Tag: Christimas

Greetings From Next Door + Giveaway

Christmas is supposed to be about “peace on earth” and “goodwill toward men.”

Glynn Darrow bought that lie for the first three decades of her life, but
whoever said that (it was one of God’s angels, wasn’t it?) clearly hadn’t met Glynn’s new neighbor. He’s stolen all the peace from her life and any goodwill she might have had toward men. 

If only his notes wouldn’t make visions of mistletoe dance in her head.
When Clay Ruskin moved onto Elderberry Close, he didn’t imagine that he’d be “greeted” by a note from his uptight new neighbor… or that she’d drive him to distraction–good and bad. 

She’s determined to do the right thing–always.

He thinks she’s got weird ideas about what the “right thing” even is. 
They do agree on one thing, though. This will be the most memorable Christmas ever. If they survive it.

My Review:

Glynn has a new neighbour…and he’s a grump. Bah Humbug. Mind you, she doesn’t make the best first impression (but then she thinks he made the worst impression first so…) Letters are carried back and forth — sometimes snippy, sometimes sweet, always funny and a…well, we can’t really call it a friendship but something like…is formed.

The book starts in late October and ends on Christmas so there’s lots of time for hearts to thaw and nurture warmer emotions. A sweet novella that explores deeper feelings of love and acceptance with dry wit to smooth out the angst and a healthy dollop of faith to seal the deal.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Greetings From Next Door , 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 September 7 2024.

You Make it Feel Like Christmas + Giveaway

Merry Christmas in July Retro Read!

What better way to beat the heat?!

Starr Lewis reluctantly returns home for the holidays jobless, single, and not at all prepared to be dragged into her sister’s wedding activities–or to witness her sister’s marriage to Starr’s ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve. But when her brother’s charming best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, Starr begins to believe that maybe coming home isn’t so bad.

As Starr endures wedding preparations, she takes comfort in Waylon’s presence and finds the perfect distraction in helping him keep his late mother’s Christmas shop afloat. As the spark between them grows, Starr must decide what she wants out of life–to go back to New York City or to stay and pursue a new dream.

My Review:

published in 2023

The perfect holiday read! The kind you can devour in one sitting but the story still packs an emotional punch and leaves a reader aglow with the warmth of a yuletide happily ever after. Plus it’s fun and flirty, with enough swoonable moments to keep a romantic like me more than content. My heart’s still humming and I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face. 🙂

And there’s a wonderful faith thread about the importance of prayer. Both Starr and Waylon are wrestling with some major life changes and I really appreciate the raw honesty the author brings to their dilemmas. They are both Christians and invoke the power of prayer in their lives but that doesn’t always mean decisions are easy, or that they even feel divinely guided all the time. Sooooo relatable. And refreshing to read about.

The Lewis family is…interesting. Five siblings, a Christmas obsessed mama (she gave all her children Christmas names, after all) and a kind, but somewhat distant father. Interesting dynamics within the family as well, which strikes a realistic chord. And I’m looking forward to getting to know more about these characters…and their happily-ever-afters…in future books.

While I did have a paperback copy of ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’ on hand, I couldn’t resist diving into the audible edition because of it’s wonderful narration. Jasmin Walker’s portrayal of these characters is pitch perfect and made me enjoy the story all the more.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of You Make It Feel Like Christmas , 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 July 27 2024.

Christmas Vendetta + Giveaway

RANDOM RETRO READ

Is she a mistaken target…or next on an enemy’s hit list?

Sandy Lynn Forrester’s Christmas holiday takes a terrifying turn when someone breaks into her home and attacks her roommate…thinking it’s her. But no one believes that an imprisoned man from Sandy Lynn’s past is behind the attacks—except for her high school heartbreak, ex-cop Clay Danforth. Can she trust Clay to keep her safe in the Ozark wilderness long enough to stop a ruthless criminal’s vengeance?

My Review:

published in 2021

I somehow missed this book when it first came out, though I’ve read the rest of the series, so I was thrilled to discover it in audiobook format! Loved the narration — Romy Nordlinger did justice to the tense, action filled plot.

So, reunion romance amidst the chaos of vengeance and danger made for a thrilling read. Clay’s life is already complicated when he runs into (literally) Sandy Lynn again. Loved the pacing in their ‘reluctant return to love’ story, though survival takes the front seat in this taut romantic suspense.

Desperation. Revenge. Betrayal. Corruption. All play a part in this complex plot to create a spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seat thrill of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible book if you have audible.ca  

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Christmas Vendetta, 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 16, 2023

The Gift of Christmas Past + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

At twenty-seven, Hadley is still trying to get free of the weight she’s carried all her life — entering foster care at age give, getting arrested at seventeen for arson, and losing her boyfriend, Monroe, when she needed him most.

Monroe never wanted to walk out on Hadley. He’d understood her, from her desire to help children with speech issues to her intense temper. But when she was arrested, he became haunted by what he knew and convinced his only choice was to end their relationship.

Almost ten years later, Hadley and Monroe are both specialists in the field of speech therapy. They meet again…thrown together to help a four-year-old girl who’s been rendered mute after being rescue from an apartment fire.

Years of secrets and anger beg to be set free as Hadley and Monroe try to push aside past hurts and find common ground in order to help the traumatized young girl and her family.

Can the love of Christmas past drift into the present, bringing healing and hope for all?

My Review:

“Health strengthened them. Hope sustained them. And God guided them.” (p 91) I think I need to make this my mantra! It has definitely seen Hadley and her best friend, Elliott (a girl) through a decade of struggles. And what an emotional journey! Brilliantly delivered with compassion and grace.

Their story starts when they are teens sharing a room in a foster home. Volatile Hadley and rule keeper Elliott make an interesting team. And while this is largely Hadley and Monroe’s story, we are treated with Elliott’s point of view from time to time which also brings a secondary romance into the mix. A fascinating study in personalities and coping mechanisms as all three struggle to come to grips with a desperate situation that quickly gets out of control.

Fast forward ten years and life hasn’t gotten any easier for these foster sisters. Oh, they’ve survived and thrived, supporting each other as they worked their way through school but life’s logistics are still challenging. I loved the way they pull together. How they’ve invited strangers into their ‘family’. Women of faith, shining Christ’s light through their actions.

Then there’s Monroe. It appears he has had everything handed to him by wealthy parents. But appearances can be deceiving and he’s paid a huge emotional price for those ‘rewards’. Both Monroe and Hadley have been scarred by their tumultuous past so when they unexpectedly end up on the same team in order to help a traumatized child…well fireworks would be putting it mildly. These two have issues that bring out the worst and the best in one another. Such a tangled web of deceit and sorrow and confusion to wade through! All while attempting to restore speech to a mute child.

My emotions were all over the place as I got deeper into the read. I could see both sides of Monroe and Hadley’s struggle so I could totally feel the frustration and anger and longing. And Monroe’s parents?! Argh! I think my blood pressure is still registering through the roof. 

An emotionally complex story that celebrates the joy that comes from truly living in community.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Gift of Christmas Past, 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 9, 2023.