Sunday, December 22, 2019

Review: Penny's Yuletide Wish by Sally Britton


https://amzn.to/2r1etmP

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

When Penny and Robert meet again on Christmas Eve, will their childhood love bloom into something more? They only have the Twelve Days of Christmas to find out.

Robert Ellsworth, born the son of a wealthy gentleman, is now a mere steward in the service of another. While his position brings him satisfaction, it does not make him much of a matrimonial catch. It hardly matters, as Robert’s heart has long belonged to his childhood friend. When a chance meeting brings them face to face on Christmas Eve, he cannot bring himself to hope that she feels the same.

When she lost her parents years before, Penelope Clark also lost contact with her dearest friend. Visiting the community where she grew up, Penny is taken aback by how handsome Robert has grown, and how little her girlhood infatuation has diminished. But when a Christmas Ball leads to a mistletoe kiss him, she finds herself as much in love as ever before. Unfortunately for her, Robert confesses his heart already belongs to a mysterious woman.

Through the Twelve Days of Christmas, Penny and Robert each make a wish for the other’s happiness. Will they realize only confessing their hearts will grant those wishes before their time together is spent?

My Review

This novella is perfect for holiday reading! It feels closer to a novel than short story, I think because of the full arc of the plot and characters. I admired Robert from book six in the Branches of Love series, Courting the Vicar's Daughter, and how he stepped into the role of steward and helped repair much of the damage done by Harry's father and the previous steward. I love when supporting characters get their own story! Robert and Penny are reunited after a long time apart and it was lovely to see their friendship renew. They both harbored feelings for the other in the past, and now that they are in a position to pursue romance, they each feel unworthy of the other, not realizing that they are actually a perfect match in circumstance as well as affection. I thoroughly enjoyed all the Christmas traditions of the era as Penny and Robert fall in love and their friends help them towards their happily ever after.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Don't miss the other books in the Branches of Love series . . .

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Spotlight & Giveaway: The Suite Life by Brooke St. James #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/349o4WkThe Suite Life
(The Family Stone #1)
By Brooke St. James
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 256 Pages
August 14th 2018 by Blue House Press

I was completely exhausted when I first laid eyes on him. I had been traveling, and for the last twenty-four hours, sleep had evaded me. I knew I looked terrible, and I was relatively sure I didn't smell so great, either. It was not the most ideal moment to make a first impression. On a normal day, I wouldn't be so torn up about it, but today was different. This was the day I met Taylor.

He was a gentleman in every way. I was instantly taken aback by his vintage look and charm. It was almost like he had stepped out of the past. I would only be in Boston for two days before traveling again, and I was determined to get a second chance at a first impression.

(Affiliate links included.)

Excerpt

People always asked me how it was being Alec Stone's daughter, but the truth was, I didn't have anything to compare it to. I had grown up with my dad being in the spotlight. I didn't know anything else.

My parents divorced when I was three-years-old, and my mom moved to Ventura to be closer to her parents. She took me and my older sisters with her. Dad stayed in Los Angeles. Ventura wasn't all that far, and we still saw him on a regular basis, but we flew under the radar and had a relatively normal childhood considering the fact that we were Alec Stone's daughters. I was the youngest by four years, and I had always been Dad's sidekick—traveling with him more often than my sisters did. I was now in my mid-twenties, and I still made a habit of going with him when I could.

"Is your dad playing a show?" Josh asked drawing me from my thoughts. "I forgot to ask him when I saw him yesterday. I haven't seen any billboards or anything. He did say you were only staying a few days."

I shook my head. "He's not doing a show—unless you count singing the anthem."

"The anthem? At the football game?"

I nodded. It was something Dad had done before, so Josh didn't seem that surprised.

"When's that?" Josh asked.

"Tomorrow."

"Are you tired from your trip?" he asked.

