Spotlight: Tricking Christmas by Shanna Hatfield

Publication date: November 30th 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Synopsis:

Will an innocent offer of help lead two obstinate hearts along the road to love?

Truitt Lucas is the guy who brings laughter wherever he goes and refuses to take life too seriously. Beneath his carefree exterior, though, he yearns for more adventure and excitement than he’ll find working on the family ranch alongside his cousin and grandmother. When the opportunity arises to assist a trick rider, Truitt eagerly lends a hand. However, he soon finds himself drawn to the perplexing woman who barely tolerates him.

Jolee Judson is living her dream as a trick rider on the rodeo circuit, using her lifelong passion for horses and gymnastics to wow the crowds. But when her partner unexpectedly abandons her, Jolee is just desperate enough to accept a good-natured cowboy’s offer to help. Fascinated and infuriated by Truitt and his shenanigans, Jolee struggles against her growing feelings for him. Falling for Truitt could spell disaster for her future and derail everything she’s worked for.

Can the two of them find common ground where trust is earned and love becomes a cherished gift?

A sweet holiday novel full of the magic of Christmas, Tricking Christmas brims with small-town humor, heartwarming moments, and wholesome romance.

Excerpt

Obviously insulted, two twin lines created furrows between his eyebrows. “I’m not doing this for the money, Jolee.” He scoffed at her and swirled the ice around in his tea glass.

“Then, why are you offering to save my bacon, so to speak, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Truitt shrugged. “Because you’re a good person, Jolee Judson, and you’ve worked hard to establish your act with a sterling reputation. You’ve always been the driving force behind it. Amy even said as much. It’s not fair that you’ve been put into a bind because your partner quit without any notice.”

“Amy had a good reason. She needs to be with her family.”

“She does, but I got the idea she’s had one foot out the door for a while. She mentioned last time we spoke about going back to school to become a veterinarian.”

Shock widened Jolee’s eyes. “I had no idea she was considering it. I think she’ll do great in that field, though. She loves animals.”

“She does.” Truitt took the last bacon tot from the bag. “Dibs on the last one.” He popped it in his mouth, drained his glass, and stood. Once again, the trailer felt cramped by his presence.

Jolee wondered if it was his large personality as much as his muscular physique that made the space seem smaller.

“I better get going. I promised Troy I’d help him with a few farrier jobs he’s got lined up. Do you want me to try to perform with you tonight or during this rodeo?”

“No. Let’s leave things as they are this week, although I wouldn’t mind if you had time to help set out props.”

“Sure. Troy and I are scheduled to rope in the slack tomorrow afternoon, but I can help you out during your performances. Just let me know what you need, honey.”

Jolee bristled as Truitt opened the door and stepped outside. When he turned to face her, his smile melted faster than the ice cream cone she’d attempted to eat the previous afternoon. She’d heard Truitt call babies in diapers, old women with walkers, and females of every size, shape, color, and age in between “honey.” And she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“You will not ever, under any circumstance, call me ‘honey,’” she commanded in a tone dripping frost despite the heat already surging outside. “Understood?”

“Yes, ho—Yes, ma’am.” Truitt ducked his head, but she caught the hint of his smile.

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About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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Spotlight: Babies in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann

(Twinkle Falls, #4)

Publication date: November 28th 2023

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Kylee Croft finds herself pregnant and alone as an only child of her deceased parents. Her father died soon after her birth, and her mother recently passed. With her grandparents also deceased, all that’s left of the family she’d known were photos…or so she thought.

Uncovering the biggest secret of her mother’s life, Kylee leaves the idyllic town of Chantilly, France for Twinkle Falls, Vermont in hopes of finding the family she never knew existed.

Soon after arriving, she becomes friends with her handsome co-worker, Trace Holberg, a single dad raising twin boys by himself.

As Kylee and Trace’s relationship grows, she forges a friendship with Bridgette Dupont, the woman who gave her a job when she desperately needed one. She’s the same woman Kylee believes to be the sister she never knew about, and the daughter of a father who’s very much alive.

Will Bridgette and her father accept the news Kylee believes to be the truth, or will her hopes and dreams of a new family be shattered?

Excerpt

(Trace and Kylee)

A squeal from the passenger’s seat pulls me back to the present just as we turn down the street to the hospital. Glancing at Kylee, she looks pale with moisture on her forehead.

I push on the accelerator. “Talk to me babe. Are the pains getting worse?”

Grunting, she rapidly nods. “It—uhhh!” She grabs her lower abdomen after another gut-wrenching squeal rings out.

