The Holiday Hunting Lodge: A Blizzard Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 3), book #45

 

Music composer Jesse Parrish has a dream contract! He’s been signed to write the soundtrack for a film with award potential. This one job could make his whole career. Twelve themes, all due to the producer at Christmas—but he’s completely blocked. He doesn’t have a single theme, let alone twelve.  He needs to get out of Vancouver and somewhere he can think.  Aspiring private pilot Mattie Daines has been crushing on Jesse since before he started dating Mattie’s older sister. His music makes her heart sing—but what kind of creep-o falls in love with her sister’s boyfriend? That’s half the reason she’s been working as an outdoors guide anywhere but Vancouver for the past couple of years.  When Mattie hears that Jesse is desperate for a private plane to take him to a friend’s mountain lodge, she leaps at the chance, if only to prove that she can be around him without her knees going weak.  Mattie whisks Jesse off to the mountains in her plane, but when bad weather threatens the flight, will this dangerous plane ride also threaten Mattie’s firm resolve not to let feelings for Jesse back into her life? (picture and description at Amazon)

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Melissa

The Sleigh Bells Chalet: A Small-Town Christmas Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 2), book #44

 

Hotel owner Ellery Hart’s business is on the rocks. Rooms are empty, the lobby is ugly, and a huge loan payment is due. Unless she can pay, she will lose her grandpa’s legacy, the Bells Chalet. While her mom would have her marry the rich banker who is holding the hotel’s title ransom, that idea is beyond unacceptable.  Ellery needs brilliant business solution. But how to make one happen fast?  Bing Whitmore has been running the family business, Whitmore Thoroughbred Stables, on his own. But when his heart is broken by two females—horses, that is—he is thrown for an emotional loop, and all he wants to do is quit. Sell the stables. Never look at another horse again.  Instead, his cousin convinces him to take a vacation. They travel nine hours to the quietest hotel he can find—the Bells Chalet. Meeting a beautiful hotel owner makes this escape better than he could have hoped. When Ellery needs help, Bing wants to do anything to make her smile, even if it means helping her fill the perfectly serene hotel with more guests. But when he learns that her hotel-saving plan involves the very thing he’s traveled so far to avoid, can Bing put aside his pain and help Ellery save her grandpa’s business and the jobs of the employees she loves?  (photo and description at Amazon)

Absolutely loving this cute series!

Melissa

The Christmas Cookie House: A Sweet Holiday Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 1), book #43

 

See how fast and fun these books are?!?  I love them, it's like visiting a Christmas Town with fun characters like the ones in Hope Harbor.

Former bookshop keeper Leela Miller is back in Massey Falls. Her mom passed away last spring, and she's home taking care of her ailing father. Now, Leela is desperate to fill Mom’s shoes in the Ladies’ Auxiliary by chairing the Cookie House fundraiser. The hitch: mean-eyed Mrs. Coldicott refuses to host the event at her Society Row home as planned.  Leela must find a new venue big enough and fancy enough to draw in customers, or Mom's event might get canceled. There's only one perfect place: the Layton Mansion.  New vet school graduate Jay Wilson has been remodeling the Layton Mansion since he inherited it this summer. It’s almost Christmas, and the house is nearly ready to flip!  If he can get a good price for it, he can buy a partnership at a veterinary clinic out of town. However, by stipulation of the will, Jay can't sell the house until he cleans out the attic.  Jay needs help completing the enormous task before his deadline. The beautiful Leela will eagerly help—if he agrees to allow her to use the house for her event. But, when Jay learns that the Cookie House event is the same day as his sale deadline, will he sell the house out from under the girl he might just be falling in love with?  (picture and description from Amazon)

Today I have a lot of work to do around the house (it IS Saturday, after all!) and some presents to wrap!  But I still can't wait to get started on the next one ...

Happy Christmas Reading!

Melissa

Yuletide Manor: A Small-Town Bakery Romance (Christmas House Romances Book 10), book #42

 

This adorable series of books was on my Amazon Book Wish List but one day I noticed them at my Mother-in-Law's house and I was like, "Hey!  I was wanting to read those!"  She had borrowed them from her sister (who, oddly enough, is my mom's best friend from Indy, but that is another story) and told me to take them and just give them back when I was done.  So just like that I got several free books to read!

Artisan baker Natalie Tanner is the last person who should plan a wedding. She can’t even plan a dinner party for three. But when her little sister’s Christmas wedding preparations fall apart back in Massey Falls, it’s up to Natalie to return to her hometown and give it her best.  To her shock, the wedding venue is Yuletide Manor. Yes, it's her childhood dream mansion, but it belongs to Hunter Hawthorn, who humiliated her and broke her teen-aged heart.  Hunter Hawthorn has agonized for years over his cruel mistake. Little does he know, he’s going to finally get his chance to apologize. But will Natalie accept?  With gorgeous snow festivals, Christmastime family traditions, and a beautiful wedding at moonrise, Yuletide Manor is the perfect place to spend a cozy afternoon of reading.  (picture and description from Amazon)

Of course, I didn't realize I started with the last one in the series, but they don't really go in order.  I'm almost done with the next one I started, and it is the first one, so maybe I can get on track now.  

I just love Christmas books!!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Amazing Grace (Hymns of the West #3), book #41

 

As you may or may not notice, this is actually the third book in the series  we read last month for Book Club.  I didn't really care for the other book, but the other girls absolutely loved it and really wanted to read another one.  So we agreed to this one, because it sounded a little better than the second once.  I must admit it wasn't quite as bad as the first, or maybe I just got used to it.  

Amid the chaos of his own soul, Caleb finds solace in the secret letters from a widow and her young daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles, but he keeps writing anyway.  Maggie, driven by a fierce desire to provide for her daughter, Rachel, steps into the world of mail-order brides. With every tick of the clock, their future becomes more uncertain. If Maggie fails to secure a future, Rachel may not survive through the next year.  Can Caleb learn to trust God despite his past? Can Maggie and Rachel hold onto their faith despite all their trials? What will happen when they meet in person? (picture and description at Amazon)

So for our FHS Book Club, they decided to go ahead and pick one book to read over Thanksgiving and another to read over Christmas.  I am supposed to be reading these books to expand my horizons, but I also love to read Christmas books in November and December.  And neither of the books are Christmas books.  I thought maybe I would read one of them, but the one I would be interested in reading is the one for November.  So I guess those are out for this go around.

I have a large stack of Christmas books calling my name and I can't wait to get started on them TONIGHT!!!

Tis the season for reading!

Melissa