Kav's Best Reads

A Seasonal Pursuit + Giveaway

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, four cousins have been told they all need a spouse…

Have yourself a married little Christmas…

Rose Portman, determined spinster, has a bit of a predicament. Her great aunt has challenged her to get married before Twelfth Night and promised that, if she does, Rose will inherit the perfect country cottage with the funds to maintain it. Rose has always wanted to get away from London and Society, and this could be her chance! But the catch is that Rose has to attend a holiday house party in York and find a husband among the guests. Worst of all… she must marry for love.

Webb Rixton, Lord Downing, is attending a holiday house party hosted by his neighbor, but only because his mother and sister are making him. He knows his young children need a mother, but no one could possibly replace his late wife, so marriage and love are the last things on his mind. Still, he thinks he might have found a friend in the refreshingly frank Miss Portman, and a friend could be just what he needs to return to the land of the living. When she tells him of her situation, and her plot to thwart it, he is determined to help her, setting them both on a path of the most unexpected nature.

Will this season be particularly jolly for Rose and Webb? Or will the weather not be the only thing that is frightful?

Decking the halls has never been quite so jolly in this sweet, snarky, swoonworthy holiday romance. Read as a stand-alone, or enjoy it as the last book in the Regency Christmas Brides series.

My Review:

After reading ‘A Seasonal Pursuit’ I absolutely have to read the rest of the books in this multi-authored series! There’s just something about a Regency Romance at Christmastime that tickles my bibliophile fancy. Especially when the author takes her characters to a house party!

Rose is decidedly ‘on the shelf’ and content (resigned?) to it being that way. But when her great aunt dangles the temptation of her very own ‘cottage’ (ahem, their idea of a cottage and mine vary greatly!) and the funds to maintain it, well it’s hard to resist. Even with the caveat of finding a love match by Twelfth Night. So off she goes to York with a counter scheme of her own.

Webb’s widower status has kept him away from societal expectations for nearly two years. He has focused on his estate and his two (adorable!) children and is content to stay that way. But the matchmaking force is strong in the York countryside and he finds himself committed to a Christmas house party.

Webb meets Rose and, well, he can’t help but be intrigued by her unorthodox penchant for speaking her mind. Oh, the banter! The slow-burn (if you can call a month slow-burn, but it felt deliciously unhurried) romance! And the party games! I have read so many Christmas Regency stories and still can’t grasp the appeal of Snapdragon (fishing raisins out of a bowl of brandy set alight. As in on fire!) And there are enough scheming matriarchs to make things interesting. 🙂

A delightful addition to my Regency Christmas collection and one that I will definitely revisit in the future.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the A Seasonal Pursuit, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 14 2024.

Wishing for Mistletoe + Giveaway

indie!

When the heart pens its own holiday romance, even a skeptic can find magic under the mistletoe.

On Sanctuary Island, Ariel Highbridge seeks refuge from crippling writer’s block and a disillusioned heart. As a writer of Regency romances who’s been betrayed by love herself, Ariel struggles to weave tales of romance when her own faith in it has frayed.

Tom Fuller is a devoted schoolteacher and a widower, whose life orbits around his daughter Shauna. He has sworn off the possibility of new love. Yet, the arrival of their enchanting neighbor stirs an unexpected warmth in both father and daughter’s lives..

As the island’s Yuletide enchantments weave their spell, Tom and Ariel find themselves drawn to each other. Ariel’s burgeoning belief in love and Tom’s tentative steps towards healing suggest that perhaps, this Christmas, they could write a love story of their own.

But their fledgling romance will soon face its ultimate test, and it will take the magic of the season and the island’s charm for their love story to prove the most enchanting tales don’t end—they simply transform into new beginnings.

* * *

Welcome to the shores of Sanctuary Island, where six bestselling authors of Christian romance bring you stories of love and redemption. From tender romance to enduring faith, each standalone novel in this series promises unforgettable characters and heartwarming small town charm.

My Review:

An exquisitely written Christmas novel full of faith and hope and new beginnings. I so enjoy Robin Lee Hatcher’s storytelling style. Her talent in creating living, breathing people from fictional characters is phenomenal and the subsequent emotional connection I feel enhances my reading enjoyment so much.

This was my introduction to Sanctuary Island, but I am eager to sample some of the other stories in this series – especially since there are a few new-to-me authors in the mix. Love the unique setting and the small town ambience that promises happily ever afters. This is the kind of town that puts action into their caring and there were so many sweet moments of camaraderie, compassion and service. Perfect for a Christmas story.

