If you are like me and devour a well written romance story, I would love to share ten of the books (or first book in a series) I have recently read that will help keep you warm (or steamy) this holiday season. Not all of them are Christmas stories and they are in no particular order - nor are they all recent publications - some I received ARC copies of, some are Kindle Unlimited and some I purchased... (Amazon links contain my referral code)
This is a fabulous series focusing on a fictional NHL team - one of the things I love is that the series focuses on mature players (so far) and all of the characters are thirty or older - which makes reading this series easier for this thirty plus year old lady... Book one features Scott and Becca - and the chance to reunite after years apart. What I love in this author's style is she doesn't use a ton of flashbacks and reminisces to prop up the story - she keeps their relationship current and while they talk through old hurts, they don't dwell on them... Once you've met Scott and Becca, and been introduced to their friends, you won't be able to resist the other three novels currently available - I promise! (Series purchased)
From the Blurb: What will it take for her to Just Say Yes?
Scott Taylor has the perfect life. He gets to fulfill his dream playing professional hockey, has a loving family, and a tight group of friends. But the one thing missing in his life is a partner to come home to. He knows exactly who he wants to fill that position– the only woman he has ever loved. The one who got away, who constantly consumes his every thought. What it would take to get her to Just Say Yes to a second chance?
Becca Phillips is an independent woman who has made her career as an ER nurse a priority in her life. She has a loving family and a best friend by her side, but she can’t seem to get over her first love, Scott. Insecurities led her to break up with him years ago when he started climbing the ranks in professional hockey and, for eight years, Becca has avoided Scott when he returns home each summer. Can she overcome her fears and allow love back into her life? All she has to do is Just Say Yes to the one and only man she has ever loved.
This is a series that I started this past summer and the entire series is free on Kindle Unlimited! I just read the fourth and final book recently and it made me want to go back and read the entire series again! What I love is that while the series focuses on The King family, it is not all written in one voice - three different authors voice each member of the family - starting and ending with one of my favourite authors, Molly O'Keefe writing as M. O'Keefe! I immediately fell in love with and empathized with the heroine, Veronica (Ronnie) as she struggles with the death of her father, supporting her sisters and dealing with her history and current situation with Clayton. This is a truly straightforward HEA story with some smoldering heat that will definitely keep you warm on a cold winter's night. Molly's writing style always draws me into the world she creates within seconds - making me glad she is up first in the line up for this series that also features S. Doyle and Julie Kriss!
From the Blurb: The cruel and beautiful man who ruined my life has everything he wants—everything except me.
Five years ago, Clayton Rorick loved me. Or so I thought. Turned out he only wanted to get his hands on my daddy’s company. Heartbroken, I ran away with nothing but the clothes on my back. Like a twisted Cinderella. When my father dies, leaving my sisters in a desperate situation, it’s up to me to help them.
I’ll have to beg the man who broke my heart to save us.
But Clayton hasn’t forgotten me and what he wants in exchange for his help is…my body, my heart and my soul.
Time to blog .... catching up!
Believe it or not, I am back - at least for a while.. there have been so many changes in our lives since I last blogged, but I am now finding time with my thoughts in the strangest place - at work (more about that in a little while) and forces (like the packages from long forgotten partners that arrived on my doorstep recently) and my own searching for recipes that I published for the holidays has led me back to the blog.
I am going to just see where things take me - no promises of what will happen, how many posts per week or even when I'll be posting...
So where have we been?
Last year I fell into what became a full-time job that I had anticipated to be part-time. I worked at a local grocery chain as a Customer Service Associate and evening bookkeeper. I had gone in with the intention of working 18-24 hours per week - and I honestly don't think that ever happened... It was a great re-entry into the workforce after so many years at home and it taught me that our little family could handle the stress of me working more hours than we thought... but it didn't pay overly well and the stress of some of the situations made me crazy, so this past August, I looked for another new job and ended up in a place Wayne always thought I'd excel at but didn't want to cross into his territory - hospitality!
