THE SANTA BOX tells the story of teenager Kallie Watts. For the past five years, Christmas has spelled disaster for her and her family. When a fire leaves Kallie and her widowed mother homeless just before the holidays, there’s only one conclusion: Kallie is cursed by Christmas. When Kallie and her mother relocate to a small California town, Kallie is confronted by her worst nightmare come true: a town overflowing with holiday decorations and Christmas cheer. Kallie’s life is soon changed forever by the gift of a Santa box. When she lifts the lid, she rediscovers the magic and true meaning of Christmas.

 

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Review

 

If you are looking for an upbeat Christmas themed movie then look no further than this new release. This movie has it all – likable and unlikable characters, spirit, and a clear message – that it is better to give than to receive.

The movie starts off during WWII with two soldiers around a campfire listening to a Christmas song. An enterprising young man distracts them to steal a can of food. Much to his surprise, one of the soldiers only wants to help him. The movie then fast forwards to the present day and we meet Kallie and her mom, Rachel, who has just moved to a new town and rental home after losing pretty much everything in a fire. Kallie is very discouraged because bad things seem to happen around Christmas time, at least for the last five years and she believes that the holiday is cursed.

However, things will change once Kallie meets Otto. Otto loves the spirit of Christmas and they form a fast friendship and he shares his beliefs and gives her some sage advice about the holiday. Will it be enough to change her mind?  You will have to watch the movie to find out.

The magic of the movie is in the Santa Box that Kallie finds on her porch. Inside is a note telling her to write her Christmas wish on the note and put it inside the box and leave it on her porch. What she doesn’t realize is that her wish will have long lasting ripples into the community and even deep within her own beliefs.

This movie also has an underlying story about Lisa Green who is the popular girl in school and actually something of a bully to the other students. She is mean and degrading to them. She sort of befriends Kallie because her mom told her to be her friend. But is she a true friend if she is mean to others?  We can tell that Kallie isn’t comfortable with Lisa’s actions but she is afraid to confront Lisa. I felt like this story was pretty spot on and even has a message of forgiveness.

Overall, this is a fantastic movie and one that can be enjoyed every year. I know it affected various emotions and I will admit to being a bit teary eyed during parts.

We give this movie 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

The Santa Box_Theatrical_Trailer1 from Ron Brough on Vimeo.

 

 

Filming the movie

 

Writer, Director and Producer Spanky Dustin Ward in partnership with Covenant Communications and Excel Entertainment announced today that the new film, THE SANTA BOX, will open in local Megaplex Theatres on Friday, November 6. Covenant Communications served as the production company with Ron Brough as executive producer, and Excel Entertainment is distributing the film in theaters.

Ward had been working on the idea and screenplay for the film over the past couple of years, but it was earlier this summer that the actual production shifted into high gear. “We shot the film in early August at several locations along the Wasatch Front,” said Ward. “And that was after only about three weeks of pre-production time, including casting and rehearsals! But everything fell perfectly into place to get THE SANTA BOX produced in time to release it for this Holiday season.”

THE SANTA BOX features mostly local talent, including Shawn Stevens as Otto, and newcomer Cami Carver as Kallie. “Playing Otto was something completely new for me, but it was a role I wanted so much,” said Stevens. “The Otto character is an 85-year-old German immigrant, and naturally, Spanky originally wanted to cast an actor who was around that age. But, luckily for me, with the help of an amazing makeup artist, Vanae Morris, I was able to convince Spanky that I could pull-off a great performance of an old German man. And the character was an absolute joy to play.”

“For the role of Kallie, we auditioned dozens of young actresses and Cami originally auditioned for a different role, but she absolutely knocked our socks off!” proclaimed Ward. “We instantly knew she was our Kallie.”

In addition to the two leads, THE SANTA BOX features 20-plus major characters and dozens of extras. “Filming during this crazy time brought some unique challenges, but we acclimated to it very quickly,” said Ward. “Everyone on the production team strictly adhered to safe production guidelines implemented by the health officers we had on set. Thanks to those practices, everyone in the cast and crew stayed healthy and the production went off without a hitch.”

For more information on THE SANTA BOX, visit its IMDB page

 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

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Synopsis

 

From Donna VanLiere, the New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Hope series comes another heartwarming, inspirational story for the holidays, The Christmas Table.

