A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson

A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson is a lovely novella for all ages. Look at that amazing cover! Adelaide Smith is grew up with a single mom in America. She has worked herself through law school living month to month. All of that changes when the country of Montovia writes her to say she is the direct descendant of the King. She travels to Montovia before Christmas.

This beautiful fairytale like story completely charmed me. The story told in the point of view of Adelaide allows us to live the excitement of visiting Montovia through her eyes. What a delight to have a heroine who is smart, kind and has inner beauty. The imaginary country of Montovia was a beautiful setting with wonderful mountains, charming Christmas festivals and a picturesque castle. The story includes mystery, romance, and endearing characters.

This is the perfect story to warm your heart this Christmas season. You will want to travel to Montovia after reading. I am a big fan of Melody Carlson’s Christmas novellas and highly recommend A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Melody Carlson was born March 2, 1956 in San Francisco, California. She grew up in Springfield, Oregon and went to Springfield High School and later Lane Community College. She currently resides in Sisters, Oregon. Some of her novels are being adapted for TV and film, including All Summer Long, which premiered for Hallmark Channel in August 2019.   Some of her most popular works are the Diary of a Teenage Girl, the True Colors Series series, The Happy Camper, and Christmas at Winter Hill. She has written more than 250 books for women and teens and children. 
 

Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch is a marvelous, clean, regency romance. Michael Bromley, Duke of Woriton, is not impressed with society and neither is society impressed by him. He relishes working his lab and making his staff and others go away. Elizabeth “Bitsy” Dockering, third daughter of a viscount, is the darling of the ton. She is kind to everyone and her company much sought after. They both happen to be taking care of large poodles when they meet in the park.


I loved this wonderful, slow burn, opposites attract romance. The story was filled with humor, Regency balls, and interesting historical facts. The dual POV between the Duke and Bitsy, their banter, and how they worked to together to solve a dognapping drew me in. Bitsy was a delight and I found myself wanting to join the rest of London by trying to be her friend too! I was intrigued by the well researched science experiments executed by the Duke of Woriton


Every Duke Has His Day was a pleasure to read. I laughed out loud, enjoyed immersing myself in Regency London, and appreciated the slow burn. I highly recommend Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch.

A lifelong lover of books, Suzanne Enoch has been writing them since she learned to read. She is the author of two well-received traditional Regencies, 24 and counting England-set Historical Romances, four contemporary Romantic Suspense novels, and a growing number of Scottish Highlands Historical Romances including the October 2016 release of HERO IN THE HIGHLANDS (Book One in the No Ordinary Hero trilogy).

A native and current resident of Southern California, Suzanne lives with a green parakeet named Kermit, some very chirpy finches, and a small army of Star Wars figures (including a life-size Yoda). Her books regularly appear on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and when she's not busily working on her next book or staging fights with action figures, she likes to read, play video games, and go to the movies with her large and supportive village

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

 You Make It Feel like Christmas by Toni Shiloh is a wonderful Christmas story.  Starr is one of five kids and she is coming home for the holidays.  She has not told her family that she has recently lost her job in New York, and she also will be attending  her sister’s wedding to her ex-boyfriend.  Waylon Emmerson has been her older brother’s friend and now owns a Christmas Shop that could use her expertise. They reconnect at Thanksgiving. 

This had all the feels for me. It as fun to watch Starr and Waylon’s relationship grow beyond friendship. I enjoyed Waylon’s one liners, watching them both figure out what they really want in for a delightful setting. Starr’s sibling and parents were great secondary characters and I enjoyed the family dynamics. 

The themes of family, valuing sibling relationships, and figuring out what matters most resonated with me.  The faith part of this book was  well done. It was not preachy, but genuine.  Starr and Waylon’s chats with God added to the book.    

This is a lovely Christmas story that has all the feels. I highly recommend You Make it Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh.

I was give a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.  

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, In Search of a Prince, won the first ever, Christy Amplify award. Her novel, Her Christmas Redemption, was a 2023 Selah Award winner. Other novels that have finaled in past awards are Grace Restored, Risking Love, The Truth About Fame, The Price of Dreams, An Unlikely Alliance, and To Win a Prince. You can learn more about Toni at http://tonishiloh.com.

Cover Reveal for Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner

 I am so excited to share about Natalie Jenner's new book Every Time We Say Goodbye.  The story publishes May 14, 2024 which will be here with the tulips before we know it.  The new cover is so beautiful and elegant. Keep scrolling to learn more and see the new cover.  