For the past 5 months I've been having a blast as a Concierge at The Sanctuary, a 5 Star/5 Diamond property that is part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort! It's an amazing place to work and it's been fun learning the ins and outs of the entire property - our golf courses, tennis courts, recreation, hotel, restaurants... and helping people connect with my favorite adopted city...
Yesterday, I got to bring the boys to work to do cookie decorating and take a wander around... they're getting to be so big! Liam is in 5th grade now so we are actively searching for the right middle school for him... Erik is already in second grade and is growing in leaps and bounds - so much that other than being about 6 inches shorter, and rolling up his pant legs, the boys are sharing clothes...
Wayne is taking his turn at being Super Dad for a while - with me working full time, so much more of the parenting, cooking and other chores are falling on his already busy shoulders... he's still Chair of the Hospitality Department and is hopefully on his way to earning the rank of Full Professor this year, moving up from Associate. He was also my plus one at our holiday Christmas party and for the first time in I don't know how long, was the one being introduced to everyone - it felt strange to be in a social situation where I knew more people than him (although we did run into several people who knew him instead of me - including one of the young ladies who was helping with the service and was one of his current students)
Robyn is a JUNIOR at C of C! Time is moving way too quickly and she is on pace to graduate next year from College - I am not old enough to have an almost college graduate :) She is home less and less, but that's a good thing as she becomes more independent.
We are looking forward to the holidays - all four of them are looking forward to time off from school - and I am happily planning a little get away for us to Florida between Christmas and New Years!
What have you been up to? What are your holiday plans? Is anyone still out there?
More to come from me, I promise ...
Heather
I am going to just see where things take me - no promises of what will happen, how many posts per week or even when I'll be posting...
So where have we been?
Last year I fell into what became a full-time job that I had anticipated to be part-time. I worked at a local grocery chain as a Customer Service Associate and evening bookkeeper. I had gone in with the intention of working 18-24 hours per week - and I honestly don't think that ever happened... It was a great re-entry into the workforce after so many years at home and it taught me that our little family could handle the stress of me working more hours than we thought... but it didn't pay overly well and the stress of some of the situations made me crazy, so this past August, I looked for another new job and ended up in a place Wayne always thought I'd excel at but didn't want to cross into his territory - hospitality!
For the past 5 months I've been having a blast as a Concierge at The Sanctuary, a 5 Star/5 Diamond property that is part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort! It's an amazing place to work and it's been fun learning the ins and outs of the entire property - our golf courses, tennis courts, recreation, hotel, restaurants... and helping people connect with my favorite adopted city...Yesterday, I got to bring the boys to work to do cookie decorating and take a wander around... they're getting to be so big! Liam is in 5th grade now so we are actively searching for the right middle school for him... Erik is already in second grade and is growing in leaps and bounds - so much that other than being about 6 inches shorter, and rolling up his pant legs, the boys are sharing clothes...
Wayne is taking his turn at being Super Dad for a while - with me working full time, so much more of the parenting, cooking and other chores are falling on his already busy shoulders... he's still Chair of the Hospitality Department and is hopefully on his way to earning the rank of Full Professor this year, moving up from Associate. He was also my plus one at our holiday Christmas party and for the first time in I don't know how long, was the one being introduced to everyone - it felt strange to be in a social situation where I knew more people than him (although we did run into several people who knew him instead of me - including one of the young ladies who was helping with the service and was one of his current students)Robyn is a JUNIOR at C of C! Time is moving way too quickly and she is on pace to graduate next year from College - I am not old enough to have an almost college graduate :) She is home less and less, but that's a good thing as she becomes more independent.
We are looking forward to the holidays - all four of them are looking forward to time off from school - and I am happily planning a little get away for us to Florida between Christmas and New Years!
What have you been up to? What are your holiday plans? Is anyone still out there?
More to come from me, I promise ...
Heather