THE LEGACY OF THE ROCKING K RANCH (multi author anthology), Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise

The Legacy of the Rocking K Ranch: 

Four Generations of Love, Loss, and Grace

A set of novellas centered around the Rocking K Ranch in Wyoming and chronicling the generations of Penelope Cooper.
Artfully written by four different authors, showing the faith and fortitude of Eleanor, Grace, Caroline, and Penelope.
 

Each story pulled me in and took me to the beautiful west. A theme I gleaned was: no matter your circumstances, or how far off track your life seems, God is faithful to lead you if you listen to Him.

This was an entertaining story collection written seamlessly by two of my favorite authors, and I discovered two new, accomplished authors.
*A complementary copy of this book was provided by Barbour through NetGalley.* All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and a solid faith thread.

BackCover Blurb:
Journey to untamed Wyoming where four generations of women experience love, loss, grace, adoption, struggles with the law, relationships with natives, and through it all, family bonds.

Eleanor by Mary Connealy
1850 – Wagon train guide, Ray “Wild Cat” Manning, can’t ignore the abandoned wagon stricken with smallpox. Eleanor Yates, now widowed with an ailing daughter, says yes to Wild Cat’s marriage of convenience. It is her only choice—but far from her romantic dreams.

Grace by D. J. Gudger
1867 – Grace Manning abandons her journey east at Fort Laramie. The ranch is where she belongs. Unable to reach her father, Grace scrambles to find a way home. Captain Winfield Cooper is mustering out in a few short days. The gold fields at South Pass City are calling but a lonely laundress pleads to tag along with him and his motley men. Will this woman who refuses to unveil her face derail his dreams?

Caroline by Becca Whitham
1886 – Ray Cooper escaped reservation life by pursuing a degree from Harvard, but it hasn’t granted him the respect he craves in Washington, DC. Caroline Forrester longs to be more than a society hostess for her father. As the two fight against the Dawes Act, they also fight their growing attraction.

Penelope by Kimberley Woodhouse
1910 - Penelope Cooper finally receives an offer to become a published author after pursuing her dream in New York City. But when she returns home, her family’s stories, the land of her heart, and photographer Jason Miller, cast doubt on her decision. Will rediscovering her past make Penelope reconsider her future?

Barbour Publishing, January, 2024

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy THE LEGEND OF THE ROCKING K RANCH at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 

CHRISTMAS IN THE CROSSHAIRS Anthology (Elite Guardians #4), Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

Anthology of three novellas by  Kate Angelo, Kelly Underwood, and Sami A. Abrams, introduced by Lynette Eason

Deadly Holiday Hijack - Kate Angelo
"We're sorry to interrupt your lovely Christmas program . . . I've ordered my men to hold the people of this church hostage until the American government pays for their release."

Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! This wasn't the way that the evening was supposed to transpire. Christina Sherman and Grey Parker are watching a holiday horror scene unfold before their very eyes and immediately begin to put their special ops skills into practice . . . but the clock is ticking . . .literally . . . assuming they live through the night, that wedding date they keep putting off? . . . needs to be set sooner rather than later. A tightly wound plot, capturing wonderful character dynamics! Very impressive.

Silent Night Siege - Kelly Underwood
"Their relationship had survived some intense ups and downs, but surviving a crash landing might be the ultimate test. Assuming they survived."

Finally! Preston Whittaker and his girlfriend Laila Rabbinowitz were wheels up . . . together for a few uninterrupted hours on a private plane, headed towards a Breckenridge, Colorado condo with great views and a large, cozy fireplace . . . a ring in his pocket  . . . and . . . nowhere on his itinerary had Preston penciled in time to run for their lives. Laila's former military training gave her crazy good survival skills, but finding their way out of this predicament is taking terror to an entirely new level. A fast paced, electrifying, holiday trek toward together forever.

Christmas Snowstorm Standoff - Sami A. Abrams
"This weekend was no longer about getting married. It was about staying alive."

