Tag Archives: Lara Van Hulzen

Happy Release Day! — A Love for A Lifetime

11 Nov

Happy Release Day to Lara Van Hulzen. Her newest contemporary romance featuring a married couple is now available!! I love this! Find out all the details below.

Charlie Benson is happy with her life; she just feels a little lost. The empty nest years haven’t been as easy as she thought they might be, and while planning her daughter’s wedding should be fun, it’s become more about appeasing overbearing relatives than her daughter’s happiness. Davis Benson wants nothing more than for his wife to be happy, but since their two kids left for college, things just haven’t been the same. Charlie isn’t her usual bubbly self, and the empty nest years aren’t as fun as he expected.

When a potential real estate deal threatens the small town where they live, and Charlie and Davis risk losing their home, their world feels beyond their control, making it increasingly difficult to find hope. Together, they must find a way to carve a new path unlike the one they imagined, holding tight to what matters most.

Purchase links:

AMAZON NOOK ITUNES KOBO SMASHWORDS

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Excerpt

Hey, honey. I’m home!” she hollered as she came through the front door.

​“In here!” Davis’s voice echoed down the hallway from the kitchen.

​Charlie set her purse on the bench inside the door and hung her coat on the rack. She took off her shoes and kicked them under the bench. Padding down the hall in her stocking feet, she found her husband of twenty-five years humming as he opened takeout containers he’d placed on the large island at the center of the kitchen. He hadn’t heard her come into the room yet. She took in the sight of him. Tall with blond hair cut short and blue eyes that reminded her of the lake in summer when the sun hit it just right. With a bright smile that won over everyone he met, Davis personified friendliness. While Charlie could get herself worked up about most anything, Davis was steady. Easy going. Her calm in any storm. Coming home to him was what soothed her most in life.

​He looked up and smiled at her. “Hey, babe.”

​She made her way around the island to him. “Hey.”

​He turned and pulled her into his arms, something he’d done thousands of times over the years. She tucked in against him, her arms around his waist, and sighed.

​“I love it when you do that.” He rested his chin on top of her head.

​“Do what?”

​“When your whole body relaxes when I hold you.”

​Charlie smiled against his chest. “I like that, too.”

​She pulled back and looked up at him. He kissed her softly.

​“I see you got us takeout from Marianny’s,” she said as she turned her head toward the containers on the counter.

​“I did. I figured it would be nice for us not to have to cook tonight.”

​“There are many reasons why I married you. Knowing when I’m not up for cooking and getting us food from Marianny’s is one of them.”

​“Hmm. Not my charm and good looks?”

​“Those are bonuses.” She winked at him and then stepped out of his arms to grab two plates from the cupboard. The sound of his laughter caused any concerns of the day to fade away.

​They dished up food, grabbed silverware, and made their way to the kitchen table. Soft jazz music played from the speaker Davis had installed in the corner of the room. As he set down two wine glasses and poured her a glass, Charlie took a deep breath and soaked in the moment. Yes, having an empty nest was a huge change. And yet, there were nights like this one that reminded her some things don’t change. Some things in life she could still rely on.

​Davis sat beside her and held her hand as he said a small blessing over their meal, then dove into their food. Marianny’s made the best arepas, a popular Venezuelan food Charlie and Davis had fallen in love with when the restaurant opened a few years back. Filled with yummy meat and cheeses, Charlie moaned with pleasure as the flavors danced across her tongue, the warm, gooeyness the best comfort food imaginable.

​“How was work today?” Davis asked once he’d finished his bite of food.

​Charlie took a sip of wine and sat back in her chair. “Interesting. Amber gave me a new listing. I went by, and it needs some work, but…”

“Where is it?” Davis took a sip of wine.

​“It’s a Colonial Revival just outside of town on White Pine Drive.”

​Davis nodded. “I think I know the one you’re talking about. It needs a bit of work, doesn’t it?”

​“It does, but it has good bones.”

​Davis smiled as Charlie took another bite of food.

​They had agreed over the years that having a common interest in architecture and building construction was something they appreciated.

​“Tell me about your day,” Charlie said as she finished her bite and wiped her face with a napkin. The food was delicious—and messy.

​“It was fine.”

​Charlie stopped and stared at Davis, the napkin halfway back to her lap. Davis didn’t say “fine” unless something was up. She placed her napkin and her hands in her lap and looked at her husband, who was doing a tremendous job of avoiding eye contact with her.

