all her friends are married and all the wedding planning is over, she has a chance to concentrate in her relationship with Josh. Or so she thought until Marisol visits her with a major life.changing crisis. Helping her friends plan their wedding was no problem─dealing with an unexpected pregnancy is a whole other thing.

Kassandra is unable to decide the best way to help Marisol, specially when her relationship with Josh starts reaching an amount of commitment that she wasn’t expecting. Both girls will have to remember the past in order to move their relationships forward.




Kassandra is a single, independent woman who prides herself on her own success. Now her life seems complete when Josh─a thoughtful, handsome, and the worst kind of charmer─leaves his womanizing days behind and can’t seem to stay away from her. Kassandra keeps wondering if their single days are really over and they’re ready for a monogamous and committed relationship.

Marisol is a married woman with the perfect life─A wonderful husband and a beautiful son. Life gets even better when her little boy is finally ready for school and Sol can go back to work.

Destiny is full of surprises for both girls, and sometimes the plans that you have aren’t the ones in the path before you.

Join Kassandra and Marisol as they remember how they planned Sol’s wedding while they solve together the difficulties in the present.














$10.00 Amazon Gift Card / Signed Paperback
 of The Bridesmaid's Checklist
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT K.T. Castle:



K.T. Castle loves reading, writing, and painting. She's on a quest to find the words, forms, and colors to materialize the worlds and people of her imagination. She loves reading Paranormal, New Adult, and Contemporary Romance. She never saw herself as an incurable romantic, but lately, that's what she finds herself musing about. Love is found everywhere, regardless of whether it comes from a nice person or an ass—mundane or even vampire.


When she's not busy with work, in front of a computer placing many thoughts in order, she makes her best to be creative or relax with a good TV series and snacks. Some of her favorite characters are Jon Snow, Daenerys, Barney Stinson, Saint, Rome Archer, Rush, Gretchen McKay, and Cinderella.
Get to know her more on her social media pages:


Facebook: @KTCastle.author
Google+: K.T.Castle
Twitter: @KTCastle_author
Pinterest: KTCastle_author



More books by K.T. Castle

The Bridesmaid's Checklist: Laura's Wedding


Cover preeliminar
Read the first book of the BCL series.
Visit K.T. Castle's site to read and excerpt of Laura's Wedding.
Download the book in Kindle or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited.
Get a FREE copy on Amazon during Marisol's Wedding release.

Seasonal Fiction for You or Someone You Know


Lauren Gabriel spent many years of her childhood in foster homes, wishing her mother would come back for her and be the family she needs. Now twenty-years-old, she still longs for a place that she can truly call home. Her work as a cashier is unfulfilling, and at Christmas it’s unbearable with the songs and carols and chatter of Christmas that she hears throughout the day.

When Lauren ends her shift one night, she finds herself driving aimlessly in order to avoid returning to her lonely apartment. And when she witnesses a car accident she is suddenly pulled into the small town of Grandon, first as a witness but then as a volunteer for the annual fundraiser for Glory’s Place, a center for single mothers and families who need assistance. Could this town and its people be the home she has always longed for?

Purchase here!


In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The publication of Longfellow’s classic Revolutionary War poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” was less than a month hence, and the country’s grave political unrest weighed heavily on his mind. Yet with his beloved wife, Fanny, and their five adored children at his side, the delights of the season prevailed.

In present-day Boston, a dedicated teacher in the Watertown public school system is stunned by somber holiday tidings. Sophia’s music program has been sacrificed to budget cuts, and she worries not only about her impending unemployment but also about the consequences to her underprivileged students. At the church where she volunteers as music director, Sophia tries to forget her cares as she leads the children’s choir in rehearsal for a Christmas Eve concert. Inspired to honor a local artist, Sophia has chosen a carol set to a poem by Longfellow, moved by the glorious words he penned one Christmas Day long ago, even as he suffered great loss.

Christmas Bells chronicles the events of 1863, when the peace and contentment of Longfellow’s family circle was suddenly, tragically broken, cutting even deeper than the privations of wartime. Through the pain of profound loss and hardship, Longfellow’s patriotism never failed, nor did the power of his language. “Christmas Bells,” the poem he wrote that holiday, lives on, spoken as verse and sung as a hymn.

Jennifer Chiaverini’s resonant and heartfelt novel for the season reminds us why we must continue to hear glad tidings, even as we are tested by strife. Reading Christmas Bells evokes the resplendent joy of a chorus of voices raised in reverent song.

Purchase here!


The year is 1900, and Victor Narraway is giving his wife, Vespasia, an unforgettable Christmas present—a trip to Jerusalem for the holiday. Vespasia is enchanted by the exotic landscape of Palestine, and charmed by a fellow traveler they meet at their hotel in Jaffa. But when the man is murdered over a torn piece of ancient parchment he was taking to Jerusalem, Victor and Vespasia risk their lives to finish his mission and deliver the mysterious document to its home. Pursued by a shadowy figure with evil intent, they embark on a dangerous yet ultimately enlightening pilgrimage to the holy city, where the mysterious message on the parchment may finally be revealed.

