Dear Friends,
May this festive season sparkle and shine. May all your wishes and dreams come true, and may you feel this happiness all year round.
Christmas
Toast the Holidays with Karen Kay
Howdy!
Fermented Lemonaide
This recipe is one of my favorites and although it is easy, some of the ingredients (like whey) you might not find at your local grocery store. However, your local Health Food Store would probably have some whey. However, one can easily do a substitution for the whey. This recipe comes to me from The Healthy Home Economist — https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com — and it is a favorite of mine, as well as a favorite of my grandchildren (especially in summer). But, it is a refreshing drink in winter, too.
RECIPE:
** 6-9 lemons
**1/2 cup whey — whey is the golden liquid one sees on plain yogurt — or one can substitute with 1/2 cup filtered water with one tablespoon lemon juice or yogurt or vinegar) — I do not recommend buying whey from the grocery store because the brands carried in grocery stores often contain MSG — an allergen.
DIRECTIONS:
** Juice the lemons
** Combine with 2 (two) quarts of filtered water
** Add the whey or substitute as stated above
** 1/2 cup sugar (as much as 3/4 cup if one prefers their lemon juice sweeter)
** Mix
** Ferment for 2 (two) days in a warm place
** Refrigerate — one can bottle it.
We enjoy this drink year round. Hope you’ll enjoy it, too!
Welcome Guest Tanya Agler + A Giveaway!
The Inspiration Behind My Cowboy Historian Hero
Merry Christmas! I’m so excited to be back at Petticoat and Pistols, and thank you to the hosts for allowing me to be here today.
In my latest novel, The Cowboy’s Christmas Match, the hero, Crosby Virtue, is the town’s historian and works at the Miners’ Cottage, the oldest building in the fictional town of Violet Ridge, Colorado. This was such a fun book to write and part of the reason was the research that took me back to nineteenth-century Colorado.
Crosby is the driving force behind the restoration of the local train depot and the reopening of the Violet Ridge Express. It was so much fun researching similar real-life renovations. One such model was the Lyons Railroad Depot, which was built in 1885 but was closed in the 1940s due to declining popularity. Now, the site is part of the National Registry and has been turned into the Lyons Public Library. There are several other historic depots in Colorado that now operate as historic parks (the Silver Plume Depot) and as town halls (the La Jara Town Hall).
There is a renovated train depot close to my house, and I had a chance to take a tour of the Holly Springs Depot this past June. Here’s a picture of the interior of the depot.
In 2012, my family enjoyed a Christmas ride on a restored train in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, and that was the inspiration for researching the rich history of Colorado’s rail system.
When Crosby isn’t overseeing the renovations, he is taking care of his pet iguana, Sundance, at the Miners’ Cottage, which doubles as the local history museum. There’s a mining town near me in Georgia, and I had the joy of being a chaperone on a field trip to two of the gold mines, one of which took us underground while the other showed off the loud mining equipment. For the book, it was fun stepping back in time and reading stories of the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush and the impact that mining had on the region during that period.
In the book, Christmas Eve marks the reopening of the Violet Ridge Express. Trains played a vital role in Colorado’s growth, first connecting goods and people to the other parts of the country, followed by a way to connect the mining boom to cities. Narrow gauge railroads popped up in many areas, but by the 1940s many went out of business. Today, many historic towns, such as Durango and Georgetown, have renovated and offer scenic train rides around the countryside.
A blend of research with a touch of personal experiences, this book was so much fun, and I often went down the rabbit hole of reading stories of miners and trains as well as researching about the renovations that are taking place throughout Colorado to preserve their historical heritage.
Here is the blurb for The Cowboy’s Christmas Match:
Will his best friend…
Be his happily-ever-after? Accidentally agreeing to speak at the social event of Violet Ridge’s holiday season threatens to ruin quiet introvert and town historian Crosby Virtue’s whole December. His outgoing best friend, Sami Fleming, insists a makeover will cure his public-speaking fear—an extra-special Christmas gift as she’s leaving town to travel the world. Sami’s also sure her beautician skills will help Crosby meet the woman of his dreams. But Crosby already has—her. Now the clock is ticking… Can Crosby find the courage to tell Sami the words she suddenly, secretly, longs to hear?
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin
Giveaway
Have you ever taken a ride on a historic train or visited a historic train depot?
