Christmas

Magnificent Vaile Mansion

by

Last month, Captain Cavedweller and I took a trip to Kansas City for both work and fun.

One day, we drove to Independence, Missouri, and had a delightful time exploring the glorious Vaile Mansion.

The house is amazing from the outside. It was built for Colonel Harvey Merrick Vaile and his wife, Sophia.

The three-story Gothic-like structure is constructed of hand-pressed red brick, trimmed with white limestone and tall, narrow windows.  Construction for the house began in 1871, with the house completed in 1881 at a cost of $150,000. 

Colonel Vaile  built his wealth by investing in several business ventures, primarily interests in the construction of the Erie Canal. He was also part-owner of Star Mail routes. He was a prominent figure in Independence social and business circles.

It was reported by the  Kansas City Times  to be “the most princely house and the most comfortable home in the entire west,”  in an article in 1882. The mansion quickly became a showplace in the area and was a place many notables of the day visited. 

 

The house was decked to the nines for the holidays when we were there, which delighted me to no end.

The mansion is reported to be one of the best examples of Second Empire style architecture in the United States. The house includes nine marble fireplaces.  

The 31 room mansion also includes a fabulous music room, spectacular painted ceilings, flushing toilets, and a  built-in 6,000 gallon water tank. 

The painted ceilings were different in each room, and all works of art.

I was fascinated with the light globes in several of the rooms because each globe was slightly different. Some had scenes, others had florals and vines, but they were all lovely.

Colonel Vaile was involved in the Star Route scandal not long after moving into the house. He faced trials in 1882 and 1883. Although he was found not guilty, he had to spend more than $100,000 in trial expenses. In February 1883, while he was in Washington D.C., his wife, who had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, passed.

Although she only had a few years in the beautiful home, her touches are seen throughout the mansion. Vaile remained at the house until his death in 1894, although he never remarried.

The house changed hands many times over the following decades, becoming a sanatorium and then a nursing home. When the threat of demolition loomed, the property was acquired by the City of Independence and underwent a long-term restoration. The house is now a museum operated by the Vaile Victorian Society, a non-profit organization established in 1983 by local residents.

I’m so glad we had the opportunity to see this glorious house, attired in her finest holiday splendor.

If you enjoy stories about amazing homes, I hope you’ll check out A Christmas Dream. The house is among the many unforgettable characters in this sweet story.

He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.

After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.

Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.

As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?

A Christmas Dream is the first book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

Have you ever visited a beautiful Victorian home, or a place you’d consider a dream home?

Or maybe you live in your dream home? What do you like best about it?

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

Cowboy Christmas Happenings

by

My family is well aware of my love of cowboys and western-themed experiences, and I had the fun privilege of enjoying three different cowboy Christmas happenings over the holidays.

The Old West Cafe

My first western experience came during a surprise trip to Fort Worth a few days before Christmas. My husband surprised me with a trip to a Pentatonix Christmas concert in Dallas with all my kids. I was completely shocked! My son and his new wife live in Euless (Fort Worth area), and we got to spend extra time with them as a bonus. The morning after the concert, they took us to one of their favorite brunch places, and one they knew I would love. The Old West Cafe. They were right. I loved it!

This place had tons of chuckwagon decor, a menu where every dish was named for something you’d see in a western movie, and food fit for a Texas-sized appetite. The pancakes were about 12 inches in diameter, and my side of biscuit and gravy came in its own iron skillet!

Everything was delicious, and I definitely plan to visit again the next time we go to Euless to visit Peter and Katy!

Run, Cowboy, Run

The next cowboy Christmas happening came in a box under the tree. I found this cute new game and couldn’t resist buying it for my husband. It’s a quick game of cards, cowboys, and shenanigans. First cowboy to the end, wins. But better watch out for cactus, dynamite, and rogue stampedes!

If you’re interested, you can find the game here.

