Christmas with Cameron Stinking Miller by Martha Fouts

Our Christmas decorations are packed away and not accessible, and I really needed a Christmas backdrop for this book.  So, I decided to bring Christmas with Cameron Stinking Miller to Costco with me as I knew they would have some decorations out.  I had my husband stand watch as I took pictures with the most accessible Christmas decorations I could find. I must admit I am pleased with the results, and Costco has not revoked my membership. (I heard they can do that if you have too many returns)   

Christmas with Cameron Stinking Miller by Martha Fouts tells the story of Hannah Orwell and  Cameron Miller  who grew up together at the same church.   Hannah has just come back to town to host the Morning show Rise and Shine and connects with Cameron the middle school football coach.  They are both roped in, I mean asked to help with the annual Christmas play by Maureen, their pastor’s wife. 

Our story follows Hannah and Cameron as they untangle the hurts of their past to build a new future together.  I enjoyed their alternating points of views, text messages, and stories from elementary and middle school sprinkled throughout the book.   It was a pleasure to watch the characters change and grow with the backdrop of the town of Cool Springs and the Christmas play.  

This is a memorable Christmas story that  weaves in themes of redemption, love, and caring for your neighbor.  I am adding this to the category of classic Christmas stories that I read every year at Christmas like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!   I highly recommend Christmas with Cameron Stinking Miller by Martha Fouts. 

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

Martha Fouts and her husband, Kevin, are the lead pastors of Discovery Church in Yukon, Oklahoma. They are blessed with stinky socks, a huge grocery bill, a car filled with sports equipment, lots of noise, and everything else that life with three teenage sons brings. In the current season, Martha’s life is loud, busy, and chaotic, and she reminds herself daily that decades ago doctors told her that these children of hers would never exist – then she praises the Lord for her messy home!

Martha is also a high school English teacher. She loves helping students discover a love for reading and writing, and she’s the type of teacher that students can easily veer off topic by getting her to talk about books. She is passionate about writing and has written novels and Bible studies. In her free time, her favorite thing to do is sit outside with a cup of coffee and her laptop and write devotionals, Christian fiction, and sweet romances. Her favorite books are those that blend romance and humor and point people to Jesus.

My Own Best Enemy by Julie Christenson

 “Emi’s good with words.  I’m an action guy.  Oil and Vinegar.  Not Salad dressing.”

My Own Best Enemy by Julie Christenson is a delightful romcom!  The story is the second in the Apple Valley series, but is definitely a stand alone novel. Emi and Nash, the main characters, are two people that I connected with and enjoyed getting to know.   I loved their alternating points of view throughout the book and how they both were introspective of their own lives as they walked through challenging events.  It was refreshing to see how they changed over time. 

I enjoyed my time in Apple Valley, and look forward to book three.  The author weaves in the funniest scenes from kick-boxing classes to wedding planning as Nash and Emi discover what it means to forgive themselves and each other. These  delightfully flawed characters bring their own joy, quirks, and introspection to the story to make this a great read. I recommend it.   

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

Born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Julie Christianson loves her hilarious family, three crazy rescue dogs, and laughing at her own jokes.

She dreamed of being an author the first time she held a crayon, and she became a published novelist back in 2016. Last summer, after the library where she worked closed, Julie decided to shift her writing focus to sweet romantic comedies. The world had pretty much shut down by then, and she figured everyone could use more reasons to smile.

Julie is a former English teacher and lapsed marathon runner, the mother of two great kids, and the wife of one very funny man. Her goal is to write books that make you laugh out loud, fall in love, and live happily ever after.

Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson

 

Can you believe it's less than 3 months until Christmas?    It's hard to imagine there will be Christmas lights, decorations and the days will grow shorter soon.  

I am a huge fan of Christmas novellas and Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson is a great one.  Simone finds a letter from her great grandmother after her grandmother has passed about a  treasure in Avre, France.  Kyle wants a second career in watchmaking and meets Simone on the plane to Europe.  I loved their natural chemistry, and delightful dialogue.   

This has all the makings of a great Christmas story where friendship and family are celebrated and people work through challenges in time for Christmas.  The author paints beautiful word pictures describing France at Christmas.  I felt snow on my face and saw the sparkly Christmas lights as I read this delightful story. 

 This sweet story has a mystery, a hidden treasure, romance and a happily ever after.  This beautiful hardcover book is one you would like to add to your collection or gift a friend for Christmas.  I recommend it.  

