Heidi Reads...

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Book Tour Grand Finale: The Christmas Kiss by Virginia McCullough #ChrKissTour

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Welcome back to Bluestone River, a prairie town in Northern Illinois. I had great fun writing Emma O’Connell’s story, especially after Parker Davis comes to town. . .

Baroness' Book Trove - Review

"The Christmas Kiss By Virginia McCullough is another romantic adventure that takes two people on a wonderful journey. They have to find a way to work together and to learn that maybe they both have someone else out there for them. They just had to look. I am giving this book five stars and recommending it all the romance readers out there."

Reading Is My SuperPower - Review

"Virginia McCullough has a knack for bringing small towns to life on the pages of her novels – with characters you easily care about and plots that reflect both the realities of life and the wonder of romance. The writing style is smooth and engaging, and the romance moves along at a realistic pace . . . I liked the protagonists being a little older than 20s and early 30s – it added an extra dose of wisdom to their personalities which in turn resulted in less of (and shorter-lasting, less earth-shattering) the typical misunderstandings that we so often see in romance novels. Another great read for the season – or anytime of year, for that matter!"

Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt

Parker had to laugh at himself. As much as he’d tried, he couldn’t stop looking at Emma, not from the first glimpse of her approaching him. Maybe it was the sassy way she’d twirled her cane that intrigued him. Straight dark hair set off large brown eyes that lit up in fun, but turned serious when something subtle shifted her mood. She was taller than average. Her body was curvy and strong—easy to picture her as that girl jock she brought up.

He bet Emma was a good dancer. He closed his eyes and there he was, holding her close and slow dancing on the pier. Now why had that occurred to him? He didn’t know her. Not even a little bit. He gave the railing a little bump with his palm, as if that could knock her image out of his brain.

onemused - Review

"This book has a lot of build-up to the romance/relationship and plenty of talking to really bring you into their relationship. This was a sweet and clean romance that builds really well over time. The Christmas setting also really shines through with the build-up over the season and plenty of Christmasy scenes. I loved this older/mature romance of two people who know what they want out of life and a partner. This was a fun, Christmas-time romance read overall."

EmpowerMoms - Review

"I liked seeing Parkers daughter Nicole blossom during the story, along with Parker and Emmas friendship. I really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to read more books about Bluestone River!"

Pause for Tales - Review

"This was another sweet Christmas read that features a couple who are older and more mature as they are in their late 30's and early 40's. It was refreshing to read about that age and the author does a good job of showing their maturity in their lives. . . . This was a cute holiday read that brought this family together."

Remembrancy - Review

". . . I adored visiting this community and its residents again. The added Bluestone Holiday celebrations added to the charm of the book. The romance, while fairly fast, progresses in a believable manner."

Older & Smarter? - Review

"If you enjoy family-oriented stories, it you believe in second chances, if you are thrilled with first kisses and new beginnings, you will want to read The Christmas Kiss. This is my first book by Virginia McCullough and she has convinced me that Bluestone River is a special place -- I hope to have a chance to go back!"

Hallie Reads - Review

"The Christmas Kiss is sweet and fun and full of holiday cheer, a nice addition to the Back to Bluestone River series. . . . I enjoyed my time with them and am looking forward to more of Bluestone River once again."

Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

"I am giving The Christmas Kiss five plus stars. Readers who enjoy heartwarming and clean romance will not want to miss this one. I look forward to the next addition to the Back to Bluestone River series."

Cover Lover Book Review - Review

"I love a friends-to-more story, especially when it takes place at Christmastime! In The Christmas Kiss, Emma and Parker initially seem like an unlikely pair, but they both have good hearts and care about others. . . . I enjoyed this rich, full-bodied cup of Christmas love."

Red Headed Book Lady - Review

"I can't stress how much I loved this book! . . . This is a delightful book that will be sure to put you in the Christmas cheer!

I highly recommend this book."

Nicole's Book Musings - Review

"I really enjoyed this one. I'm glad to be visiting Bluestone River again. I love the small town feel of the book. I really loved Emma. . . . This book has plenty of heart and feels."

Harlie's Books - Review

"Ms. McCullough wrote a book that I desperately needed with only two weeks left in school. It showed me some things that I would have never thought about, characters that I grew to love and an ending that was beautiful. Not to mention the birds in it and I learned a lot from Parker when it came to the care that wounded birds need."

SPLASHES of Joy - Review

"I really like the Bluestone River community and enjoyed being back for a visit. The scenes and details of this little place makes me feel at home. And with the Christmas decorations and festivities, it is just when you want to be for a part of your Christmas Season. I encourage you to check out this book. You are sure to have hours of entertainment, enjoyment and Holiday pleasure as you read The Christmas Kiss."

