Circle of Light: A Persimmon Hollow Christmas Novella

by Gerri Bauer

Bloom where you’re planted. Easy to say. Hard to do.

Advent is a season of hope. But Clara DeForest feels hopeless. Life as a semi-invalid has made her cautious and resistant to change. Her family’s move to the Florida frontier town of Persimmon Hollow is an abrupt and unwelcome transition. Clara has one goal — to return to her familiar home city. Until a country boy, her loving family, and her strong faith help her grow a future she never imagined.

124 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2023

About the author

My idea of a perfect day always includes a book, or three, including one with a happy ending. I write Catholic historical romance novels and novellas set in pioneer Florida, and non-romance short stories that explore the importance of community, connection and human dignity.

I was born and raised in New York City, but found a small-town haven in Florida many years ago. I was a homebody even before the pandemic. I love to spend time at home with my husband, spoil my cats, keep tabs on my far-flung extended family and get out into the garden. Although the plants question my dedication. 

I share my space-geek husband’s enthusiasm for our final frontier. That helps me remember I don't live in the 19th century Florida setting of my novels or the diaries and biographies I love to read about people from past eras.

And I'm a needlework nerd. I quilt, crochet and sew clothing at a pace that qualifies me for the slow-life movement. Among my treasures is my grandmother's 1919 Singer treadle sewing machine. I'm working on my treadling skills but still have a long way to go.