High Noon at Dead Man’s Saloon

Our final cowboy Christmas happening came from another box under the tree. This one was a gift from my hubby to me. A dinner mystery game for up to 20 people. We played it with a mere seven, and we were too lazy to plan a meal or come up with costumes, though we did have fun role-playing the characters with the appropriate twangy accents. My newest daughter-in-law Katy really got into the act and would have won the prize for best role playing, had there been a prize to give. My son Peter, had to play the role of One-Eyed Pete, of course, and we all laughed when different eyes were covered each time he had a line to read.

Poor Deputy Drinkwater ended up dead, and guess who was the murderer? Yep. With my limited experience killing folks in novels, I ended up as the murderer in our game as well. Tinny Musick – the saloon piano player with dreams of playing Broadway.

There were clues to deduce, roles to play, and plenty of laughter to go around.

Did you have any Cowboy Christmas Happenings at your house?

Reading a western novel counts. 😉

Karen’s Christmas Shortbread

by

I enjoy baking, but I rarely make the time for it. Except at Christmas. I still don’t do a lot of baking, but I always make at least a few yummy goodies to have on hand. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without cookies.

Growing up, we would go to my grandparents house for Christmas every year. I have so many wonderful memories of playing games with my cousins, singing carols, playing Skipbo (once I was old enough to join the adult card table – a BIG moment in my life – ha!), and finding the delicious treats Grandmother had strategically placed around the house. My favorite was the shortbread hidden under a covered pink glass dish in the living room. It was such a simple cookie. Dry yet sweet. No special flavoring. A simple sheet cut into rectangle fingers. I loved it!

Strangely enough, I never tried baking it myself until about 10 years ago. Now it is a Christmas staple. The perfect cookie to have with hot tea while curling up with a fun Christmas read.

Shortbread Christmas Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter and sugar. Add vanilla. In a medium bow, sift together flour and salt. Add to butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Form dough in your hands and mold into 2 flat disks. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick and cut into shapes. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Karen’s tip: Instead of rolling dough out on a floured surface to cut into shapes, since this dough is already dry, it is much better (and easier) to roll the dough onto a piece of wax paper. Lay a piece the plastic wrap you covered the dough in earlier over the top and roll dough between the plastic wrap and wax paper. No additional flour is needed. I do dip my cookie cutters in flour, however, before cutting the dough to prevent sticking.

I like to cut my cookies into cute mini Christmas shapes. These are my guilt-free cookie bites. And they are just adorable! If you make these mini cookies, reduce baking time to 15 minutes.


I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
May you have lots of yummy goodies to enjoy with your cowboy Christmas reads.

 

 

Mending Christmas: Blending Fact into Fiction by Shanna Hatfield

by

 

Every time I see this saying, it makes me smile.

Mostly because it’s true. I’m always on the lookout for funny tidbits or crazy happenings to include in my stories.

In my newest release, Mending Christmas, I incorporated several details I gleaned from conversations with friends.

In the story, Beth, the heroine, has a best friend with three little ones. She and Billy (the hero) end up babysitting them a few times.

I love writing about kids. There is just something so sweet and special and innocent about them that comes out in the things they do and say.

One day, a friend told me about a little girl she knew offering “bless yous” to someone who sneezed. It’s what she calls facial tissue. How sweet is that? I just loved it and had to include it in this story.

Another time, I was visiting with friends who have a baby. Apparently while the mama was gone for a much-needed day out with her sister, the daddy was doing his best to keep their nine-month-old entertained. He said in the time it took him to turn around, the baby disappeared and he found him sitting on the bathroom floor, happily gnawing on the toilet brush. So funny – and gross! And now part of this story!

For a while, my nephew decided to refer to his baby brother as Tiny Little baby Olaf. If you called the baby by name, he would correct you and tell you the name was Tiny Little Baby Olaf. When he is all grown up, I fully intend to whip that memory out and share with him. For now, it’s what the toddler in this story calls his baby sister.

Even my own Captain Cavedweller unwittingly got in on the story sharing. When he was in elementary school, the students were supposed to perform the square dance they’d been practicing for weeks at the Parent Teacher Association meeting. The night of the performance, he was in his room, playing, and all of a sudden remembered he was supposed to be at the school. At the time, his family only lived a few blocks from the school, so without telling his parents where he was going or what he was doing, he dashed outside, ran to the school, did the performance in the T-shirt and sneakers he had on, and ran back home before anyone even knew he was gone. So I had Billy share that memory with Beth.