And the perfect place for Ariel to land as she struggles both professionally and personally. Hatcher does an amazing job of conveying the conflicting highs and lows of authorship. Insecurities surface, despite past success, and somewhere in the mix, Ariel realizes that her priorities might be skewed. I found her faith journey quite profound and easily relatable to my own life.

And then there’s Tom and his precocious daughter who play a significant role in integrating Ariel into island life. And at Christmas time, that’s pretty special. He has a heartbreaking back story and is still working through some issues but I love the way the island community encourages these two. And I really love the solid faith woven throughout their love story.

I listened to the audible edition of this book narrated by Hilarey Johnson which made ‘reading’ Wishing for Mistletoe even more memorable. A solid recommendation if you enjoy audio books.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the Wishing for Mistletoe, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 14 2024.

December New Releases + Giveaway

It’s a new Best Reads blog tradition! Celebrating the month’s new releases the first week of each month.

WHY?

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

HOW?

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the December 2024 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that December release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO:

ebook for anyone anywhere who has an Amazon.com kindle account

US – paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice

Canada -paperback or ebook (in form of an Amazon gift card) or audible.ca audio book (if available) – winner’s choice

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 14 2024.

Conversations with Kav – End of Year Book Tag

Just a wee bit more End of the Year bookish chitchat. Feel free to join in by answering any (or all) of these questions in the comments. It’s fun to see what other readers’ bookish priorities are as we draw near to the close of another year.

Are there any books you started this year and want to finish?

Not any fiction that I can think of. Once I start a book, I either commit or DNF pretty quickly. So, if I’m committed, the book is read in a day or two – three at the most. If it’s DNFed, I don’t give it a second thought and move on.

It takes me longer to work my way through non-fiction books though. I’ve been reading ‘Hearing God : Developing a Conversational Relationship with God’ by Dallas Willard that I thought I’d have finished before the end of the year, but I’m not going to push myself so it will likely be a carry over. Lot’s of thought-provoking ideas that I need sit with and mull over before I continue reading.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for this year?

YESSSSSS!!!!!!! ‘Cloaked in Beauty’ by Karen Witemeyer. I loved the first two books in her ‘Texas Every After’ series and this one is a Red Ridinghood retelling. Eepppp! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book based on this particular fairy tale so I’m excited to see the ways the author weaves the familiar parts into her unique reimagining. It comes out December 17.

What 3 books would you like to read before the end of the year?

Ummm….only three, eh? Okay, let’s see if I can be that concise:

Because it’s been on my TBR for months and everyone is raving about it: ‘Wedding at Sea‘ by Melissa Tagg. I know, I know, what have I been waiting for?!

Because it’s tradition to read a Julie Klassen book in December: “The Seaside Homecoming” — it just released this week. Eeeeppp!!!

Because I just picked it up from the library: ‘The Roads We Follow’ by Nicole Deese…yes, I know, another book that got away from me this year but it’s on my TBR now, right at the tippy top so it we’re getting closer….if I could just stop reading Christmas books long enough to look at anything else. Bwahahaha!

Is there a book that could surprise you and become a favourite?

Hmmm….I’m usually pretty secure in my picks but I’ve been exploring more clean rom/coms lately and I never know if I’ll jive with a new-to-me author until I give one of their books a try. That’s because the definition of ‘clean’ can vary quite a bit and I’m looking for the ones that fit my comfort level. So, another recent library acquisition on my TBR is ‘How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss’ by Jenny Proctor. I’m excited to give this author a try and see is she becomes a fave.

What book have you been putting off reading this year?

Didn’t have to think twice about this answer. ‘Wishtress’ by Nadine Brandes. I have checked this book out of the library so many times, renewed it over and over again, returned it and then checked it out again. And repeat and repeat and repeat. I don’t know why I’m so reluctant. It has rave reviews from readers I trust, the story sounds intriguing, I’ve enjoyed other books by this author but still, here we are at the end of year and ‘Wishtress’ is back on my physical TBR valiantly battling her way to the top. I really need to give her a chance. Maybe it’s the fantasy aspect that gives me pause?

Have you already started making plans for the new year?

Wellll….I did go out and buy my reading and tracking journals. I’ll set them up sometime over the Christmas break and since Reader’s Choice Week will be upon us soon I’ll start plotting out the January, February and March 2025 new releases I will want to read. I’m very much a mood reader though, so I never really have any concrete reading plans.

