Just FYI...we're very proud and grateful.

 

Jingle Spells...Day Eighteen

 This is a fun holiday novella from Christine Pope and it is part of her Hedgewitch series. Here's the blurb: 

Sweet baby Jesus, someone’s stolen a lot of Christmas dough!

All is calm and bright as Globe, Arizona’s holiday celebrations approach. Selena Marx should have known it wouldn’t stay that way. The painted snowflakes on her shop window are barely dry when her best friend, Josie Woodrow, bursts in with news that the baby Jesus is missing from the crèche in front of St. Ignatius.

Selena has enough on her mind without having to use her psychic powers to suss out the culprit. Her boyfriend Calvin Standingbear’s parents are still on the snow-covered fence about accepting her, which throws a dimmer on the town’s highly anticipated Festival of Lights. And when Calvin springs a surprise on the solstice, Selena realizes she has some work to do to reconcile the two men in her life: Calvin, and her cursed cat, Archie.

The last thing she needs is a spontaneous vision that indicates the baby Jesus theft was more than just a prank. And if someone doesn’t spill the beans soon, someone’s getting away with…well, not murder (this time), but a whole lot of dough — and we’re not talking cookies.

You can buy the book wherever ebooks are sold:

Apple Books

Amazon Kindle

B&N Nook

Google Play

Kobo

Radio Christmas ... Day Seventeen

 Today's book is by Aussie Author Joanne Dannon who writes a LOT of holiday-themed romances. She was suggested to me by one of my readers (shout out to Tonya) and I immediately ordered some of her books and "followed" her on Amazon. (You can do the same here.)

Radio Christmas is the first book in a new series and set "down under."  (A Christmas in July party is central to the plot ifyou're wondering why there's a snowy cover when Christmas is in the middle of Australia's summer.) 

This one has everything--best friends. A handsome mystery guest. Humor (always appreciated) and a happy ending. (Do I really have to say "spoiler alert?") Buy it here.

Gingerbread & Gravediggers ... Day Sixteen

 

Today's book comes from Katherine Brown. You can sign up for her newsletter here.

Here's the blurb:

Tis the season to deck the halls and...dig up graves?

Apparently someone thinks so.

Charity Basham is back in this Christmas holiday mystery.

With late-night gravediggers haunting the church graveyard, to surprise gifts, and a gigantic gingerbread contest that gets out of hand, Charity is up to her Santa hat in Christmas chaos.

When Margo and Rita insist they need her help to find and stop the gravedigger, will Detective Sota understand why Charity has to take the case, or will she be in big trouble for getting in the middle of police matters?

Join Charity and her fluffy feline Jinx in this fun-filled holiday cozy mystery today! You can buy it here. Click here for more information on the holiday-themed cozy mystery series.

Be sure to stalk Katherine on social media:

Facebook

Instagram

Amazon

Goodreads

Bookbub

Skipping Christmas...Day Fifteen

 John Grisham changed things up with this Christmas novel (which was turned into a movie called Christmas with the Kranks). It's funny and touching and extremely satisfying. You can buy it here.

Here's the blurb:  Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty, they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash, they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences—and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined.

A classic tale for modern times, Skipping Christmas offers a hilarious look at the chaos and frenzy that have become part of our holiday tradition.

Secret Santa...Day Fourteen

It's here! A year in the making. Secret Santa: A limited edition holiday romance collection. It's now available at all the online retailers, and net proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald house. Also, the writers in this collection--including me writing as Katherine Moore--hope to reach the USA Today bestseller list. That accolade carries some weight when you're trying to sell books and it would be nice to sell some more books!! But this one--it's all about helping the families. You can buy it here.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever...Day Thirteen

 

Yes, this is a Middle-Grade novella and I'm not sure how I came to read it but it is both hilarious and touching. And has a real message. I lost my copy in a move and I have to replace it. Buy it here.

Here's the blurb:

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.

Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.”

The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids. You and your family will laugh along with this funny story, perfect for independent reading or read-aloud sharing.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked.

It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

Holiday Hijinks...Day Twelve

 This cozy Christmas romance is definitely for movie lovers. Buy it here. 

Here's the blurb: It’s Christmas, and this year Emily Halliday is trying something new at the struggling revival movie theater she runs for her great-grandmother. After all, how many times can you show It’s a Wonderful Life?

Emily was hoping to make a little profit on “Holiday Hijinks,” her “counter-programming Christmas” event. What she never expected—plot twist—is that an unexpected guest will turn her own life into a romantic comedy.
Holiday Hijinks is the first in a new series of cozy romances set in the small Pacific Northwest town of Silver Birch, Washington. A short read (15K) for a busy time, Holiday Hijinks introduces a whole new cast of characters while bringing back “cameos” from the “Meredith Manor Hotel” books, which are also set in Silver Birch.