Just two more days and Lizzie Tremaine would be marrying the love of her life, Charlie Lee. Whether or not they would have any witnesses for the highly anticipated occasion remained to be seen, the snow blanketing Wild Sapphire Ranch in Montana was certainly beautiful, but was severely restricting travel in and out of the area. Never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined it attracting a killer, much less a young woman from Charlie's past. Hang on to your Christmas spirit, this story throws a lot of unexpected snowballs! 

BackCover Blurb:
It’s Christmastime and love is in the air. But when these three Elite Guardians walk into the crosshairs of trouble, they find themselves fighting not just for justice, but for the lives of the men they love in this riveting thriller collection!

Deadly Holiday Hijack by Kate Angelo

“Come out to Savannah, she says. It’ll be fun, she says. Boss can be in the nativity pageant, she says,” Yeah. Great idea.

Bodyguard Christina Sherman and her fiancé, former spec ops air commando Grey Parker just want to sneak away to beautiful Savannah, attend a Nativity Pageant, maybe set a wedding date. But when a group of terrorists take over the church and the whole thing is live streamed, they find themselves in a hometown version of a Die Hard Christmas movie. But will they make it to the happy ending?

Silent Night Siege by Kelly Underwood

Billionaire Preston Whittaker and bodyguard Laila Rabbinowitz just can’t get a break. Not only are their schedules so crazy they’ve put their relationship on simmer, but on their way to the mountains for much-needed togetherness…yep, their plane crashes. Suddenly they’re stranded on a remote mountainside in freezing temperatures, minimal food, wildlife, and no hope of rescue.

And then, the real danger starts. Someone deliberately caused the wreck, and that person is hunting them through the wilderness.

Now, it’ll take more than togetherness to survive…

Christmas Snowstorm Standoff by Sami A. Abrams

It’s finally time for bodyguard Lizzie Tremaine to tie the knot with the man she’s loved for years—fellow bodyguard Charlie Lee.

But maybe fate is still against them, because on the eve of their big day, a snowstorm hits. And, while it’s kept the guests away, it’s brought trouble in the form of a woman from Charlie’s past. More, she’s on the run from a killer…

A man who will stop at nothing to make sure Charlie and Lizzie never make it to the altar.

Now Lizzie and Charlie must battle the storm, stop the killer, and defeat the doubts that suddenly have them wondering if they are truly meant to be.

Three epic love stories. Three edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Three Christmases caught in the Crosshairs inspired by best-selling author Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardian series.

 

Sunrise Publishing, October, 2023

Available in digital ebook and paperback

Buy CHRISTMAS IN THE CROSSHAIRS at Amazon

A LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER by Morgan Tarpley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, and Lenora Worth. Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

Three delightfully inspiring holiday romances with an amazing fluidity between stories, making the three voices that wrote them seem as one.

"I heard about your mistletoe moment."
Small towns. Everyone knows everything about everyone. Ugh! Mattie Hayes wasn't going to let the not-really-a-mistletoe-moment ruin her plans for the first-ever, hopefully forever, Moreau, Louisiana Christmas Festival; the goal being to generate enough funds to restore their town's beloved historic chapel. She had her list and was checking it twice, and no one with the first name of Paul was going to be a distraction. Gracious! Could the tiniest part of her heart want him to be a distraction? - A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith

"Sounds like you might need to give yourself the gift of forgiveness this year."
What was she even doing here? Oh, that's right. Her grandmother's eightieth birthday party. Jolene Broussard's original plan was to drop into Moreau, join her family for the celebration, and then head back to . . . nowhere . . . nothing. So when she agrees to delay her departure in order to complete a town mural, (after all, everyone still considered her to be an artist) Jolene and a local contractor don't exactly see eye to eye on the plan (understatement alert!). Can a restoration project restore Jolene's shattered faith in herself? (plus, draw a permanent truce with the handsome man who has wormed his way into her heart). - Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant

"  . . . Remy Vachon had shown up here in Moreau, Louisiana, in her town of all places. As a renowned architect at that?"
Adale Lavigne-Marchand Broussard's precise life tilted on its axis when the man who had broken her young heart arrived at her mother's eightieth birthday party. How was it even possible that out of all the historical architects in the universe had the town chosen Remy Vachon to restore the town's chapel? And even more infuriating? Her mother didn't seem the least bit surprised. Well, a lot of water had flowed under that Paris bridge over the years, and Adale was not especially ready to forgive or forget . . . or was she? - A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth

*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 3.5 stars

SEE TRIXI'S REVIEW! 

