Almost a Christmas Bride

Wives For Hire #6

by Susan Crosby

Shana Callahan had long ago given up wishful thinking. A single mom with a checkered past, she knew to be grateful for small gifts. And what Landon Kincaid had given her was far more than that. His unexpected job offer had provided her with so much a good income, a safe home for her child and the opportunity to start anew in Chance City.

She'd insisted on keeping things strictly business, but the more she got to know her charismatic boss, the harder it became to be his "almost wife." The town gossip was almost unbearable, but even worse was fighting the longing she felt for Kincaid. Would their December tryst ruin everything…or grant them the ultimate gift?

Genres: Romance, Holiday Romance

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

And they lived happily ever after.

I’ve always loved that sentence. There is such hope in those words, such faith in the future and ever-after love. I’ve always been a believer, which led me to being a reader of romance novels long before I began to write them. The dance of courtship between a man and a woman, sometimes slow and bluesy, sometimes wild and uninhibited, is sheer bliss to me. And the best part about writing is creating these two dancers who find their perfect partners out of all the other people on the planet.

What brings them together? What could tear them apart? Why do they stick it out through the bad times? Why do they fall more in love with each other every day? Finding the answers to these questions intrigues me. Who are you? I ask them. Some characters give me an hour-long monologue; others clam up until I push the right buttons. Eventually, I get them all to talk, even if I have to torture them a little.

On my journey to becoming a writer, I did a lot of the usual things—married, had children, attended college a little later than the average coed and earned a B.A. in English. Some not-so-usual things happened, too. Life constantly changes, and so we must grow. It’s not a bad thing.

I’ve been fortunate enough to win some awards and receive some honors, which are listed elsewhere on this site. I’ve had the great privilege of working with an exceptional editor from my first book on. My community of writers spans the entire country—smart, funny and loyal people who share and give and support. Without them, this once-upon-a-time journey wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun.

Reviews

[Pegi Frostholm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was weird, like one of those conversations with someone who brings up a bunch of names and expects you to know who they're talking about. I kept thinking I had missed a prologue, because the story seemed to start in the middle. Then, even stranger, it just... ended. Not going on my "repeat" shelf.

[Kathyk21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost a Christmas Bride by Susan Crosby

Susan Crosby presents a heart-warming family tale in Almost a Christmas Bride. Characters were realistically complex and definitely likeable. An excellent holiday offering.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Shana. She was working very hard to get her life back together and take good care of her daughter. She knew she was an object of gossip in the town, and was trying very hard to get past it. Kincaid and Shana had been striking sparks off each other for a long time. When he offered her a job, she was reluctant to accept it at first, because of the chance of gossip. But she gave it a try and found that she really enjoyed what she was doing. They also found that the more time they spent together, the greater their feelings were. I really liked the way that Kincaid helped her move past the mistakes of her past, and on to a bright future. I also liked seeing some more of Dylan from "His Temporary Live-In Wife".

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Wives for Hire

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, that was an interesting read and a cut off ending. I did somewhat enjoy the novel but there was really no passion or very little in the novel. It all seemed so clinical.