​“Davis.”

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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.

Connect with Lara:
http://www.laramvanhulzen.com
https://linktr.ee/laravanhulzen

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Happy Release Day! — A Love Worth Waiting For

8 Oct

Happy release day to Lara Van Hulzen. Her latest contemporary romance, A Love Worth Waiting For, is now available!

About The Book

Sadie Woods leads a structured life, and she likes it that way. As owner of her family’s antique store in the town where she grew up, she is surrounded by history. The past is full of intrigue and rich memories, while the present has bills piling up, her aunt battling breast cancer, and a future full of unknowns that have her grasping for hope.

Former professional football star James Larsen just wants a quiet life for himself and his teenage daughter, Maddie. Being Deputy Sheriff in the town he calls home is just right. In the wake of his wife’s death, he’s able to heal without too much attention, and life has become a comfortable routine he appreciates.

When Sadie’s shop is supposedly broken into, and James is the police officer called to the scene, the faded memories of attending high school together stir a connection neither of them is prepared for. While Sadie is knee-deep in trying to save her store, James is hesitant to let another woman into his and his daughter’s lives.

Both hesitant to trust, Sadie and James must brave a path that includes believing there is a love worth waiting for.

Excerpt

As Sadie made her way down the bleachers and along the field level, she scanned the crowd. Not seeing James, she realized he may have joined the team in the locker room. Taking one last look around, she spotted him walking around behind the grandstands, his hands in his pockets and his head down.

She followed, finding him all alone, leaning his back against a wall behind the bleachers.

“Hey, you.” She walked up beside him and copied his stance, the two of them looking out through a tall chain link fence into the parking lot.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

She nodded but said nothing.

They stood there for a few minutes, not saying anything. If he needed to talk, he would. Sadie just wanted to be near him. Let him know he wasn’t alone. The announcer’s voice echoed in the night as he introduced the first float of the evening done by the freshman class.

James ran a hand through his hair and pushed away from the wall. He turned and faced Sadie. “I know I should be grateful. I’ve always had such strong support from this community. But…” He kicked the dirt with the toe of his boot.

Sadie waited for him to continue.

“But they don’t know the truth.”

“And what is the truth?”

He shook his head. “I’m not the superstar they think I am. I’m not the Golden Boy with the perfect life, the perfect career the way they imagine.”

“None of us has anything perfect,” Sadie offered with a shrug.

He looked down at the ground. “It’s just not the whole story.”

“I don’t know the whole story, James. But I think it’s pretty easy to know you.”

His eyes met hers.

“This town celebrates your accomplishments as a football player, yes,” she continued. “And it’s okay to soak that in. You had a great career.”

He looked away, then back at her again, his frown carrying the weight of whatever was bothering him.

“But I don’t think anyone expects you to be a perfect person with a perfect life.”

He took a deep breath in and let it out. “It sure feels that way sometimes.”

She pushed away from the wall and stepped over to him, taking his hands in hers. “I’m sure there have been people in your life who wanted to be in your life because of your success. But there are plenty of people who want to be in your life because of the person you are. The man you are.”

His lips formed a small smile at that, but it didn’t last. “Like I said, there’s more to the story.”

“I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

“You are. But I gotta be honest, talking isn’t what I want to do right now.” He let go of her hands and cupped her face in his.

The music and noise of the night faded into the background as he placed his lips on hers. The first time in the passageway, there’d been an urgency to his kiss, almost a need for him to be as close to her as possible to know she was okay. This time, it was a slow, searing intensity between them that warmed her all the way to her toes. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her body sinking into his as if she were made to be there.

Sadie lost all track of time or rational thought, her mind only able to focus on being held by James, as if there was no one else in the entire world she was meant to kiss but him.

When he pulled away and placed his forehead on hers, they were both breathless.

“It’s official. I definitely love to do that more than talk,” James said.

Sadie laughed, her breath a cloud in the cold air.

The announcer came over the loudspeaker to announce the presentation of the float for the sophomore class.

James smiled down at Sadie, her face still cradled in his hands. “As much as I hate to say it—and I mean really hate to say it—I need to go.” He kissed her forehead. “Maddie will kill me if I don’t see the float she helped work on all week.”

Sadie nodded. “I understand.”

James stepped back, taking her hands in his. “Thank you for coming to find me.”