If not, what’s a fun holiday tradition in your family?
One commenter will receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card and an e-book copy of the first book in the series, The Triplets’ Holiday Miracle (which is also set at Christmastime!).
Covering Christmas
Covering Christmas is my last holiday release this year. It was such a fun story to write about a bareback rider trying to win a world championship title, the western lifestyle reporter who catches his eye and his heart, and Ella – the daughter he never knew he had until her mother dies and he suddenly finds himself in the role of single parent.
He wants a gold buckle. She needs a fresh start. But love—and a little girl—have other plans.
When the reigning world champion bareback rider retires, Keller Drake finally has a clear shot at claiming the title he’s chased for years, until an attorney corners him at a rodeo with life-altering news. Keller has a five-year-old daughter he never knew existed, and Ella’s late mother named him guardian in her will. Suddenly, the man who can ride the rankest broncs in the world is terrified of something far more dangerous—fatherhood.
In the book, Keller is a peanut butter addict. He loves anything made with peanut butter. His daughter, Ella is the same way.
Here’s a little excerpt from the story I thought might make you smile.
“My wife said to tell you that Ella is staying with us tonight, and you can pick her up after breakfast tomorrow.”
Keller turned to stare at Cooper as they stood in line at the hotel’s coffee shop. Cobie had knocked on their door and offered to style Ella’s hair, so Keller had volunteered to hustle downstairs to get breakfast. He’d run into Cooper in the elevator, and they’d made their way to the coffee shop. A line snaked out the door, but they weren’t overly concerned because the service on previous mornings had been fast and efficient.
“Is there any reason in particular your wife is kidnapping my daughter?”
Cooper grinned. “She said you and Cobie need some time together without a five-year-old chaperone. Buy tickets to a show and take Cobie out on the town after the rodeo tonight. You both deserve to have a little fun. Ella and Alex get along like two little peas in a pod, and it isn’t any trouble to keep her tonight. Just bring a bag with her jammies and whatever she’ll need to our room before you head over to the rodeo this afternoon.”
“Are you sure, Coop? I already feel like I’ve taken advantage of you and everyone else who has helped with Ella while I’m riding.”
Cooper looked insulted. “You aren’t taking advantage of us. We’re all glad to help, Keller. Paige and I know how hard it is to have a child and rodeo, and there are two of us working at it. You deserve a little time to enjoy life. You’re only what? Twenty-seven?”
“Just turned twenty-six, and I feel like I’m careening toward fifty.”
Cooper chuckled. “Exactly what I mean. Take Cobie somewhere fun and spend the evening being a young, not entirely ugly, single guy out for a great evening with a beautiful woman who clearly does not find him to be totally repulsive.”
“Ugly and repulsive. Guess I’m moving up in the world,” Keller quipped as the line inched forward. “Seriously, man, I appreciate it, and tell Paige I’ll gather Ella’s stuff and drop it off before we head out for the day. How about I reciprocate and keep Alex for you one evening so you and Paige can have some time alone?”
“I’d love that, but let’s make it during the day. We’re both too exhausted to do anything after the rodeo. I’m not as young as I used to be, you know.”
Keller shook his head in disbelief. “You’re going to be perpetually younger than us all, Coop. How about you leave Alex with me tomorrow morning? I can make sure he gets lunch, and you can reclaim him sometime in the afternoon before I need to head over to the rodeo.”
“I like it. It’s a deal,” Cooper said, shaking Keller’s hand.
“Any food allergies I should know about?” Keller asked as they got closer to the counter.
“Nope, and he’s usually a good eater. Takes after his dad.”
“I’m pretty sure a refined palate is more a trait from his mother, but what do I know?” Keller teased, then placed his order for breakfast. He got yogurt and an assortment of whole fruit, and could hardly believe his luck when he spied peanut butter muffins studded with chocolate chips in the pastry case.
“One of those muffins, please,” Keller said as the young woman behind the counter gathered his order.
“You and your peanut butter addiction,” Cooper pointed to the case of pastries. “I heard Ella has been known to eat it straight out of the jar.”
“What?” Keller asked, staring at Cooper. “Where did you hear that?”
“From Alex. He said they were hungry, and Ella got out a jar of peanut butter and ate it with a spoon. He went with a bag of fruit snacks. That was back when we were in Pendleton, or was it Walla Walla? Anyway, the gist of my story is that your daughter also has a predilection for peanut butter and eats it straight from the jar.”