In June 1972, John Creighton determines to build his wife Joan a kitchen table. His largest project to date had been picture frames but he promises to have the table ready for Thanksgiving dinner. Inspired to put something delicious on the table, Joan turns to her mother’s recipes she had given to Joan when she and John married.

In June 2012, Lauren Mabrey discovers she’s pregnant. Gloria, Miriam, and the rest of her friends at Glory’s Place begin to pitch in, helping Lauren prepare their home for the baby. On a visit to the local furniture builder, Lauren finds a table that he bought at a garage sale but has recently refinished. Once home, a drawer is discovered under the table which contains a stack of recipe cards. Growing up in one foster home after another, Lauren never learned to cook and is fascinated as she reads through the cards. Personal notes have been written on each one from the mother to her daughter and time and again Lauren wonders where they lived, when they lived, and in a strange way, she feels connected to this mother and her daughter and wants to make the mother proud.

The story continues from 1972 to 2012 as Joan battles breast cancer and Lauren learns to cook, preparing for the baby’s arrival. As Christmas nears, can Lauren unlock the mystery of the table, and find the peace she’s always longed for?

 

 

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Review

 

This book was such a delight to read. It is more than a Christmas story, it is two stories about families that are tied together but just don’t know it….yet.  The book flips between 1972 and 2012 and centers around some recipe cards that were found in a table in 2012 that were written by the mom in 1972. Joan in 1972 and Lauren in 2012 learn how to cook with these recipe cards and the notes are very specific. This was a blessing for both women since they knew how to make the basics and these were more complicated recipes (somewhat). I have to say that my mouth was watering while reading the book.

This is the tenth book in a series and some of the other reviews that I have read mentioned that the characters flow from the various books. I think I could tell that in this book by Lauren’s mention of her wedding and other details, but this book can easily be read as a standalone book. The author does a brilliant job of character development and I didn’t feel like I was coming into the second act of a play and missing information.

While the story focuses on the women surrounding Lauren (in 2012) when she discovers she is pregnant and supporting her, there is also a little bit of a mystery on whose table this was that Lauren purchased with the recipe cards. She wants to give them back and a surprise twist will reunite her with the owner. The story in 1972 follows Joan who is battling breast cancer. This hit close to home since I am a breast cancer survivor myself. It also shares her family’s response and you can see the love her husband has for her and wants her to keep fighting. Several members of the community come together to support the family especially spiritually.

All in all, this was a lovely book and I had a hard time putting it down. I will definitely take a look at some of her other books in the near future.  We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Donna is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She’s an in-demand conference speaker and gifted teacher and has 14 published books including four that have been adapted into movies.

Donna is the recipient of multiple industry awards including a Retailer’s Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, two Audie Awards for best inspirational fiction, a nominee for a Gold Medallion Book of the Year, and is an inductee in the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence joining such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and Senator John Glenn.

 

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Based on the New York Times best- selling novel by Jason F. Wright

Hope is an aspiring reporter who has had her fair share of tragedy in life. Abandoned at birth, she’s grieving the recent death of her adopted mother when her apartment is burglarized of all her possessions. While reporting the burglary to the police, Hope discovers a jar full of money, labeled “Christmas Jar.” Shocked and grateful for this act of kindness, Hope discovers that people all over her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, have been receiving Christmas Jars for years during times of need. The jars are always anonymous and always contain different amounts. In this heartwarming Christmas classic, Hope goes undercover to discover the secret behind the Christmas jars, putting into motion a series of events that will change her life, and her community, forever.

 

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Review

Before queueing up this movie to watch, make sure you have some tissues on hand because you will need them.  The first couple of minutes packs a punch that had me quite weepy.  The movie moves along and then the last 10-15 minutes had me a sniveling mess once again.  So definitely have those tissues handy and if you don’t, you can’t blame me because I gave you fair warning!

This may be a Christmas movie (that I’m watching in February) but the message is a timeless one – to show kindness to those in need.  Hope is a journalist in training and stumbles across the perfect story for the holidays and the online magazine she works.  In her search for the story behind these Christmas Jars, she stumbles across an amazing family that welcomes her as one of their own.  Hope has a dilemma, does she reveal the truth behind the Christmas Jars, or does she protect this new found friendship?

In case you didn’t figure it out from the first paragraph, this is a heartwarming story that transcends time and applies to any day and time.  It reminds us, and possibly even encourages us, to look out for others and to help those in need.  The concept behind the jars aside, there are times when people just need a small helping hand to get them over a hurdle or hardship and extending the hand of friendship can make a huge difference.