“You’re welcome. I’m here any time you ever want to…talk.”

He laughed at that and then kissed her gloved hands and then her cheek. “A very

tempting offer, Sadie. I hope you mean it.”

Oh, she meant it. If she wasn’t falling for James Larsen before, she certainly was now.

“I mean it.”

“Good.” With that, he took her hand and walked her back to the stadium, the two of them parting ways as he headed to the field and she into the stands.

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON

NOOK

ITUNES

KOBO

SMASHWORDS

About The Author

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.

CONNECT WITH LARA

http://www.laramvanhulzen.com

https://linktr.ee/laravanhulzen

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Spotlight On Holiday Romance: An Angel For Christmas

9 Nov

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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.

*********

Buy Links

Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-angel-for-christmas-lara-van-hulzen/1143837835?ean=2940160926940

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/ni/book/an-angel-for-christmas/id6454352099?l=en-GB

KOBO:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/an-angel-for-christmas-10

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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.

Connect with Lara:

http://www.laramvanhulzen.com
https://linktr.ee/laravanhulzen

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Spotlight on Contemporary Romance — Until I Met You

20 Jul

It’s release day for Until I Met You by Lara Van Hulzen! Her newest contemporary romance, the 3rd book in The Endicotts of Silver Bay series, is now available!

When his parents move to Silver Bay, California, Dominic Endicott, ever the dutiful son, packs up his life and heads to the small town. He sees it as temporary, appeasing his mother and making sure his dad’s health is stable while Dominic keeps the family business running. Dominic planned on keeping his head down, focused only on working and spending time with his family. Until a beautiful brunette forces him to look up.

Local Chaplain and community center employee Rachel Anderson loves her little town that she’s called home for the past year. Silver Bay is a far cry from her life growing up in LA, and that’s perfectly fine with her. When she mistakes newcomer Dominic for her friend, Chet, her simple, curated life becomes complicated.

Thrown together to work on raising money for the town’s community center, the sparks between Rachel and Dominic are too strong to ignore. But Dominic represents everything Rachel has been running from, while Rachel has Dominic rethinking his entire life plan. Can these two bridge the gap between their worlds and give love a chance?

What Readers Are Saying About The Endicotts of Silver Bay


“. . . sweet and heartwarming.” — SHELAGH, GOODREADS

“It is a sweet, heartwarming, emotional and fun read.” — SHERRI GOODREADS

“A wonderful addition to the series and this reader is already looking forward to the next story in the series.” — YVONEE, BOOKBUB

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 Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a Masters of Divinity in Chaplaincy.Lara loves tea, baseball and living in Idaho with her husband and Great Dane.

Readers can connect to Lara at the following:

http://www.laramvanhulzen.com
https://linktr.ee/laravanhulzen

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Spotlight on Romance — Christmas Cakes And Kisses

25 Jan

Is it too late or too early for a Christmas-y romance? I say NO! Today’s spotlight on romance features Christmas Cakes And Kisses by Lara Van Hulzen. If you are still in a holiday mood check it out! If not, make sure to add it to you TBR wishlist. Is July too soon to read it? LOL!

Eva Endicott comes to Silver Bay to prove to her family that she can make it on her own. Working in the local bakery, she’s determined to save enough to open her own cake decorating business. Winning an upcoming Christmas cake competition is the key to her dream, so Eva has no time for distractions, especially not devastatingly handsome ones that maker her heart skip a beat.

Tyler Vance is the personal trainer for professional baseball pitcher, Drew MacIntyre. After following a retired Drew to Silver Bay, Tyler’s own future is uncertain. Things become more unsettled when a beautiful baker enters his world. Eva fascinates Tyler and as he gets to know her better, he considers planting his roots in Silver Bay. But when the location Tyler chooses for his training facility is the same one Eva wants for her bakery, something has to give..

With the contest deadline looming, Eva can barely think about Tyler. Until a blinding moment finally reveals her true feelings.

Is it too late? Or will a Christmas miracle give them both more than they ever dreamed?

To purchase, click HERE.

What Readers Are Saying 

“. . . a lovely story about family, friends, and fulfilling your dreams.” —PAULA, GOODREADS

“This is a sweet, clean romance. The readers are reminded of the important of family. ” —YVONNE, BOOKBUB

“What a heartwarming story and a wonderful addition to this series.” —SHERRI BABB, GOODREADS

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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