December Giveaway – Week One

WON BY CC

WON BY DIANE ESTRELLA

WON BY PERRIANNE

WON BY MELMO 2610

WON BY MARYANN

Winners will be contacted if they left their email address, otherwise it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca (please note it’s ca as in Canada, not com.) From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven’t been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so please, DON’T BE SHY — CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN’T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN’T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Please remember to check giveaway details (paperback, ebook, either/or, gently read etc.) each day as they will vary and check for the ‘+ giveaway’ notice added after the title . Titles without that addition are review only.

SUNDAY

Conversations with Kav – a place for us to chat about bookish topics if anyone is so inclined. Sometimes there will be giveaways, sometimes there won’t. It will just depend on the topic of the day. Hope to see you there! Otherwise my inner book nerd and I will carry on by ourselves. Bwahaha!

So Into You

Opposites attract in this heartfelt rom-com about overcoming your past and embracing all that life has to offer.

Britt Branch has a successful My-tube channel where she teaches all kinds of art lessons. Obsessed with the 1970s, she has a style all her own and loves yacht rock. She also has a huge problem–severe social anxiety. She lives with her mom, and while she pays her own bills, she wonders if she’ll ever have the courage to move out. When her best friend announces she’s getting married, Britt thinks it’s time to make a change.

Gorgeous Hunter Pickett has always skated by on his model looks and applying very little effort to anything except sports, and even that was iffy at times. The third son of extremely wealthy and successful parents, he’s always been the black sheep of the family and has dealt with the issue by drinking and using drugs. When he lands in jail, he turns his life around. But by his third year of sobriety, he’s still dealing with aimlessness. When he catches Britt’s channel, he’s intrigued and ends up watching her videos even though he’s not interested in art . . . at first. He reaches out to her, and they eventually become friends and make a deal–if she gives him art lessons, he’ll help her with her social anxiety.

But neither of them is completely honest with the other. When all the secrets come out in the worst way possible, relationships must be rebuilt, and Britt has a decision to make–is she going to continue to hide from life, or is she going to finally start living?

My Review:

How ironic that the heroine in this contemporary romance struggles with social anxiety, because my empathetic reader anxiety levels kept me mildly uncomfortable throughout the story. Especially as I began to understand how things were going to play out. I’m still kinda reeling with aftershock.

The multiple point of views played a hand in amping up that anxiety, as messy lives gradually converge into an epic scene of disastrous chaos! I was dreading it but, at the same time, couldn’t tear my eyes away from the train wreck happening right in front of me. Oy — the emotions, the mistakes, the miscommunications, the misunderstandings! So many layers of angst!

I appreciated the sensitive way the author handled the mental health issues in this novel. Britt is literally crippled by severe social anxiety and Hunter is a recovering addict. Fuller depicts both their struggles and triumphs realistically and leaves readers with a better understanding of these issues and the difficulties that come from trying to break free while maintaining family support and acceptance.

So, a different kind of second chance romance, even though the hero and heroine have just met. I really liked the idea of them getting their individual second chances together (if that makes any sense.)

The romance starts out sweetly, well, once you get past their excruciatingly awkward meet-cute! Love the way Hunter accepts Britt’s limitations and sets about gently wooing her through friendship first. She’s naturally cautious, her struggle to move out of her comfort zone is palpable and made for some intense reading.

They both have complex family situations which play a major role in the way the story plays out. We get two more POVs and there comes a point where they all converge in the same aforementioned epic scene. Phew! Results in some epic fallout too.

But, thankfully, Fuller doesn’t leave it there and I really enjoyed the way she sorts everything (and everyone) out by the end. Big sigh of relief!

I listened to the audio edition of ‘So Into You’ and enjoyed Melissa Moran’s narration. I like the way she portrayed these characters and their emotional story — she kept me listening even when I didn’t want to. lol

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this novel.

An Amish Christmas Match + Giveaway

Can one Amish woman give a struggling widower with five rowdy boys a helping hand—and chance at love—this Christmas season?

Phoebe Kropf knows everyone thinks she’s a bit odd—and more than a little accident-prone. She doesn’t understand why they fuss over her at home rather than see her as a bright, independent Amish woman. So when a friend asks Phoebe to help care for a house full of young men in nearby Sweetbrier Creek, she leaps at the chance to prove she’s more than her shortcomings . . .

Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head with his five orphaned brieder to care for and all the Christmas orders his woodworking shop needs to fulfill. When he asked for help with some cooking and cleaning, he wasn’t expecting a housekeeper as unconventional—or lovely—as Phoebe. Yet her warm care and holiday traditions win their hearts one by one. And soon the farmhouse finally starts to feel like home again. When the Christmas season and Phoebe’s time there is nearly at an end, will Seth convince her that the greatest gift would be her staying . . . as part of their familye?

Book Review:

Heartwarming and faith-stirring. A holiday romance centred around change and how difficult it can be to let go of what you’re used to in order to embrace something better.

Both Phoebe and Seth have misconstrued ideas of who they are in relation to their families and their communities. She’s an accident-prone free spirit who doesn’t quite fit in. He’s all structures and rules with not an ounce of spontaneity. When their worlds collide, the sparks begin to fly in this opposites attract slow burn romance. And I do mean slow burn, they have to learn to like each other first! 🙂

Loved both these characters, flaws and all. Their heartbreaking back stories make it easy to understand their thoughts and actions — even when I wanted to shake some sense into them. And I enjoyed Seth’s Auntie Edna’s sly matchmaking machinations. The Beiler brothers add laughter and chaos to the mix while providing a sympathetic backdrop to Seth’s and Phoebe’s blossoming romance.

A satisfying sweet and cozy Christmas read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the An Amish Christmas Match, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 7 2024.

Christmas Cold Case + Giveaway

Snowed in with a killer on the loose— and a baby to protect…

K-9 officer Ethan Finnick’s investigation into a cold case disappearance takes a dangerous turn when the missing man’s wife is attacked—and an abandoned baby is found on her property. Now Ethan must team up with Casey Thompson to safeguard the infant from kidnappers and find out the truth about her presumed-dead husband. But as the danger escalates, they realize that a hidden killer lurks in Casey’s small town, ready to protect deadly secrets at any cost…

My Review:

Eeeeeeppp!!! I’m so excited about this series and one of the reasons is that I love cold case stories. So much history and mystery and Maggie K. Black has done a marvellous job with this holiday romantic suspense. She even found a way to make the bad guy festively creepy. Bwahahaha!

Loved the snowed in angle — and double eeeeeepppp — the Canadian setting on Manitoulin Island is refreshingly different. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful part of northern Ontario (google images to catch a glimpse of God’s magnificent handiwork.)

Ethan is heading up a new cold case investigation team and he’s back on the island looking into a decade’s old case surrounding a missing husband, now presumed dead. He and his K-9 cadaver dog did the initial search when they were both young rookies and Ethan is anxious to bring closure to man’s wife.

So, great set up introduced in a gripping white knuckle opening scene and then the twists and turns start piling up. Lots of danger and action and K-9 heroics (even if Nippi, short for Nipissing, is getting a bit white around the muzzle now.)

Black still manages to bring a cozy ambience through the small, close-knit community with plenty of Christmas-y touches that leave a reader in no doubt as to the season. Love, love, love a holiday romantic suspense that delivers the promised yuletide touches. There’s a significant inspirational thread focused on prayer which adds yet another layer to this compulsive read.

I listened to the audible edition, narrated by Patrick Zeller. He really amped up the tension in the action scenes. Amazing what a skilled voice actor can add to an already thrilling story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the Christmas Cold Case, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 7 2024.

An Honorable Deception + Giveaway

As the leader of elite private investigative firm the Imposters, Lord Yates Fairfax has made an art of concealing his identity. But when his newest client, the beautiful Lady Alethia Barremore, is shot while leaving their meeting, he throws caution to the wind and rushes to her aid. Though Lady Alethia thought she was only looking for her missing former nanny, she has clearly stumbled upon dangerous secrets.

Lady Lavinia Hemming suspects there’s more to her oldest friends than they’re willing to admit, and when she stumbles upon the truth that they’re the Imposters, she recruits herself into the firm. Happy as she is for the distraction of an investigation, Lavinia’s own family secrets continue to haunt her. And the one thing to bring laughter back into her life–her friendship with Yates–lands her squarely on the bad side of her best friend, his sister.

Tormented by a past that she doesn’t dare to voice aloud, Lady Alethia does what she can to help her handsome host, her new friends, and the investigators. But as clues lead them deeper into the darkest of society’s secrets, Alethia, Yates, and Lavinia soon learn anew that the gentry isn’t always noble . . . and truth isn’t always honorable.

My Review:

I have been anticipating Yates’ story since I met him in ‘A Beautiful Disguise’ and it’s finally here! Honestly, I’ve poured over every Yates scene in books one and two, desperately giddy at the thought of getting a whole book dedicated to him. In fact I’m completely invested in these characters and this fictional world so I’m truly heartbroken that we’ve reached the conclusion to the series. But, oh, my, what a grande finale!