If you love movies and food and romance as cozy as flannel jammies, Holiday Hijinks is the Christmas read for you.

Third Party...Day Eleven

Want a little steam with your Christmas cookies??? (Besides the fragrant steam rising from your cup or coffee or hot chocolate, that is.)

Then you need to check out Third Party!

Here's the blurb:

A dog gone video game drove them apart. Can a virtual reality add-on of the same game (and a meddling Nana forcing them to finish her Christmas present) get them kissing faces again?

★★★★★

"Danika Bloom books have now hit 'don't need to know about the book, just need to get it!' status in my TBR lists." ~Amazon reviewer

Josh Rhodes has finally made his mark in the gaming world, an investor threw him a bone and bought his family-friendly dog game for millions. After years of living on ramen noodles he finally feels ready to ask his longtime girlfriend, Paige to marry him.

Paige Verbeck-Reid has only ever loved one man, Josh Rhodes. And as happy as she is for his success, with her own career as a dog trainer floundering, his massive success has her on the run: she’s seen what happens when a woman is financially dependent on a man. She gets stuck. Stays when she should leave.

As Josh’s success breeds more digital dogs and an exploding population of dollars in his bank account, he fears Paige will never come home. When Nana forces the pair to finish a Christmas present they made for her two years earlier, Paige has to resolve what she believes with what she feels.

