This year, I wanted to feature
several of Pelican Book Group's 2023 Christmas Holiday Extravaganza releases.
The titles will be released through Amazon and pelicanbookgroup.com on November 1st.
Romantic Suspense:
Carole of the Bells by Clare Revell
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/7A0056L
Blurb:
Carole
Quelch's secret must remain hidden at all costs. The price so far has been her
home and her career. Terrified it' ll cost her even more, she hasn' t left town
or been home in years.
Idris Owen teaches at the same school as Carole.
When he finds her in the music room playing the hand bells after school, he
nicknames her Carole of the bells and convinces his reclusive co-worker to help
teach his class a piece for the school Christmas concert.
There is something about Carole that Idris finds
intriguing, but she is hiding something. While he feels an undeniable
attraction, he isn't willing to allow love to enter the equation when she
obviously doesn't trust him enough to share her past.
But, secrets never stay hidden for long. When
this one comes to light, everything will change.
Author bio:
Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town in England
with her husband, whom she married in 1992, and some of her now grownup
children. Writing from a early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she
graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction to using her own
original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime
fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, she can be found
reading, crocheting or doing the many piles of laundry the occupants of her house
manage to make. Or being annoyed by the cat and dog.
Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions,
thus, although the spelling may be American, the books contain British language
and terminology.
The first draft of every novel is hand written.
She can be found at:
http://clarerevell.com
https://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthor
https://twitter.com/ClareRevell
http://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/
My review:
I enjoyed this romantic suspense story about two teachers. My husband and I watch several shows on
BritBox, so as I read along, I pictured British actors saying the dialogue. British
author Clare Revell did a good job of equally balancing suspense with romance in
this story involving two teachers—Carole Quelch and Idris Owen. I liked that
the characters were imperfect and relatable. Revell fans will appreciate the
Easter eggs (from her Ellery and York series) that she includes in this story.
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
Underneath the Christmas Tree by Clare Revell
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/2uIU1C0
Blurb:
When Violet Noble begins her new job as council events planner in Winkfield Green, she' s horrified to learn she has twenty days to organize the, as yet unplanned, Christmas Fayre— and it won't be easy. All the files regarding previous events have disappeared, along with most of the decorations. She needs a miracle, but what she gets instead the council' s maintenance man, carpenter and all-around fix-it guy— Derek Xenon.
When Violet turns to Derek for help with the Christmas Fayre, his first instinct is to say no. His regular job is demanding enough without adding the resident damsel in distress to his workload. However, he' s never one to turn down a challenge— even one from Christmas obsessed out-of-towner, and especially when someone seems to want Violet's plans to fail.
Will Violet' s vision of Christmas ever come to fruition, or will she throw in the stocking?
My review:
This is a cute and humorous
romantic suspense tale involving Violet Noble, an events planner, and Derek
Xenon, carpenter and maintenance man. Poor Violet is new in town, and bad
things mysteriously keep happening to her as she tries to plan a Christmas
fayre. Are the incidences coincidence or something more? Once again, Revell fans
will appreciate the Easter eggs (from her Ellery and York series) that she
includes in this story.
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
12 Days by Heidi Glick
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/4Hy0tAw
Blurb:
Scott
Newton retires from the sheriff' s office after a fellow officer is killed.
Wracked by sorrow and the need for justice, Scott grows distant from his
girlfriend, aspiring crime writer, Lindsay Billings. But, when Lindsay goes
missing, and Scott discovers her research on the missing person cases thought
to be the work of a serial murderer known as the Christmas Killer, Scott vows
to find her at all costs. Police have never found the bodies of the people who
went missing many Christmases ago, and Lindsay won't become just another
statistic.
Then, someone kills again in Blanchardville.
Police locate a corpse atop one of seven inflatable swans on a pond, and
another body in a pear tree. Scott receives odd texts from Lindsay's phone and
deduces they're from the killer.
In order to save Lindsay, Scott agrees to meet
the madman and play his game. As time runs out, Scott must learn to trust in
God again, no matter what.
Romance:
Cactus for Christmas by Karen Malley
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/amhbmYx
Blurb:
Lucy
loves her familiar Christmas traditions. But this year, they' re all thrown out
the window when she drops everything to drive across the country to care for
her sister in Phoenix, Arizona. So much for a white Christmas!
Between her anxious dog, her sister' s thieving
kitten, and a way too attractive ice cream truck driver, will she learn that
trying something new might just be what God has planned?
Author bio:
Karen
is an author of Christian fiction. She lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with
her husband and two sons. She works full time as a scientist, but enjoys
writing in her spare time. When not writing (with her left hand), she enjoys
camping, hiking, playing board games, and especially reading! She loves reading
faith-based stories, because we can all use a happy ending.
Karen loves to hear from
her readers. You can connect with her on her website:
www.KarenMalley.com.
My review:
I liked that this delightful, faith-filled, Christmas-themed
romance contained lead characters who were older, proving that romance isn’t
just for young people. Lucy is a widow who lives in Pennsylvania. Eventually, she
ends up in Arizona for the holidays, where she meets Noah, an ice cream truck
driver.