It’s so fun to take real life “facts” and work them into fiction.

I hope you’ll check out Mending Christmas. It’s a sweet, funny, feel-good, warm-your-heart romance.

He’s reckless.

She’s cautious.

When life throws them together, will love mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Injuries are an inevitable part of the job for rodeo bullfighter Billy Clark. But when a feisty bull tosses him over the fence, Billy lands at the feet of a captivating woman. In that moment, he concludes the pain might be a small price to pay just to experience her gentle touch again. Having grown up as an orphan, Billy has struggled with loneliness his whole life. Yet, the way this woman gazes at him ignites a flicker of hope that he might one day find love.

After years of working in a bustling big city emergency room, Dr. Beth Moore desperately needs a break. She retreats to Twin Falls, Idaho, and settles into the house she recently inherited from her grandfather. When her best friend, Sierra, talks her into attending a local rodeo, Beth never expected to have an injured cowboy land at her feet much less to be so attracted to the charming man.

Concerned about Billy’s recovery, Beth travels with the rodeo stock company to keep an eye on him, while he unwittingly teaches her about the importance of embracing happiness. Will their budding friendship begin to mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Mending Christmas is a wholesome holiday western filled with heartfelt moments, humor, and a tender romance.

What’s something silly, funny, or crazy you’ve experienced or heard about in real life?

Post your answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card and a digital copy of Mending Christmas!

Christmas Memories

by

When I was growing up, we usually didn’t have a Christmas tree. This picture of me and my family was taken in 1953 and one of rare times we had a tree. I’m on the far left. You see, my parents later joined a church that believed it was wrong.

The other time I remember we had one was the year my brother came home on leave from the army after being stationed in Germany for two years. I was 15 or 16 and it was a big deal.

We were so excited to see him and finally have him back with family. I remember my mom baked for days before his arrival. She made everything she knew he liked and we cleaned house until it sparkled. She wanted everything perfect.

I always hated not having a tree and after I left home and got married, I always made sure we had a tree. There might not’ve been much under it, but my children had a beautiful tree. In the beginning, it was always live and I remember well going to the tree lot and picking one out. That was fun. But as the kids got older and allergies began to be bad, we went with artificial. My kids couldn’t wait to get it set up and always loved to decorate it. That was special to us.

Christmas means a lot to me and it also does to Gillian Everly in Love Comes to Christmas. In fact, she owns a Christmas store and sells everything related to the holidays. But someone is trying to make her think it’s haunted, which she doesn’t believe for a second. She knows it’s someone who breaks in and makes her toys come to life, jarring her awake. She is also a very accomplished pianist and is preparing for a big program on Christmas Eve. But will she get to?

A new customer, a rancher named Brett Love, is trying to make sure she’s able to perform. So he loans her his dog named Zema as protection. Gillian and Zema get along famously, so much that Brett gets a little jealous. Along the way, love grows between Gillian and Brett and she sees his big heart that’s longing for a family.

I really enjoyed writing this and hope you find the warmth seeping into your heart as you read it.

I hope you have a blessed Christmas and the very best 2025.

I’m giving away a copy of Love Comes to Christmas (print or ebook) to one commenter so tell me a favorite Christmas gift of yours. Maybe it was a puppy or a pony. I always wanted a horse but never got one except the stick kind.

Blessings and love to all,

Linda Broday

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Winnie Griggs

by

Greetings! Before I tell you my book news I want to take a moment to send each of you early wishes for a very Merry and Blessed Christmas. We truly appreciate you, our readers, more than words can say.

Now, on to the book news and giveaways! This year I have not one but two books to celebrate the Christmas season with – one Amish and one historical.

AN AMISH CHRISTMAS MATCH
Book 1, Sweetbrier Creek

 

Can one Amish woman give a struggling widower with five rowdy boys a helping hand—and chance at love—this Christmas season?
 
