SPOTLIGHT w/EXCERPT - CONTEMPORARY ANTHOLOGY - LOVE IS COMING TO TOWN: A Small Town Christmas Romance

Love Is Coming to Town

A Small Town Christmas Romance Anthology

with stories 

by Rebecca Barton, Dawn Luedecke, Danielle Pays, Alexa Rivers, Kaci Rose, Megan Ryder, Bell Splendor, Kate Stacy, Claire Wilder

What’s a small town Christmas without a little romance?

Fake relationships, second chances, friends to lovers, and sexy brother’s best friends.

Mix in some small town gossip, meddling matchmakers, and Christmas magic and you have a perfect holiday escape.

Finding His Cheer by Claire Wilder

He loved and lost. She’s just lost. This Christmas, will love be the thing that finds them both?

Operation: Christmas Seduction by Megan Ryder

A sexy bartender seduces his crush of Christmas trees, gifts, and cookies. But when the season ends, will their romance too?

Second Chance Christmas by Alexa Rivers

Breaking down outside her ex’s bar wasn’t part of the plan. Could a Christmas reunion reignite their old spark?

Love At Frost Sight by Bell Splendor

When two enemies come together, will it be steamy heat, or a melting iceberg of disaster?

Captivated by Danielle Pays

Needed: One fake boyfriend for the holidays. She never expected her brother’s best friend, aka her crush, to volunteer.

Twelve Days by Kate Stacy

She’s missing her usual holiday spirit, until a secret admirer gives her twelve days of Christmas she’ll never forget.

Christmas at La Villa Rosa by Rebecca Barton

Two creatives clashing on a joint project…surely it’s too cold to shut each other out, especially on Christmas Eve?

Her Second Chance Christmas by Kaci Rose

Her best friend’s Christmas wedding. A family reunion and the man she never thought she’d see again.

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe by Dawn Luedecke

The only person who can put Sexy Santa in his place is a pain in the butt, and the perfect Mrs. Claus.

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Operation: Christmas Seduction

Author: Megan Ryder

Short Blurb: A sexy bartender seduces his crush over Christmas trees, gifts, and cookies. But when the season ends, will their romance too?

Full Blurb:

True to his name, Ryan Holliday loves Christmas, as proclaimed by the tinsel and lights adorning his bar, Bangers and Mash. Sadly, the town Grinch, Paige Taylor--a woman who’s locked him in the friend zone—missed the memo. When he notices her mood unaffected by the trimmings, he makes it his mission to help her find her holiday spirit. Who knows? His good deed might even coax St. Nick into granting Ryan’s long-held Christmas wish to win her affection.

Any joy Paige Taylor might’ve known during the holidays had been killed by years of tense family affairs. For her, this year’s “Season of Stress” would be even worse thanks to her parents’ efforts to reunite Paige with her cheating ex-fiancé. In their eyes, his money and influence made up for his flaws. In fact, they blamed her for boring him with her dedication to her career as a history professor. At this point, even Henry VIII appealed more than modern men, which meant she shouldn’t flirt with the sexy bar owner insisting she party with the ghost of Christmas present.

Ryan seduces her over Christmas trees, cookies and shopping but will the Christmas magic they find together last beyond the New Year?