This is a movie that should be added to your queue for favorite movies during the holidays and especially for younger people so they learn the value of kindness and that sometimes it is ok to do something without the recognition.

We give this 5 paws up and I can’t wait to watch it again…with tissues in hand.

 

 

Trailer

 

 

Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday season whatever you celebrate!

Reviews will be sporadic for the rest of December but there will be a few books that I will be sharing, so come find some new books to spend that holiday money towards!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Everything!

 

 

Publication Date: 10/1/19 Paperback
ISBN: 9781629726014
Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Culinary Book Design: © Shadow Mountain
Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Kimberly Kay

Synopsis

This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and
Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud.

She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn’t derail everyone’s travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day.

At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie’s friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary’s tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than
$40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift.

With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it’s up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year.

When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she’s creating a “naughty” list that could rival Santa’s. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary’s tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.

 

 

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Praise

“A warmhearted mystery.” -Kirkus

“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy’s and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie’s family recipes, sprinkled throughout the book.” -Booklist

“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous “Culinary Mystery” titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal

 

Review

Sadie is back!  I thought this series was over a few years ago but was thrilled to see at least one more book in this series to give us a peek into what Sadie has been up to since she married Pete.  They are enjoying life and she has hung up her investigating shoes until someone steals some of Mary’s priceless ornaments from the tree in her room at the local nursing home.  With Pete out of town for work, she pulls out her sleuthing skills to determine who might have stolen the ornaments and why.

I have to say I did not expect the thief to be this character.  I truly had my eyes peeled another way or two and never suspected this person.  But beyond the mystery, this book was also about forgiveness and not letting those that you love stray too far from your life before it is too late.

There are many recipes in the book that made my mouth water and I’m going to have to try some of them out very soon.

We give this book 5 paws up.  If you have never read of the books in this series, you might want to start at the beginning or at least part of the way through the series to learn about the characters.

 

 

About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Mystery/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.

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Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss

By Kim Redford

Publication Date 10/29/2019

 

Synopsis

 

The firefighting cowboys of Wildcat Bluffs take Christmas VERY seriously…

When Ivy Bryant arrives in town to run the historic honkytonk, she finds herself immersed in traditions that can’t be bucked. Luckily, cowboy firefighter Slade Steele has an idea to increase both the honkytonk’s income, and his own. It’s an offer Ivy couldn’t refuse, even if the passion between them wasn’t already reaching the boiling point.

Ivy and Slade’s love story is legendary—when you add in arsonist cattle rustlers, a runaway Angus bull, and a chili recipe that includes liquor AND chocolate, Wildcat Bluffs will be celebrating a cowboy Christmas unlike any other.

 

 

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Kobo * IndieBound * BAM

 

Smokin’ Hot Cowboys

A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas (Book 1)

Blazing Hot Cowboy (Book 2)

A Very Cowboy Christmas (Book 3)

Hot for a Cowboy (Book 4)

Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss (Book 5)

 

Excerpt

As Ivy Bryant stood on her tiptoes with arms raised to toss decorative tinsel over deer antlers on the wall above her head, she heard the side door that led to the Wildcat Hall’s beer garden open and boots hit the floor with a determined stride.

“We’re closed!” she hollered, not bothering to look over her shoulder. “Come back next week.”

“You look like you could use a little help,” a man said.

She froze with her hands in the air as she felt the deep male voice with that melodic, slow cadence of a born-and-bred Texan strike her body and go deep, as if she’d been pierced by a flaming arrow. Talk about red-hot. She tried to shrug off the heat, but the chair shifted under her, making her sway.

“Easy does it,” he said. “Chairs have a way of pretending they’re bulls sometimes.”

“Bulls?” She didn’t know whether to laugh at the joke or appreciate he’d tried to make her feel better about almost toppling to the floor. Still and all, if she’d known she was going to have company, she’d have put on something besides formfitting yoga pants and top in hot pink with black trim. He was getting an eyeful.

“In my case, I always tried to pretend bulls were chairs.”

“How’d that work out?” She eyed the antlers, mind half on her next throw and half on the amusing man behind her.

“About like you can imagine.” He sighed, as if life had been unfair. “I finally had to give up bulls for chairs.”

“I bet the bulls were grateful.” She definitely wanted to see the face that went with the voice, but she wanted to finish her task more.

“Yeah…but I’ve broken a few chairs.”