BackCover Blurb:
A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…

And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.

Barbour Publishing, September, 2023

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, or audiobook:

Buy A LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER at Amazon,

Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 

 

WE THREE KINGS: A Romance Christmas Collection by Crystal Caudill, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong Reviewed by Winnie Thomas

We Three Kings is a charming collection of Christmas novellas by three different authors. They are set in three different time periods and feature three generations of the Weise family. I enjoyed seeing the way each author approached their story.

Star of Wonder by Crystal Caudill is set in New York in 1884 and features Aldrich Weise and his family’s luxurious steamer ship business. As they set sail toward Europe with members of his family and Celestia Isaacs’s family, they run into criminal activity as well as a dilemma in the relationship between Aldrich and Celestia.

Beauty Bright by Cara Putman is set after World War II and features Lt. Charles Weise and Captain Lillian Thorsen as they work together to return stolen artwork to its owners. This novella has a lot of interesting historical detail, and I enjoyed learning more about this time period.

Perfect Light by Angela Ruth Strong has a contemporary setting with Brendon Wise and Lacey Foster working together on a Christmas lights festival. While it has a lot of humor in it, it’s also a story of forgiveness, faith, and the true meaning of Christmas.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Christmas novella collections. The stories are charming and satisfying.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

 SEE REVIEWS BY REBECCA AND TRIXI

 BackCover Blurb:

In this Christmas collection, Weise men still seek Jesus--and love

Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family in this third collection of Christmas novellas from Kregel that will prove just as popular as the previous award-winning volumes.

"Star of Wonder" by Crystal Caudill

The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family's grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise's chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.

"Beauty Bright" by Cara Putman

Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.

"Perfect Light" by Angela Ruth Strong

Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground--and maybe love? 

Kregel Publications, September, 2023

Available in digital ebook and paperback

Buy WE THREE KINGS at Amazon

 

 

A LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER Anthology, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

A Louisiana Christmas to Remember  

by Morgon Tarpley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, and Lenora Worth 

 

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration

“Moreau has always been special, but I believe that hurricane united us.”

After the last hurricane damaged the town of Moreau’s beloved Le Petit Chapelle, three main characters—plus feisty Granny Eloise—have a vision to restore her to her original beauty. Three authors portray those characters in each of their novellas and bring a very lovely story to life!

I enjoyed getting to know Mattie, Jolene, Adale and Grandma Eloise. They were complex characters with many layers that the authors peeled back and gave us a glimpse of what made them tick. We can’t forget to include the heroes…Paul, Cameron and Remy who definitely added their own charm and personality. I wished the town of Moreau was real because it would be one to put on my bucket list to visit! 

 

If I had to pick a favorite character, I’d say Jolene fit the bill. She’s so much like me at times and it made her so relatable. My heart went out to her as she struggled to find her way back into her “hometown”; Cameron was the perfect soulmate for her. I also loved the faith thread in these stories; reminders of knowing who we are in Christ, forgiving the past, and keeping our faith strong no matter what happens (good or bad). Knowing God has each of us in His hands, guiding our paths. I love seeing this played out in each story! These authors seamlessly tied all three novellas together to make it feel like one long and satisfying read. Let’s not forget to mention the Christmas charm and all the traditions the town of Moreau keeps!