"I'm sooo exhausted," I said. "I can't sleep on planes. I'm gonna climb into that bed as soon as I get upstairs. I'm gonna fall asleep and not wake up for like ten hours—maybe twelve."

We were standing near the side of the elevator when I said that. The door had opened as we were speaking, but I didn't pay attention to the people who were getting off. I just stood close to Josh and kept my head down, staring at the tile floors and waiting for them to clear the way. A pair of leather oxfords came into my line of vision.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but hear you," a voice said.

It was a guy's voice—no doubt the same guy who belonged to the shoes. He was talking to me, but I hesitated to acknowledge him. I was devastated with exhaustion, and I was almost certain that he recognized me and just wanted to make conversation because he was a fan of my father's.

"I know Josh is taking great care of you, but I couldn’t help but hear you say you were going to try to sleep when you got to your room."

I glanced at him, and he gave me an easy smile.

"I'd be happy to get you a white noise machine," he said. "We don't have them in all of the rooms, but it always helps me rest if I have a little fan or something in the background."

I stared at him, barely even taking in the words he was saying. I was relatively sure he was offering me some kind of sleeping device, but I could not concentrate on the words that were coming out of his mouth. I didn't know if it was the exhaustion or the fact that he looked like he did.

He was not what I expected at all. He was an all-American slice of heaven—a leading man, someone you'd see on the cover of a romance novel. He had a square jaw and chin with features that were either chiseled or rounded in all the right places. He had light eyes and dark hair that was carefully combed away from his face with just enough hair product. He was clean shaven, but I could see faint patches of dark facial hair on his jaw. He was perfect and polished. The care and time he had taken on his own appearance made him seem reminiscent of times past—a day in age when men took time to get dressed and shined their shoes. He was so comforting to look at that I felt like I knew him—or at the very least like we had met before.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)

About the Author


Brooke St. James is the bestselling author of contemporary romance novels with Christian and inspirational themes and happy endings. She was born and raised in south Louisiana but has had the opportunity to travel and live throughout the U.S. An avid reader, writer, audio book addict, and fan of all things artistic, Brooke constantly has her hands in some creative activity. She's currently back home in Louisiana enjoying life with her husband, children, and extremely lazy Basset Hounds.


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






Saturday, December 21, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: Mountain Rescue Romance series by Melissa McClone #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/2PE8YTB

Meet the members of Oregon Mountain Search and Rescue and watch them fall in love in Hood Hamlet with a little help from Christmas magic.

In His Christmas Wish, Jake Porter is burdened by guilt, believing he could have saved two friends during a climbing accident and kept Carly Bishop from the heart-wrenching loss of her fiancé and brother. When she arrives in town for the holidays, Jake wants to make amends so they can both move forward with their lives. As he helps Carly experience the magic of Christmas, will he also be able to open her heart to…love?

In Her Christmas Secret, Sean Hughes asks snowboarder Zoe Flynn to pose as his girlfriend at Thanksgiving dinner, which will take the pressure off him from his meddling family, who enjoy matchmaking. But when an injury occurs, the two are forced to continue their one-night ruse until the line between make-believe and reality blurs. Zoe, however, has a secret…a big one. Is their new relationship strong enough to withstand the truth?

In Her Christmas Kiss, Leanne Thomas works hard to be “one of the boys” at the fire station and on the mountain. After she rescues gorgeous, rookie firefighter Christian Welton, he glimpses a softer, more vulnerable side to her tough-as-nails personality and he’s intrigued. A surprise kiss under the mistletoe sparks a three-alarm fire, but something is holding her back. Will Christian’s kisses break through Leanne’s tough exterior and melt her heart? 

In His Christmas Family, Bill Paulson invites two wayward travelers into his home. Something about Grace Wilcox, a widow, and her young son touches Bill’s heart, so he decides to give them a special Christmas. When attraction flares between Grace and Bill, she won’t gamble her heart on a hero and Bill doesn’t consider himself husband material. Can a little Christmas magic show them love and a family are worth the risks?