Keller thought of all the peanut butter he’d eaten the last few months and wondered how much of it had five-year-old slobbers living in the jar. He would have been grossed out, but considering some of the things he’d cleaned up when Ella had the twenty-four-hour tummy flu, he decided slobber was the least of his worries.
Here’s an easy recipe for Peanut Butter Candy
Peanut Butter Drops
INGREDIENTS
1 11-ounce bag white chocolate chips
1 11-ounce bag peanut butter chips
1 cup cocktail peanuts
1 cup crushed pretzel pieces
DIRECTIONS
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, then melt in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chips are smooth (1-2 minutes).
Stir in peanuts and pretzels, then drop by spoonsful onto the parchment.
Let cool, then store in an airtight container up to a week.
What is your favorite must-have flavor or treat, or holiday indulgence?
Mine would chocolate in various forms.
Christmas Frontier Style
No place was lonelier for settlers than the frontier. Having left family and friends back East, a lot felt cutoff from the world. The wind howled, temperatures were freezing, and they were hard put just to stay alive. The days were long and filled with hard work. There was little enjoyment to be had.
Christmas was the worst time for depression to set in. In addition to missing their loved ones, there were few trees over a lot of the high plains so they had to make do with whatever they could find. Some mothers, desperate for Christmas cheer, collected a tumbleweed (which were very plentiful throughout the central plains) and decorated it in bright colors. Candles were not allowed near due to the combustible nature of the dry bush.
Others chopped down other trees like scrub oak, juniper, or blackjack and used those. These settlers were very resourceful. To make it appear it had snowed on it, they wrapped the limbs and twigs with cotton. Other decorations were popcorn and cranberries they strung on twine and strings of paper hearts.
The children could also use the foil that separated layers of cigars and make icicles to hang on the tree. That is if their fathers smoked cigars and they could persuade him to save them. I’m sure there were many other things they made decorations out of. Possibilities were endless, including bird nests, colorful ribbon and empty spools of thread strung together. The first ornaments were hand-blown and didn’t come along until the late 1800s and early 1900. And electric lights appeared after the turn of the century.
School age children usually had a Christmas program of some kind, and they got a chance to sing or perform in a play. Those were fun occasions for kids and parents alike.
Food was an important part of the Christmas celebration and sugar was saved for months so there would be enough for the cakes and pies. Oranges were a real treat and kids only got one at the holiday. Fathers usually went hunting for a turkey, a duck, or whatever game they ran across.
Gifts were handmade unless the family was very wealthy. Fathers carved toys, mothers made dolls and knitted scarves, hats, and gloves. Everything was simple with the emphasis on the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Personally, I wish we could go back to these days without all the commercialization.
Tell me about a Christmas of yours that stands out and what made it really special.
Mine was the year my dad suffered third degree burns over much of his body in an explosion at his job on a construction site. I think I was probably seven or eight. He was in the hospital for months and we didn’t know when he’d get out. Back then, kids weren’t allowed beyond the waiting room so Jan and I couldn’t see him. My mom usually sat with him at night and our older sister came and stayed with us while she was gone, so our door would be locked. I was so afraid that Santa couldn’t get in and we wouldn’t get any presents. My older sister assured me he could come through the keyhole and not to worry. The next morning, sure enough, we had a few gifts even though we had no tree. And Mama had brought Daddy home from the hospital. That was the best Christmas I can remember because we were all together again and everything seemed right in my sheltered little world.
Also, I have a new book up for preorder! SUMMER’S HEART #2 The McIntyres. Release date 1/12/2026. AMAZON
In a storm of secrets, even love can freeze—or fight its way through the cold.
A mysterious woman, a newborn baby, and a claim that shatters Summer McIntyre’s secure world. As a deadly Texas blizzard seals the town in ice, Summer reels from betrayal—only to learn her long-lost little brother is alive and trapped with a madwoman in the treacherous hills. Every trail is buried under snow, every rescue impossible, and Summer must face the storm inside her heart as well as the one raging outside. Can love survive when trust is broken and time is running out?
Wishing you all a joyous Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or whatever you say!