“Whatever you do, don’t push. We’re almost there, Kylee.” I caress her shoulder and feel the heat from her feverish body.

Tears steadily flow when she bends forward holding her belly with both arms. “Something’s wrong.” Fighting a sob, she says, “I—I think I’m bleeding.”

“Maybe your water broke,” I say, trying to calm Kylee as well as my own fears. “We’ll be there in less than a minute, baby.”

“It’s not my water.”

With both hands on the wheel, I yell, “Hey, Siri, call the hospital ER.” I programmed the number in my phone after I became a single father knowing I might need it one day.

“Twinkle Falls Emergency Room,” a curt female voice answers.

“Any minute, I’ll be approaching the emergency room doors with a woman in labor. She’s feverish and may be hemorrhaging. Get a stretcher out here, now!”

“Uh, yes sir, right away.”

When the phone clicks, I carefully take the last curve leading me into the parking lot of the Emergency Department. Pulling to the curb, two men come running through the electric doors with a gurney rolling between them.

Jumping out, I meet them at the passenger’s door, flinging it open. They lock the wheels while I scoop Kylee up in my arms, gently laying her on top of the stretcher as they begin belting her to it. That’s when I see her blood smeared across my right forearm and on the sheets below her.

As I stare at the blood on my arm, I get tingly when one of the men grabs ahold of my shoulder. “Hey, she’ll be okay; let’s get her inside.” The three of us take off running through the doors and down the hallway to a large room just past the nurses’ station.

“What’s her name?” One of them asks.

“Kylee. Kylee Croft.”

“How old is she?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Is this her first child?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know her blood type?”

“Yeah, um…it’s O positive.”

A nurse is already in the room when they roll her inside, attaching what looks like an IV bag to the pole at the head of the hospital bed. Three more nurses rush in, one pushing an incubator against the wall near the foot of the bed.

While they remove the belts and lift Kylee onto the mattress, a woman wearing a doctor’s coat ushers me closer to the door asking, “Is this your wife?”

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“We’re going to need some information from you so we can treat her. I need you to come with me and let the nurses do their job.”

“No, I can’t leave her, she’s scared.”

“I’m Doctor Stringfield. What’s your name?” She holds my gaze until I answer.

“Trace, Trace Holburg.”

“Well, Mr. Holburg, we need to contact her OB-GYN for her medical history, as well as the baby’s pediatrician, and we need to do this now. My nurses will take excellent care of her; nevertheless, we need critical information before we can treat her and the baby, you understand?”

Raking my hand over my head, I nod. “Yes, I understand, though someone needs to stay with her. She gets pretty nervous in hospitals ever since her mom died.”

“I promise you she won’t be alone, not in her condition. We need to stabilize her, and that’s why you need to come with me to fill out some forms and make the necessary phone calls.”

Before leaving, I walk close enough for Kylee to see me. “I won’t be far, baby. I need to do some paperwork, and then I’ll be back, I promise.”

When one of the nurses blocks my view, I yell, “Stay strong, Kylee.”

(End of Excerpt)

Copyright © 2023 by Freda Ann

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form.

No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment and is a work of fiction. All names, people, places, incidents, events are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people (living or dead), businesses, places or events is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

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About the Author

Freda was born in southern New Jersey but grew up in Florida. She has loved writing her entire life. After retiring from a career in law enforcement, she knew it was time to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a published author.

She's the author of The Hawaii Series, proudly named from her love of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. It's a three-book series with all of them written as standalone books.

Freda loves her large family, horses, dogs, cat, and close friends. She hosts monthly family dinners at her home in the country, which she shares with her husband.

She loves baking (she owned and operated a cupcake business for years), cooking, yoga, crocheting, nature and traveling with the love of her life.

What helps her write? Music makes her happy! If music doesn't give her the right motivation, she puts on a romantic movie, usually from the Hallmark Channel, which she can't get enough of!

Freda speaks her mind and pushes perfection to its limit. She strives to be her best, most positive self she can be in life. With time, determination, and practice, she believes anything is possible.

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Spotlight: Sealed with a Kiss by Willow Winters & Amelia Wilde

We made a deal… one I thought I’d never make.

I’m trying not to judge myself but it’s a bit shameful.

Rent was due and I simply didn’t have it. I love the big city and I’ve done everything I could to make it. But after a rough few years, a break up that nearly destroyed me, and a personal issue that I just can’t talk about… I’m broke and hit rock bottom.

Then there’s Graham.