(Affiliate link included.)

Excerpt from His Christmas Wish

The door cracked open.

“Welcome back, Carly,” a male voice greeted her warmly.

She’d expected to see Hannah’s husband of two years, Garrett Willingham, but the man standing in the doorway looked nothing like the clean-cut, non-risk-taking, business-suit-wearing certified public accountant. This guy was too rugged, too fit, too…familiar.

“Jacob Porter.”

Over six feet tall with brown hair that fell past his collar, he still had piercing blue eyes, a killer smile, and a hot, hard body that made the girls, herself included, swoon back in high school. Those features had only improved with age.

Her pulse kicked up a notch. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.” His grin widened, the same way it had whenever he and Nick teased her. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry…” Simply thinking the word left a bitter taste in her mouth. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. “Season’s greetings. Where’s Hannah?”

“At a doctor’s appointment,” Jacob explained. “Garrett drove her. She didn’t know if they’d be home by the time you arrived or before the school bus dropped off Kendall and Austin, so they asked me to come over.”

Carly noticed Jacob’s clothes—a light blue button-down oxford shirt, khaki pants, and brown leather shoes. A bit more stylish than the T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers she remembered him wearing. He must have come from work.

“Thank you.” Though she wasn’t surprised. Jacob had always gone out of his way for them, a surrogate everything to what remained of the Bishop family. He’d found her the job in Philadelphia. He’d taught Nick’s two kids to ski and fish. He’d even introduced Hannah to Garrett.

“Come inside before you get too cold.” Jacob reached for Carly’s suitcase. His hand—big, callused, and warm—brushed hers. The accidental contact startled her, and she jerked away. “You city girls aren’t used to the temperatures up here.”

Forget the cold. She wasn’t used to her response to his touch. That was unusual for her. “Philadelphia gets cold, too.”

As she stepped inside, heat surrounded Carly, cocooning her with the inviting comforts of home. The homey touches—a fleece blanket on a chair, throw pillows, candles, and framed photos—were ones missing from her apartment.

His gaze ran the length of her. “You look the same.”

He looked better. “So does this place.”

And that somehow made everything…worse.

About the Author


USA Today bestselling author Melissa McClone has written over forty-five sweet contemporary romance novels. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!


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






Friday, December 20, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: Love Like Forever by D.E. Malone #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/35rehwpLove Like Forever
(Hearts in Hendricks #4)
By D.E. Malone
Sweet Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 234 Pages
October 3rd 2019 

Stealing Her Heart Was Not In His Job Description

Romance is the last thing on Carmen Navarro’s mind. Up to her neck in student debt, she needs a teaching job, and she needs one fast. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, she’s also overseeing her parents’ renovation project—which would be easier if the carpenter on the job had a little more work ethic and a lot less swagger. She has no time for his flirty banter and affable charm. So why can’t she get him out of her head?

Matt Stetman is a catch. Everyone in Hendricks knows he’d give the shirt off his back to help a friend in need. He’s been told a time or two that he’s pretty delightful to be around too. But for some reason, the enigmatic Carmen seems immune to his charms.

Just as Matt begins to make headway—with the project and with Carmen—a secret from his past threatens to ruin everything. Can Carmen find the courage to trust Matt and take a shot at love? Or is the foundation of their relationship now broken beyond repair?

(Affiliate link included.)

Excerpt

“Wait, is this Carmen Navarro’s remodel?” Sean asked.

“Who’s Carmen Navarro?”

Sean tipped his chin, looking over Matt’s shoulder. “The woman walking up the driveway.” 

Matt turned to look, but the sun had moved slightly and the glare on the hood blinded him. He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbed them, but still saw spots as he tried to focus on the figure coming toward them. Shoes hit the pavement in clipped measure and then stopped. Meanwhile, he couldn’t make out anything but a vague outline of this person with hands planted on her hips.