The love tropes are just as charming; Mattie and Paul are friends-to-more, Jolene and Cameron are opposites attract and Adale and Remy are second chance romance. This is definitely an “all the packages tied up in a neat bow to unwrap on Christmas day” kind of read to enjoy over and over any time of the year!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

 

BackCover Blurb:
A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…

And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role. 

Barbour Publishing, September, 2023

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:

Buy A LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

9 Best Christian Anthologies of 2017

THE SECRET ADMIRER ROMANCE COLLECTION | Can Concealed Love Be Revealed in 9 Historical Novellas? by Amanda Barratt, Lorraine Beatty, Molly Noble Bull, Anita Mae Draper, CJ Dunham, Jennifer Uhlarik, Becca Whitham, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Penny Zeller

Shy Expressions of Love Lead to Nine Historical Romances

Declaring one’s love can be hard—even risky—especially when faced with some of life’s greatest challenges. Separated by class, time, distance, and more, some loves must remain secret until the time is right. Instead, notes of affection, acts of kindness, gifts of admiration, and lots of prayer are circulated. From New England mansions to homestead hovels, love is quietly being nourished and waiting for the right time to be revealed. But when love can finally be boldly expressed, will it be received by love in return? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE ROMANCE COLLECTION | Hope Reaches Across the Centuries Through One Single Bottle, Inspiring Five Romances by Joanne Bischof, Amanda Dykes, Heather Day Gilbert, Jocelyn Green, Maureen Lang

Five historical romances inspired by a messaged passed down through time.

Join the journey as one word etched in Latin on an ancient bronze bottle travels through the centuries to reach five young women who are struggling to maintain their faith in God and love. An Irish princess, a Scottish story weaver, a Post-Colonial nurse, a cotton mill worker, and a maid who nearly drowned each receive a message from the bottle just when they need their hope restored. But will the bottle also bring them each to a man whose love will endure? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE PONY EXPRESS ROMANCE COLLECTION | Historic Express Mail Route Delivers Nine Inspiring Romances by Barbara Tifft Blakey, Mary Davis, Darlene Franklin, Cynthia Hickey, Maureen Lang, Debby Lee, Donna Schlachter, Connie Stevens, Pegg Thomas

Nine historical romances revive the brief era of the Pony Express.

Join the race from Missouri, across the plains and mountains to California and back again as brave Pony Express riders and their supporters along the route work to get mail across country in just ten days. It is an outstanding task in the years 1860 to 1861, and only a few are up to the job. Faced with challenges of terrain, weather, hostile natives, sickness, and more, can these adventurous pioneers hold fast, and can they also find lasting love in the midst of daily trials? 

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

OF RAGS AND RICHES ROMANCE COLLECTION | Nine Stories of Poverty and Opulence During the Gilded Age by Susanne Dietze, Michelle Griep, Anne Love, Gabrielle Meyer, Natalie Monk, Jennifer Uhlarik, Erica Vetsch, Jaime Jo Wright, Kathleen Y'Barbo

Love Flourishes during America’s Gilded Age

Journey along in nine historical romances with those whose lives are transformed by the opulence, growth, and great changes taking place in America’s Gilded Age. Nine couples meet during these exhilarating times and work to build a future together through fighting for social reform, celebrating new opportunities for leisure activities, taking advantage of economic growth and new inventions, and more. Watch as these romances develop and legacies of faith and love are formed. 

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 SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN MAIL-ORDER HUSBANDS | A Newspaper Ad for Husbands Brings a Wave of Men to a Small Kansas Town by Susan Page Davis, Susanne Dietze, Darlene Franklin, Patty Smith Hall, Cynthia Hickey, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Gina Welborn

Seven women seek husbands to help them rebuild a Kansas town.