Jorie Loves A Story - Review

"One of the best parts of the story is getting to catch-up with Ruby and Mike as [they're] excepting their first child now. McCullough cleverly put their lives in the life of Emma and Parker - showing how tight-knit Bluestone River is. . . . McCullough has already charmed me into loving this series. . ."

Thoughts of a Blonde - Review

"A delightful holiday romance! . . . I recommend this book to anyone enjoying a small town romance with a close knit group of family and friends playing a key part in the story line. Sweet interactions, a whimsical setting and a romance sure to please."

Andi's Book Reviews - Review

"I like that it is a slow burn kind of a relationship between the two of them, especially considering their frequent opposing viewpoints. Then again, the ones that start out at odds often lead to a more intense attachment, right? And I like having romances with "older people," (though we're not old at this age!) for a bit of a change. Add in all of the holiday feels and you have another winner in this series."

Liberty's Literary Loves - Review

"Get ready for that warm, fuzzy, Christmasy love feeling folks because this book fairly oozes with it! That's right. This second installment in the Bluestone River series brings Parker and Emma together at this perfect time of the year and it is nothing less than yummy. . . . Ms. McCullough truly deserves a huge round of applause for providing us with one of the most wonderful reads of the Season."

Reading Excursions - Review

"The attraction between the two is immediate and apparent, but doesn’t rush through. It is a slow and natural progression with how they work together to bring the sanctuary to life. . . . If you enjoy a clean romance without Christian references – these books fit that description. This one was a “curl up on the couch, cup of cocoa, warm blanket, cloudy day” read. Cozy and beautiful."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

The Christmas Kiss

(Back to Bluestone River #2)
By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
December 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Will working together

…lead to together forever?

Recently divorced, Parker Davis needs to focus on his new job so he can provide a stable home for his daughter in time for the Christmas holidays. The problem is, he’s frequently at odds with his boss. He and Emma O’Connell approach everything differently. Yet he finds her intriguing, and Bluestone River festivities keep pushing them together—often enough that two people at odds could find themselves evenly matched in love!

(Affiliate links included.)

Other Books in the Series

A Family for Jason

(Back to Bluestone River #1)
By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
August 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’s not home for keeps

Unless he proves first love is forever

Bluestone River is a minefield of memories for Mike Abbot—all involving Ruby Driscoll. Twenty years after scandal divided them, they’re both back in their hometown. Ruby’s visit is strictly temporary. But as she uses her trauma expertise to help his vulnerable son, Mike faces what his heart has always known. Ruby’s still his one and only. This time, can he convince her to stay?

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

About the Author

Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia McCullough has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.

Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Bookbub│Amazon│Newsletter

Tour Giveaway

- 1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card and a $25 Etsy eGift Card
- Open internationally for those who are eligible

- Ends December 18, 2019

ENTER HERE

Friday, December 13, 2019

Book Tour & Excerpt: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Dating Charade
By Melissa Ferguson
Contemporary Romance, Christian
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 336 Pages
December 3rd 2019 by Thomas Nelson

Just when you think you’ve met your match . . . the charade begins.

Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether.

But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.

No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

Melissa Ferguson’s hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | TNZFiction

Excerpt

Star, as she was always so keenly aware, was nowhere to be seen.

For the past seven years she’d watched for the magic minute when the girls left their schools and made their way to the Haven. At the window, at 2:15 p.m. every day, she’d waited for them to come. Like the rumblings of thunder before a heavy storm, she and her staff would feel the anticipation, the shake, before the magic minute struck. The sudden rush at the computer to finish that report, to send that e-mail, to put the finishing touches on that flyer. The dash to the coffee station for a refill, because it very well could be the last calm moment for the rest of the day.

Often Cassie couldn’t stand it any longer and would step out the front door with her fresh mug, beckoned by the distant sound of the final school bell.

And oh, how they came. To passing cars, the steady stream of kids walking along the sidewalk from the schools meant nothing more than keeping an eye out for flying skateboards and mischievously tossed cans. But to Cassie it was seeing the march of forty-eight flames, each licking the air with its own spectacularly colored blaze.

Where was Star’s blaze at that minute?

How bright was the light she was giving off somewhere in that town of Spartanburg, South Carolina?

Did whoever saw it appreciate it? Did they care?

Of everything that had happened that Christmas celebration morning, that was the most painful part of all.

She hadn’t just lost the chance at being a mother. She’d lost a dear friend as well.

About the Author

Melissa Ferguson is an adjunct professor for Bible and religion at King University. She lives in the charming town of Bristol, Tennessee, with her husband, twin toddlers, and baby girl. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now her hobbies include admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" en route to the library.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Schedule

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Gift of Love by Delaney Cameron #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Gift of Love
(Finding Love #9)
By Delaney Cameron
Sweet Contemporary Romance

ebook, 203 Pages

April 6th 2018

First or even second impressions aren't always right.