“Maybe even one of the chairs here in the honkytonk.”

“Might be. Looks like your chair is keeping an uneasy peace with the floor

“That’s one way of putting it.” She rose to her tiptoes again, trying one last time to get the tinsel to disobey the laws of gravity.

“Let me help.” He spanned her waist with large hands and lifted her so she could easily reach the antlers.

She caught her breath in surprise at his strength—and his boldness. But she wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth. She quickly twined the antlers with red tinsel until they looked festive for the holidays.

“Pretty,” he said.

She shivered in response. What had gotten into her? She should be struggling to get away. Instead, he was revving her up with his hot hands.

“Got any more tinsel to put up?” he asked in a deep voice gone husky. “I could hold you all day and into next week.”

“I suggest you put me down before you get into trouble.”

“If you’re the one handing out trouble, I’d wait in line to get it.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle because he was laying it on thick in that teasing way Texas men would do to get them out of problems with women. “Better put me down before your arms give out.”

“Not a chance. You’re light as a feather.”

She laughed harder. “Guess some women would fall for that one. What are you selling?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m here to help you, but you might consider it selling to you, too.” He gently set her down so her feet were steady on the floor, and then he stepped back.

She turned to face him—and felt her breath catch in her throat at the tall hunk of a cowboy. He wore pressed Wranglers that accentuated his long legs and narrow hips, with a wide leather belt sporting a huge rodeo belt buckle. His blue-and-white-striped, pearl-snap shirt tucked neatly into the waistband of his jeans emphasized the width of his shoulders and breadth of his chest. Blond haired. Blue eyed. Square jawed. Full lipped. He looked as if he’d been made to dazzle—and she was sud­denly and breathtakingly susceptible to every single one of his charms.

“Whatever you’re selling, I think I’m buying.” She spoke the words with a teasing lilt in her voice and a mischievous smile on her face. Still, she meant it. And he probably knew it because he was definitely heartbreaker material. How many women had already fallen to his charms and been left in the dust? She didn’t intend to be a notch on his belt, but if she’d known leaving the city for the country paid off so well in eye candy, she might’ve followed her sister sooner.

He chuckled at her words and held out his hand with a thick, muscular wrist that came from controlling thousand-pound-plus animals. “Slade Steele. If you haven’t heard of me, maybe you’re aware of the Chuckwagon Café and Steele Trap Ranch. Family businesses. I’m not just any guy off the street.”

“You’re definitely not just any guy.” She slipped her hand into his big one and felt him gently enclose her fingers. “Smart guy to throw a few compliments my way. Guess you’re more than a pretty face.” She tried to keep the teasing going, so their interaction stayed on a light note, but he was still holding her hand and she wasn’t pulling away and his eyes were heating up to a blazing blue fire.

“Nothing but the truth.”

“My sister Fern is the star.” She tried to tug her hand away, but he held on another long moment, nodding as if deciding something or conveying something or accepting something before finally letting go.

He grinned with a gleam in his eyes, revealing teeth white against the tan of his skin. “Yeah, she is that…but you make the earth move.”

“Oh my.” She returned his grin while fanning her face with one hand in that old Southern way, as if he was too hot to handle. “You really do want to sell me something, don’t you?”

“How am I doing?”

“Not bad.”

***

Excerpted from Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss by Kim Redford. © 2019 by Kim Redford. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

Kim is an acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider–when she takes a break from her keyboard.

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Giveaway

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Christmas in Winter Valley

Ransom Canyon, #8

by

Jodi Thomas

 

Genre: Contemporary / Western / Holiday Romance

Publisher: HQN

Publication Date: September 24, 2019

Number of Pages: 288 pages

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

Ransom Canyon welcomes you back for a Christmas that has everything you’re looking for: romance, family, and a whole lot of Texas.

Cooper Holloway would take nature over people any day—especially visiting relatives. That’s why he’s headed for a rustic cabin in remote Winter Valley, where he’ll care for a herd of wild mustangs. But Cooper’s plans are quickly thwarted by the arrival of two unexpected guests: one, a stranger in desperate need of his help, and the other, a very attractive young veterinarian.

Elliott is busy trying to keep Maverick Ranch running smoothly with Cooper gone, which is no easy task with family visiting. And when a long-lost love suddenly reappears in his life, Elliott knows he’ll have more than just books to balance this season.

With a big, chaotic family Christmas around the corner and love blooming in surprising ways, the Holloway men will have to make big choices about the future—just in time for the holidays.