Meet seven of Turtle Springs, Kansas’, finest women who are determined to revive their small town after the War Between the States took most of its men. . .and didn’t return them. The ladies decide to advertise for husbands and devise a plan for weeding out the riff raff. But how can they make the best practical choices when their hearts cry out to be loved? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE MATCHMAKER BRIDES COLLECTION | Nine Matchmakers Have the Tables of Romance Turned on Them by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, Amanda Cabot, Lisa Carter, Ramona K. Cecil, Lynn A. Coleman, Susanne Dietze, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Connie Stevens, Liz Tolsma

Nine Meddling Matchmakers Find Love When They Least Expect It

Meet nine women of the late 1800s who have found themselves in the role of matchmaker. They think they have mastered the art of recognizing romantic potential in others, but when it comes to their own lives they have been unlucky in love. In small communities from Tennessee to Colorado, Wyoming to Indiana, love unexpectedly enters the women’s lives with men they never imagined marrying. But what will it take to get these ladies to say “I do”? 

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE CAPTIVE BRIDES COLLECTION | 9 Stories of Great Challenges Overcome through Great Love  by Jennifer AlLee, Angela Breidenbach, Susan Page Davis, Darlene Franklin, Patty Smith Hall, Cynthia Hickey, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Lucy Thompson, Gina Welborn 

Journey along as nine historical women are about to make their escape from some of life’s greatest challenges. Can their captive hearts be freed to dream, to dare, to love? CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE REGENCY BRIDES COLLECTION | 7 Romances Set in England during the Early Nineteenth Century by Amanda Barratt, Angela Bell, Susanne Dietze, Michelle Griep, Nancy Moser, MaryLu Tyndall, and Erica Vetsch

Romance is a delicate dance bound by rules and expectations in Regency England. Seven couples must navigate society’s gauntlet to secure the hand of true love . . .

Charity and Luke are strangers who were forced to marry three years ago. Adelaide and Walter share a love of music and disdain for elitism. Caroline and Henry are thrown together by three orphans. Helen and Isaac harbor his unlikely secret. Esther is empowered to choose between two men. Sophia is determined not to choose a man like Nash. Jamie and William face a daunting London season together. Will their faith grow and love prevail in a time when both were considered luxuries the elite could not afford?

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK

THE CALICO AND COWBOYS ROMANCE COLLECTION | 8 Novellas from the Old West Celebrate the Lighthearted Side of Love by Mary Connealy

Love sneaks up on eight couples in the Old West.

The Old West comes to life under the talented pen of bestselling author Mary Connealy. Enjoy a lighthearted ride alongside seven historical and one contemporary cowboys and the women who tame their hearts. 

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Have you read any? All? Which one is your favorite?

Get Your Kiss on Route 66!

Get Your Kiss on Route 66: 10 Romantic novellas on the Mother Road

For years Route 66 was the main thoroughfare across the United States. Now, in one convenient volume, experience romances from Missouri to Santa Monica as ten women experience a journey they'll never forget. Come take a romantic ride on the Mother Road!

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT by Jennifer AlLee

Rita Fisk runs the Durlin Hotel in Oatman, Arizona. Her predictable existence is interrupted one night when Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, newly married in Kingman, drop into the hotel to spend their honeymoon. Edgar Smith, Mr. Gable’s driver and right-hand man, insists their stay be kept hush-hush. A reporter shows up, determined to find the famous couple. As Edgar and Rita fight their way through a comedy of errors - including an appearance from the resident ghost and having to pretend to be a honeymooning couple to throw off the reporter - they grow closer. By the time the night’s over, secrets care shared and promises are made. But is Rita the kind of woman to believe in promises, and is Edgar the kind of man to keep them?

SHAMROCK RUBY by Helen Gray

Lincoln Stover follows Route 66 to Shamrock, Texas, in pursuit of his no good cousins. But what he finds is Ruby Clover, a lovely waitress at the U-Drop Inn who sends his heart and emotions spiraling in unexpected directions.

It’s 1937, and Ruby has her hands full working at the restaurant and taking care of her parentless nephew. When handsome Linc Stover comes to Shamrock looking for his cousin, the baby’s deceased father, she finds herself attracted to him. But can she trust the man whose family might try to claim the child left to her when her newly widowed sister died in childbirth?