“Hi, Sean. I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you know who’s in charge here?” The voice was decidedly feminine, but it was also demanding, no-nonsense. 

“That would be him,” Sean said, clapping Matt on the back.

There was a hint of humor in Sean’s voice. Thanks, bro. Throw me to the shark lady.

He wiped more tears from his burning eyes, hoping for some relief. “Except I can’t see at the moment,” he mumbled.

“You don’t need to see to give me an update. Also, a timeline for finishing would be appreciated too.”

Gradually, his vision cleared enough for Carmen Navarro to come into view.

If her eyes weren’t narrowed to slits and a frown hadn’t turned the corners of her generous lips downward, Matt would say she was the prettiest female he’d seen in a long time. There was a messy knot of black hair squeezed into a rubber band at the nape of her neck like she’d run out of time or patience. His eyes betrayed him again and he looked down to press his fingers against his eyelids. He noted her shoes while he did, since they’d announced her arrival so clearly. Those expensive strappy things that everyone seemed to be wearing. Turquoise toenails too. 

Matt blinked, tears watering his cheeks. Despite the temporary handicap, he grinned. And he wasn’t blind enough to notice her checking out his current state of shirtlessness. 

“I’m waiting,” she said, looking the other way when he caught her.

Oh, she wasn’t fooling anyone.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)

About the Author


D.E. Malone writes sweet contemporary romance and is the author of the Hearts in Hendricks series. She also writes for middle grade audiences under Dawn Malone, and is the author of BINGO SUMMER and THE UPSIDE OF DOWN. Her work has also appeared in Highlights for Children, Pockets, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She loves traveling to places off the beaten path which inspire the small-town settings in her stories. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, volunteering with shelter dogs, and continuing her never-ending quest for the holy grail of bakeries.


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






Thursday, December 19, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: Dear Mr. Darcy by Sally Johnson #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/2rFUB9gDear Mr. Darcy
By Sally Johnson
Sweet Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 140 Pages
June 12th 2019 by Pink Bloom Publishing

Aspiring writer Alivia bombs her Regency novel pitch to hotshot acquisitions editor Will Wright and the result is mutual loathing. But when another publisher wants Alivia’s not-yet-written book in 8 weeks, Alivia panics. Luckily, online book doctor Dear Mr. Darcy is there to help.

Will Wright has big opinions and an even bigger ego. When he’s fired from the publishing house he once lorded over, he scrapes by using his Regency knowledge freelancing as Dear Mr. Darcy.

As they unwittingly work together on Alivia’s book, they begin bonding. Two unknowing enemies are about to become more than friends.

Check out a book trailer here.

(Affiliate link included.)

Excerpt

I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack. Or passing out. Or both. My nerves were shot, so I paced the hallway outside the intimidating double doors for my nine a.m. pitch session. 

“Alivia, seriously. Just breathe,” my roommate, Naomi, reminded me, which was easy for her to say. She wasn’t about to pitch her manuscript to an editor. She hadn’t been given an hour’s notice that a time slot had opened for a consultation. She didn’t have to convince an editor in ten minutes that her book was good enough for a publishing contract. I was so not ready. 

You’d have thought I’d be ready, considering I was on the waiting list for this pitch session, just in case. But I wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t even supposed to be at HEARWO. 

“I feel like good things are going to happen,” Naomi said. “I mean, the fact that we snagged this ticket means Fate is on your side.” Fate came in the form of someone from Naomi’s writing group who had a ticket to HEARWO but couldn’t go. So they were giving their ticket away. For free. And Naomi— being a fantastic friend and the proud owner of her own ticket— thought of me and seized the opportunity. What are friends for? 

“Thanks for believing in me.” I didn’t share her confidence. While Naomi knew she would publish someday, publishing was on my bucket list. Writing a book was also on my bucket list, I just hadn’t managed to do it. Yet. But the chance to attend HEARWO rekindled my interest. An advance from a publisher and royalties from a book could go a long way in repaying my student loans and even supplement my income as an adjunct professor at the local community college and substitute teacher for the school district. And that stupid payday loan I shouldn’t have taken. 