Phoebe Kropf knows everyone thinks she’s a bit odd—and more than a little accident-prone. She doesn’t understand why they fuss over her at home rather than see her as a bright, independent Amish woman. So when a friend asks Phoebe to help care for a house full of young men in nearby Sweetbrier Creek, she leaps at the chance to prove she’s more than her shortcomings . . .

Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head – as the oldest in an all male household of six brothers and with a backlog of Christmas orders  to fulfill, he’s ready to admit he needs help. What he was looking for was someone to assist with cooking and cleaning, he wasn’t expecting a housekeeper as unconventional—or lovely—as Phoebe. Yet her warm care and shared holiday traditions win their hearts one by one. And soon the farmhouse finally starts to feel like home again. When the Christmas season and Phoebe’s time there is nearly at an end, will Seth convince her that the greatest gift would be her staying . . . as part of their family?

PURCHASE HERE

 

 

HEAR HAROLD’S ANGEL SING
Book 8, Christmas Stocking Sweethearts

One silent child. Two lonely hearts. Three lives changed by a Texas Christmas.

Emma Garland has worked hard to rebuild her life and reputation after a very public, painful rejection years ago. Now Crossvine’s respected piano teacher, she’s content with her quiet life—until the day she confronts Marshal Harold Winters about keeping his traumatized, silent niece in his office near the jail cells while he works.

Despite some misgivings, Emma agrees to help care for Lucy while the marshal’s housekeeper is away. Her own childhood struggles with a stammer help her understand Lucy’s pain, but Emma is determined to maintain professional distance. She knows all too well how quickly a woman of her status can become the subject of town gossip.

When Emma receives a beautiful handmade Christmas stocking from her former piano teacher, its message that “Music Speaks” touches something deep within her. As she, Lucy, and Harold work together decorating for Christmas, she finds her carefully constructed walls crumbling. But with long-buried secrets threatening their growing bond, Emma must decide if the promise of love is worth risking her heart again.

PURCHASE HERE

Provide your best caption for the picture below – humorous, thoughtful or poignant – to be entered in the drawing.

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA winners only, please.)

 

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Jill Kemerer

by

Whee! Christmas is almost here, and I’m loving all these Cowboys & Mistletoe posts! I, too, have a Christmas book out now. THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS TREASURES is the fourth book in my Wyoming Legacies series with Love Inspired. Think a cowboy with a painful past, a single-mom heroine trying to raise toddler identical twin girls, and a small-town in Wyoming full of the Christmas feels!

Book cover: Snowy background with red barn, cowboy, twin toddlers in matching red coats and pompom stocking hats. Text "The Cowboy's Christmas Treasures by Jill Kemerer"

Making peace with his past…
To be a part of their future

After his father’s heart attack, ranch hand Dean McCaffrey has no choice but to temporarily take over the family business—while hiding a shameful secret. But he doesn’t expect to fall for pretty widow Brooke Dewitt and her twin toddlers while remodeling their house. Brooke is counting on Dean to make her home wheelchair-accessible by Christmas. And soon she’s dreaming of a life with the handsome cowboy. But with both their futures uncertain, can they overcome their fears…and place their trust in love?

Purchase THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS TREASURES here!

 

 

Provide your best caption for the picture below – humorous, thoughtful or poignant – to be entered in the drawing.

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA winners only, please.)

 

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Jo-Ann Roberts

by

Happy Holidays, y’all! Goodness Christmas is only two weeks away…where does the time go? 2024 has been a very busy year for me.  I wrote five books…three within the span of four months. Whew! I know other authors are far more prolific than I but then again family milestones impacted my writing schedule. A new grandbaby! Grandson’s college graduation and wedding!  A fall foliage trip to New England! Adoption finalized! Son & daughter-in-law moving to North Carolina!

All that being said, I’d like to introduce my three Christmas books and tell you about them.

A Sleigh Ride For Claire – With Christmas on the horizon, Claire McAllister has far too much to do to entertain dreams of a husband and family. Even if she feels inclined to help Lincoln Wyse outwit his three mischievous young daughters, it’s impossible to imagine the handsome widower seeing her as anything but a scolding schoolteacher.