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. 

A Blind Date for the Marine by Jess Matorakos

A Blind Date for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos is a sweet military romance that takes place in Carlsbad California. Claire is an administrative assistant who lives above a bookstore where she works weekends. Mateo works IT for the Marines  Claire does not particularly like the military lifestyle of moving around and avoids Mateo when they meet through mutual friends.  

They both agree to sign up for a new blind dating app when asked by their mutual friends to “test it for flaws.”  In the app you do not see a picture of anyone you're interested in until you've chatted on the app with them for 30 days. They meet on the app. Claire and Mateo have a lot to talk about in the app.   

This  wonderful romance has witty dialogue, a creative plot, and great chemistry.  The author has the gift of making all characters, including secondary ones people you absolutely want to meet. I loved Mateo's family, Amy, Dex and the guys from game night.  The story reminded me of a combination of You've Got Mail and Sabrina.  It was a great rom-com. I highly recommend this story. 

  

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

Jess Mastorakos writes sweet military romance. Grab a free book at jessmastorakos.com/forever-with-you

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

 

I have always wanted red hair! I have to settle for red highlights. I love the picture of our heroine, Grace, on the cover!

Book Blurb: Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them?

Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future.

Review : I really enjoyed reading The Mistletoe Countess It is well written and Grace is a delightful heroine who loves to read and is so fun loving! She may be my favorite heroine of 2021.  Our hero, Lord Fredrick, is swoony and oh so British.  Their chemistry is wonderful and I was rooting for them from page one.  I enjoyed the humor woven throughout the story, and the great banter between Grace and Fredrick.  

The story has great romance, mystery, and a lovely setting!  It is a delightful read!  

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

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with a southern Appalachian flair. Her books have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inpsys, and the ACFW Carol Awards, with The Thorn Healer selected as a 2018 finalist in the RT awards. Both her contemporary and historical romance novels consistently receive high ratings from Romantic Times, with Just the Way You Are as a Top Pick. Her books are seasoned with her Appalachian heritage and love for family, whether they take place in the early 1900s or present day. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. You can get to know Pepper on her website, www.pepperdbasham.com, on Facebook, Instagram, or over at her group blog, The Writer's Alley.

What Love Looks Like by Stacy Boatman

I  thoroughly enjoyed reading What Love Looks Like: A Diamond Lake Romance Novel  by Stacy Boatman.  This sweet romance touched on themes of  redemption, forgiveness, and choosing to walk through life’s valleys. The relatable characters were ones that I wanted to invest in, and enjoyed getting to know them better in the story.   

I felt this story was a great romance and I loved that the characters were dealing with real issues in their lives.  Simone and Mica, the main characters, were delightful to watch as they worked through misunderstandings, their pasts, and fell in love.  I found myself staying up late to find out what happened next in this  

This beautifully written story has fabulous characters, deeper themes, and deals with life issues in a realistic way.  The author has a wonderful writing style that speaks to your heart and draws you in. I enjoyed my visit at Diamond Lake and hope to visit again.  I highly recommend What Love Looks Like.

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

When not writing, I enjoy running in peaceful solitude, kayaking with my high school sweetheart turned husband, and the rarity of sitting down to a chaotic family meal with all six of us.

​A graduate of Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I'm a pediatric nurse, and I volunteer in the fight against human trafficking.

The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston

The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston takes place in gorgeous Splendid Lake, North Carolina.  Brianna's life turns upside down when her beloved father passes right before it's time to open up their cabins at the lake resort.  Their family has owned cabins at their lake resort for three generations.  Scott, a real estate developer, is very interested in developing their Lake Splendid resort along with many others.  But, how do you give up on something that's been in your family so long?   

I thoroughly enjoyed the story.  I was very engaged with the characters and the author did a good job depicting how people walk through grief differently.  Brianna and Scott had wonderful chemistry and I loved how they overcame their past, and both learned to be selfless in different ways.  For me the story spoke to being  honest with yourself, not letting the past dictate your future, and the importance of making hard choices.  I loved the themes, characters, and the quaint setting.  I recommend The Heart of Splendid Lake a sweet romance.  

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review.  

Amy Clipston is an award-winning bestselling author and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She's sold more than one million books, and her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan University and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC, and lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and five spoiled rotten cats. You can find Amy at AmyClipston.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks, and on Twitter at @AmyClipston.  IG  https://www.instagram.com/amy_clipston/