RUNAWAY SUE by Cynthia Hickey

Sue has always wanted to travel the Mother Road in her pink Mustang. She ditches the man she didn't love at the altar, tosses her veil out the car and takes off on her first real adventure. Along the way, she picks up a hitchhiker named James Deacon. A leather jacket wearing man with secrets and dreams of his own.

DONNA'S DINER by Jo Huddleston

When Donna Turner and two girlfriends leave Alabama in 1956 and head to California on Route 66, Donna runs out of money. Her girlfriends continue the journey to Los Angeles, leaving Donna in Needles, California where a dream-come-true adventure is about to happen.

ENCHANTED ENCOUNTERS by Teresa Ives Lilly

As wealthy, debutante Violet Beauchamp travels across country on route 66, she finds a small dog hurt on the road. Unwilling to leave the dog, she stops at a small Hopi Indian souvenir stand, where she is advised to go to the Holbrook Wigwam Motel. She is also given an enchanted rock, and told that the next man she sees will be the man she marries. When she meets motel clerk, Lee,although handsome and kind, she still believe she is destined to marry a wealthy man in California whom she has never met. Once Lee teaches her a lesson in humility and shares the love of Jesus Christ with her, Violet is no longer sure about marrying anyone but Lee. Will the enchanted rock give her the man of her dreams, or will God lead her into His plan for her life?

A TRIP TO REMEMBER by Gail Gaymer Martin

When Skylar Littleton stopped for the night in Tucumcari on her way to visit her estranged sister in California, her trip became literal when she tripped over a dog's leash and broke her right ankle. Her life becomes even more tangled with the dog's owner, Doug Elliot, a doctor and his pearl earring-wearing grandmother, who changed her plans and her life.

STARLIGHT SERENADE by Debra E. Marvin

The Englishman would look back one day and blame it all on Jazz…

Flagstaff, Arizona 1930. Full-time Astronomer, and part-time sharp dresser Julian Dyson didn’t discover Pluto but he does discover a nasty case of self-righteousness when a former Ziegfeld Girl’s folly threatens his good name.

SUMMER'S SURPRISE by Martha Rogers

Summer Patterson, a photo-journalist for a popular magazine, is on a mission to capture the charm and nostalgia of the old Route 66 through the West Texas Panhandle in story and picture, but when her car breaks down in a "middle of nowhere" town, her mission takes a turn she never expected. Cody Harper is a retired rodeo champ filling in as a mechanic until he can get his own ranch. Repairing Summer's foreign car will take days, so he arranges for her to stay with his grandmother Ellis. Meeting the people of McLean, Texas and riding with Cody to discover the beauty of a part of Texas she'd never seen leads her in a direction she had no plans to take. She returns to her busy life in the city of Dallas, but her heart is back in West Texas where she lost it along Route 66. Getting it back will be no easy task, especially if Cody has his way.

STRANDED WITH PEARLS by Sherri Stewart

June 16, 1962 should have been the best day of Gracie MacGyver's life. After all, it was her wedding day. But the closer she got to the altar to marry Mr. Perfect, the more she realized she was making a colossal mistake.So she bolted, leaving friends and family stunned. 

Taking her dad's precious car Betsy, she headed south or west--she didn't really care--wherever Route 66 took her. But the day went from bad to worse.Instead of a honeymoon in Bermuda, she spent the night in a jail cell in Pontiac, Illinois. Instead of basking on the beach with Douglas, she picked up trash alongside Route 66 to fulfill her community service hours. 

To make matters worse, that poor excuse of a small-town sheriff seemed to derive great pleasure from tormenting her. She couldn't help it if she was a big-city girl.Thrust into a world where everyone knew her business, she wasn't sure she'd be able to adjust to a slow-paced country life while working off her punishment. 

Certainly, her sojourn in Pontiac was just desserts for abandoning Douglas at the altar, or was it a gateway of opportunity for deeper relationships and a new love?

