Kiss Me on Christmas + Giveaway

Single mom Kaitlyn Stafford has never considered Christmas a balancing act, but when her sister calls with the news that she’s getting married in less than two weeks — on Christmas Day — that’s exactly what the holiday looks like becoming. Helping with the out-of-state wedding will be fun. The challenge will be doing so while accommodating her neurodivergent son’s need to keep every single one of their Christmas traditions while they’re away from home. It’ll be tricky, but she can do it.

At least, that’s what she thinks before her son’s favourite YouTuber, Beckett Walsh, shows up on the scene, knocking her world off kilter with his speaking glances and knowing smiles. How on earth is she supposed to pull off her balancing act when her world’s just tilted on its axis?

My Review:

published in 2022

What a wonderful blend of humour and hope mixed up with a slice of real life…at Christmas time! I was drawn in right from with the very personable 1st person present tense POV, which, is not a favourite, but somehow it worked for me here. Brought me right into every scene, experiencing every emotion and impression. And I love that we are given both Kaitlyn’s and Beckett’s points of view, with young Liam gleefully worming his way into every scene.

The whole story takes place in about a two week time-span amidst the flurry of wedding preparations. Kaitlyn is concerned about keeping routines and traditions for her neurodivergent son in the middle of all the chaos. Loved this glimpse into a mother’s heart and the challenges and rewards of raising a unique child like Liam. He’s funny and personable and often all too literal. And I love the way Beckett fits into the story, his true swoon-worthiness shining in the way he accepts and champions Kaitlyn’s son.

Kiss Me on Christmas is short on length but not in depth — this novella packs an emotional punch. The kind of Christmas story that celebrates the season and leaves the reader with a heartwarming afterglow .

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 Kiss Me on 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 November 25, 2023.

Shadows on the Sand + Giveaway

She serves him breakfast at her cafe every morning…but he never seems to notice her.

Carrie Carter’s small cafe in Seaside New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals…although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children — and from the year he tried to drink his reality away.  While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her.

When Carrie’s a dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries…and into her life. But when Carrie’s own painful past becomes all too present, her carefully constructed world begins to sink.

Will the fragile relationship she’s building with Greg implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry?

My Review:

published in 2011

I was organizing my bookshelves (translation — trying to fit more books into an already crammed bookcase) and came upon this gem from twelve years ago. I started reading and couldn’t stop. My original review is below, but I just wanted to mention…or muse over…how much the mystery/suspense genre has changed over the years. This one is almost cozy — in the way we’re given a glimpse into the lives of the people who frequent Carrie’s cafe — as well as her own personal backstory. The mystery is there, gradually building as the story progresses, but sometimes it’s in the background in order to allow these characters to shine. I really enjoyed the different pacing and the way it all balances out so beautifully by the end. 🙂

—–

I completely and utterly adored this book! I mean how can you resist a heroine who describes her heart doing a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of the hero? And when things heat up she declares, “No way could Snoopy move his feet fast enough to keep up with my tap-dancing heart.” (pg 186) I could totally relate to Carrie on that point alone. But of course there is much more to this complex character, including a gnarly past that she hasn’t quite left behind.

Greg has his own issues too but he finds himself surprised by his sudden desire to enter the land of the living again. Carrie has a lot to do with his change of heart and that scares him. His emotional struggle is a strong thread in the story — achingly touching and I had a real wow factor once I’d finished the book and read the author’s note at the end.

The mystery/suspense is incredibly well developed — the kind where the reader is handed the clues at the same time as the hero and heroine. We try to solve the mystery together and it totally surprised me…multiple times. A really riveting read, which is what you want in a suspense. 

Roper’s writing style is unique in that she mixes POV. Carrie’s is in first person, but all the other characters are written in third person. You’d think it would make for a disjointed read, but somehow Roper makes it work. The story flows into the page-turning kind that you want to devour in one sitting. Highly recommended for lovers of mystery/suspense.

Christmas in Sugarcreek + Giveaway

Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season. 

But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox. 

Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations. 

Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith. 

As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning. 

Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?

My Review:

published in 2011

Shelley Shephard Gray is exceptional at developing relationships.. The way she builds attraction and tension and then shatters it with conflict. Over and over and over again. 🙂 But her angst is never for naught. She delves deep insider her characters and brings their fears to light…and sets them free. In Christmas in Sugarcreek, that results in a story that turns despair into hope during one of the most sacred seasons of the year. A beautiful book that will bless your Christmas season.

Wildflower Falls + Giveaway

He’s here to train her horses and then skip town. She’s keeping her true identity a secret. But their spark complicates both of their plans.