Will their decade-long love stay in the dog house, or can they train their emotions to learn new commands?

~~~

Third Party is a stand-alone in the steamy, Mixed Six-Pack contemporary rom com series. If you like witty banter, grandma matchmakers, holiday weddings, quirky family dynamics and pet lover, steamy romance, you’ll adore Danika Bloom’s emotional love story. No cheating and a guaranteed HEA.

Christmas Wishes...Day Ten

 Christmas Wishes is now Live!

Have you gotten your copy yet? Grab your copy here- https://books2read.com/Christmas-Wishes-A-Christmas...

Twas the night before Christmas and all across the world, thirteen authors gathered to share stories untold.
From comedy to dark romance they cover it all. So sit by the fire with your piping hot drink and read the stories brought to you by ST Nick.

This is a multi-author anthology, stories may end on a cliffhanger or come with a trigger warning. Please beware before reading.

In a Holidaze...Day Nine

 

Over on Facebook, I took an informal poll of favorite Christmas stories and this book by Christina Lauren was the clear winner out of around 100 people who responded. Youi can buy it here.

This is the blurb.

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

Under the Mistletoe...Day Eight

 A whole collection of Christmas stories for you, free on Book Funnel.

Here's the blurb:

In this limited edition Christmas romance collection love blooms underneath the mistletoe as holiday wishes of the heart come true. Get into the Christmas spirit by diving into these stories where anything can happen through the magic of Christmas—and love.

A Christmas Wish by Samantha Baca...day Seven

 The cover on this fun and flirty Christmas book reminds me of one of my favorite books (now sadly out of print), Patrick Dennis' Joyeuse Noel. (If he sounds familiar, it's because he created Auntie Mame, based on his own childhood.

Christmas Wish is out today, and if you head over to Facebook, she's having a release day party with lots of giveaways and fun. I'm on at 10:30 EST and will be giving away copies of books and other goodies.

Christmas Wish is only 99 cents. Here's the blurb:

All I needed was a date.

One measly date to go with me to my company’s Christmas party to show my ex— and current boss— that I was over him and had moved on. It wasn’t like they had to love me— heck, they didn’t even have to like me. They just had to show up.

When I got stood up on ANOTHER blind date, I was starting to panic until a gorgeous stranger swooped in and pretended to be my boyfriend. Luckily for me, my ex and his new girlfriend just happened to be there to see it.

Pretending to be in a relationship with the beautiful man wasn’t hard. In all honesty, it felt pretty natural. Soon, we had everyone convinced that we were the perfect couple. In fact, we were so good at pretending that we almost fell for it ourselves.

Everything about him felt too good to be true. And one thing that I’d learned quickly was never to trust a man who promised he could make your wishes come true, even if it was something as simple as a Christmas wish.

***This is a steamy novella that will likely get you banned from the nice list if you read it. Intended for mature audiences that like their holiday romance with a little bit of spice.***

An Enchanting Regency Christmas Collection...Day Six

 Did you love Bridgerton? Have you read Pride and Prejudice so many times you know it by heart?

Then this is the Christmas collection for you.

Here's the blurb:

The long-awaited second anthology of Edith Layton's Regency romance Christmas stories includes four heart-warming tales. Originally published in separate anthologies, and out-of-print for many years, these holiday novellas by legendary Regency romance author Edith Layton are in one volume for the first time ever! This collection includes the following stories:

The Earl’s Nightingale
The Hounds of Heaven
The Rake’s Christmas
The Dark Man

It's a Facebook Christmas Book Blog

 Welcome to the Sweet Romance Reader’s Group Christmas Hop 2021. We are so happy to be taking part, and to have you join us!

For those of you who have never played before, the rules are simple. You start at the Sweet Romance Reader’s Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/sweetromancereadersgroup) and write down the codeword, then simply follow the link to the next group and so on until you have gathered all 23 codewords.

Once you have all of the codewords, please follow the directions in the last group post on how to enter our grand giveaway to win yourself $500 in time for Christmas!

The grand prize giveaway closes and is drawn on 11 December 2021, 9am. Please check the individual group posts for details on when their group giveaways close. Giveaway not endorsed by Facebook, it is privately run.

Sugar Plum Kisses...a sweet Christmas collection..Day Five

 This is a fabulous collection of short and sweet Christmas stories. It has a 4.8 rating from 33 reviewers.

Here's the blurb:

o you hear the sleigh bells ringing?

Join over a dozen bestselling authors as they bring you an exclusive collection of Christmas-themed holiday romances. From small town coffee shops to cozy cottages, this set has everything you need to curl up in front of the fire with some hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte.

If you're looking to be swept up in the magic and romance of the holiday season, look no further. We are here to make this and every Christmas merry and bright.

So sit back, relax, and one-click this cozy Christmas collection, because baby, it's cold outside.

Featuring works from the following authors:
Samantha Calcott (aka USA Today bestselling author Lily Luchesi)
Monique Brasher
USA Today bestselling author H.M. Shander
USA Today bestselling author C.A. King
Melodie March
Donna Wright
Kristin MacQueen
Laurie Treacy
Amy Stephens
Alys Fraser
Rebecca Lovell
Raquel Anne & E.S. McMillan

Tis the Season for Romance...Day Four

 

There's just something about Christmas romance that feels so cozy. Cue the Lifetime and Hallmark moves. Bring on the book covers with a couple and Santa hats! We're there. Today's book is another anthology of sweet (like Hot Chocolate) Christmas romances. 

Here's the blurb:

Tis The Season For Romance is an abundance of heartfelt wishes, a touch of Christmas magic, and a guaranteed happy ever after, all while celebrating this most joyful time of the year.

Bestselling and Award-Winning authors fill your holiday stocking with novellas ranging from sweet to sassy, bursting with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

Here's where you can pick up the collection. Only 99 cents!

JINGLE MY SNOWBALLS...Day Three

 Is it cold where you are? This steamy anthology will warm you up. Here's where you can get it for only $2.99.

Here's the blurb: 

 Get ready to be swept off your feet, because Santa is coming down the chimney tonight.

‘Jingle My Snowballs,’ is a compilation of short stories that thrive on the magic of Christmas night. You’ll be introduced to second chances, hidden desires, mistletoe kisses, forbidden romances, and more!