Linda
A Christmas to Remember in Hollyberry
You all did a FABULOUS job building not only our town of Hollyberry but a short story as well this week. I had so much fun reading all of your imaginative and sometimes surprising responses to the prompts.
I took everything, distilled it down to common threads and snips of the unexpected, then fleshed it out a little to make a short, short story. I hope you’ll think I did your input justice.
December 1850
Town of Hollyberry
Christmas always announced itself early in Hollyberry.
Long before the day arrived, the town filled with sound—laughter and shrill squeals as children skated across frozen puddles or packed snow into misshapen forts, the cheerful calling of neighbors pausing in the street to exchange greetings, and the steady jingle of harness bells as wagons rolled down Main Street. Shop doors opened and closed with bright little chimes, and above it all rang the deeper peal of church bells, marking the hours and calling the faithful to practice.
If one passed the church in the late afternoon, the door often stood ajar, letting the voices of the choir spill into the street as they rehearsed for the upcoming Christmas Eve cantata. Carolers wandered in small groups, pausing in the town square or beneath lamplit windows to lift familiar hymns into the cold air. Every sound carried joy, anticipation, and the comforting sense that Christmas was drawing near.
Then, two days before the Christmas Eve festival, disaster struck.
A blizzard descended unexpectedly on Hollyberry and with startling speed. Snow fell thick and relentless, driven by fierce winds that bent trees and snapped heavy limbs. By morning, roads in and out of town lay buried beneath drifts and debris, making travel impossible. Families on outlying farms found themselves cut off, while even those within town limits struggled to move through the piled snow.
As if that weren’t enough, the schoolhouse—the planned site of the Christmas meal and program—fared poorly under the storm’s weight. The roof sagged and sprang several leaks, soaking decorations stored inside and rendering the building unusable just when it was needed most.
For a few uneasy hours, Hollyberry stood silent beneath the snow, its cheerful sounds muffled and its plans in jeopardy.
But Hollyberry had never been a town to surrender easily.
When the storm finally eased, word spread quickly. Main Street was impassable. Trees blocked the roads. The schoolhouse roof needed immediate attention. Within the hour, the sheriff, the pastor, and several town leaders had established a simple command post, dividing tasks with quiet efficiency.
Ranchers, farmers, lumbermen, and cowboys hitched draft horses to sleds and headed for the blocked roads. Sawing through fallen limbs and hauling whole trees aside, they carved narrow but passable paths through the snow. Sleds moved steadily back and forth, packing the drifts down enough that families from the outlying farms could be brought safely into town.
At the schoolhouse, crews climbed onto the roof armed with axes, hammers, and whatever supplies the general store could spare. They patched the worst of the damage and cleared debris while boys shoveled walkways and side streets below. From beyond town limits, volunteers arrived on snowshoes, offering strong backs, extra tools, and steady encouragement.
Meanwhile, Main Street buzzed with a different kind of labor. The women—headed by the schoolteacher—organized the children into making new decorations to replace those ruined by the storm. Tin stars were polished, wooden ornaments repaired, evergreen boughs trimmed and tied into fresh garlands. Anything that could be salvaged was cleaned and pressed back into service.
The baker kept his ovens burning from dawn to dusk. Kettles of soup simmered in every kitchen, and pots of coffee never seemed to empty. Anyone who worked was fed. Shopkeepers donated supplies. The pastor opened the church doors wide, and the livery owner even replaced the damaged manger for the nativity scene.
All day long, the town hummed—not just with effort, but with music and laughter. Even the local curmudgeon, the bank owner, was eventually persuaded—perhaps by the schoolteacher’s determined stare—to contribute lumber for repairs.
By nightfall, Hollyberry stood cleared, repaired, warm, and fed. What had threatened to cancel Christmas had instead drawn the town closer together.
With the roads opened and the schoolhouse repaired as well as could be managed, Hollyberry turned its attention to celebrating—not in spite of the blizzard, but because they had weathered it together.
Throughout Christmas Eve day, townsfolk put the finishing touches on what they had rebuilt. Fresh garlands adorned the tree in the square. The children proudly hung their handmade decorations. Jars of stew and wrapped pies were delivered to neighbors unable to leave their homes.
By afternoon, carolers once again moved from house to house, their voices drifting through the crisp air as families prepared for the evening.