When Charlotte Honeycutt, owner of Stillwater Ranch, discovered her deceased mother’s safety deposit box, she was not expecting life-changing news inside—the long-hidden identity of her biological father and the location of her two half brothers, Gavin and Cooper Robinson. While her father’s location is unknown, her brothers have grown up in Riverbend Gap, just as she did. Charlotte is determined to know them, but she is unsure how the revelation of a new sister might be received. Fortunately, her plans to build a new stable on her horse farm coincide with this dilemma since Robinson Construction is the only game in town, and she jumps at the chance.

Horse trainer Gunner Dawson is averse to the idea of settling down—or having lasting connections of any kind. His time at Stillwater Ranch is only meant to be temporary, but the young woman he finds there isn’t at all who he expected. Despite an inner warning that she might threaten his peace of mind, he accepts the task of getting her training program off the ground. Before long, he’s not only working at the stables—Charlotte has somehow dragged him into a search for her biological father. And Gunner soon discovers he was right about his peace of mind. Meanwhile, an abused horse tugs at his heart, Charlotte’s brother becomes a loyal friend, and the town of Riverbend Gap is getting some kind of strange hold over him. He’s always run from connections before, but this time leaving seems harder than ever before.

Both Charlotte and Gunner will have to be honest with others and themselves if they have any hope of the future they’re both starting to long for.

My Review:

I am a huge fan of an animal loving hero and horse whisperer Gunner Dawson ticks all the boxes…except for one: he’s commitment phobic. Thankfully Charlotte (and Denise Hunter) work on that so, while it’s a rocky ride, we do eventually reach a happily ever after!

While this is fourth in the Riverbend Gap series, it reads well as a standalone (I’ve only read the second book.) It does feature characters from the previous books in a pretty significant plot thread but in such a way that you don’t have to be familiar with the other stories. You’ll still get the same emotional impact if you come into the series as a newbie.

I have to say I was almost more invested in Charlotte’s search for her biological father than the romance. In fact, there’s a little hiccup involving a mild version of my most dreaded trope that had me squirming a bit. 🙂 But, my oh my, Charlottes’s struggles over finding her father and when to reveal herself to the brothers who haven’t a clue about her real identity just sucked me in and kept me reading. All kinds of angst — realistic and heartfelt.

There’s a central theme around fear and the way we can stagnate under it’s power. Both Gunner and Charlotte have let fear and uncertainty impact important decisions and their journeys are both painful and believable…and ultimately triumphant. I felt the faith elements were quite light, though, which was a bit of a disappointment.

If you can pair ‘heartwarming’ and ‘angst-riddled’ as descriptors for a book, then that’s what this one is. A captivating escape read.

Naomi’s Christmas + Giveaway

Christmas is a time for new beginnings. But when a dutiful Amish woman’s life is turned upside down, she may have to risk her heart to get everything she’s always wanted in this charming Pleasant Valley novel.

Since her mother’s death, Naomi Esch has been devoted to caring for her father and siblings, sacrificing any hope of finding love or having a home of her own. Still, working at the local bakery and expanding her beekeeping business give Naomi a satisfying sense of purpose. Then, in the weeks before Christmas, her father announces his plans to remarry. He and his new wife need the house for themselves, leaving Naomi in need of a plan.

But opportunities soon come her way. A friend finds Naomi a place to stay, and widower Nathan King offers his sprawling farmland to Naomi to continue her business–on the condition that she helps take care of his children. The setup is so perfect that the community assumes a wedding will inevitably follow. But Naomi has vowed never to marry without love. And to Nathan she’s merely convenient help. Now, for those in Pleasant Valley, uniting these two stubborn souls may take a Christmas miracle.

My Review:

(published in 2012)

This one gave me all the feels. It’s an emotional blend of angst and heartwarming mixed up with the tender reverence of Christmas in an Amish community.

The seventh, and last, book in the Pleasant Valley series, Naomi’s Christmas can be read as a standalone. We do get lots of quality time visiting familiar friends from other books in the series — a great reconnect for PV fans and a lovely introduction for the newbies.

A gentle love story springs out of necessity and circumstance and not without a load of trouble thrown in. There were characters/situations that made my blood boil and I wanted to throw my book against the wall a time or two. (Rest assured, no books, pages or spines were harmed in the reading of this novel.) Happily, those scenes were countered by achingly sweet ones involving Nathan’s children. And then something seems to spark between our hero and heroine and that just stirs things up all the more.

A holiday tale centred around finding hope in second chances.