As for the pitch session itself, I was meeting with William D. Wright. I knew nothing about him, other than he was an acquisitions editor for some publishing house I didn’t recognize. What I did recognize was the name of the book he discovered: The Silent Invasion. It had been a bestseller three years before. 

“You’re going to kill it. I know it.” I channeled Naomi’s words. I squared my shoulders, closed my eyes, and practiced my presentation in my mind. I made notes because I hadn’t memorized my blurb. In fact, I didn’t really have a blurb or even a manuscript, for that matter. What I had was a couple of chapter drafts and an idea— the perfect idea. I figured if an agent accepted my pitch, I’d just write the book really, really quickly. 

Sally Johnson. Dear Mr. Darcy. Pink Bloom Publishing. 
Sally Johnson. Dear Mr. Darcy (Kindle Locations 101-113). Pink Bloom Publishing. 
Sally Johnson. Dear Mr. Darcy (Kindle Locations 95-101). Pink Bloom Publishing.

About the Author


Sally Johnson has wanted to write books since she was twelve years old. Now that she's *slightly* older, her dream has come true. She loves playing with her imaginary friends, shopping for vintage furniture, and has a collection of pretty notebooks she may or may not ever use. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband, four children and dog.


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






Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Christmas Bachelor Auction by Rachel John #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/2YGEkNrThe Christmas Bachelor Auction
(Matched by Mistake Book #2)
By Rachel John
Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella
ebook, 108 Pages
November 4th 2019

Bidding at a bachelor auction is just asking for trouble...

Cara Marconi promised to bid at her town’s charity bachelor auction, but never with any intention to win. So, when she accidentally bids too high and wins her best friend’s brother, she’s a little freaked out. Mostly because of that one time they kissed and never spoke of it again.

Justin Riggs was expecting to chaperone an old lady around town, not worry about hurting Cara when he leaves after Christmas. Of course, that’s not exactly how their conversation goes after the auction. He may have called her out on her crush on him … and added some other accusations that will live to haunt him forever. Now, Cara never wants to talk to him again, and he’s realizing too late that he’d like a lot more than her forgiveness.

Cara’s stuck. By winning a date with Justin, she’s also won the marketing headache that goes with it. As much as she’d like to Photoshop their heads together and call it good, the town expects to see them out together having fun. So, Cara has a plan. She'll friendzone the heck out of him, hide her heart where he can’t reach it, and conquer this crush by the time he leaves town.

Curl up with this sweet and sassy Christmas tale about mistaken motives and secrets revealed.

(Affiliate link included.)

Excerpt

Laurie and Cara were in the room next door, laughing hysterically about something. Justin was starting to think this auction was all part of a master plan to prank every single guy in town and see if they’d do their bidding.

Well, he had things to do. He’d promised Dad new photos of the gift shop, and now was as good a time as any. Justin picked up his camera bag and checked it before setting it by the door, put his shoes back on, and glanced around. His leather jacket, which had been hanging on the bed post earlier, was no longer there.

“Laurie?” he called out. “Did you take my jacket again? It’s three sizes too big for you, what is your prob—”

He stopped short as Cara came rushing in with it, promptly tripped over his camera bag, and fell into his arms. The jacket landed in a heap on the floor.

He held her up by her elbows, trying not to laugh. “Are you okay?”

She looked up at him with those big dark eyes of hers, and he felt his heart pick up speed. As soon as she had her balance, he released her and went to pick up his jacket.

“I didn’t kill your camera, did I?” she asked, turning to look at the bag she’d tripped over.

He kept it pretty well insulated, but he checked it anyway, just to have something to do besides think about Cara being in here with him. “It’s fine. Sorry I left it there for you to trip over.”

“You always did like to booby-trap your room,” she said with a grin.