Leah didn’t plan to still be searching for love so late in her twenties. Her looks almost guarantee her success with the opposite sex, but quantity doesn’t mean quality. Good thing she’s got a great career to fall back on. The only dark cloud on that particular horizon is the enigmatic Dr. Levy, the man she’s come to think of as a permanent thorn in her side. Brilliant and handsome he most certainly is, but that doesn’t make up for the fact that he’s also stern, impatient, and bad-tempered. Oddly enough, it isn’t their mostly negative encounters that linger in her mind. Instead it’s the sadness she glimpses from time to time in his face. There’s no explanation for why she’s so bothered by this, nor can she imagine a situation where she’ll be in a position to discover the cause of his silent misery. All of which means she’s wasting her time. If anyone can take care of himself, it’s Dr. Levy.

Stratton had only been at Hutchison Clinic a short time before he heard about the beautiful nurse on the second floor. In his usual skeptical fashion he discounted the gossip until he saw Leah for himself. He had no problem admitting that the reports of her beauty hadn’t been exaggerated, but appreciation was as far as he was prepared to go. Love, romance and the so-called happily-ever-after only exist in the movies. Putting your happiness in someone else’s hands is just begging to be hurt. He has a monthly alimony payment to prove it. Getting his family and friends to understand his preference for bachelorhood isn’t so easy. While he appreciates their concern, he doesn’t need the complication of something with such overwhelming odds of failure. One ex-wife is enough for any man.

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

The salad course had just been served when Leah became aware of movement behind her. She turned her head to see what was going on and nearly dropped the dinner roll she’d been in the act of buttering. Under her astonished gaze, Dr. Levy sat down in the empty seat beside her.

After thanking the waitress for a menu and asking for coffee, he turned to Leah and smiled. “Hello, again. If I wasn’t so sure you don’t like me, I’d begin to think you’re following me.”

This provocative greeting broke the spell she’d fallen under. “I was here first, so the person doing the following is you.”

“Don’t confuse the issue with facts.” He opened the menu and ran his eyes down the offerings. “This place has a little of everything, doesn’t it? What did you get?”

“Grilled shrimp with a baked sweet potato and Caesar salad.”

“Sounds good. I think I’ll get that, too.”

As if on cue, the waitress arrived with his coffee and took his order. Leah used the time to finish buttering her roll and quiet her jangled nerves. In the three weeks since Dr. Levy had given her a ride home, she’d avoided going anywhere near his area of the clinic. This kind of behavior was unusual for her, but no one likes being caught in an embarrassing situation by someone who already thinks badly of them. And now, here they were again, thrown together by forces outside her control and which no one could have foreseen. Escape was impossible. Her only choice was to make the best of it.

“How do you know Evangeline and Cecil, Dr. Levy?”

He smiled as he stirred cream into his coffee. “The name is Stratton. Save Dr. Levy for work. I don’t know Evangeline at all. I’m one of Cecil’s numerous cousins. What about you?”

She didn’t hear much of what he said after the word Stratton. It was an unusual name, but it suited him somehow. As for calling him by it, that was something else entirely. “Evangeline and I met in middle school. Her family moved to South Carolina during our senior year. She was thrilled when I took the job in Myrtle Beach.”

“If we’d known ahead of time that we were both coming this way, we could have ridden together.”

Leah was saved having to come up with a response to this startling remark by the arrival of the main course. In truth, she was having trouble reconciling this sociable man with the somewhat reserved and often-times stern physician she knew from the clinic. Which one was the real Stratton?

She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice close to her ear.

“What are you doing after the rehearsal dinner is over?”

“I’m going back to Evangeline’s house. All the bridesmaids are staying there.”

“It’s still early. Would you be interested in taking a drive?”

Taking a drive? With him? Now things were just starting to get weird.

When she didn’t say anything, a gleam appeared in his eyes. “It’s okay to refuse, Leah. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go; I’m just…” She stopped, trying to think of a nicer word than flabbergasted or amazed. “I’m surprised. Our acquaintance has had some…rocky moments.”

He speared one of his shrimp and doused it in melted butter. “Then it’s about time we did something to change that.”

“Is it?”

“Of course. First or even second impressions aren’t always the right ones. Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves and each other to find out how wrong or right we were?”

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)

About the Author

I'm a Georgia girl at heart if not by birth. I love to read, watch college football, and spend time with my husband. I'm a hopeless romantic so there will always be a happily ever after in my stories. I also like to write about second chances because love doesn't always work out the first time.