At dusk, the church bell rang out clear and strong. Candlelight glowed from the windows as people filed inside—bundled, chilled, and grateful. The choir sang its cantata with renewed emotion, and the children performed their nativity play using whatever simple costumes and props had survived the storm. No one missed the finer trimmings; the sincerity of the moment made it the most moving service Hollyberry could remember.
When the final hymn faded, the town did not scatter home. Instead, everyone walked together to the Town Hall, where a single, joyful community feast awaited. Long tables filled every room, with doors left open so people could mingle freely. Ranchers brought roasted meat. The baker supplied pies and cinnamon rolls. Every family added something—stews, biscuits, preserved fruits, and plenty of steaming cider and coffee.
Laughter rolled from table to table, and no one went hungry.
Just when the evening seemed complete, the mercantile owner unveiled a surprise: a crate of fireworks he’d been saving for the New Year+. With a grin, he insisted Hollyberry had earned them early.
Bundled once more, the townspeople stepped outside as sparks lifted into the night sky. Bursts of color lit the snowy street, reflecting off frosted rooftops and drawing cheers from young and old alike.
Under the fading glow of the last firework, the people of Hollyberry joined together in one final round of carols before heading home—tired, warm, and filled with gratitude.
That Christmas Eve, Hollyberry did more than recover from disaster.
It built a memory that would be treasured for generations.
Cowboys & Mistletoe (Week 2) – Nan Reinhardt
Hello, everyone! What a treat to be here with y’all for my very first Cowboys & Mistletoe promotion! As you all know by now, I’m just beginning the cowboy/Western romance journey with Tule Publishing’s Montana Born imprint, so I don’t have a cowboy holiday romance yet, but I have one coming out in November 2026. I do have Christmas romance for you, though! I actually have five sweet, small-town romances that happen in my little fictional town of River’s Edge, Indiana, so it was hard to pick one favorite. But if I had to choose, I think I’d pick Becker Lange and Harley Cole’s story, The Fireman’s Christmas Wish. Becker’s grumpy and Harley’s sunshine just seemed to work for this book, and there’s a little bit of my own story in Beck’s relationship with his father. I hope you enjoy The Fireman’s Christmas Wish. Happy holidays to you and thanks for joining us in this P&P celebration!
The Fireman’s Christmas Wish by Nan Reinhardt
Her heart is wide open, but he’s nailed his shut.
Preschool teacher Harley Cole has always viewed life through rose-colored glasses. With a career she loves, friends she enjoys, and a home that is her haven, there’s only one thing missing—finding her soul mate. As the holidays approach, Harley is inspired to help her former high school crush rediscover his holiday joy. It’s just a good deed…until the feelings she thought were gone come rushing back.
Fire Chief Becker Lange returns home to River’s Edge with a heavy heart. His divorce has emotionally ravaged him, leaving him more confused than ever about what women want. So to protect himself from another failure, he closes his heart. And then Harley Cole makes him a flirty dare that she can help him overcome the holiday blues. Beck’s not sure he wants to, but Harley’s a hard woman to tell no.
Can the magic of Christmas and a sweet stray kitten bring these two lonely souls together?
The Great Western Christmas Celebration
Time for a rally! Our whole town, or certain intrepid individuals, pull together to overcome the catastrophe.
So how do wed do it – how do we overcome this knotty situation we landed on? Let’s get creative on this one!
Everyone who leaves a response by Saturday 12/13 will get their name entered in the random drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card.
Every entry will also be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize – a gorgeous quilt hand made by our very own Jo-Ann Roberts
NOTE: ALL winners will be announced on Sunday 12/14.
Silver, Bells, and a Town Named Lovely
About a year ago, I started kicking around the idea for a new holiday series. The notion of it having something to do with silver bells got stuck in my head.
So I asked my hubby, Captain Cavedweller, to brainstorm some ideas with me.
By the time we’d finished, I had pages of notes, a fictional town named Lovely (that was going to be anything but lovely, at least in the first book), and the plans for a four-book series that followed a family of silversmiths.
I didn’t know anything about silversmith work, but I sure enjoyed learning enough to write the stories.
I knew even less what someone would do in 1876 when they wanted to work with silver but were too poor to acquire any that was “clean.”
In the first book, A Joyful Ring, Gunder Burke leaves behind the big city of Pittsburgh after finding an advertisement for a silver mine in the new town of Lovely, Oregon. He sets on out a journey, determined to build a good life for himself. A life that will allow him to move his parents and sisters to Oregon as well.