Even though the pretty schoolteacher never turned a favorable eye to him, Linc Wyse’s heart skipped a beat whenever she pinned him with her mesmerizing green eyes. Beautiful or not, Claire McAllister was a meddling spinster who placed judgments on him and his family.

Yet, neither one can imagine how three little, mischievous matchmakers and a magical Christmas Eve sleigh ride will open their eyes to love…or how the Lord will awaken their faith and hope.

AMAZON

Ivy – Christmas Quilt Bride –Years ago, Ivy Sutton was drawn to the new orphan boy in town. Unfortunately, she soon became the focus of Grady Walsh’s mischievous deeds in school.

Ivy is back home in Harmony, Kansas for good but is she willing and able to forgive the boy who made her childhood unbearable?
Grady Walsh lost his heart to the sweet girl the day she gave him a quilt. Now, as a well-liked and respected tradesman in Harmony, can he make up for the reckless actions of his youth?

Or will another steal her away before they have a chance to discover a kind of love that might heal the pain from the past? 

AMAZON

Holly In His Heart –What is a boy to do when he is trying to play matchmaker for his father? Seven-year-old Danny Stone is working hard to help his lonely widower father find love again. When a pretty, new teacher moves to Angel Falls, Danny believes she is the perfect choice. But so far, his matchmaking attempts have not been successful until a snowstorm hits and strands Miss Holly at their farm.

Fleeing an ill-fated relationship, Holly Ross accepts an interim teaching position in Angel Falls, Kansas. During the first week, she is knocked down by a stranger, and his rude behavior raises her annoyance when he insists he saved her life…not that she believed she needed saving. When she discovers Jesse Stone is the father of one of her students, she vows to give the man a wide berth. But when Danny leaves behind a scarf belonging to his late mother, she makes a decision that will alter her Christmas plans…and her life.

Since his wife’s passing, Jesse Stone has no interest nor time for romance. With a herd, a ranch, and a seven-year-old son to raise, the last thing he needs is ungrateful criticism from a woman he saved from being hit by a wagon. His irritation grows when he discovers Holly Ross is the new teacher his son keeps praising…and the feeling is mutual. So, she is the last person he expects to see at his door at the start of a blizzard. 

Will a dose of Mother Nature’s magic, along with a bit of divine intervention make a little boy’s Christmas wish come true?

AMAZON

There you have it…these three sweet historical romances are filled with family & friends, joy, second chances, and the magic of finding love at this most wonderful time of the year!

Provide your best caption for the picture below – humorous, thoughtful or poignant – to be entered in the drawing.

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA winners only, please.)

 

 

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Shanna Hatfield

by

Happy Holidays to you! 

I’m excited to share with you my new Christmas books. It’s been a busy writing year. I’ve published 13 new books this year, as well as a few short stories, and I’ve loved writing each one of them!

Last December, Captain Cavedweller and I were able to cross one trip off our travel bucket list – seeing the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. That visit inspired me to write a new holiday series of books set in a beautiful home on the Columbia River in Oregon. The four books follow four generations of the Hudson family, beginning with Brant Hudson, who builds Hudson House, and the feisty woman who captures his heart.

A Christmas Dream – Hudson House Book 1

He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.

After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.

Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.

As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?

A Christmas Dream is the first book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Spark – Hudson House Book 2

Will Christmas spark a romance that blooms into lasting love?

 After losing his brother and part of himself on a French battlefield during the Great War, Kase Hudson seeks refuge from the haunting memories at his childhood home. He finds solace in carving wooden Santa figurines in his workshop in the stables that he sends to gift shops to sell. Kase distances himself from his family’s unwanted sympathy until his sister, Sarah, arrives for the holidays with her vibrant friend. He never expected beautiful Dori to breathe warmth and joy into the house right along with his heart.

With no family of her own, photographer Dori Stanford eagerly accepts Sarah Hudson’s invitation to join her for Christmas at her family’s home in Oregon. The two friends travel from their college in California to Silver Bluff, excited to spend the holidays at Hudson House. Once they arrive, Dori makes it her mission to connect with Sarah’s sullen brother, Kase, and draws him into the wonder of the season.