Most Wonderful Time + Giveaway

Gabe Lewis loves Christmas, just not as much as his eccentric mother who gave him and his siblings Christmas names. When he discovers that his new co-worker Shanée Mitchell wants nothing to do with the season, he makes it his mission to show her the true meaning. 

But he never expected feelings to develop for the Air Force veteran. Can he take a chance that she feels the same way or miss the best gift of all?

My Review:

published in 2021

A sweet, heartwarming holiday romance that hits all the feels. And it’s a kinda grumpy sunshine trope, only in reverse with our heroine being the grump and our hero, the ray of sunshine. Which is all kinds of fun!

Shanée is an Air Force veteran struggling to find her place in a civilian world especially since she is living with chronic pain from an injury that ended her military career. So now she’s switching gears and she’s not entirely happy about it.

Cue our hero, Gabe, who is all about making Christmas bright and spreading good cheer. It’s in his DNA, passed down from his holiday loving mama. 🙂 Shanée, on the other hand, isn’t into Yuletide celebrations…at all! But Gabe intends to change all that. 🙂

Squealing over a heroine with glasses (she’s even wearing them on the cover!) Also appreciate a story centring around a character dealing with chronic pain and how that impacts her everyday life. And swooning over the way Gabe takes it all in stride. He’s compassionate, understanding and nonjudgemental — the perfect heartthrob hero!

And this Christmas romance has a significant faith thread that has me brimming over with joy. A perfect holiday read!

I’ll Be Seeing You + Giveaway

Generations of secrets unfold as a young college student learns the truth about her great-grandmother’s World War II heartbreak and love.

Brianna Hastings’s life seems dull and full of disappointment until a handsome young man visits her church. She’s instantly smitten by the charming Greg, who leads an exciting, independent life—the kind of life she longs for. But when a college history assignment forces Brianna to interview her great-grandmother about life during World War II, she can’t believe it when Daisy presses her with questions about Greg’s character. “What sort of man is he? Who is he at his core?”

What could her great-grandmother possibly know about love at first sight?

The questions take both women back to Boise, Idaho, in the early 1940s, when war emphasized how fragile life could be. Daisy and her older sister pine for the same handsome bomber pilot—until one night of terrible judgment reveals their true characters and drives them apart. Trying to protect the people she loves the most, Daisy condemns herself to live a lie.

In the years that follow, as Daisy grapples with the consequences, she receives unexpected grace from a man she’s known her whole life but never looked at twice. Could what she learned about love save Brianna from heartache three generations later?

My Review:

I love intergenerational stories and this one is extra special because it involves a great-grandmother and her great-granddaughter. Love the way the two timelines compliment each other as we follow two young women, decades apart, learning about love and heartbreak and living in God’s grace with the choices made.

Present day Brianna (19 and with a bit of an attitude) tested my patience at the beginning of this book. Very much a product of our modern, fast-paced, want-it-now society. Thankfully, she matures over the course of the story, growing in her faith as she deepens her bond with her great-grandmother who patiently guides her and isn’t afraid to ask Brianna the hard questions.

Daisy (our 1940s heroine) is just as young, but in some ways more mature. In other ways she’s quite naive. She too, is a product of her time and the backdrop of war adds a whole other dimension to her story.

Oh, the foibles of youth and the mistakes we make! That’s at the heart of both timelines and Hatcher portrays both women realistically. There’s angst and romance and more angst. My heart hurt for both of them at different points in their stories. But there’s rejoicing also and a stirring conclusion that delivers hope and happily ever afters.

I so appreciated the myriad of faith threads. There is no doubt that this is a Christian Fiction offering and the author pours her heart into the lives of these characters, showing them the difference a deeper relationship with Christ can make in their lives. So inspiring!

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Windy Lanzl who did an excellent job of bringing these characters to life.

Spines & Leaves + Giveaway

Can his love of books save a store and a budding relationship?

With a month to get from Orange County, California to Delaware for his next corporate challenge, Milton Coleridge decides to spend a week at Joshua Tree National Park. 

He never expected to find a floundering bookstore in need of his particular business skills. Will his methods of saving companies from bankruptcy or takeover work on such a small scale? And can he convince two people to risk their hearts?

Step into the Spines & Leaves, Tamarisk, California’s oldest (and only ever) bookstore. Come in out of the harsh, desert sun and wind and peruse all the store has to offer. It might just be more than you think.

Of note: Spine & Leaves is the introductory novella to the Bookstrings series and is part of the Mosaic Song of Grace Collection.