Richer than most could ever imagine, devilishly handsome with a charming smile, and a sparkle in his eyes that I swear is just for me.

He owns the building and now, once a month when the rent is due… he gets a piece of me I can’t believe I agreed to give.

His lips on mine are addictive and the way he groans my name in pleasure is scorched into my memory.

We sealed it with a kiss and I’m all too aware that the next rock bottom for me will lead to nothing but despair and a broken heart.

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About the Author

Meet Willow Winters:

I started writing after having my little girl, Evie, December of 2015. All during my pregnancy with her I read. I only wanted to read romance novels and I read everything I could get my hands on. I would read a book a day — sometimes two. In January I was staying up late with her and just thinking of all these stories. They came to me constantly. I finally sat down and just started writing. I always wanted to do it so I figured, why not?

I never thought I would reach this point of success to be honest. It’s insane to me that I have connected with so many readers.

And I love each and every one of them for all of their support. I’ll be honest, some days are HARD. I have my littles during the day and I write at night. Some days are just simply exhausting and then I hear from a reader and it motivates me to push through and keep writing.  I couldn’t be more grateful for this wonderful career. For more information, visit https://www.willowwinterswrites.com/

Keep up with Willow Winters and receive your FREE copy of one of her books when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://bit.ly/3KmNQ13

Connect with Willow Winters: wwinters@willowwinterswrites.com

Meet Amelia Wilde:

Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.

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To learn more about Amelia Wilde & her books, visit here!

Connect with Amelia Wilde: https://awilderomance.com/about/

Spotlight: The Wonder of It All: A House of Falconer Novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford

From New York Times bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford comes the long-anticipated final novel in the House of Falconer trilogy.

James Falconer—a tycoon and a self-made man—seems to have the world in the palm of his hand. But the Great War looms, and James decides to fight for king and country. The fighting is bloody and brutal, and James returns a changed man, with wounds both physical and mental. His beloved wife is dead, but a new woman returns to help nurse him back to health.

Georgiana Ward once held James in her thrall, but years have passed and bitterness has set in. Still, the old attraction is there and James is determined to make amends to both Georgiana and his child Leonie—now a grown woman and someone he hasn't seen in decades. Leonie is having none of it, and is embarking on a dangerous journey with a man who might very well destroy her. As James fights to return to the man he once was, he needs to find a way to heal his body, soul, and family.

Told with Barbara Taylor Bradford's inimitable style and flair for period detail, The Wonder of It All concludes House of Falconer trilogy that has followed the story of this remarkable family from Victorian times to the 20th century.

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Spotlight: Once Upon a Charming Bookshop by Heatherly Bell

(Charming, Texas, #6)

Published by: Harlequin Special Edition

Publication date: November 28th 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Synopsis:

Time to rewrite their story?

He’d always simply been her best friend. But when Noah Cahill moved back to town, bookstore owner Twyla Thompson knew something was different. Was it holiday memories of the loss they’d both shared or Noah’s surprising decision to reignite a dangerous career? Their solid friendship had been through so much, yet now Twyla grew breathless every time Noah was near. Why wasn’t Noah—handsome, fun, but never one to cross the line—showing any signs of stopping?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Charming, Texas

Book 1: Winning Mr. Charming

Book 2: The Charming Checklist

Book 3: A Charming Christmas Arrangement

Book 4: A Charming Single Dad

Book 5: A Charming Doorstep Baby

Book 6: Once Upon a Charming Bookshop

Excerpt

She took the opportunity to grab the remote. “Well, let’s fast forward and watch evil Hans fall off the Nakatomi building. That’s your favorite part.”

“Great special effects. He actually looks like he’s falling.”

“I know. He was such a great actor.”

“But we’re starting from the beginning.” Noah reached for the remote and lowered himself to the floor with his back leaning against the couch, then pressed play. “Hey, do I…um…”

There was a pause. Too long of a pause. “Do you what?”

“Confide in you too much?”

“What’s too much? We’re best friends. I’ve known you for half my life.”

“Okay. So, it doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it bother me?”

There were already lines they wouldn’t cross. She and Noah were both private about stuff you wouldn’t necessarily share. They had achieved, in her opinion, the perfect balance. Were there times when she shared more with him than a partner? Sure, yes, but that was only reasonable given their closeness.

“I had a feeling I was wrong about this.”

But rather than seem happy, he looked disappointed.

“Wrong?”

Twyla felt a pinch of dread squeeze between her ribs. Since the moment he’d returned, she understood on a bone deep level that he wasn’t telling her something. This thing, whatever it was, was bigger than his breakup. Bigger than a decision to go after his dream.

