Christmas with the Sheriff
by Victoria James
A Shadow Creek, Montana Novel
Publication Date: November 7, 2016
Genres: Adult, Entangled: Bliss, Holiday, Romance
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Excerpt
He’d come to the conclusion before she came home for Christmas that he needed to stop feeling guilty about his feelings for her. He’d never done anything to let on that he was in love with Julia. Never to Michael, Jack, or Julia. It had been his secret and he’d been willing to go on his whole life without ever letting it out.
More than anything, more than his feelings for her, his wanting her, he wanted a happy ending for her. He wanted their little boy to be alive. He wanted Michael to be alive.
Nothing had ever come close to hurting more than when he found out about the accident. And then witnessing the pure hell Julia went through. He vowed to his friend the day of the funeral that he would watch out for her. But then she was packing up and tearfully trying to tell him why she couldn’t stay in Shadow Creek, and hell, he couldn’t blame her one bit.
But now she was back. And God, he’d missed her.
“Looking for a Christmas tree?”
She shot him a surprised glance, looking over at him. “Oh, hey, Chase.” Her full lips pulled into a gorgeous smile and he cursed himself. He didn’t need to be noticing her mouth. He turned away to look at the lot full of trees.
“No, I just love the smell. I was out for a walk and thought I might do some Christmas shopping.”
“You walked here?”
She nodded. The tip of her nose was pink and her cheeks were rosy. “I had to. They have all been force-feeding me pies and cookies. This morning, I walked into the kitchen to find Edward sitting alone at the kitchen table eating pie. Minutes later Cassy comes in and he shoved the pie at me, and I had to pretend it was mine and eat it! I’m not going to fit into my clothes by Christmas.”
Chase laughed and tried not to sound like he was choking. He didn’t want to think of her figure. Julia thought it was some nonchalant ha-ha comment, while he thought of beautiful curves. Perfect curves. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” He wanted to add that he thought all her pounds were in the nicest places, but he had no intention of coming off like some sort of creep. Or someone who’d been in love with her since high school. Or like someone who hung her picture on the front of his refrigerator door next to Luigi the pizza guy. Dammit.
ABOUT VICTORIA JAMES
Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.
Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.
Sign up for Victoria’s Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from readers!
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Snowbound with Mr. Wrong
by Barbara White Dailee
A Snowflake Valley Novel
Publication Date: November 7, 2016
Genres: Adult, Entangled: Bliss, Holiday, Romance
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Synopsis: Worst. Day. Ever. After Lyssa Barnett’s sister tricks her into reprising her role at Snowflake Valley’s annual children’s party, she doesn’t think anything can be worse than squeezing into her too-small elf costume. Then tall, dark, and way too handsome Nick Tavlock shows up to play Santa…and an unexpected storm leaves them snowbound in the isolated lodge.
The last thing Nick wants is to spend a cozy Christmas Eve with a trio of kids and the woman who dumped him. But as much as Lyssa frustrates him, he can’t stop thinking about her. And soon, he’s fighting very un-Santa-like thoughts of kissing a certain sexy Miss Elf under the mistletoe. As Nick starts to fall for Lyssa all over again, he knows it will take nothing short of a miracle to have Lyssa in his arms on Christmas Day.
Excerpt
As Lyssa went down the stairs, heat rose around her. She had turned up the thermostat, and waves of warmth now blasted from every vent in the lodge, as well as from the fire she had lit in the fireplace.
To her surprise, Nick still sat on the long wooden bench just inside the lodge’s front door. “Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable on the couch?”
“I don’t think a move to another location’s going to make much difference.”
“At least take your boots and jacket off. You’ll get overheated.”
“Maybe you’ve already got me that way.”
The comment made her thoughts flash to the moment outside when he had slipped and she had attempted to break his fall. Despite the heat in the house, she shivered. Nick grinned. A forced grin that didn’t match his teasing tone. Knowing he had to make himself flirt with her only made her feel cold all over again. “What the matter?” she snapped.
He shrugged. “My ankle’s so swollen, this boot might not come off.”
She took a deep breath. No way in the world did she want to go near him again. But she couldn’t let him sit here all night. “Let me help.” She crossed the room and deposited the armload of clothes onto the bench beside him. Then she knelt down and began opening the wet laces of his army boot. “You should have worn proper boots for snow.”
“These do the job back home.”
“Back home is in California.”
“Yeah. But who knew I’d be trekking cross-country in a blizzard.”
“Northern Nevada…” she murmured. “December… Might have given you a clue.” She tugged on the damp laces.
Instantly, he sucked in a breath. A heartbeat later, he grabbed her wrists.
She tried to ignore the warmth of his palms against the backs of her hands. Tried to believe he couldn’t feel her pulse suddenly fluttering beneath his thumbs. Tried not to look up and…and…
And this is ridiculous. Months ago, he had broken her heart. That didn’t mean she now had to fall to pieces at his touch.
She looked up, then wished she hadn’t. He was so close. If he lowered his head a fraction, if she raised her chin just an inch… As she mentally attempted to push away the thoughts, her hands jerked his bootlaces.
He let out a yelp.
“Sorry. Does it hurt that much?”
“What, having a madwoman trying to amputate my foot with a dull shoestring? Yeah, it hurts like hell.”
When he sat back, she attempted to be gentler while she loosened the top of his boot. “I knew you weren’t being truthful with me about the pain.”
“Well, right now, ask me anything you want to know and I’ll give you an honest answer. My future mobility might depend on it.”
“I’ve already had answers enough from you, thanks.” Ones I didn’t like hearing.
ABOUT BARBARA WHITE DAILLE
From the time she was a toddler, Barbara found herself fascinated by those things her mom called “books.” Once she learned the words between the covers held the magic of storytelling, she wanted to see her words in print so she could weave that magic spell for others.
After much hard work at her craft, she achieved her longtime dream when she began selling romance and mystery fiction to national and regional publications. Not long after, she received “The Call” from Harlequin Books and sold her first two novels. Since then, her books have garnered many positive reviews, appeared on numerous bestseller lists, and won a number of awards.
Originally from the East Coast, award-winning author Barbara White Daille now lives with her husband in the warm, sunny Southwest, where they don’t mind the lizards in their front yard but could do without the scorpions in the bathroom.
Barbara hopes you will enjoy reading her stories and will find your own storytelling magic in them!
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