At this point, I’d strongly suggest reading ‘The Imposters’ in order. It’s a fantastic series rich with character growth, relationship development and the whole Imposters angle is spectacularly introduced in the first book.

So back to our hero Yates. Eeeep! Fainting couch a necessity and smelling salts not optional for this read. However, you might want to have some comfort chocolate on hand because….ack…I can’t believe I’m saying this but…there’s a bit of love triangle here. Groan. I know, I’m not a fan either and if this was anyone but Roseanna M. White writing Yates I might have skipped over this book. Or at least delayed reading it for a while because love triangle angst is my bibliophile kryptonite.

So, our hero is pretty much fictional perfection. He’s kind and noble and fiercely loyal. Ultra protective. Intelligent. Compassionate. A justice seeker. A true gentleman. But, he can also be a dunderhead when it comes to romance, which roughens up some of those perfect edges and adds some realistic quirks to his personality.

And I can’t really say anything about our heroines without showing any bias though there’s soooooo much I want to say! So many talking points about their histories, the way they face their challenges, the way they feel about Yates. Aghhh. It’s torture not to say anything. The author has done a wonderful job of making them both sympathetic characters so, though I felt the love triangle had a definite ‘winner’ fairly early on, I was an emotional basket case because I liked them both and could see Yates happy with either of them. And there was always the chance I was wrong. Oy, the romantical angst!

The Imposters investigation is one of the most treacherous to date. Pure evil lurks among London’s elite and the horror that they uncover is heartbreaking. But, oh my, the comeuppance scene at the end is sheer brilliance. Stand up and Cheer and stomp and clap and hoot and holler stuff that leave a reader emotionally drained.

But there’s also lighthearted moments, playful banter between siblings and friends, swoony kisses (not telling with who!) And then……just before that aforementioned grande finale there was a gasp-out-loud, can-this-be-who-I-think-it-is? appearance of a character from a previous series which totally stunned me into gobsmacked stupification!

A stunning conclusion to what might just be my favourite Roseanna M. White series to date.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the An Honorable Deception, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 7 2024.

The Silent Night + Giveaway

INDIE!

Twas the hour after midnight and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for the owls. And Holly.

Holly is no stranger to the night. Her unique position means that the still hours in the darkest parts of the night are when most of her work gets done. It’s not completely silent—she has Parliament to thank for that—but it does get a bit lonely. Not even the letters from her faithful correspondent can completely fill the empty space, and it’s only a matter of time before she loses even those.

Dominic Klause has watched as, year after year, the winters in Weihnacht grow longer and colder. The nights are dark, food is scarce, and his fellow countrymen are desperate for a miracle, but too proud to accept charity, leaving Dominic no choice but to hide his attempts at helping them under the cover of darkness. But his resources are limited, and not even the brilliant suggestions of his friend Joy can change the fact that it will require the riches of a king to continue his charitable efforts.

As Deus Natus Eve approaches, Dominic turns his attention towards the one place that could solve all his problems—the abandoned castle of the former king. But all is not as it seems behind the towering holly hedges that surround the castle, and Dominic encounters more than he bargained for. When the unexpected gift of love is dropped into his lap, will Dominic find the treasure he seeks? Or will it be lost to the silence of the night?

This book is a part of The Christmas Chronicles, a collection of festive novellas filled with clean romance, chilly weather, and cozy adventures.

My Review:

Sqqquuueeaaaalll! Eeeeeepppp!!!Squeeeeeeep!!!!!

This is me in a discombobulated state of dithery biblio-phoria because I’ve just discovered a new-to-me fave author who writes fairy tale retellings!!!!! And this one is beyond clever. A mix of Sleeping Beauty and The Legend of St. Nicholas and it is BRILLIANT!!!! There are some one liners in here that had me laughing out loud and more then a few ‘aha’ moments as I discovered fairy tale connections. So. Much. Fun.

Beran has a lovely storytelling ‘voice’ that suits this specialty genre to perfection. I don’t think I can find the words to explain just how much I loved ‘The Silent Night’. The author is. an absolute genius at creating a unique story using familiar fairy tale ‘prompts’. I’m astounded and gobsmacked and eager to read more Sarah Beran very soon.

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition of this book. Tawnya Rollingson charms with her heartfelt narration which added to my overall appreciation for these characters and their story.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the The Silent Night, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 7 2024.