He stared at the ceiling. “That was one time. I was twelve.”

She shrugged. “Well, using fishing line as a trip wire was sort of ingenious. If I’m ever caught in a Home Alone type situation, I’ll use it.”

“A Home Alone type situation? Where your family heads to France and two bumbling thieves show up at your house?”

She fought to keep a straight face. “Exactly. It could happen.”

Their laughter died out and he didn’t know where to look or what to do. He shouldn’t enjoy teasing her so much. She had such a great laugh.

“Where’s Laurie?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He still had the irrational fear that without a chaperone, Cara might try something, and he might like it as much as he had five years ago.

“Laurie’s in the bathroom. I saw your jacket on her bed so I thought I’d bring it to you.” As if sensing his discomfort, she immediately retreated back to Laurie’s room.

He picked up his camera bag and left, trying to put Cara out of his mind. Did she always have to be around?

Other Books in the Series

https://amzn.to/34aUQGwThe Stand-in Christmas Date
(Matched by Mistake Book #1)
By Rachel John
Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella
ebook, 75 Pages
December 11th 2018

She’s totally smitten. Too bad he thinks she’s someone else.

Alyssa Owens is used to getting talked into crazy things by her lookalike cousin, but pretending to be her so she doesn’t have to break a date is ridiculous. Reluctantly, she agrees to the scheme—spend twenty minutes with the guy, wear sunglasses to maintain the ruse, make sure he believes she’s interested so her cousin can have him back when she returns to town after New Year’s, then make an excuse to leave. At least, that was the plan.

It doesn’t take Wes Fielding long to figure out that this isn’t the same girl he met at a speed dating event. After all, as a cop, he’s trained to study faces. But if this isn’t her, who is it, and why does she have to be so funny and easy to talk to? To unravel the mystery, he decides to play along, but the more he gets to know her, the harder it is not to wish for a happy ending rather than the humiliating one they now face.

Curl up with this sweet Christmas romance about mistaken identity and unexpected chemistry.

(Affiliate link included.)

About the Author


Rachel John lives in Arizona with her husband and four kids. She's a terrible cook, but unfortunately for her family, she keeps trying. When she's not chauffeuring kids around, she loves to read, work on family history, and write swoony and sweet romances.


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






Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Spotlight & Giveaway: Santa Cam by Maria Hoagland #RomBks4Chris19

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

https://amzn.to/35jo87oSanta Cam
(A MyHeartChanel Romance)
By Maria Hoagland
Sweet Contemporary Romance
Hardcover & ebook, 206 Pages 
October 28th 2019 by Red Leaves Press

♥♥ The one behind the camera could be his best match yet. ♥♥

All professional soccer player Camden Sharpe wants for Christmas is to get home to Cobble Creek, Wyoming, for snow and family time. But when a brawl video surfaces online, Cam is forced to stay in Texas to clean up the public relations mess if he ever wants to get off the fans’ Naughty List. His manager-imposed community service lands Camden in a Santa suit surrounded by little kids with long lists of demands, but his attention is on his pretty elf assistant. He’s sure he’s seen her somewhere before, and he’s not convinced it was all that good.

Talia Thomas hopes Santa doesn’t recognize her. A lot of things in her life have changed since they butted heads a while back—including the trajectory of her career—and he has no idea he was the one who changed everything. Once a network reporter, Talia now runs MyHeartChannel Talia’s Truth Cam, but views are falling, advertisers are disappearing, and Talia’s excitement for her stories has frozen over. She’s tired of depressing news and shattered hearts, but it’s her job to tell the truth.

As Talia and Cam set out on a mission to convince the other the see the good in the world around them, they soon discover that only looking for the good sometimes means missing the truth that was right in front of them. Can Camden and Talia ever trust each other enough to move on from the mistakes of their past?