Gunder arrives and Lovely is nothing like it was advertised. He gets a job at the silver mine, but is still determined to turn silver into something more. His father’s ancestors were bell makers and his mother’s family were known for making jewelry in their home country of Sweden.
It was fascinating to learn how Gunder could scrape up the tiny bits of silver from beneath the wagons that transported it, clean it, then melt it. In the story, Gunder struggles to figure out how to get the fire hot enough to melt the silver.
Here’s a little scene from the story.
Gunder watched her go, then returned to pumping the bellows until the fire burned so hot that he couldn’t stand to sit there any longer.
He stood and moved back, waiting as the blaze dropped below the rock rim of the pit he’d built. Assured it wouldn’t burst back to roaring flames and catch anything on fire, he returned his box to the hiding spot beneath his cot, washed up at the pump by the cookshack, and joined the other mine employees for Jed’s supper of ham, potatoes, and soggy green beans. For dessert, they had slabs of apple cake that were actually tasty, and not a crumb of it remained when the meal was finished.
Gunder hurried back to his tent, full and content. Although the sun had set, there was still enough light remaining in the sky for him to see. When he scooted the coals off the pot in his pit and lifted the lid, he saw that the silver had melted.
It had finally melted!
“Hurrah!” Gunder shouted and raised both hands to the sky in victory.
“What happened?” Risa asked, suddenly appearing at his side. Her presence was so welcome, he didn’t bother to wonder why she was there.
“It melted! My silver finally melted!” he said, swinging her into his arms and dancing her in a lively jig around the fire pit until she was laughing so much she could hardly stand upright. Her hair slipped from her pins, and the shawl she wore was askew, but he thought she looked utterly enticing. He’d never seen her hair down, not that it all was now, but the strands that had escaped looked like shimmering ribbons of silk. His hands itched to reach out and finger one of the waves.
“Congratulations, Gunder.” She gave him a hug and kissed his cheek, then stepped back and looked at the silver that was already beginning to harden back into a solid form. “You can melt it again, can’t you?”
“I certainly can. I’m going to need more oak wood, though.”
Four generations of Birke family silversmiths find joy and love during the holidays.
A rugged freighter, a hopeful dreamer, and a Christmas they’ll never forget.
In 1876, Gunder Birke leaves the daily struggle of Pittsburgh behind, determined to build a better life in the rough-and-tumble mining town of Lovely, Oregon. Hired as a freighter to haul dangerous explosives for the local mine, Gunder faces ongoing danger—but nothing as treacherous as the risk to his heart when he meets the beautiful and spirited Risa Hoffman.
After losing her mother and siblings, Risa has spent most of her life on the move with her father, never knowing what it means to have a real home. When she convinces him to settle in Lovely, the remote, uninviting town is far from the idyllic refuge she imagined. Still, Risa pours her hopes into building a future, working at the boardinghouse while dreaming of a finding a husband who can offer stability and comfort.
But when Gunder’s steady kindness and quiet strength awaken feelings she never expected, Risa must choose between the security she’s always longed for and the love that rings true in her heart.
As snow begins to fall across the rugged Oregon landscape, two souls discover that sometimes the most beautiful gifts come wrapped in hope, faith, and the promise of love.
A Joyful Ring is the first book in the wholesome holiday Silver Bell Sweethearts series.
A Joyful Love (releasing tomorrow!)
One spark of hope. One act of courage. One joyful love.
Caleb Birke once believed adventure waited somewhere beyond the horizon. But after wandering the world, he discovers the one place his heart longs to be is right where he began—home in Lovely, Oregon. Now devoted to preserving his family’s legacy of fine silverwork, Caleb lovingly crafts everything from heirloom sleigh bells to western saddle silver, each piece carrying stories of the past and hope for the future.
A routine delivery trip to Baker City becomes anything but ordinary when he meets Laramee Scott—a lively, sharp-witted horse trainer who steals his breath and quickly claims his heart.
After fleeing a scandal in Texas, Laramee is grateful to find refuge with her aunt and uncle in Eastern Oregon. The land, the horses she loves, and the freedom to rebuild her life are exactly what she needs—until one unexpected encounter with Caleb makes her wonder if she wasn’t running from her past, but being led toward her future.