Sweet Treats...Day 2

 

This is a collection of short, cozy Christmas stories, some with recipes (mine has one). The proceeds are all going to a charity that supports mental health. It's only 99 cents so you can buy it with your couch cushion money! Here's the link. 

My story in the collection, "Cocoa Loco" is actually a middle-aged romance built around a recreation of the Christmas story set at a truck stop outside Bethlehem, Tennessee. I am really happy with the way it turned out.

Here's the link to Beyond Blue, the charity that'll be receiving our funds. 

Read some stories.

Bake some cookies.

And know that your purchase helped fund a really good cause!

Here's the blurb:

Warm the cockles of your heart, and experience the true magic of Christmas with SWEET TREATS, a Limited Edition collection of short holiday romances!

If you love sweet romance then you're in for a treat. From snowy ranches in the United States, to the small country towns in Australia, this collection will leave you sighing dreamily, and believing in the simple, and beautiful miracles of the festive season.

So sit back, relax, and be swept away in a flurry of snowflakes, red dust, and romance; and it's all for a good cause! Proceeds of this collection will be donated to Beyond Blue, anxiety, depression and suicide prevention, to help those that need it most. Visit their website to learn more about this important organisation: www.beyondblue.org.au

Featured Authors:

Katy Rose

Sofia Aves

Anna G Berry

Natalie-Nicole Bates

RK Phillips

Monique Brasher

Alys Fraser

Laurie Treacy

Tracy Broemmer

Brigitte Ann Thomas

Sunny Abernathy

Ainsley Jaymes

Katherine Moore

Kimberly Gray

Pandora Snow

Maya Lemaire

E.S. McMillan

Mysteries of Christmas Past..Day One

 

My story for this collection revolves around a sweet treat that is now a tradition in my family after my sister's girlfriend made it for us the first time.  It's called Bubble Loaf, and  you basically defrost two loaves of frozen bread dough, pinch off pieces, roll them in butter and then in sugar mixed with dried orange peel and bake. You can eat the "bubbles" hot or cold and they'll freeze if you have leftover. (You won't.)

Basically, my story is a love letter to my little sister who absolutely loved Christmas. I think that I captured the nature of our relationship pretty well in this story, especially that unspoken understanding that exists between sisters, even when they don't always get along well. 

You can buy it here

Here's the blurb:

Mistletoe, mayhem and murder merrily collide in this collection of holiday stories from six of your favorite cozy and historical mystery authors. Curl up by the fire to enjoy this limited-time anthology.

Harm for the Holidays by Katherine H. Brown: Having lost her post as a governess, when Annabeth Watson returns home for Christmas she's returning home to stay. A less than welcome reception from her father isn't surprising, but the murder of a maid is quite shocking. Can Annabeth find the truth of what happened during the house party, against her father's wishes, or will the lecherous Lord Gresham and mysterious Lord Wright keep her from investigating?

The Christmas Tree Caper: A Small Town Holiday Cozy Mystery (Wintervale Mysteries Book 1) by Melodie March: There are secrets hidden behind the perfectly starched curtains of the houses in the sleepy mountain town of Wintervale... but Meg Harrison and the rest of the Green Mountain Grannies are on the case!

Christmas Treasures by Katherine Moore: The notation on a treasured family recipe turns the holiday into a mystery and brings two sisters closer together.

The Mystery of the Christmas Bauble by Carmen Radtke: A clairvoyant, a crime, and a prophecy: Some mysteries ripple through time. When an inherited Christmas ornament reveals its hitherto hidden message, it connects the past and the present for the finders in more than one way.

A Christmas to Remember by Natalia Schellhaas: With Oliver's help, Ari tracks down a hidden piece of her grandmother's history, and uncovers feelings Ari never thought to act upon.

The Christmas Kettle Caper by C.H. Sessums: Christmas festivities are swinging into high gear, but it's the arrival of a stranger connected to their past that has Jenny worried about J.D.'s tenuous sobriety. Will the ghosts of Christmas past threaten their chance for better days in 1939?

Don't miss the Christmas Book Advent Calendar!

 

Image by Pixaline for Pixabay

Beginning on December 1st, I will be posting about one Christmas book a day, with info on giveaways and their sponsors as well. You won't want to miss the event!

For my story in this collection, I borrowed from a little family tradition--Bubble Loaf for Christmas breakfast. My family had our big dinner on Christmas eve, then ate a huge breakfast on Christmas morning to fortify us. And then we ate leftovers the rest of the day so my mother didn't have to cook. (There were always plenty of leftovers. My mother came from the Southern tradition of cooks who would put enough food on the table to feed an army and then make a last-minute batch of biscuits just in case someone didn't get enough to eat.)

When I moved out of the house, I took a lot of my mother's Christmas treat recipes with me, in that little blue and yellow tin recipe box that all mothers of her genertion seemed to have. 

There was cranberry orange bread and chocolate chip banana bread and an insanely good pumpkin bread with golden raisins and walnuts. But I didn't learn about Bubble Loaf until both my parents were dead and I was on  my own to create my own traditions.

This recipe came from my sister's girlfriend and I've made it every Christmas for at least twenty years. The girlfriend moved on and my sister did too but Orange Bubble Loaf remained.

Orange Bubble Loaf

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1 jar of dried orange peel, around 1.5 ounces

2 round 9-inch cake pans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the sugar and dried orange peel in a shallow bowl.

Cut the thawed bread dough into pieces about an inch square and then roll each square into a little ball.

Dip the dough balls into the melted butter, then roll in the sugar orange mixture until coated.

Place the “bubble” into the pan. 

Cover with a clean dish towel and set in a warm place until the dough has risen and doubled in volume.

Bake at 325 until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.

If freezing, slightly under bake the bread  so that when the bubble loaf is reheated, it won’t get too toasty. 

One loaf’s worth of of dough “bubbles” will fit into one pan so you'll have one pan to keep and another to give away. 

 

 

 

We've been through the wars together...

 

My boxed set, Call of Magic, did not make the USA TODAY bestseller list. This was really disappointing, as we'd worked a year toward the goal. But if it was easy...everyone would be doing it.

Still it was a great experience to work with these writers.

#callofmagic #friendsforver