♥ If you love Hallmark channel Christmas movies, this full-length sweet romance novel will brighten your day any time of year! Always clean and wholesome, Maria Hoagland's books can be read as standalone, but often have character cameos from other books. Don't miss any of her uplifting collections of hears, homes, and happily ever afters! ♥♥

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Excerpt

Pulling back the curtain, he watched thick flakes swirl through the light of the streetlamp in front of his house. At least a couple of inches had accumulated—not bad for a place where he hadn’t expected to ever see snow. He itched to go out in it, but it wouldn’t be fun alone.

He found the number in his contacts and called, hoping Talia had her phone on do not disturb if it was too late for him to be calling. She answered on the second ring.

“Are you afraid of the little storm, Cam?” she crooned before he could say hello.

Point for her. Her spunkiness was exactly why he liked spending time with her. “Do you have an early morning?”

“No . . .” She drew it out, slowly enunciating the word. “Why?” she followed up quickly.

He ignored her question. “How adventurous are you feeling?”

“Why?” This time she asked with more suspicion. While she didn’t exactly answer, at least this time she sounded a little more eager.

“Put on your snow boots and parka. I’m coming over.” He was going to make an order, but decided he ought not to leave it there. “Okay?”

“But it’s snowing . . .”

The unspoken sentiment was that she was worried about him driving and getting in an accident. He’d grown up driving in this kind of weather. “That’s the whole point. And why I suggested boots and a coat.” If that was her only objection, he wasn’t going to let that keep him from coming. “I’ll see you in a few.”

Getting out the door took more work than he’d planned. First, Cam had to dig through a few boxes to locate the appropriate winter attire. While looking, he ran back and forth to the stove, throwing together a thermos-ful of his mom’s hot chocolate. As long as he didn’t scald it while scrounging for matching gloves, it would be a nice addition to the evening he had planned.

Dressed in normal winter clothes but with a Santa cap on his head, Cam knocked on Talia’s door just before midnight. She opened to him, pulling on her knit cap and stepping outside.

She rushed to the balcony railing and put gloved hands in the puff of accumulated precipitation to look over it. “It’s so beauti—”

He didn’t let her finish her statement before he blasted her in the back with a snowball he’d had behind his back. It exploded like a bombshell, the white of the snow stark against her black coat, and she laughed, scooping snow from the railing for a retaliatory snowball. She wound up and let loose, and the ball hit him square in the chest, tiny ice shards ricocheting onto his face.

“I was going to thank you for driving over here in this.” Her tone teasingly insinuated she no longer felt that way. She scooted farther down the landing, capturing more snow but never taking her eyes off Camden. “But I know why you came now.”

“Is that right?” He tossed a handful of snow in her general direction, but it didn’t go higher than their waists and then floated like pixie dust onto her boots.

They sparred down three flights of stairs, and only once did he need to reach out to keep her from slipping down several steps. They made their way across the first-floor walkway, tossing half-formed snowballs at each other and trying to keep quiet so they wouldn’t wake anyone in the apartments. When they made it into the open lawn, however, she slammed him with a good one at the base of his neck, and snow fell down the back of his coat.

“Just for that . . .” He lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her around. If there’d been more than the inch or two, he would have dragged her to the ground, but as it was, everywhere they scraped snow away left soggy mud.

She strained against him for half a second, but when he loosened his grasp, she grabbed him around the arms, pinning them to his sides, and jostled him back and forth as he had her. Her mischievous smile was inches from his, and without thinking, he leaned forward until her lips were under his.

He hadn’t actually planned this, had not come with this intent in mind, but there she was, laughing and happy and oh so beautiful in the moonlight.

About the Author


Maria Hoagland writes about hearts, homes, and happily ever afters. Known for her fun and flirty sweet romance and women's fiction, Maria's novels make great book club choices. She's published over a dozen books including two Whitney Award finalists, and has no plans to stop writing any time soon. She is a member of the Storymakers Guild and Indie Author Hub, and is currently serving as the Chair for the Storymakers board of directors.


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