Winter Holidays in July...
It's July … and July means holiday movies on Hallmark. So I thought I would re-run my November "Romancing the Genres" blogs with all the holiday books I read up through November 2019. I know … I love to read holiday books and I love to write them. In fact, I'm editing one right now. To give you inspiration on a summer July day, check out my neighbor's "Christmas in April" photo. I took this one late night right after a blizzard, after our mild winter, when my neighbors reactivated their holiday lights and built a snowman. 
I live for romantic holiday books. And I do love to write them. So, here’s my list of fun and recent holiday releases, from some of my favorite authors and a few newly discovered authors.
Christmas Baby for the Billionaire , by Donna Alward (October 1, 2019)
I love Alward’s books, and have been reading her stories ever since she handed me a free book after I missed her book signing, years ago. I tried to thrust my money into her hand. Really, I did.
After an unforgettable, summer vacation fling, an unexpected pregnancy brings the mother
and unsuspecting, billionaire father together at Christmas time. Can two people from different economic backgrounds and from two countries (a small, coastal town in Canada and the heart of New York City) find common ground, and eventually love? Lovely scenes of the holidays in both rural and big city settings, great descriptions, and real-to-life characters who struggle to find love and personal happiness, but eventually do in each other.
Wrapped Up in You
, by Jill Shalvis (September 24, 2019)
I’ve enjoyed this series by Shalvis and was excited to see a Christmas book. Set in San Francisco and part of a series about a community of friends bonded by their small enclave in the middle of the city, I’ve looked forward to each book about characters previously introduced. Hot, feisty, sensual, heartfelt, angsty, this book stands up to the others in the series. Although not a ton of Christmas, it does end on a sweet note on Christmas Eve (do not read further if you don’t want to know the ending overview, even though is it a romance and all romances end this way,) where both the hero and heroine finally are settled and feel fully accepted by family and friends in the series community that Shalvis has so beautifully built.
The Trouble with Christmas
, by Amy Andrews (September 24, 2019)
A new author to me, I will definitely buy other books. Fast-moving, humorous, and tongue-in-cheek dialogue and internal thoughts, engaging, quirky, stellar descriptions, brooding and hot hero, and heroine who can’t seem to avoid finding and creating trouble as she finds herself, and as a result helps the hero find himself. What more could you want in an endearing holiday story about finding your true north star and an unexpected love?
Lavender & Mistletoe
, by Donna Kaufman (September 24, 2019)
Donna Kaufman is another favorite author. I love this series that takes place in Blue Hollow Falls in the mountains of Virginia. Lots of snow, a baby goat, Christmas cheer, and an endearing discovery of love. This one is an extremely sweet with lots of heat novella, about two characters with the same unique experiences, who have never been able to relate to others. The perfect match, but one that takes a bit of matchmaking by friends (from previous stories) for the characters to realize they are meant for each other. A lot packed into this shorter story.
Romancing the Holidays
, an anthology, by Annie Seaton, Susanne Bellamy, Monique McDonell, Ebony McKenna, Kris Pearson, Ashley Logan, Shirley Wine, Anne Kemp, Susan Downham, Sofia Grey, Gudrun Frerichs SP (November 1, 2019)
A variety of eleven heartwarming and steamy stories of Christmas from the other side of the equator gives the reader a fun look at the holidays from a different perspective than mine (which is cold and snow and all that goes with holiday planning in northeast USA.) I love discovering new-to-me authors and look forward to reading other books by my new-found friends, who are authors from Australia, New Zealand (one by way of the US and one by way of Germany), and the West Indies.
Cocoa & Carols,
by Marianne Rice (November 1, 2019)
Marianne writes contemporary romance, located in Maine. She has several not-to-miss series. This holiday story is her second in the Wilton Hills Christmas series. A stranger to town is welcomed at Thanksgiving by a big, raucous, fun-loving family. Throw in a handsome and kind oldest son, lots of Christmas merriment, a production of The Christmas Carol, and an adorable dog, and you have a sweet tale of fulfilling a dream of fitting in and small-town hospitality with a happily-ever-after at Christmas.