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
Christmas in Vermont by Regina Andrews
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/fbJazi2
Blurb:
Returning
home to Holly Berry Village and beginning her career as an Estate gemologist,
puts Christal Birchwood completely in her comfort zone. But when she meets the
new town physician, Cole Townsend, the barriers she has created around herself
quickly begin to shatter and fall.
Will she trust her faith enough to carry her
into a sparkling, new beginning? And will Cole be able to trust his heart to
love again?
Author Bio:
Award-winning author Regina Andrews, a resident of Providence, RI, grew up in the nearby seaside village of Barrington. After graduating from Providence College she attended the University of Delaware, eventually earning her master's Degree in American Civilization from Brown University. The author of numerous works, Regina is currently working on the Sterling Lakes Series. In November 2010, Destiny's Designs won the AKW Books 2010 eBook of the Year award for Fiction. Her hobbies include travel, museums, theater, reading, music singing and gardening.
Regina is involved in numerous community organizations, and is a radio host for In-Sight, an association for the visually impaired. She and her husband share their home with a semi-feral cat named Queen Tiana, whom they rescued from a shelter.
My review:
I really liked the original characters in this sweet, Christmas-themed
romance set in Holly Berry Village, Vermont. The female main character,
Christal Birchwood, is a gemologist who studied in Switzerland, and doesn’t
like to step outside her comfort zone. The male main character, Cole Townsend, is
a doctor who was formerly a pastor and missionary, who is trying to get over
personal heartbreak.
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
Christmas in Garland by LoRee Peery
Purchase link: https://a.co/d/ibxNAtg
Blurb:
Pepper
Rainwater is thriving in newfound faith, blooming love, and her own Christmas
house. But the appearance of her mother brings back all the ugliness of growing
up in a storage unit. Can she face family issues from a new perspective and
forgive her parents for the past?
The discovery of Foxx Haven' s true beginnings
shatter his sense of security. For the first time, he questions his father' s
love and deals with getting to know his birth mother. Did God really plan this
mess for his life? He' s such a wreck inside, how can he be the man of faith
Pepper deserves?
Their mothers bring challenges and time constraints
on Pepper and Foxx. He longs to show his love, she yearns to bask in his
attention. How will they help their widowed mothers, make life easier for one
another, heal appropriately, and look toward a brighter future?
About the author:
I
am thankful my mother read to me, enabling me to read at age four. Life is as
hard as it is pleasurable and I love to read stories about true-to-life
characters. The desire to write should never be ignored, I am so glad I kept
returning to the blank page. I am blessed to live under God's redeeming grace,
and to experience Nebraska's sense of place.
My review:
I liked how the characters (Pepper
Rainwater and Foxx Haven) in this sweet, Christmas-themed romance were
imperfect, and yet, they still followed God. This is a cute holiday romance
with a strong faith message about forgiveness and reconciliation.
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
The Hope of Christmas by Carol James
Purchase link:
https://a.co/d/gZnpFlx
Blurb:
Cameron
Blake has everything a man could want. Or so it appears. But in the dark of
night, the contents of an old manila envelope remind him that the one thing he
truly wants is beyond his reach.
Kristin Hansen returns home after a messy
break-up. While her parents think she' s returned to recuperate after surgery
on a broken arm, she' s actually escaping from an abusive relationship.
When the pastor of a local church recruits
Kristin and Cameron to supervise the building of the church' s float for the
upcoming Christmas parade, their hidden secrets are exposed. Cam sees in
Kristin what he truly desires... but knows he can never have.
As Christmas nears, can Kristin help him find
the thing that' s eluded him all these years? The one thing his heart truly
desires? Hope.
Author bio:
Streams in the Wasteland, Redemptive Romance by Carol James:
Carol is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in
Lilburn, Georgia, a small town outside of Atlanta, with her husband, Jim, and a
perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.
Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she
was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the
works of other authors of inspirational fiction.
Retired from her "real" job, she enjoys spending time
with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends,
volunteering at a nearby school, and serving in the production department at
her church.
She is also a soccer fan extraordinaire and keeps her DVR busy
recording Atlanta United and English Premier League games.
And, most days in the late hours of the night or the wee hours
of the morning, she can be found bringing her newest novel to life.
Follow her on social media:
www.carol-james.com
Facebook.com/CarolJamesAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthor
https://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19149238.Carol_James
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carol-james
Visit her website at:
www.carol-james.com Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free short story.
My review:
I liked the premise of this hope-filled romance
set in Texas—the notion of someone receiving the same gift for ten years in a
row. I also enjoyed the meet cute between Kristin Hansen and Cameron Blake. Romance
fans who are looking for a holiday-themed read should enjoy this story!
I received a digital ARC of
this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are
mine alone.
To view all of the covers for
the Christmas titles, visit my Pinterest board:
https://www.pinterest.com/sheglick/christmas-extravaganza-2023/
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.jpg "Moonlight and Mystery by Karen Malley")
