Reading, Writing & Pondering

    Meddling With Mistletoe by Liz Johnson is a cheery Christmas read that left me looking forward to the coming Christmas season. Whitney Garrett is hoping to go to culinary school by baking and selling pies at the local farmer's markets. Then, in the height of the season, her oven went on the fritz. Thankfully she was able to negotiate some time to use the oven at the Red Door Inn in exchange for watching the proprietor's children and making breakfasts for some off-season guests.  One of the off-season guests is Daniel and the other is Ruby. Both are in town to help Aretha sell her antique shop. Aretha is also something of a matchmaker as she is hoping to help her nephew Daniel find a new romance with Ruby. With that in mind, Aretha talks Whitney into helping Ruby and Daniel get together. Only things don't quite go as planned. Meddling with Mistletoe is aptly named as there is some matchmaking that goes awry in this book. I have read all of Liz Johnson's books--excep...

    A Family Christmas by Sally Britton tells the story of Cyril Grant's return to his grandparents at Christmastime after years abroad following his father's death. As he struggles to fit in, Jane Allen, his grandmother's younger companion, gives him a warm welcome. This was a great start to the book. I enjoyed watching Cyril and Jane get to know each other. I also liked how family life was portrayed in 1816. Christmas Forevermore by Sarah M. Eden was a sweet tale of matchmaking gone awry during the Christmas season. Or did it go awry? In this sort of re-imagining of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Mrs. Jackson sets up spinster Minna Schofield with three potential suitors. I loved the sweet ending to this one. Christmas at Cranfield by Ashtyn Newbold brings two childhood friends together—Hannah and Samuel as adults. Samuel is Hannah's brother's good friend, and she has admired him for years. There are some twists and turns in this story th...

  Do you like the movie, Die Hard, that some people call a Christmas classic movie? If so, Christmas in the Cross hairs by Kate Angelo, Kelly Underwood and Sami A. Abrams with Lynette Eason may be right up your alley. This book includes three suspenseful novellas:Deadly Holiday Hijack, Silent Night Siege, Christmas Snowstorm Standoff. Deadly Holiday Hijack by Kate Angelo features a plot to hijack a megachurch on the Christmas pageant night. Bodyguard Christina Sherman and her fiance Grey Parker went to Savannah to watch their nephew in a Christmas program. . .but as the action and terror heat up, it doesn't look like a program will take place. How will they get the bad guys? Silent Night Seige by Kelly Underwood details Billionaire Preston Whittaker and bodyguard Laila Rabbinowitz plane flight as they head to some friends' wedding. Laila has ticked off a bad guy who is on the loose and out to get them. Will he succeed? Will Preston and Laila see the value in their relationship ...

  Are you looking for a Christmas fiction book with a mix of suspense and swoonworthy romance? Look no farther! Better Watch Out by Natalie Walters is the perfect mix of the two.  Francis, aka Frannie, headed to New York for what she hopes is a romantic weekend with her boyfriend who has been away for a year. Sadly, when she gets to New York City, instead of a romantic proposal as she hopes, she gets dumped.  Armed with a bucket list of things she hoped to do with her Ex, Frannie decides to skip the pity party and enjoy her time in the big city. However, her big brother thinks she needs to be watched over since she is a naive small-town girl. Frannie's big brother asks his buddy, Andrew, to protectively escort Frannie to the airport. Then the shenanigans began as Frannie armed with pepper spray takes aim at Andrew.  I enjoyed this novella from start to finish. It is a page turner with a mix of action and romance. I liked seeing Frannie and Andrew's developing relati...

  Are you looking for a Christmas book that is also a fun rom-com? All's Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon definitely fits that bill. This book made me smile and giggle and was just a great "feel good" read. Mackenzie Graham is a graphic designer at a small firm. Jeremy Fletcher is her cute co-worker. One day that get called into the boss's office before Christmas. Together they find out that they are in competition for a promotion--a promotion based on generating Christmas spirit in the office. Mackenzie is a quiet, shy person and she just isn't sure she even wants the promotion. However, her mom has early-stage Alzheimer's and needs professional care that is expensive so the raise would help a lot. Jeremy is a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew. He is a good guy but he knows he wants the job to fulfill his career goals and to help care for his young family. With that in mind, the friendly competition begins. I enjoyed All's Fair in Lo...

  Isn't the cover of You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh a gorgeous cover? I was drawn to the cover and I also am drawn because I enjoy books by this author. This sweet novella did not disappoint me--I enjoyed this "feel good" read. Starr Lewis is back home for the holidays--Thanksgiving and Christmas. She isn't very excited about it though. Her sister is getting married--to her former boyfriend. Starr has just been laid off from her job in New York City and is unsure what to do next. Life is up in the air for her. Waylon is struggling to feel the holiday spirit since his mom passed away and his sister is overseas with her military husband and children. Waylon's good friend, is Starr's brother so he invites Waylon to join in the Lewis holiday celebrations. What he doesn't count on is seeing Starr all grown up. Starr and Waylon hit it off. . .but is it just a holiday fling? Or do they have something longer lasting? I enjoyed You Make It Feel Lik...