 

 

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Praise

“This book has everything you would want. Laughter, drama. And tears both happy and sad. I highly recommend this book.” — Patty Champion (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

“I could not put this book down once I started it and longed for more once I was done.” — Melanie (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

“I got lost in the world that she [Jodi Thomas] has created and enjoyed seeing her characters with their overlapping and interconnected stories find a happiness that none of them expected to ever find.” — B. (5 Stars, Goodreads Review)

 

 

Excerpt from

Christmas in Winter Valley

by Jodi Thomas

 

I’d like to introduce a character who came to me one night when I was writing about Ransom Canyon.

It was after midnight, and the branches of the trees near my upstairs study were scratching against the windows as a storm blew in.  I was putting together a story of three brothers for a book that would be named Christmas in Winter Valley.

The rain started hard as hail on my study surrounded on three sides by windows.

THEN, my character Tye comes along.  He sat down across the desk from me and began to tell me his story: He’s older, worn out, and doesn’t believe in love.

I laughed—am I going to love writing this guy’s story!

Hope you enjoy a first look at Tye in CHRISTMAS IN WINTER VALLEY. — Jodi

= = =

 

December 10, Wyoming

Tye Franklin walked the rainy-day shadows of the rodeo grounds. He was well into his forties and hard as leather, and most agreed that he was usually one drink past being drunk.

He never bothered to argue. In truth, he rarely talked to anyone. His job was to haul in rough stock for small rodeos across the West. He’d made sure the pens were loaded with hard-to-ride broncs and bulls flashing Satan’s fire in their eyes.

He’d lived so long around the mud and blood of the rodeo that it was more home than anywhere he’d ever been.

As he passed from one floodlight to another in the silence of a cloudy arena, he watched his shadow beside him. Long and lean. He wore his Stetson low, even after sundown. His back was bowed just a bit from fatigue, and he had a limp he carried like a badge of failure.

Tye smiled at his shadow. Sometimes he won­dered if he was the echo and the dark carbon copy that paced him was real. They weren’t that differ­ent. Both almost invisible. Both silent. Both broken.

“Franklin,” someone yelled from the row of empty stands. “You still out here?”

Tye recognized Harden’s voice. “I am, Trooper, but you can’t arrest me for being a walking drunk.”

The lawman didn’t bother to laugh. “Damn it, Tye, you’re the hardest man in this state to find. If I hadn’t seen that tin can of a truck of yours, I never would have found you. A Texas Ranger down in Austin I know has got me looking for you.” His words came as fast and sharp as his steps on the metal bleachers.

Tye didn’t move. He’d figured trouble would find him soon enough without him running toward it.

Harden was out of breath when he reached the mud of the arena. “Double damn. If it rains again to­night, we won’t be able to have the rodeo tomorrow. Folks around here look forward to it all year long.”

“You just come out to give me the weather fore­cast, Officer?” Tye pushed back his hat so he could meet the trooper’s eyes. In an odd way, they were friends. Tye had done what he could to keep the law­men in this area in business. Running stoplights. Being drunk and disorderly. Occasionally picking a fight in a bar just so he could feel the pain.

Harden glared at him. “I came to deliver this to you. It’s traveled across several states to find you.” He slapped a brown envelope against Tye’s chest. “Tonight it appears I’m just a mailman, nothing more.”

Tye grinned. “The Texas Rangers after me again?”

“No, it’s from a lawyer. I think the Rangers were just helping find you.”

Tye rolled up the envelope and put it in his coat pocket. He cared less about what was in it than the trooper did.

Harden spit in the dirt. “Hell. I came all the way out here and you’re not going to tell me what’s in it?”

“Nope.”

Turning, he walked away with Harden describ­ing, in detail, what he planned to do the next time he arrested the cowboy.

Tye didn’t care about the letter or the threats or much of anything.

His body was strong. Hard work kept him fit, but Tye knew deep down inside he was dying. A man without a heart could only pretend he’s alive for so long.

Not one person would mourn him when he died. Tye had no one who’d care, and he planned to keep it that way.

 

 

 

 

 

With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels and countless short story collections. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world.

In July 2006, Jodi was the 11^th writer to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. With five RITA’s to her credit, along with National Readers’ Choice Awards and Booksellers’ Best Awards, Thomas has proven her skill as a master storyteller.