Rich in mystery, suspense, and wonder, A Christmas Message is at once a breathtaking adventure story and a poignant meditation on faith and spirituality.

Purchase here!


Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega-bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.

Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

Purchase here!

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Spotlight: Under the Kissing Bough Novella Collection


15 brand-new novellas. 15 best-selling romance authors. A holiday-themed collection like no other.

What happens under the kissing bough doesn't necessarily stay beneath the kissing bough...

According to lore, the origins of which date to the late 12th century, no lady should refuse a kiss beneath the mistletoe, else she will not marry in the next year. In exchange for the kiss, a berry is removed from the sprig until all of the berries are gone and no more kisses can be stolen. Some also believe that a sprig of mistletoe collected from a local church and placed beneath a maiden's pillow will inspire dreams of her future husband. 

What happens when fifteen daring heroines pin their hopes on mistletoe, a little luck, and a kiss in this multi-genre, limited edition holiday collection from 15 bestselling authors? Pure holiday magic!

This set includes USA TODAY bestselling and National bestselling authors Sandy Blair, Suzanne Ferrell, Kathryn Le Veque, Jeanne Adams, Anna Campbell, Tina De Salvo, Barbara Devlin, Joan Kayse, Catherine Kean, Anna Markland, Hildie McQueen, Meara Platt, Elizabeth Rose, Jordan K. Rose, and Lana Williams.

ORDER AT: AMAZON|B&N|KOBO



DESTINY'S KISS BY ELIZABETH ROSE:
destinys-kiss-high-res-200x300Lady Annalyse Granville is the cursed second-born twin, feared by all and said to have been spawned by the devil. Hidden away in an abbey most her life, she now returns to her father’s castle at the request of her very pregnant sister who happens to be the king’s mistress. Things change in Annalyse’s life quickly as soon as one of her father’s guests, a Scot named Ross from Clan Douglas, traps her under the kissing bough – and she receives her first kiss.

UPON A MIDNIGHT DREAM BY KATHRYN LE VEQUE:
kathrynleveque_uponamidnightdream1400-200x300
A weary knight returning from King Richard's crusade, Sir Rennington of Ashbourne comes back to England only to realize he is essentially homeless. His father has died and his elder brother has inherited everything. Unwanted, and nearly destitute, Ren finds his way to Derby Cathedral on a snowy December night to sleep and figure out what he is going to do with his life. As he dozes beneath the boughs of mistletoe, hung for the Christmastide season, he hears the chatter of two women as they plot against their eldest sister. A woman, they say, who lost her betrothed on Richard's crusade and who has vowed never to wed.
Unfortunately, their wealthy father has declared that the eldest daughter, his heiress, must marry before the younger daughters can entertain suits of their own, so the two sisters hatch a scheme to force their sister to dream of the man she is to marry. They pluck berries from the Christmas boughs hung around the cathedral with the sole purpose of sneaking them beneath their eldest sister's pillow so she will dream of her love.
As Ren hears the plot, he hatches one of his own... he will go to the eldest sister and coerce the woman into marrying him. No longer will he be homeless; he will marry a woman of wealth and assume her money. It seems like an excellent scheme but the moment he arrives at Thulston Manor, he realizes he may have gotten himself into a situation that will come back to haunt him. The heiress is not at all as he expected. And so begins the unconventional romance of Sir Rennington of Ashbourne and Lady Holly St. Maur.
CLOSE TO SANTA'S HEART BY SUZANNE FERRELL:
close-to-santas-heartAs Westen’s resident Santa, Deputy Cleetus Junkins brings the magic of Christmas to his beloved home town each year. He oversees lighting the tree in the square and raising the huge mistletoe kissing bough in the gazebo. At the parties he visits with children and the elderly. Amid all this joy even Santa can be lonely. Or he used to be. This year, Cleetus has a helper.
Sylvie Gillis came to Westen for a fresh start only to have her heart immediately melted by a shy gentle giant of a deputy. Her childhood was short on happiness but playing elf to Cleetus’ Santa makes her want to believe in Christmas miracles.
As Cleetus and Sylvie help bring Christmas joy to the citizens of Westen, the holiday magic weaves its way into their hearts. Will the reason Sylvie left home come between them or can she stay Close To Santa’s Heart?

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Book Spotlight: Under the Kissing Bough Seasonal Romance Novella Collection


15 brand-new novellas. 15 best-selling romance authors. A holiday-themed collection like no other.

What happens under the kissing bough doesn't necessarily stay beneath the kissing bough...

According to lore, the origins of which date to the late 12th century, no lady should refuse a kiss beneath the mistletoe, else she will not marry in the next year. In exchange for the kiss, a berry is removed from the sprig until all of the berries are gone and no more kisses can be stolen. Some also believe that a sprig of mistletoe collected from a local church and placed beneath a maiden's pillow will inspire dreams of her future husband. 

What happens when fifteen daring heroines pin their hopes on mistletoe, a little luck, and a kiss in this multi-genre, limited edition holiday collection from 15 bestselling authors? Pure holiday magic!