A MESSAGE FROM AUTHOR NATALIE JENNER

Hello Dear Readers,

Every Time We Say Goodbye was the hardest book I will ever write, and the most rewarding.

It all started when I learned about the world-famous Cinecittà movie studio in Rome being used as a war refugee camp in the 1940s. People who had been stripped of everything—homes, possessions, even their most basic humanity—suddenly found themselves confined to life inside a “dream factory.” I decided to set my third novel during a very specific, very cool time in history—la dolce vita of mid 1950s Rome—while exploring the incredibly complex and haunting legacy of that city under German occupation during the Second World War.

I also wanted to know why Vivien Lowry, a character from my book Bloomsbury Girls, had been so angry all the time! I wondered if a woman could make the biggest mistake of her life and move past the regret in a way that benefitted her and the world around her. I never intended to write a dual timeline. I had been working on Every Time We Say Goodbye for nearly a year when the voice of a young female Italian resistance fighter codenamed la scolaretta—the schoolgirl assassin—suddenly showed up on the page one day. Having witnessed the bravery and sacrifice of so many to keep us safe during our world’s most recent challenge, I wanted to pay tribute to them. How fortunate am I, through the intimate and emotional power of historical fiction, to have the opportunity to do so.

I packed everything I could into this book: love and conflict, faith and religion, censorship and resistance, art and moviemaking, fashion and food, and cameos by favorite actresses such as Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner and characters from both The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls (I, myself am terrible at goodbyes!). 

I hope, more than anything, that Every Time We Say Goodbye gives readers the entertainment, inspiration and food for thought that nourished me throughout its writing.

Best wishes, Natalie

The amazing cover!  

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.

In 1955, Vivien Lowry is at a crossroads in life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Vivien's last chance for theatrical success. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. There she finds a vibrant moviemaking scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeate the very soul of Italy.

As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also searches for the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the fate of her deceased fiancé lost in battle. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a bold and moving exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.

(Every Time We Say Goodbye is linked to The Jane Austen Society, & Bloomsbury Girls by characters, but is a stand-alone novel.)

PURCHASE LINKS 

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Book Details 

·         Title: Every Time We Say Goodbye: A Novel

·         Author: Natalie Jenner 

·         Genre: Historical Fiction

·         Publisher: St. Martin's Press (May 14, 2024)

·         Length: (336) pages

·         Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook

·         ISBN: 978-1250285188

AUTHOR BIO

Natalie Jenner is the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls, which have been translated into more than twenty languages worldwide. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer and career coach and once owned an independent bookstore in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs.

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He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

  Click here for Tina Radcliffe's  Book Giveaway!

He Should Have Told The Bees by Amanda Cox is a thoughtful and wonderful read. Beckett Walsh loves living on her family farm and taking care of the animals and bees. She has lived there with her father her whole life. Callie Peterson feel like she is finally having her dreams come true after she bought her new shop. She has spent years with a mother who could not take care of herself let alone her daughter. The two women meet for the first time when they find out they are co-owners of a trust of the Walsh family farm.

WOW! The author has the gift of expertly walking you through a character’s life in such a way that you feel like you know the characters personally by the end of the story. I cheered for each character as they worked through their issues, cried for all they had experienced, and watched as their brokenness was woven into a beautiful redeemed story.

The mental health issues of the characters were handled with gentleness and you were able to see the characters growth through therapy and the support of families and friends. The character’s faith was well done, a natural part of the story, and not preachy. The life cycle of the bees on the farm was expertly layered into the story and brought such interest and depth.

This is a beautiful redemption story that will stay with me. It was a pleasure to read. I highly recommend He Should Have Told the Bees.

I was given a copy of the story and not required to write a positive review.

TW: rape, anxiety, abandonment, and childhood trauma.

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 17 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.)

Giveaway for The Cowboy Bargain by Tina Radcliffe

 

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Review:  The Cowboy Bargain by Tina Radcliffe is the second in the Lazy M Ranch series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. Sam Morgan hoped to never see his ex-fiance again after she left shortly before his wedding, but especially not as his new renter. Olivia did not think she would ever come back to Homestead Pass let alone to open a store and restaurant on Sam’s property.

We have too much history to walk away from our friendship, Liv. Let’s work on being friends again.