And every time she saw him it felt like that tiny thing had grown larger between them.

“Don’t worry.” Noah patted the empty space next to him. “Some people are trying to mess with me.”

The movie had started, and Bruce Willis now carried an enormous teddy bear off the plane and met his driver. It was difficult for Twyla to focus.

Something had rattled Noah.

She plopped down and grabbed a handful of popcorn. “Who’s messing with you? Finn?”

“No.” Noah scowled. “Why are we talking about him?”

“Did he say you and I are too close? I shouldn’t have asked you to fix me up with Finn. That was stupid.”

“You’re right. That was stupid.”

“Why was it stupid?”

He cocked his head, observing her as if studying a strange phenomenon. “You just said so.”

“Well, I can say that. But why would you say it?”

He closed his eyes and rubbed the middle of his forehead. “God, help me.”

“Honestly, is there something fundamentally wrong with me? Why is it so stupid that me and Finn could be a thing? He’s single. I’m also single.”

“It’s because…” Noah’s eyes were strangely focused on her now, as if there was nothing else in the room. No TV on in the background with Bruce Willis making his way into his screen wife’s boisterous office Christmas party. “Well, Finn…is… He’s still hung up on someone.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, so it wouldn’t work because he can’t stop thinking about this other woman.”

“Well, that’s a good reason.”

“He thinks about her all the time. Day and night. It’s…ridiculous.” Noah rubbed between his eyebrows and looked genuinely worried for Finn.

“Gosh, don’t be so hard on him,” Twyla whispered. “It happens.”

“Yeah. Okay. I won’t be.” Noah squeezed her hand, like he always did. A little pat of reassurance.

But this time, his hand lingered on hers even as he put his attention toward watching the movie.

Twyla lost what little focus she had, though she tried to follow along. Easy to do since they’d watched this movie dozens of times.

She was afraid to speak or even breathe.

Noah practically recited certain lines verbatim. Twyla winced when the elevator doors opened, and a dead man appeared wrapped in lights and wearing a Santa hat.

“This is not a Christmas movie,” she said, shaking her head.

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About the Author

Bestselling author Heatherly Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama but lost her accent by the time she was two. After leaving Alabama, Heatherly lived with her family in Puerto Rico and Maryland before being transplanted kicking and screaming to the California Bay Area. She now loves it here, she swears. Except the traffic. 

Over 200,000 copies of Heatherly's books have been sold, many of them translated into two languages. 

Heatherly also writes sweet and wholesome books under the pen name of Maria Michaels. She is represented by Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency.

Luke’s unwavering loyalty to Lexi and her family gives this sweet romance unexpected integrity ...Readers looking for a tender romance that leans more toward the emotional than the physical will find this very satisfying." ~ Publishers Weekly/Booklife review on Country Gold.

"Heatherly Bell writes romance that will capture your heart." ~ Marina Adair, New York Times bestselling author. 

"What a thoroughly delightful story. I adored it." ~ Lori Wilde, New York Times bestselling author on Lucky Cowboy. 

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Cover Reveal: A Misfortune of Lake Monsters by Nicole M. Wolverton

Publication date: July 2nd 2024

Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Synopsis:

When Legends Bite Back . . .

Lemon Ziegler wants to escape rural Devil’s Elbow, Pennsylvania to attend college–but that’s impossible now that she’s expected to impersonate the town’s lake monster for the rest of her life. Her family has been secretly keeping the legend of Old Lucy, the famed (and very fake) lake monster of Lake Lokakoma, alive for generations, all to keep the tourists coming. Without Lemon, the town dies, and she can’t disappoint her grandparents . . . or tell her best friends about any of it. That includes Troy Ramirez, who has been covertly in love with Lemon for years, afraid to ruin their friendship by confessing his feelings. When a very real and very hungry monster is discovered in the lake, secrets must fall by the wayside, though. Determined to stop the monster, Lemon and her best friends are the only thing standing between Devil’s Elbow and a monster out for blood.

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About the Author

Nicole M. Wolverton is a Pushcart-nominated writer in the Philadelphia area. Her debut YA horror novel A MISFORTUNE OF LAKE MONSTERS is forthcoming in 2024 (CamCat Books), and she is the author of THE TRAJECTORY OF DREAMS (Bitingduck Press, 2013) and editor of BODIES FULL OF BURNING (Sliced Up Press, 2021). Her short stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in dozens publications as well.

Find her online at www.nicolewolverton.com.

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20829881.Nicole_M_Wolverton