TURQUOISE TREASURE by Niki Turner

Movies are king in 1956, and Gallup, New Mexico, on Route 66, is paradise for producing Hollywood B-movies. Veronica Scott wants nothing more than to be an actress, but her polio-afflicted leg has kept her off the casting rolls. Cooper Dean’s only interest in the movie industry revolves around finding justice for his wife’s death. When Cooper and Veronica are cast as secondary characters, much to their surprise, each sees an opportunity to help the other. But their cooperation will put Veronica in danger, and she’ll have to play the role of a lifetime to save them both.

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10 Bestselling Christmas Anthologies

These collections have hit one or more bestseller lists . . . or are new 2017 releases.

MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS BRIDES | Celebrating Faith and Love in the Historic Rocky Mountains

From a Wyoming ranch in 1880, to a logging camp in Washington Territory in the late 1800s, to Denver, Colorado, in 1913, meet nine couples who find that Christmas is the perfect time for climbing to the heights of romance.

Watch as their faith and courage propel them through challenges that come with mountain winters to cozy fireside celebrations that lead to lasting proclamations of love. Penned by an exclusive selection of Christian fiction authors—including Susan Page Davis, Vickie McDonough, and Carrie Turansky—this collection of nine romances is one to treasure.

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THE 12 BRIDES OF CHRISTMAS COLLECTION | 12 Heartwarming Historical Romances for the Season of Love by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, Margaret Brownley, Amanda Cabot, Mary Connealy, Susan Page Davis, Miralee Ferrell, Pam Hillman, Maureen Lang, Amy Lillard, Vickie McDonough, Davalynn Spencer, Michelle Ule

Enter the heartland of historical America at Christmastime through twelve inspiring romance novellas from acclaimed Christian authors. Meet Alma, Lucy, Esther, Marilee, Polly, Deborah, Annabelle, Sophie, Maddie, Karen, Arabella, and Kate who are surprised by how God brings them the desires of their hearts. Watch as faith, romance, and heartfelt gifts open each of their hearts to love. 

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BYGONE CHRISTMAS BRIDES | Six Stories of Old-Fashioned Christmas Romance

Light a candle in the window and sit down to a slice of fruitcake as you delight in six 19th Century romances that welcome love at Christmastide. Many traditions held dear today have their roots in the British Isles and have been practiced for over a hundred years. In these six delightful historical stories, romance is nurtured amidst baking Scottish shortbread and English mince pies, burning the yule log, and hanging kissing boughs. But each couple is also plagued by worries of the day. As Christmastide draws to a close, will faith and love endure for future celebrations?

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A PLAIN AND SWEET CHRISTMAS ROMANCE COLLECTION | Spend Christmas with 9 Historical Couples from Amish, Mennonite, Quaker, and Amana Settlements by Lauralee Bliss , Ramona K. Cecil, Dianne Christner, Melanie Dobson, Jerry S. Eicher, Olivia Newport, Rachael O. Phillips, Claire Sanders, Anna Schmidt  

Enjoy a simple Christmas, sweetened by love, in historical communities of plain faith people. Four romances develop among the Ohio River Valley Quakers of the mid-1800s. Two Mennonite couples face influences from outside their old traditions. Two Amish couples from the early 1900s are affected by world events. And in an Amana community, childhood sweethearts  reunited. Each story also includes a recipe for a sweet traditional treat.

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THE CHRISTMAS BRIDES COLLECTION | 9 Historical Romances Promise Love Fulfilled at Christmastime by Kristin Billerbeck, Lauralee Bliss, Irene B. Brand, Lynn A. Coleman, Kelly Eileen Hake, Vickie McDonough, Tamela Hancock Murray, Colleen L. Reece, Therese Stenzel

Journey back into history to experience Christmas alongside nine brides-to-be whose wedding dreams are overshadowed by doubts and troubles. Meet an English immigrant wanting to return home. A ranchero’s daughter being forced to marry a despicable man. A soldier’s fiancée facing the realities of war. An optimist who believed a lie. A snowbound woman near death. A do-gooder fighting for orphans. A bride sought only for an inheritance. An orphan protecting her father’s land. A motherless daughter wishing for yesterday. Will love shine its light of hope and truth into each life?