There are few things better than a good second chance story, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Sam and Oliva are characters I grew to love. I enjoyed watching their hearts change, how they forgave themselves and each other, and become who they were destined to be. The town of Homestead Pass is full of interesting people who gave this story some color and made it a joy to read. The author has written wonderful banter between the main characters and their respective families. I found myself smiling and laughing out loud as I read.

The Cowboy Bargain was a delight to read and I enjoyed another visit to Homestead Pass. The author’s writing is charming, insightful, and a joy to read. I look forward to book three in this series. I highly recommend.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.  

I am thrilled to be facilitating a giveaway for TWO copies of the Cowboy Bargain. Thank you Tina for your generosity!   Please enter the Rafflecopter below. 

Publishers Weekly bestselling author Tina Radcliffe hails from Western New York. She left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany, and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While living in Tulsa, she spent ten years as a Certified Oncology R.N. before heading to Colorado as a library cataloger.

A freelance writer for over thirty years, Tina is a Romance Writer of America and American Christian Fiction Writers Honor Roll member.
Tina is also a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. She is a four-time ACFW Carol Award finalist and a three-time ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist. ​Her Harlequin books have won the ACFW Carol Award and the Holt Medallion. She has placed or won over thirty-five RWA chapter-affiliated contests in her career. As a short story writer, she has sold over forty short romances to Woman’s World Magazine.

​Tina is a member of Romance Writers of America, the American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime, Arizona Mystery Writers, and Grand Canyon Writers. A popular workshop speaker, she currently lives in Arizona, where she writes fun, heartwarming romances, and cozy mysteries.

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What Would Jane Austen Do? by Linda Corbett

What Would Jane Austen Do? By Linda Corbett is a pure delight for anyone who loves Jane Austen and/or romantic comedies. Maddy Shaw is a journalist who just lost her job. She is a lover of all things Jane Austen. She does her last interview with grumpy author Cameron Massey on Valentine’s Day. He is far from cordial. She inherits a country home and must stay for a year, and thinks she sees him close by. Where will this take us?

This was the perfect read for me with lovely banter, Jane Austen quotes opening each chapter, sweet romance, and a touch of mystery and humor. Maddy like all Jane Austen heroines changes and grows throughout the story. Cameron brings in a touch of reality and transforms as well. I loved visiting Cotlington, England and imagined myself taking long walks into town and meeting the residents who were delightful and funny throughout the story. As a huge Jane Austen fan the references and quotes from her books made this a fabulous story.

This delightful read will amuse you with the Austen references, great banter, and small town English setting. I highly recommend What Would Jane Austen Do by Linda Corbett.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.  

PRAISE FOR WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?

· “Witty, sharp and beautifully observed – I feel sure Jane would approve.”— Julie Caplin, author of The French Chateau


· “Sparkling romance, secrets from the past…Witty and romantic, I couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages.”— Alison Sherlock, bestselling author of The Village of Lost and Found


· “…sheer fun from beginning to end, beautifully written, and with a real touch of originality.”— Anne Williams, Being Anne

· “What a lovely book! It also fills my need to see British colloquialisms on occasion. Yes! I highly recommend this book!”— Michelle, Tales Untangled

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | HARPERCOLLINS | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer and fundraiser for Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. Love You From A-Z is her first published novel.

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All's Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

 

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon is a wonderful read, even in August. Mackenzie and Jeremy work together at InDesign. Their boss has told them they are both up for a promotion and she will decide before Christmas after judging their performance. She is known for choosing people who have the most Christmas spirit for promotions. Let the games begin!

"It’s the something special that happens when Jack Frost nips at your nose and when the nostalgia of music played only one time of year harmonizes with the Salvation Army bell ringers to bring a perfect pitch to the world’s favorite holiday!"

To me this was so much more than a Hallmark Christmas story. I felt the characters were my friends by the end of the story as I was able to walk through life with them. I enjoyed the banter, humor, and how the story had depth and compassion. The author’s portrayal of social anxiety was so well done, and gives insight to the reader.

"Someone show me how to backstroke, please, before I drown in my thoughts, made-up scenarios, and uncharted, confused feelings. "

The Christmas competition was endearing and kept the story not too heavy. The themes of friendship, faithfulness and walking with someone through hard times resonated with me. This is the Christmas book you do not want to miss. I very highly recommend All’s Fair in Love and Christmas.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

​​Winner of the Holt Medallion and Selah Award, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain's wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her.