Excerpt: "What are you drinking?" She glanced at the glass, blinking owlishly behind her sexy, black-rimmed glasses, as if only now realizing it was empty. "Vodka and cranberry." He whipped the glass away in one deft motion. "Not tonight. Let me make you one of my patented holiday drink specials." He grabbed the blender, eggnog, amaretto, brandy, and ice cream. She leaned over the counter, trying to see around him, but he turned his back from her, hiding what he was doing. Finally, he sugared the rim of the martini glass and poured the mixture into it, garnishing it with a miniature candy cane. He presented it to her with a flourish. "As if it came off Santa's sleigh just for you." He held it back for a second, just out of reach. "Have you been a good girl this year?" She grinned. "I'm always good." He leaned forward until the fuzzy white ball at the end of his Santa hat brushed her forehead. "Where's the fun in that?" He winked and handed her the drink. "Enjoy." She took a sip and nodded, but he saw the slight grimace. "It's good." "Good?" He pretended outrage. "It's Christmas in a glass! The most wonderful time of the year. And you say it's good?" She laughed, finally letting down her guard a little. "Okay, fine. It's Christmas in a glass. Wonderful. Fabulous. Like drinking snowflakes. Are you happy now?" He frowned. She was definitely a tough nut to crack. Fortunately, he’d had experience cracking tough cases. He’d figure her out too. "You hate it, don't you?" She set the glass down. "Not a fan of peppermint or candy canes." He took a step back and narrowed his gaze at her. Maybe he was figuring out the issue. No holiday garb, and a distinctly uncomfortable feeling around the holiday cheer. Yup, she was not in the holiday spirit. How could she have missed it? His whole bar was decked to the rafters for the season, the best time of year. His whole family came in over Thanksgiving and helped decorate the bar. Yet Paige was sitting here as if it were any other night of the year. "You do know it's Christmas, right?" She wrinkled her nose. "How could I have missed it? What happened in here anyway? Drunken elves trash your bar? Lose a bet?" He followed her gaze around the bar. "What do you mean? We're just getting started here." Suspicion dawned. “Do you hate Christmas or something?" She shrugged, sipping the drink again. "Or something. It's a kids' holiday, not for adults. In my family, Christmas is really more of a social obligation than a fun time. I guess I just don't see the point." He fell back dramatically against the bar, hand against his heart, feigning shock. "You really mean that? Oh, Paige, darling. Christmas is a season for miracles, a time for family, a time for fun." He shoved himself off the bar. "There's nothing for it. You need the Christmas spirit. And I'm just the Santa to bring it to you." She stared at him, her green eyes a little wide, her full lips parted. She considered him, tentative, nervous, kind of like that rescue cat, not sure what he'd do next. She pushed her glasses up and shook her head. "No, thanks. I'm good. I just never really saw the point. You rush around fighting crowds of people to buy stuff for people who already have stuff. Everyone is irritable and cranky, spending more money than they have. Why?" He leaned forward on the bar, his upper body close to hers. "It's all about perspective. Think about finding that perfect gift for someone, then watching them open it on Christmas morning and seeing their joy and excitement. You don't have to spend a lot. It's the thought that counts." She blew a raspberry at him. "Oh pooh. You really believe that? I think the advertising people would beg to disagree with you. And let's face it. All evidence is against you. It's all commercial now. All Christmas spirit is gone, lost in a flurry of money, gifts and greed." He listened to her words but heard something else under it all. He had hoped she'd be a little more receptive to Christmas, not shutting it down completely. But at least she wasn't running scared from him. "So, what do you have to lose? If you're right, then you've lost a few hours. If I'm right, you've gained the holiday spirit." He held his breath, half expecting her to say no thanks. He'd never heard of someone not loving Christmas. In his family, they began preparing for Christmas in September, planning gifts, Christmas tree themes, and parties. When he first opened Bangers, as soon as Thanksgiving ended, holiday decorations went up. Hearing that someone didn't celebrate Christmas, didn't appreciate the holiday as he did, was a concept that was as foreign to him as someone not liking ice cream. He dried a glass, striving for nonchalance while inside, he was twisted up. Damn, she was beautiful, in an understated way, easily missed by most of the guys hanging out in this bar looking for something more obvious. Maybe he could finally figure out why she was so attractive and work out this connection between them. The silence dragged on and he had to push her. He wasn't above a little emotional blackmail. "Unless, maybe you don't want to spend time with me. Maybe you don't like me or something." The look on her face was priceless. Shock, surprise and a hint of something his ego might interpret as fascination. "Of course not. But it would be a waste of time," she replied, voice prim and proper. "Spending time with you is never a waste of time.”

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SPOTLIGHT /W/GUEST POST - White Water Passion by Dawn Luedecke

White Water Passion

by Dawn Luedecke

Date of Publication: November 12^th 2017

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Historical Romance

Tagline: Only by working together can they save their mill…and their future.

 

BLURB

The Montana Territory is one of the last outposts of the American West—where adventure as grand as the wide-open plains is around every corner, and passion as wild as the land itself beats in every heart . . .

Elizabeth Sanders isn’t afraid of anything, except what will happen to her beloved town if the Big Mountain Lumber Mill is destroyed. When she overhears a plot to do just that, she vows to put a stop to it, even if it means dressing as a young lumberjack to expose the saboteur. There’s only one problem with her plan—her brother’s handsome friend and fellow logger Garrett Jones, who arouses a desire within her soul as fierce as the river rapids.

When Garrett discovers that the odd new lad on the crew is in fact Beth, he’s shocked. A logging camp is no place for a young woman—especially the spirited beauty he’s admired for so long. Keeping her safe is easier said than done, however, as the attraction between them flares into true passion. As the danger mounts, Beth and Garrett must work together to survive the last log run down the wild rapids and claim any chance of saving the mill—and their chance at a future .

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“Well written, well researched. Like the river, this plot runs faster and faster. Readers won’t be able to put it down.”

