Are you a Black Friday shopper? Me, not so much. I prefer to snuggle in with a holiday-themed book from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. My list this year is filled with the authors who will be attending theTurning A New Page Book Festival in Perry, Georgia. Most are novella-length and perfect for reading between shopping, baking, parties, school and church events — you know you need a break! The list covers a variety of genres — romance, historical, suspense, mystery — so there should be something for you! Note: many are available through Kindle Unlimited. Look for KU after the author’s name.
Holiday Reading List
Candy Canes, Canines, And Crimes by Kathy Manos Penn (KU)
Destination Christmas by Pam Hillman (KU)
Last to Know by Brandy Heineman (KU)
Magnolia Mistletoe by Lindsey Brackett(KU)
One Winter Kiss by Lindi Peterson (KU)
Prevail by Linda Rodante(KU)
Snowbound with The Rodeo Star by Tanya Agler
The Unbroken Song by Jennifer Q. Hunt(KU)
You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh
Whiskers, Wreaths, and Murder by Kathy Manos Penn(KU)
It’ll take a Christmas miracle to convince this grinch to give love another chance.
When her family moves across the country to Silver Bay, California, Angelica Endicott loyally follows. As the youngest in the Endicott clan, she’s gone her entire life with something to prove. Family is everything to Angelica, who has put her artistic dreams on hold in favor of dedicating herself to the family company.
Silver Bay local Garrett Christmas never planned to settle down in his small coastal hometown, much less as a divorced, single dad to help his father following an injury. Raising his daughter, Lia, on his own and running his father’s saloon is plenty for Garrett, who’s placed his hopes of owning his own Napa Valley vineyard firmly in his rearview mirror.
Fate keeps bringing Angelica and Garrett together and, despite their differences, they can’t deny the sparks. Determined to show Garrett there’s more to her than meets the eye, Angelica proposes a plan to expand his business by New Year’s. As they work together, can Angelica’s fiery spirit and the magic of Christmas melt the ice around Garrett’s heart?
Praise for An Angel for Christmas
“This was an engaging and entertaining story and a good addition to the series.” — YVONNE CRUZ, GOODREADS
“A heart-warming story of family, new friends and possible romance.” — DONNAJO, GOODREADS
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Excerpt
Garrett flipped on the lights in his office and tossed his keys on his desk. While mornings were quiet at the saloon, this early in the day was even more so. However, a noise above his head caused him to stop and listen. The sound of footsteps made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Someone was in the saloon.
With as much stealth as possible, he made his way through the door that led to the bar. Silver Bay was a safe town. Everyone knew everyone and doors were left unlocked everywhere. The thought of someone in his bar this early in the morning to rob him wasn’t rational. Yet he couldn’t deny what he heard.
As he stepped around the bar, the footsteps became rhythmic, and the sound of music made its way downstairs from the balcony up above.
Someone was in his bar listening to music and…dancing?
Garrett made his way up the stairs, still on alert because he had zero idea of what he was about to find. As he turned when he reached the balcony, his mind certainly wasn’t prepared for what he saw.
Angelica was dressed in jeans, old tennis shoes, and a black top that hugged her curves and was splattered with paint. Her hair was jumbled up on top of her head in a way that looked messy, as well as super sexy. He’d only seen her with her hair down and brushed perfectly. This somewhat disheveled look fit her well.
A small speaker sat on a table with her phone next to it. The source of the music. Two cups from Jamie’s Java sat beside. Angelica sang along, something about what happened last Christmas. Her back to him, she danced her way toward a ladder that stood near the far wall, a paint brush in hand that she waved above her head. He bit back a laugh at how many paint flecks were coming from it and landing in her hair.
He took a moment to appreciate the woman before him, watching as each step of the ladder she climbed was a dance step. It was clear she’d shown up even earlier than he had to get started on the upstairs. How she’d dragged all the stuff she needed to do so inside and upstairs by herself, he had no clue. But this was Angelica, and from what he’d seen of her so far, she had a strong will and believed there was always a way.
Not only that, but she also moved without any inhibitions, dancing as if no one was watching. Although in all fairness, she didn’t know anyone was watching. Aware that if he waited any longer, he ran the risk of frightening her or reaching creeper status, he cleared his throat to let her know he was there. The volume of the music must have kept her from hearing him because she continued to wiggle to the music as much as was possible while standing on a ladder and painting a wall.
He moved closer, hoping she would hear him and not get startled.
He cleared this throat again and said, “You’re here early.”
“Oh!” She jumped, the paintbrush falling from her hand. As her body twisted to face him, her foot caught on the rung of the ladder, and she lost her balance.
On instinct, Garrett made it next to the ladder just in time for Angelica to fall right into his arms.
This time, there was no apology by her, no pulling back to dust off dirt. This time, he had his arms around her waist, her hands pressed up against his chest. Their eyes met and held.
“We keep bumping into each other,” she said, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile.
Every witty response Garrett had in his mind vanished. All he could see were those eyes of hers. The greenish-blue ocean depths he wanted to swim in for days. A lock of her hair had fallen over her forehead. He tucked it behind her ear then cupped her face in his hand. Without another thought, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
Writing stories since she was a young girl, Lara Van Hulzen’s dream of being a novelist became a reality with her Men of Honor series. An avid reader, she worked as a book reviewer for 18 years with various organizations. She has a BA in Journalism and a Masters of Divinity in Chaplaincy. Lara loves tea, baseball and living in Idaho with her husband and Great Dane.
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