As Christmas draws near and snow begins to fall on the high desert, Caleb and Laramee discover that love—like silver—can be shaped, refined, and polished into something lasting. But only if they are willing to trust their hearts… and believe that sometimes the greatest gift of all is the courage to love.
A tender, heartfelt holiday romance, A Joyful Love is filled with family legacies, jingling sleigh bells, and the timeless hope Christmas brings.
A Joyful Promise (November 27)
He crafts silver. She stitches dreams. Together, they discover a joyful promise that could last a lifetime.
Baylor Birke has always known where he belongs—at the silver bench in his family’s shop in Eastern Oregon, crafting Western heirlooms that honor a legacy that is generations strong. Spurs that jangle, bridles that shine, and saddle silver that elevates cowboys into kings makes his work feel both satisfying and meaningful as he labors in the place he loves. But when a shy, talented young woman arrives in Lovely, Baylor begins to wonder if life has more to offer than tradition… perhaps even a joyful promise he never expected.
Bonnie McClure has spent her life preparing to take over her family’s department store in Heppner, but the world of inventories and invoices has never stirred her passion. Her true calling is in the artistry of embroidery, turning simple cloth into something beautiful with every graceful stitch. Sent to Lovely to care for her injured aunt, Bonnie anticipates a quiet holiday season … until she crosses paths with the handsome cowboy who caught her eye in Pendleton at the rodeo.
As Christmas approaches and they are thrust into helping with the church program, Baylor and Bonnie find themselves caught between obligation and longing, expectations and dreams. The magic of the season whispers of possibility— but only if they dare to follow their hearts.
Will the holidays bring them a joyful promise of love and a future stitched together with hope?
Discover a wholesome holiday romance filled with small-town charm, heartfelt tradition, and the timeless magic of Christmas.
A Joyful Home (December 4)
A legacy rooted in silver. A future shaped by love. And two hearts searching for home.
Silver artist Bo Birke has crisscrossed the globe showcasing her award-winning work, but the only place that truly feels like hers is Lovely, Oregon—the quiet Eastern Oregon town where generations of Birkes have crafted heirloom treasures. Time with her beloved grandpa Baylor and her Birke cousins restores her spirit, while the call to protect her family’s legacy grows stronger every time she steps into her workshop. Bo thinks she knows exactly what her future holds… until a chance encounter introduces her to the one thing she didn’t realize she was missing.
Rafe Judson lives for the rhythm of working with horses. When his parents buy a ranch outside Lovely, they tempt him to move there with wide-open pastures and the freedom to train equines the way he prefers. He’s not convinced this small town is where he belongs—until he bumps into a gorgeous, spirited woman in the local convenience store. Suddenly, staying doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
As the holiday season arrives, Bo and Rafe are drawn together by shared dreams, unexpected laughter, and a growing sense that home isn’t a place—it’s a person.
Will they discover that the joyful home they’ve both been searching for is waiting for them to take a leap of faith?
A wholesome, holiday romance filled with hope and Christmas-kissed nights, A Joyful Home is perfect for readers who love heartfelt family legacies, tender love stories, and happily-ever-afters wrapped in the sparkle of the season.
Be sure you enter the big The Bridge giveaway!
Then come back here and share if you’ve started reading Christmas stories yet, and if not, when you crack open that first book full of holiday magic.
The Joy of Turning Christmas Pages Again and Again
Hello! MK McClintock here. As the air turns crisp and the scents of spices and pine fill the house, I am drawn every year to one of my favorite traditions — pulling out my “A Home for Christmas” story collection. It’s become as much a part of my holiday season as decorating the tree or baking delicious treats — sometimes old favorites that remind me of the stories, or from newly discovered recipes that someone else has thoughtfully shared. But for me, it’s not just a collection of stories — the stories are a piece of my heart.
When I first began writing Christmas stories, I had no idea how deeply I would come to feel about them. I simply wanted to capture the feelings of the season — the quiet hush of a snowy evening, the golden glow of lights against a dark sky, the simple warmth of love and belonging. I lost myself in the characters’ stories, as authors do, often with a mug of something hot by my side, trying to translate that sense of comfort and wonder onto the page.
Now, every December (sometimes sooner), when I pull the collection from the shelf, it is like a homecoming. Each story 
carries with it a little echo of the time in which it was written — the mood I was in, the people I loved, the memories I wanted to hold on to.