This set includes USA TODAY bestselling and national bestselling authors Sandy Blair, Suzanne Ferrell, Kathryn Le Veque, Jeanne Adams, Anna Campbell, Tina De Salvo, Barbara Devlin, Joan Kayse, Catherine Kean, Anna Markland, Hildie McQueen, Meara Platt, Elizabeth Rose, Jordan K. Rose, and Lana Williams.

ORDER AT: AMAZON|B&N|KOBO



HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME BY BARBARA DEVLIN:




A once great love
Sold into marriage at sixteen, widowed at nineteen, and mired in a scandal of her own making at twenty-two, Lady Moreton has fallen on hard times.  Alone, shunned by society, and on the verge of homelessness, she desperately searches for salvation.  When Almira receives an intriguing invitation to join one of England’s most respected families for Christmas, she clings to hope, to the possibility of rescue, and packs her best gowns.
Two broken hearts
Heir to a tarnished title, Lord Nicholas Sheldon seeks to right the wrongs of his past, after his father is found floating in the Thames, and his younger brother faces trial for kidnapping a high-ranking member of the peerage.  In exchange for evidence in support of the Crown’s charges, Nicholas wants only one thing: the beautiful woman who stole his heart, so long ago.  Pinning his hopes on a kiss beneath the kissing bough, he enlists the aid of his onetime enemies, journeys to Portsea Island, and risks everything for a chance at happiness.
HUNT FOR CHRISTMAS  BY TINA De SALVO:


Traditions, mistletoe kisses and second chances…
The Cajun Christmas on the Bayou Celebration is an annual event in the remote town of Fa La, Louisiana, nicknamed – Fa La La. It has supported generations of the families who live in the tiny, isolated bayou community. This year may be the last. Thanks to Hunter James who bought the neighboring island, they can no longer use his land for a major part of the celebration.  The island is his home where he expects to find much needed peace and quiet.  He doesn’t want Christmas lights, music and revelers on his land no matter what Fa La La’s beautiful advocate, Dr. Camille Comeaux, says as she tries to change his mind…and changes his heart.
Will Camille fight to steal Hunter’s peace so her family can have theirs?
HER VAMPIRE PROTECTOR BY JORDAN K. ROSE:



If someone has to die in order to save the citizens of Central City from the heinous experiments of Panthera Laboratories, Oswald Addison would gladly volunteer. But a three-hundred-year-old vampire should never have to choose between dying to save those he has sworn to protect or living with the knowledge he is responsible for their doomed existence—especially when the life of the woman he loves is at stake.
For Selene Kittery, having to hold her own in the male-dominated Vampire Guard is enough of a challenge. With Christmas right around the corner and mistletoe hanging in doorways, controlling the impulse to fall into the arms of the sexiest womanizer to walk the earth makes getting through every night damn near impossible. As the iron-clad grip she’s kept on her dignity weakens, Selene must face the truth about Oz.
Realizing Selene is Panthera’s next target, Oz is forced to share the secret about what happened on the night they met and risk losing her forever.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Musing Monday - Dec 12


Musing Monday is now hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker It is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM QUESTION: Does reading help you to release stress during stressful times? If it does do you have a favorite book that you return to for calm?

I would like to start off by welcoming Ambrosia as our new host. I'm glad to see this meme continue because it is one of my favorites. Thanks, Ambrosia.

Last week was hectic with my daytime job, family duties, and book promotion. Today started the second week of my virtual book tour for Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving. You can find my schedule here if you would like to follow along.

I'm almost finished reading Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson by William Hazelgrove.



After President Woodrow Wilson suffered a paralyzing stroke in the fall of 1919, his wife, First Lady Edith Wilson, began to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of the Executive Office. Mrs. Wilson had had little formal education and had only been married to President Wilson for four years; yet, in the tenuous peace following the end of World War I, Mrs. Wilson dedicated herself to managing the office of the President, reading all correspondence intended for her bedridden husband. Though her Oval Office authority was acknowledged in Washington, D.C. circles at the time--one senator called her "the Presidentress who had fulfilled the dream of suffragettes by changing her title from First Lady to Acting First Man"--her legacy as "First Woman President" is now largely forgotten.

William Hazelgrove's Madam President is a vivid, engaging portrait of the woman who became the acting President of the United States in 1919, months before women officially won the right to vote. Movie Rights Optioned by Storyline Entertainment.

I'm also three-quarters of the way through Hank Quense's The Complete Self-Publishing Guide. 



The goal of self-publishing a book is to produce a quality book package to hold your content. Despite what you read on the internet, self-publishing isn’t easy. There is a lot involved in understanding the self-publishing process and it is quite easy to self-publish a book the wrong way. This boxed set of ebooks explains the self-publishing process and much more.

As for this week's question: I definitely enjoy reading as a way to help relieve stress. The Bible is usually what I grab to calm my fears. Occasionally I'll pick up a devotional instead.

How about you? What type of book do you turn to when you need to relieve stress?