Eight Nights to Win Her Heart,
Ronnie Denholz (October 18, 2019)
A sweet, with a good amount of heat, novella. After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, he begs for a second chance and sets out to redeem himself over the eight days of Hanukkah. A heartfelt rebuilding of an already loving relationship, with healthy sprinkling of Hanukkah events with family and friends.
All I want for Christmas is You, by Miranda Liasson (October 29, 2019)
So much fun to revisit the folks from Angel Falls and watch the relationship between two friends grow from forever friends into the love they’ve both tried to hide from themselves and their families. Both sweet and hot, cathartic and crushing, the ride through this book is a rollercoaster of emotions and full of Christmas cheer and loving families. Oh, and lots and lots of bakery products, including a ton of chocolate.
It Started with Joy by Cindy Kirk (November 1, 2019)
A widowed, temporary foster mom, works to give a child a Christmas to remember. But when she falls in love with the child and a new man in town, all three find a second chance at happiness. A little bit of hot, with a lot of sweet Christmas activities, in the snowy town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. And a group of secondary characters who all have heartwarming stories of their own, in this revised, re-release of one of the books in a fun former Silhouette series. PS – I read this series back when, but somehow missed this lovely story. Now I can’t wait to reread the rest as they are again released
If Wishes Were Earls, by Luanna Stewart (March 13, 2017)
This is a re-released book in 2019, but I had to add it, because I loved this book. Stewart’s underlying sense of humor permeates this story about an adventurous spinster miss who, directed by an intriguing note and an enchanted keepsake, stumbles upon a dark, isolated,
and mysterious manor house and the earl who is equally dark, tortured, and mysterious.
But he’s got his work cut out for him when the fearless heroine gets snowed in and proceeds to undermine every single thing he ever thought he held true, as she searches out all his secrets. A fun, sexy romp featuring a hermit, earl hero who has met his match with an unconventional heroine. Warning, lots of snow and cold weather, making for cozy, warm, and hot scenes in the Victorian manor.
Come Dance with Me (Oct 2017)
~ my own holiday story ~
Improvisational jazz musician meets buttoned up English teacher—will the Christmas lights
sparkle or shatter before the dance ends?
I live for romantic holiday books. And I do love to write them. So, here’s my list of fun and recent holiday releases, from some of my favorite authors and a few newly discovered authors.
Christmas Baby for the Billionaire , by Donna Alward (October 1, 2019)
I love Alward’s books, and have been reading her stories ever since she handed me a free book after I missed her book signing, years ago. I tried to thrust my money into her hand. Really, I did.
After an unforgettable, summer vacation fling, an unexpected pregnancy brings the mother
and unsuspecting, billionaire father together at Christmas time. Can two people from different economic backgrounds and from two countries (a small, coastal town in Canada and the heart of New York City) find common ground, and eventually love? Lovely scenes of the holidays in both rural and big city settings, great descriptions, and real-to-life characters who struggle to find love and personal happiness, but eventually do in each other.
Wrapped Up in You
, by Jill Shalvis (September 24, 2019)I’ve enjoyed this series by Shalvis and was excited to see a Christmas book. Set in San Francisco and part of a series about a community of friends bonded by their small enclave in the middle of the city, I’ve looked forward to each book about characters previously introduced. Hot, feisty, sensual, heartfelt, angsty, this book stands up to the others in the series. Although not a ton of Christmas, it does end on a sweet note on Christmas Eve (do not read further if you don’t want to know the ending overview, even though is it a romance and all romances end this way,) where both the hero and heroine finally are settled and feel fully accepted by family and friends in the series community that Shalvis has so beautifully built.
The Trouble with Christmas
, by Amy Andrews (September 24, 2019)
A new author to me, I will definitely buy other books. Fast-moving, humorous, and tongue-in-cheek dialogue and internal thoughts, engaging, quirky, stellar descriptions, brooding and hot hero, and heroine who can’t seem to avoid finding and creating trouble as she finds herself, and as a result helps the hero find himself. What more could you want in an endearing holiday story about finding your true north star and an unexpected love?