Thomas was honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and served sixteen years as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

When not working on a novel, or inspiring students to pursue writing careers, Thomas enjoys traveling with her family, renovating a historic home, and “checking up” on two grown sons and four grandchildren.

 

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║ Pinterest  ║ Goodreads ║

 

 

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October 3-13, 2019

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

10/3/19	Notable Quotable	The Page Unbound
10/3/19	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
10/4/19	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
10/5/19	Author Video	All the Ups and Downs
10/6/19	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
10/7/19	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
10/8/19	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
10/9/19	Scrapbook Page	The Clueless Gent
10/10/19	Review	The Book Review
10/11/19	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
10/12/19	Notable Quotable	Missus Gonzo

 

 

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Synopsis

Growing up, Liz Westmoreland dreamed of taking over her grandparents inn located in the small mountain town of Angels Creek only for it to be sold before she ever got the chance. While browsing the internet, she stumbles upon a listing for what looks to be the picturesque inn and it’s set to go to auction. Liz places a bid, and by a miracle, wins the auction. But when she gets there she finds the property in significant disrepair.

When Matt Hardy narrowly lost the inn and property that butted his land, he just hoped it wasn’t another city slicker coming to make matters worse after the previous owners gutted the place for an art gallery. But the minute he recognized the sweet, freckle-faced girl from his childhood and heard her plans to reopen the inn, he jumps at the chance to help his childhood crush restore a place where he made so many fond memories.

While working on repairs, Liz and Matt discover her grandmother’s collection of angels in one of the cabins. When the angels start mysteriously showing up all over the inn, she begins to look at them as reassurance—that restoring the inn is what she’s meant to do. But when an accident leaves Liz feeling like she made a mistake, will Matt—and the residents of Angels Creek—be able to show Liz that she’s found a home? And possibly true love as well?

 

Review

This clean, sweet romance was just the right book to read today. It didn’t hurt that there was a dog named Elvis that was just a sweetheart and fit right in with all of the characters and really completed the story. It is a little early to be reading a Christmas book since it is only September, but it was worth the read and I just flew through this book.

Liz lives in Charlotte but is looking for more in her life than her job (that she does well) and the hustle and bustle of a larger town. She has many fond memories of spending time in a small town in the mountains with her grandparents and her dream is to have a home similar to theirs to share with tourists and other potential guests. It is by chance that she receives a postcard and her grandparent’s home is up for auction. Fate? Most likely. Liz wins the home and what happens from then out is the crux of our story.

Small towns can be wonderful when it comes to helping each other out and making sure everyone has what they need. They can wreak havoc with the gossip that tends to run rampant, but sometimes that isn’t all bad. The town really pulls together in tough times and that is what Liz needs whether she knows it or not!

This story would not be complete without a male hero and in this book it is Matt. He has a lot going for him and thankfully he has a personal interest in Liz which really brings the story full circle. He remembers Liz from when she would be there as a child and was always in awe of her. Now they are both grown up and able to pursue a relationship…that is if Liz can get over her rules about dating co-workers (since Matt is the contractor helping her renovate the lodge) and being hurt in the past.

The story is smooth until near the end when a misunderstanding could ruin everything.

We give this 5 paws up!

 

 

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home.

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Puppy Christmas

By Lucy Gilmore

Publication Date 9/24/2019

 

Synopsis

These adorable service puppies

are matchmakers in the making…

Lila Vasquez might not be the “fun one” at Puppy Promise—the service puppy training school she runs with her sisters—but she can always be counted on to get things done. So when her latest client shows an interest in princess gowns over power suits, Lila puts aside her scruples, straps on the glittery heels, and gets to work.

If only the adorable six-year-old’s father wasn’t such an appealing Prince Charming.

Ford’s whole life revolves around his daughter…until he meets Lila. Smart, capable, and amazing at helping Emily gain confidence with her new service puppy at her side, Lila is everything he ever wanted—but she’s way out of his league. Good thing Emily and her new pup are up to the matchmaking task. This Christmas, it’s all hands (and paws) on deck!

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Service Puppies Series:

Puppy Love (Book 1)

Puppy Christmas (Book 2)

Puppy Kisses (Book 3)

 

Review

Dogs and hot men…what more could a book need?! And why am I reading a holiday book in September?!