—New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas

Excerpt:

Missoula Montana, 1888

Elizabeth Sanders could vanish right now, and no one would notice. She blended in with every other woman by wearing her matching pinstriped walking skirt and blouse. Each store clerk and patron in Missoula, focused on their affairs without a care to their neighbor, would fail to notice if she walked through Higgins Street naked, let alone disappeared into thin air. They certainly wouldn’t look twice when she came back this way a different person.

Hundreds of people bustled in the heat of the Montana sun doing the same old things, the same old ways, with nothing to show for their trouble but dirty shoes. If Elizabeth was going to get her shoes dirty, she preferred to have fun doing it…the Devil May Care way.

Navigating the pedestrian-riddled streets was treacherous at best. Times like this made her wish she’d taken her grandmother’s buggy. At least then she wouldn’t be jostled around like a dirty shirt in a churning wash bin. A deep exhale boosted her determination enough to risk a step to the side to duck around a particularly slow matriarch. The small triumph lasted only a moment before she slammed into a hard chest.

The soft fabric of a well-tailored suit skimmed her cheek a split second before warm hands reached out to steady her. The touch—firm, yet gentle—made her feel like she now balanced on the back of a high-strung and wild mustang as it fled down a hill with uncontrolled freedom. She hadn’t needed the extra hand. Wasn’t in danger of falling over. What sort of dullard rescues a woman in no need of liberation? She pulled away and adjusted her skirts as he let go. Her mind focused once more.

“Pardon me.” She glanced up to a familiar face. One she’d seen many times in her dreams. Her breath failed as her brother’s friend, Garrett Jones, peered down at her with silver-clouded eyes. Oh, how he made the world spin whenever he drew near. His handsome, yet rugged, face made her fingers ache to touch the severe lines of his jaw. The rich scent of tobacco infused with lavender and some sort of citrus drifted on the breeze. Eau de Cologne. A fragrance only the wealthiest of men in Montana could afford. A scent belying the canvas pants, spiked boots, and sturdy cotton shirt he sported every time she’d seen him on the train platform.

“Elizabeth.” Did he say her name, or did she dream the word? Oh to be noticed by a man like Garrett Jones. The only man who could make butterflies flit around in her stomach and fear slide through her chest in the same confusing moment.

The hem of her dress hovered mere inches from his feet. Her face heated and heart began to pound. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep her eyes off the man who led the Devil May Care boys. The man who held her future in his hands if she succeeded in becoming part of his crew at the logging camp. If things went the way she planned, she’d be staring into his amber and steel speckled eyes for the rest of the season. Did he truly recognize her after all these years of no more than a passing glance?

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Logging in History

WHITE WATER PASSION takes place in a fictional company in the very real Montana mountains. Researching for the series has been an amazing experience. I started with nonfiction books about Missoula and the railroad (which, unfortunately, I ended up losing in Hurricane Harvey). I discovered that there are different ways to log/river log depending on where the company was located in the country. The fun part was in combining facts with my own spin on the fictional history of Garrett, Beth, and the Great Mountain Lumber Company.

In Montana they used horse or oxen teams to bring the logs to chutes, which would then slide the logs from the hills to the lake where they would hold it on the banks or in a ‘raft’ until the spring run-off when the rivers were full enough to float the logs down to the mills. While the hero of my story, Garrett (river logger and heir to a railroad company), tries out railroad logging at the end of the book. This form of log transportation didn’t really become widespread in Montana until the early twentieth century, however, Montana river logging did continue until 1926 despite having trains and eventually trucks to aid in the transportation to the mill.

Along my research journey I’ve discovered the amazing tools used in the operation, phrases popular in the days, and more. One thing my publisher did was insert a Glossary of terms I wrote in the book, which has come in handy for more than one reader. Here is a little peak at the Glossary featured in the Montana Mountain Romance series.

   

One of the funnest things I discovered while researching was this Canadian song, Log Drivers Waltz, about falling in love with a riverman. The song fits perfectly with the Montana Mountain Series, and it has become one of my favorite go to video’s on youtube. Check it out.

https://youtu.be/KcWk0R4QRXo

Author Info

A country girl born and bred, Dawn Luedecke has spent most of her life surrounded by horses, country folk, and the wild terrain of Nevada, Idaho and Montana. As a child she would spend many afternoons reading books, watching western classics, and Rogers and Hammerstein movies. When she grew up she decided to leave the quiet country life for a chance to find adventure by serving a successful tour in the United States Coast Guard. During that time she found her soul mate (and alpha male) and started a family and writing career. She enjoys writing historical and paranormal romance and spends as much time as she can working on her current manuscript.

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