Lavender & Mistletoe
, by Donna Kaufman (September 24, 2019)
Donna Kaufman is another favorite author. I love this series that takes place in Blue Hollow Falls in the mountains of Virginia. Lots of snow, a baby goat, Christmas cheer, and an endearing discovery of love. This one is an extremely sweet with lots of heat novella, about two characters with the same unique experiences, who have never been able to relate to others. The perfect match, but one that takes a bit of matchmaking by friends (from previous stories) for the characters to realize they are meant for each other. A lot packed into this shorter story.
Romancing the Holidays
, an anthology, by Annie Seaton, Susanne Bellamy, Monique McDonell, Ebony McKenna, Kris Pearson, Ashley Logan, Shirley Wine, Anne Kemp, Susan Downham, Sofia Grey, Gudrun Frerichs SP (November 1, 2019)
A variety of eleven heartwarming and steamy stories of Christmas from the other side of the equator gives the reader a fun look at the holidays from a different perspective than mine (which is cold and snow and all that goes with holiday planning in northeast USA.) I love discovering new-to-me authors and look forward to reading other books by my new-found friends, who are authors from Australia, New Zealand (one by way of the US and one by way of Germany), and the West Indies.
Cocoa & Carols,
by Marianne Rice (November 1, 2019)
Marianne writes contemporary romance, located in Maine. She has several not-to-miss series. This holiday story is her second in the Wilton Hills Christmas series. A stranger to town is welcomed at Thanksgiving by a big, raucous, fun-loving family. Throw in a handsome and kind oldest son, lots of Christmas merriment, a production of The Christmas Carol, and an adorable dog, and you have a sweet tale of fulfilling a dream of fitting in and small-town hospitality with a happily-ever-after at Christmas.
Eight Nights to Win Her Heart,
Ronnie Denholz (October 18, 2019)
A sweet, with a good amount of heat, novella. After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, he begs for a second chance and sets out to redeem himself over the eight days of Hanukkah. A heartfelt rebuilding of an already loving relationship, with healthy sprinkling of Hanukkah events with family and friends.
All I want for Christmas is You, by Miranda Liasson (October 29, 2019)So much fun to revisit the folks from Angel Falls and watch the relationship between two friends grow from forever friends into the love they’ve both tried to hide from themselves and their families. Both sweet and hot, cathartic and crushing, the ride through this book is a rollercoaster of emotions and full of Christmas cheer and loving families. Oh, and lots and lots of bakery products, including a ton of chocolate.
It Started with Joy by Cindy Kirk (November 1, 2019)
A widowed, temporary foster mom, works to give a child a Christmas to remember. But when she falls in love with the child and a new man in town, all three find a second chance at happiness. A little bit of hot, with a lot of sweet Christmas activities, in the snowy town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. And a group of secondary characters who all have heartwarming stories of their own, in this revised, re-release of one of the books in a fun former Silhouette series. PS – I read this series back when, but somehow missed this lovely story. Now I can’t wait to reread the rest as they are again released
If Wishes Were Earls, by Luanna Stewart (March 13, 2017)
This is a re-released book in 2019, but I had to add it, because I loved this book. Stewart’s underlying sense of humor permeates this story about an adventurous spinster miss who, directed by an intriguing note and an enchanted keepsake, stumbles upon a dark, isolated,
and mysterious manor house and the earl who is equally dark, tortured, and mysterious.
But he’s got his work cut out for him when the fearless heroine gets snowed in and proceeds to undermine every single thing he ever thought he held true, as she searches out all his secrets. A fun, sexy romp featuring a hermit, earl hero who has met his match with an unconventional heroine. Warning, lots of snow and cold weather, making for cozy, warm, and hot scenes in the Victorian manor.
Come Dance with Me (Oct 2017)
~ my own holiday story ~
Improvisational jazz musician meets buttoned up English teacher—will the Christmas lights
sparkle or shatter before the dance ends?
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