My Review:

published in 2021

My bibliophile radar went into overdrive when I heard about this series. A man (and his parrotlet, Atticus) on a mission to save a languishing bookstore and, perhaps, ignite a spark in a couple clearly meant for each other but failing miserably at finding their way to romance. So — meet Milton the bookish matchmaker! 🙂

A short novella (112 pages) but immensely satisfying nonetheless. Havig has a beguiling way with words, creating pictures and emotions that bring her story to life. Relatable characters, a bookstore(!) and oodles of encouraging literary quotes kept me ecstatically engaged from start to finish.

And there’s romance. And high drama too. Seriously, this little book packs a powerful dose of story magic that made my heart sing and I’m now eager to dive into the next book ASAP.

The Heirloom + Giveaway

This heartwarming prequel to The Shunning is a tender story of love, belonging, and the courage to move forward.

After her widowed father remarries, nineteen-year-old Clara Bender is no longer needed to help run his household. Marriage seems like her best hope of moving out, but there are few young men in her tiny Indiana Amish community. When she comes across letters from her mother’s aunt Ella Mae Zook, she sets off to visit Lancaster County’s Hickory Hollow to decide where her future lies.

Ella Mae is not quite ready to move from the farmhouse where she and her recently deceased husband spent over fifty happy years, but her children are eager to resettle her, making Clara’s visit seem like an answer to prayer. The two women form a warm bond while restoring an heirloom wedding quilt and sharing their lives, with Ella Mae confiding about a tragedy from her courting years. Eventually, Ella Mae suggests Clara stay for the summer, allowing Ella Mae more time with her and giving Clara an opportunity to meet the area’s eligible young men. But when the unexpected happens, will Clara find where her heart truly belongs?

My Review:

First off, you don’t need to have read The Shunning or subsequent books set in Hickory Hollow in order to enjoy this ‘prequel.’ If you are a Beverly Lewis fan, however, Ella Mae Zook has already captured your heart and you will be thrilled to delve into her story pre ‘The Shunning’ era.

Life experiences have contributed to Ella Mae’s standing as the Wise Woman of Hickory Hollow. For decades she has served her community with sage advice, patient understanding and boundless compassion and now we’re finally offered a peek into this beloved character’s past.

Plus we get grandniece Clara’s story as well. Loved the contrast in ages of our two heroines and the inspiring friendship that develops between them. They are both at transitional points in their lives. Both grieving someone they loved. Both leaning on God to see them through, even when they can’t understand the why’s. The kind of faith thread that buoys a reader up and inspires her to reflect on her own transitioning times and how she can follow God’s leading in the midst of the confusion.

Lewis has a lovely, unhurried oral storytelling lilt to her writing. I always feel like I’m sitting with her characters over a cup of tea, listening raptly as they tell me their stories. It makes for a charming timeless tale that gently unfolds. Classic Lewis.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

The Legacy of Longdale Manor + Giveaway

In 2012, art historian Gwen Monroe travels to England’s Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she becomes acquainted with David Bradley–the owner’s handsome grandson–who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a bed-and-breakfast. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd’s staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she uncovers a connection to the father she never knew.

In 1912, after her father’s death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte’s grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.

Two women a century apart are taken on a journey to healing, faith, and forgiveness in this heartfelt dual-time Edwardian romance from bestselling author Carrie Turansky.

My Review:

Simply stunning! I’m grappling with words to describe how spellbinding and captivating and compelling and just plain unputdownable this novel is! And the seamless way the author blends the two timelines — sheer artistry! I was equally invested in both, never wanting to leave the characters in one timeline for another and yet, at the same time, I was eager to embrace the next chapter.

So — dual timeline means dual romances which makes me all kinds of giddy. 🙂 And both are epic toe-curlers with enough emotional angst to make things interesting without reducing a hapless reader into the depths of despair. And the key to both happily ever afters is finding forgiveness. It’s something our heroines wrestle with — hanging on to past hurts in an unhealthy way. Oh, they have very valid reasons, but they can’t find the freedom to love fully until they tackle the bitterness festering within. Such an empowering faith thread!

Turansky’s ability to create images with words is evident in her descriptive passages. I felt like I was in the Lake District, taking in the scenery, admiring the fells — and Longdale Manor itself. The mansion breathes history and I felt the thrill of discovery as Gwen explores the art and antiques. And then she finds Charlotte’s journal and the women are intrinsically entwined though decades separate them.

Reader warning: It’s best to clear your calendar and put off projects looming on the horizon, because The Legacy of Longdale Manor will claim (and deserves) your undivided attention. All the wayt to the exquisite end.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.