Will her persistence and encouragement be the spark Kase needs to step out of the past and into his future—possibly one that includes Dori?

A Christmas Spark is the second book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Love – Hudson House Book 3

Will a Christmas romance lead two searching hearts to a lifetime love?

Bound to the Hudson House family estate, Vienna Hudson strives to uphold the legacy her grandparents established. When she’s not busy preserving her heritage or managing the family corporation, she steals away for horseback rides across the sprawling grounds—until a chance encounter with a handsome stranger turns her world upside down.

Surveyor Sam Bishop is tasked with plotting a new interstate through the Silver Bluff area. He faces a significant challenge when his calls to an elusive landowner go unanswered, prompting an impromptu visit to Hudson House. Excited to explore the beautiful acreage, nothing could prepare him for Vienna’s fiery welcome—armed with a pistol and a courageous spirit.

As holiday bells ring across the estate, Vienna and Sam work together to navigate the complexities of both the road project and the ever-evolving feelings dancing between them.  Will the pair find a way to embrace their unexpected connection? Or will the pressures of responsibility and ambition tear them apart before they realize love is the most precious gift of the season?

A Christmas Love is the third book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A Christmas Hope– Hudson House Book 4

A heartfelt holiday tale of a family’s legacy that leads two hearts to love.

 Reeling from the recent death of his father, Alex Hudson returns to Silver Bluff to protect his family’s legacy. Upon reaching Hudson House, he discovers the once-vibrant estate all but abandoned. On top of that, his conniving aunts seem intent on seizing his inheritance. In search of support, Alex turns to a local attorney. There, he meets a woman who becomes an ally, friend, and the one person who can give him hope and a place to belong.

Nori Laroux enjoys working as a partner at her father’s law firm. However, when he entrusts an important client to her care, Nori finds herself grappling with her feelings for Alex Hudson from the moment they meet. Committed to protecting his inheritance, she is determined to help Alex preserve the legacy of Hudson House, even if it means risking her own heart in the process.

When Alex suggests the idea of reopening the historic home for a Christmas celebration, Nori and her family eagerly step in to help deck the halls and fill Hudson House with cheer.

Will the holiday season bring Alex and Nori to the discovery that hope is a special gift and that love is the most treasured of all?

A Christmas Hope is the fourth book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.


I also have a new book in my Rodeo Romance series.

It was so fun to write because the heroes are funny guys and Mending Christmas includes a few scenes of Billy (the hero) and Beth (the heroine) babysitting her best friend’s three lively youngsters. The book releases December 12!

Mending Christmas 

He’s reckless. She’s cautious.

When life throws them together, will love mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Injuries are an inevitable part of the job for rodeo bullfighter Billy Clark. But when a feisty bull tosses him over the fence, Billy lands at the feet of a captivating woman. In that moment, he concludes the pain might be a small price to pay just to experience her gentle touch again. Having grown up as an orphan, Billy has struggled with loneliness his whole life. Yet, the way this woman gazes at him ignites a flicker of hope that he might one day find love.

After years of working in a bustling big city emergency room, Dr. Beth Moore desperately needs a break. She retreats to Twin Falls, Idaho, and settles into the house she recently inherited from her grandfather. When her best friend, Sierra, talks her into attending a local rodeo, Beth never expected to have an injured cowboy land at her feet much less to be so attracted to the charming man.

Concerned about Billy’s recovery, Beth travels with the rodeo stock company to keep an eye on him, while he unwittingly teaches her about the importance of embracing happiness. Will their budding friendship begin to mend the broken pieces of their hearts?

Mending Christmas is a wholesome holiday western filled with heartfelt moments, humor, and a tender romance.

I also wrote a brand new short story for this collection of historical Christian romances from a group of amazing authors, including our own Karen Witemeyer!

The best part – it’s free!

Beneath A Christmas Sky is my contribution. If you’ve read any of my Pendleton Petticoats stories, you’ll be thrilled to see old friends, like Riley and Bertie Walsh and Steve the Mule, make appearances in this heartwarming holiday romance.

Provide your best caption for the picture below – humorous, thoughtful or poignant – to be entered in the drawing.

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA winners only, please.)