This is the second in a series about 3 sisters that run a dog training facility. In this one, we meet Lila who is a bit hard around the edges but has a good heart. Enter Ford Ford (honestly that is his name, what were his parents thinking?!) and his daughter Emily that has been granted a service dog for her hearing disability. Emily thinks that Lila is a princess in her pink dress and sometimes with 6 year olds it is best to engage a little fantasy. The story winds its way around this little group with strong supporting characters that round out the story nicely.

This story had me laughing throughout at the witty banter between Ford and Leila, the fact that he spelled dirty words so Emily wouldn’t know what he was saying, and the way that they both learned how to be more open and honest helped bring them closer together. And of course, Jeeves, the service dog Emily chooses from Lila’s company.

This book also teaches the reader a little bit about a hearing disorder and I liked how Emily still had to lip read and use sign language to communicate despite cochlear implants.

I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the last one about the last sister.  We give it 4 paws up.

 

Excerpt

“We’re going to the symphony. We’re visiting art galleries and sipping overpriced white wine. Oh, I’ve got it! You’re taking me to the fanciest store in the city and buying me a new dress. I’ll be like Pretty Woman, except you won’t have to pay me for s-e-x later.”

Ford cast a sidelong look at Lila. She’d caught her lower lip between her teeth, but she didn’t look up from the phone in her lap.

“I like to make the first one free to get the ladies hooked,” he explained. “Then I ratchet up the price accordingly.”

That didn’t get her to take the bait, either. “Turn right at the next intersection,” she instructed him. “Parking should be in the big lot on the right. And for the record, I don’t think that’s a very good way to run your gigolo business. Why would the cow pay for milk after the fact?”

“The cow isn’t the one paying for the milk. The cow is the one providing it.” He clucked his tongue and shook his head. “And here I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.”

That got her to glance up, her gaze sharp. “I never said that.”

“No, you didn’t,” he agreed cheerfully as he pulled his minivan into the last of a row of cars. “But that doesn’t make it any less true.”

She had no response to this, which was just as well since they’d arrived at their mystery destination. He had no idea where they were or why, but he didn’t care. The fact that he was on an actual date with Lila was enough.

It wasn’t just any date, either. He’d had to lift nary a finger to make it happen. Apparently, Lila took her role as invitee very seriously. From dropping Emily off at her mom’s house to planning the evening from start to finish, she’d handled everything on her own. All Ford had to do was doll himself up and wait to be whisked away for an evening of romantic bliss.

It was a new experience for him—and a delightful one. Lila was wooing him. Lila was wooing him hard.

He, too, was hard just thinking about it.

Although that wasn’t really fair. He’d been in the same state of agonized anticipation for days. No number of cold showers or hot showers or short, frantic showers with his cock in his hand had helped. Nor had Lila’s constant presence in his home. How she managed to sit with his daughter and Jeeves, cool and collected as she went through the steps of puppy training, was a mystery.

“Here. We’re going to need this.” Lila reached into the pocket of the white wool coat she wore and handed him a flask. “It’s like fifteen degrees outside. It’s straight bourbon, in case you’re wondering.”

“You remembered,” he said as he accepted the flask and took a long pull. “My vice of choice.”

It wasn’t the cheap stuff, either. The woodsy-sweet taste coated his tongue and throat, the warm burn making him feel almost giddy.

“I have my occasional value,” she admitted. “Remembering things in painstaking detail doesn’t make me a very endearing person, but it does make me a useful one.”

He opened his mouth to argue, to tell her that her value lay primarily in her ability to make him feel relaxed and happy and like a hot-blooded man again, but he didn’t have a chance to get the words out before she pulled a white knit cap over her head and secured her gloves onto her hands.

Lila was a stunning woman almost all the time, her poise and grace so ingrained that he doubted she was aware of them, but there was something about the way the cap framed her face that almost undid him. She looked absurdly youthful, her cheeks flushed from the bourbon and the cold and—he hoped—the company.

Unable to help himself, he leaned across the console and dropped a kiss onto her slightly parted lips. Surprise rendered her delightfully malleable, her mouth giving way to his for a full ten seconds before she realized what was happening and kissed him back. That was delightful, too, but for entirely different reasons—most of which had to do with the fact that she wasn’t about to let him have his wicked way with her without giving him his own back again. In fact, that was a thing she’d done since the day they’d first met. He could, on occasion, catch her off guard, but it rarely lasted for long.

She proved it by deepening the kiss. The assault of her tongue and the warm press of her mouth against his invoked every sense he had—taste and smell and glorious touch. She even released a soft moan into his mouth that made his head whir with possibilities.