My books are sweet romances set in both contemporary and regency settings featuring stories about the journey to love, from that first meeting to the point where two people know their hearts are no longer their own. My characters aren't perfect. They make mistakes and have faults like the rest of us. They learn the sometimes painful truth that the path to love isn't always smooth, but it's a road worth traveling.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Spotlight &b Giveaway: Truth or Dare by Julie Coulter Bellon #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Truth or Dare

By Julie Coulter Bellon

Sweet Contemporary Romantic Suspense, Novella

ebook, 134 Pages

May 8th 2018 by Stone Hall Books

After a year of recovery, wounded war veteran Jonah Harrison comes home for Christmas. No longer the outgoing high school track star, he just wants to be left alone, away from well-meaning friends and neighbors. But when a blizzard strands him with Kami Jackson—the girl who once knew him best—he can’t hide anything from her, no matter how much he wants to. Kami has a wounded heart of her own, though, and it might take a miracle---or at least two matchmaking dogs---for them to find the healing they both long for and the courage to reach for a chance at love.

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

Being here brought back so many warm memories for her, like sunshine chasing away all her shadows. The reality was, though some things seemed the same, their lives were very different than what they had been. She needed to keep that in mind.

Kami ran a hand through her damp hair and suppressed another shiver. She caught chills easily; that hadn’t changed. Back in the day, no matter what season it was, Jonah would be hot and she’d always be cold. He usually had his arm around her to warm her up, though. That was one thing she wished hadn’t changed, even if it was just for tonight.

She stole a peek behind her. The military had been good to Jonah. He’d always been athletic and good-looking, but now he was powerful and had a ruggedness to him. His blond hair was cropped, military-style, but the short-sleeved T-shirt he wore that proudly said Marines on it pulled across a broad chest and showed off some muscular arms. On the outside, he seemed more like his old self, but every now and then his change in demeanor told her there was a lot going on behind those blue eyes, and he didn’t seem in the mood to share. For now, anyway.

About the Author

Julie Coulter Bellon is the author of nearly two dozen romantic suspense novels. Her book All Fall Down won the RONE award for Best Suspense, Pocket Full of Posies won a RONE Honorable Mention for Best Suspense and The Captain was a RONE award finalist for Best Suspense. Most recently, her books The Capture and Second Look were both Whitney finalists for Best Suspense/Mystery. Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. In her free time she loves to read, write, teach, watch Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Book Tour Grand Finale #FantasyforChristmas19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into these fantasy books and grabbed some for yourself or as gifts for other fantasy lovers! If you missed any of the stops, you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below. And don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway...

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Rebecca Belliston - Heart of Red, Blood of Blue

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

The blood.

How I wish I could forget the blood.

Or the way Jerrik looked up at me, so betrayed. As if I had killed him. As if we had attacked first.

I know now that the betrothal ceremony had been a ruse, a trap to lure us to Kronga under the guise of peace. But Jerrik had not anticipated his father’s treachery any more than we had. Had my own father not reacted so quickly, I would not be alive today.

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Flight of the Raven

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

Damien. Her husband.

Selene kept her eyes ahead, but every part of her could sense him behind her. The moment the monk had finished the rites, and warmth had spread between their hands, she knew him. Most of it she had already discovered during her dreamwalks, but seeing his memories and having that knowledge imparted into her innermost mind and soul were two completely things. And just as much as she now knew him, he knew her as well. He knew who she really was. He knew what she could do.

He knew her gift.

December 4th: Jes Drew - Tales of Parallel Worlds

Follow the Author: Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Wattpad

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

I wrap my arms around my masked rescuer, not sure whether to feel relieved at not having to travel through those woods alone and on foot, or worried that this strange man might be abducting me.

“My father is a powerful man," I whisper into the man's shoulder.

“I am well aware of that.”

With relief, I note that we are retracing the same path as before. “What is your name anyway, good sir?”

He seems to consider this for a long moment, and even glances down at his steed as if the beautiful Arabian might somehow remind him of his name.

December 5th: Ronie Kendig - Brand of Light

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

“You are sure of this, my lady? It’s Myles.” Weighted eyes drove home the point. “Our fiercest.”

“It was a fair draw.”

“Aye, but—”

“Let it not be said that I, the lone female in the training yard, whinged.” Not when she had pleaded so hard for training. As it was, she was thankful Uncle Rufio had left express word before he left for the middle lands that she should be allowed to continue her levels.

December 6th: Alisha Klapheke - Fate of Dragons

Follow the Author: Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Instagram

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

There, on the ground, was a shape that was not rock or smoke or golden earthblood.

Or dragon.

Her lips parted in a silent gasp.

Two arms. Two legs. Supple flesh instead of scales.

Crouching by the body, Vahly moved a curtain of obsidian hair away from the creature’s face.

A pointed ear.

December 7th: Jessica Leake - Through the White Wood