There’s something so special about rereading my own words year after year. I can see the journey I’ve taken as a writer — the early stories that are simple and sincere, and the later ones that weave in more depth, more reflection. But above all, I can feel the same heartbeat running through them all: a deep affection for the season and what it represents.
Christmas has always had a way of slowing me down and reminding me what really matters, going so far as to trade in abundant gift-giving for simple presents only given to the children in the family, to better remember what the season means (stockings are still fair game). Writing these stories helped me put that feeling into something lasting — something I could share. And every time a reader tells me one of my books has become part of their own holiday tradition, I am truly touched. 
When I pull out all the Christmas books – mine and those of other authors’ I’ve come to love to read – and set them out on shelves, tables, and by my bedside, surrounded by twinkling lights and soft music, I am overcome with gratitude for the stories themselves, for the people who read them, and for the way writing them has deepened my love for this beautiful season.
As I wait to decorate the house and trim the tree in the days after Thanksgiving, I’ll once again pour a cup of tea, settle by the fire, and open those familiar pages. And just like that, Christmas will have arrived — in both the world outside and in my heart, where these stories first began.
How do you read your favorite Christmas stories? By the fire? In your favorite reading nook? Any special hot drinks to go with your reading? Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider? I’m giving away one copy of A Home for Christmas (ebook or print) to one lucky commenter.
Welcome to Guest Author Mindy Obenhaus
Hello, and happy Friday!
Mindy Obenhaus here, coming to you from down Texas way. And while I may not have been born in the Lone Star state, I got here as quick as I could and married a man whose Texas roots run deep. We live on a ranch that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. Nine generations have enjoyed the land. But that wouldn’t have happened had it not been for one man.
You see, a yellow-fever epidemic claimed the lives of my husband’s great, great grandparents back in the 1870s, and their two toddler daughters went to live with their uncle in another town that is now only about a twenty-minute drive but would’ve taken much longer via horse-drawn wagon. A handful of years later, one of the girls died, leaving only my husband’s great-grandmother.
Back in the late 1800’s, it wouldn’t have been uncommon or even frowned upon for her uncle to sell the land that was a good distance from where they lived. Taxes had to be paid, along with wages for those who worked the land. But he preserved his niece’s legacy.
A century and a half later, my husband and myself, our children and grandchildren are still enjoying that land because of him.
That story was the inspiration behind my current Love Inspired Books series, Legacy Ranch. It revolves around four sisters and their spunky cowgirl aunt whose dreams for the ranch had been squelched by her brother, until his sudden death. Now, as Aunt Dee breathes new life into the century-and-a-half old cattle ranch, her nieces find themselves wanting to be a part of its transformation, as well.
Let’s talk about legacies. An inheritance, if you will. Something of value that you pass on to someone else. While our minds often go to things like land, jewelry, money, sometimes it’s simple things, like Granny’s favorite cake plate, even cherished recipes.
But how will your loved ones remember you?
It’s a question I asked myself not long ago. And I was rather dismayed by my response. You see, I tend to be a people pleaser. I want everybody to be happy. So, when our large family gathers, I usually find myself in the kitchen cooking up everyone’s favorite dishes while they’re playing games and enjoying the ranch. But do I want them to remember my peach cobbler or that I made them feel like they mattered? That I’m a best-selling author or that I love Jesus and want them to know Him, too?
Talk about food for thought.?
Have you ever contemplated your legacy?
I’m giving away a copy of my new release,
Their Texas Christmas Redemption.
Simply leave a comment to be entered.
Print copy US only, ebook international.
Here’s a little about the story –
’Tis the season for a second chance at love.
Back home at her family’s Texas ranch for the holidays, the last thing Audrey Caldwell expects to see is her ex-husband, Tyler, on her doorstep—with his orphaned niece. The sweet baby in his arms brings up painful memories that she’d rather forget, but when little Willow gets sick, Audrey can’t turn them away. She offers to care for the baby if Tyler agrees to do some construction projects on the ranch. As they work together on a community Christmas event, neither can deny their growing connection. Can they heal their deepest wounds and find their way back to the family they always wanted?
Best-selling author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner.
She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching heartwarming romance movies.
Learn more at http://www.MindyObenhaus.com