And then she ended it as quickly as it began.

“Let’s skip the date,” he said before he’d even managed to open his eyes again. “I don’t care if we’re flying to the Eiffel Tower on a private jet run entirely on champagne. Let’s stay in this van and make out instead.”

She didn’t move. “You don’t want to see what I have planned?”

He’d opened his eyes by this time, but the parking lot lighting was dim, and what little vision he did have was obscured by the stars dazzling his vision. Actual g-o-d-d-a-m-n stars.

***

Excerpted from Puppy Christmas by Lucy Gilmore. © 2019 by Lucy Gilmore. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

Lucy Gilmore is a contemporary romance author with a love of puppies, rainbows, and happily ever afters. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a die-hard fan of romance in all forms. When she’s not rolling around with her two Akitas, she can be found hiking, biking, or with her nose buried in a book.

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Giveaway

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Title: The Magical Christmas Do Over
Author: Linda West
Publisher: Morningmayan Publishing
Pages: 320
Genre: Holiday

Synopsis

Three women, thrown together by fate, get a second chance to go back in time and change their lives forever.

Excerpt

It was a cold December eve, some say the coldest in decades, and a blizzard warning was in effect. It was the Friday before Christmas and most of the other workers of Kennedy and Crane had already left for the Christmas holiday weekend.

Samantha looked at the clock and groaned inwardly. It was after 8 o’clock and her boss was in an extra foul mood even for her.

“Shouldn’t you be getting home to put on that awesome Chanel dress you bought for the big night?” She asked.

Macy spun around enraged, and Samantha sunk back.

Macy’s dark brows knit together and her brown eyes looked nearly black with the size of her pupils. She ran her hands through her short dark hair and then stared at Samantha with disbelief on her face.

“I got a text from Todd an hour ago. He’s gone off to LA with some friends for Christmas!”

Samantha’s mouth fell open. “What, why?” She stopped herself. “I’m sure he has a good reason Macy.”

Macy snorted. “Yeah, good reasons usually don’t come in a text. I’m losing him Sam.”

Macy plopped down in her chair and stared out the large picture window of her sleek office, and tapped her long manicured nails on her desk like a woodpecker.

“Says he’ll call me when he gets back…in a month.”

Samantha’s groaned inwardly. Poor Macy, it looked like she was getting the ultimate big let down. Broken up with at Christmas. No engagement celebration after all.

“Here’s a piece of mail you didn’t get.” Sam offered up happily as she placed it on Macy’s desk.

“Send it back.” Macy said dully without turning.

Samantha continued hopefully. “It’s not the annual Christmas invite from your mother Macy, that one is always in a red envelope. I always send that back. This is something different.”

Samantha looked at the pretty Tiffany blue colored envelope.

“It’s addressed to you personally, not the company.”

Macy cocked her head to the side intrigued.

Sam rushed on eager to bring some sort of happiness to her boss. “Maybe it’s a love letter from Todd with two tickets to Paris for when he gets back?”

Macy let out a big huff and gazed out the window at the oncoming storm. They both knew that wasn’t the case. Todd’s last minute text was just a breakup in disguise.

But if not Todd then who? Macy really didn’t have any close friends that would send her a Christmas card. Anyone that did know her at all, knew she abhorred Christmas. Too much money being spent in the name of sentimentality and tricky marketers as her father always said.

Macy waved her hand without looking back at Samantha as if she were a servant.

“Read it.”

Samantha scanned the letter, then suddenly, caught her breath and brought her hand to her heart.

“Macy.”

Something in Samantha’s tone made Macy spin her chair around.

“What?”

“Its from a friend of your mothers, a Ms. Carol Landers.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Macy threw her hands up in the air.

Now my mother is having her friends beg me to come home and visit her? How utterly selfish!”

She shook her head in disbelief. “What is it with my mother? She ruins my life and then she stalks me! Can’t she see no matter how many times she begs me to come home for Christmas – I’m not going to Kissing Bridge to see her?”

Samantha swallowed uncomfortably and croaked out, “I’m so sorry Macy. But this letter says that your mother passed away yesterday, and you’re the only relative left to claim her body.”

She looked up sadly and met Macy’s stunned eyes.

“You have to go home to Kissing Bridge.”

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About the Author

Linda West is an Amazon best seller and author of the best selling series ‘Christmas Kisses and Cookies.’ She writes books that feature food and fun and includes her own recipes from her quaint beach café in Malibu.

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