           

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THE WESTWARD CHRISTMAS BRIDES COLLECTION | 9 Historical Romances Answer the Call of the American West by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Susan Page Davis, Melanie Dobson, Cathy Liggett, Vickie McDonough, Olivia Newport, Janet Spaeth, Jennifer Rogers Spinola, MaryLu Tyndall

Take the journey into the American west alongside nine women who are chasing their dreams—Cynthia, for security; Beryl, for a new family; Adeline, for freedom; Molly, for marriage; Beth, for a new start; Belinda, for a place to heal; Suzette, for adventure; Juliet, for peace; and Caroline, for a future for her children. Celebrate Christmas alongside these pioneers as love finds them in nine distinctly different romances penned by leading Christian fiction authors, including New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

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A PIONEER CHRISTMAS COLLECTION | 9 Stories of Finding Shelter and Love in a Wintry Frontier by Margaret Brownley, Kathleen Fuller, Marcia Gruver, Cynthia Hickey, Vickie McDonough, Shannon McNear, Lauraine Snelling, Michelle Ule, Anna Carrie Urquhart

Journey along with American settlers who learn that despite where the trail takes them or how primitive their lodgings may be Christmas is all about the heart. Determined to honor Christ’s birth, these pioneers find a way to make Christmas happen in places like a cave, a tipi, and a dugout. Modern readers will enjoy a peek into life before commercialism took over the sacred day, distracting us from the true blessings of faith, hope, and love. Enjoy nine original novellas of Christmas romance as penned from many of today’s leading Christian authors, including Lauraine Snelling, Kathleen Fuller, and Vickie McDonough.

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 A BASKET BRIGADE CHRISTMAS | Three Women, Three Love Stories, One Country Divided by Judith Mccoy Miller, Nancy Moser, Stephanie Grace Whitson

Not even the Civil War can smother the spirit of Christmas, especially in the town of Decatur, Illinois, in 1862, where the ladies of the Basket Brigade board trains to minister to Union soldiers, offering fried chicken, pickled peaches, pound cake, and other dainties to men who haven’t eaten a home-cooked meal since enlisting. Join Sarah, Lucy, and Zona, three compassionate members of the brigade, as they care for wounded heroes—and find love along the way.

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A TEXAS CHRISTMAS | Six Romances from the Historic Lone Star State Herald the Season of Love by Ramona K. Cecil, Lena Nelson Dooley, Darlene Franklin, Pamela Griffin, Cathy Marie Hake, Kathleen Y'Barbo 

Spend Christmas in the Old West with six unconventional women who take on Texas-sized challenges—and unexpected romance. Bridget falls for a man opposed to her teaching Indian orphans. Polly is trying to hold her family together when her childhood love returns to town. Rugged rancher Charlsey is inexplicably attracted to a tenderfoot accountant. Vivian shuns marriage until meeting a nomadic photographer. Lacey’s cooking draws a quiet blacksmith out of his shell. Tracker Bessie Mae helps a ranger hunt down a villain.

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A PATCHWORK CHRISTMAS COLLECTION | Three Stories of Second-Chance Love Will Delight at Any Season by Judith Mccoy Miller, Nancy Moser, Stephanie Grace Whitson

Join three of today’s bestselling inspirational fiction authors in a collection of Christmas stories from Victorian-era America that are full of second-chance romances. Jilted by her fiancé, Karla packs away her wedding quilts and her plans for marriage. Widow Jane travels to marry a prosperous man she barely knows in order to give her daughter a better life—then is stranded in a winter storm. Victoria, a wealthy ingénue, inadvertently causes grave injury to a poor man she once considered quite a catch. Each must search her heart, change her plans. . .and patch together a tender, unexpected life filled with love.

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Have you read any of these? Your favorite?