The Christmas yes List by Melissa Ferguson

 Have you preordered you copy of the Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson yet?

What are you waiting for?

All she wants for Christmas is a rejection.

Chloe Hollis is done being a people-pleaser. After one too many bad decisions--including a job that asked her to cross a line she couldn't--she's determined to change. Her plan? Collect ten nos before Christmas by asking strangers for the most ridiculous favors she can think of.

It should be easy.

But then? Then she meets James.

Instead of shutting her down, the charming out-of-towner keeps saying yes--to Christmas karaoke, to small-town holiday traditions, to every spontaneous, hilarious, totally chaotic idea she throws his way. And the more he says yes, the harder it becomes for Chloe to stick to her plan . . . or protect her heart.

Because James has a reason for saying yes to everything, too--and it might cost them both more than they bargained for.

As their opposite missions collide in a swirl of festive mishaps, unexpected courage, and undeniable chemistry, Chloe starts to wonder if the biggest risk isn't rejection after all . . . but saying yes to something real.

#uplitread #thechristmasyeslist #fiction #holidayromance #feelgoodromance

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The Christmas Yes List: A Heartwarming Holiday Novel: Ferguson, Melissa: 9781400356713: Amazon.com: Books

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, Famous for a Living, and How to Plot a Payback. She lives in Tennessee with her family in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies.

You can find her on her socials at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse.

Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston

 

This autumn, love is in the air.

Artist Emily Carmichael has always considered Splendid Lake her home, but she never imagined she would ever return. However, when she learns her childhood best friend, Jake Hughes, is struggling to save the beloved Hughes Family Orchard, she doesn't hesitate to pack her bags and head back to the North Carolina mountains--even if it means battling a corporate giant and resisting the temptation of too many candy apples.

For Jake, the orchard is more than just a business; it's a living legacy, a bond with his father and a promise to his family. As Jake and Emily work side-by-side to prepare for the orchard's centennial anniversary, long-held feelings, once hidden beneath years of friendship, begin to surface. For Jake, Emily's return illuminates what's been missing in his life, and for Emily, being with Jake stirs long-dormant emotions she's too scared to name. The air is crisp, the apples are sweet, and the sparks? They're flying higher than a bonfire.

But with Jake's ex-girlfriend's dramatic reappearance and the mounting pressure to keep the orchard from failing, their budding romance is put to the test. Can these two best friends turn a season of chaos into a lifetime of love, or will their romance fall flat before the first frost?

Pick up your copy here....                                                                                                                                  Candy Apple Kisses: A cozy, low-spice fall romance: Clipston, Amy: 9780840716491: Amazon.com: Books

Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing "career" began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats.

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts

 The battle lines are drawn—between a romance-loving bookseller and the shock jock determined to tear happily-ever-afters apart.

Alice Willoughby and her mom run HEA Books, a cozy shop devoted to love stories and the people who crave them. Alice is great at matching customers with their perfect happily-ever-after…she just can’t seem to find her own.
Enter Parker Black, a disillusioned radio host who’s reinvented himself as a romance-bashing shock jock. Bitter from his breakup with a romance author who turned love into a four-letter word, Parker takes aim at the entire genre—and his on-air rants start stirring up trouble for Alice’s loyal customers and their partners. He’s arrogant, aggravating, and absolutely not book-boyfriend material.
Parker’s crusade leads to spirited debates and bookstore protests, but when unexpected sparks fly between the two of them Alice begins to wonder if her favorite trope—enemies to lovers—might actually be playing out in real life. Parker may claim romance is a lie…but is he protesting a little too much?
With sharp wit and plenty of charm, USA Today bestselling author Sheila Roberts delivers a modern battle of the sexes where the biggest question is simple:

Are romance novels ruining love—or rewriting it? 

Pick up your copy today...

Love on the Shelf: A Witty Enemies to Lovers Rom Com about a Bookseller and Radio Host: Roberts, Sheila: 9780778305828: Amazon.com: Books

With more than fifty books to her name, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her Christmas perennial "On Strike for Christmas" was made into a movie for the Lifetime Channel and her novel "The Nine Lives of Christmas" was made into a movie for Hallmark. Hallmark also made a sequel, titled "The Nine Kittens of Christmas." Her most recent novel to hit the small screen was "Christmas on Candy Cane Lane," which aired on the Great American Family Channel in 2022. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, she splits her time between the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.

Summer on Camp May by Monica Garner GIVEAWAY!

 Fast friends since forever, Lu, Kenya, and Natalia share a special love for the historical beach town of Cape May. For Lu, it was a welcome escape from the corporate arena into a simpler life—owning a B&B with her soon-to-be-husband, Zach. . . . Kenya fell for Cape May's tranquil shores and believed she and her high school sweetheart would be there together forever. . . . And family vineyard owner Natalia feels it’s the perfect place to complete her happy marriage with the baby—or babies—she desperately longs for . . .

But as the trio plans Lu's lavish wedding, the bride-to-be is stunned when the estranged father she thought was dead shows up to make amends—and throws her every certainty about family and love into heartbreaking doubt. Meanwhile, widowed Kenya is drawn to a kind, attractive stranger, even as she wonders if passion is enough to risk her future on. And when Natalia uncovers an unthinkable betrayal, the secrets she and her friends have kept from each other will explode across the long summer nights . . .

Moving and relatable, here is a captivating story of true sisterhood, and the ties that challenge us—and help us heal.

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Summer on Cape May: Garner, Monica: 9781496750402: Amazon.com: Books

Monica Garner writes women's fiction. Her novel Summer on Cape May is scheduled for release in April of 2025. She is the co-author of Road Trip, a novel written in collaboration with Electa Rome Parks.

Her alter-ego Monica Richardson writes romance. Her debut romance title, AN ISLAND AFFAIR, was released in 2015 by Harlequin's Kimani Romance. She currently has 4 books that are a part of that Talbots of Harbour Island series. And her latest romance novel, The Last Sunset Over Mexico, was released in March of 2021 by Rose Gold Press.

Her alter-ego, Monica McKayhan currently has 11 titles in print. Four are adult novels, and 7 are young adult titles. The first book in her young adult series, Indigo Summer, was the launch title for Harlequin's imprint, Kimani TRU which made its debut in January of 2007. That same year in May, Indigo Summer snagged the #7 position on the Essence bestsellers list, another first for Kimani Press. It also appeared on the bestsellers list in the May 2007 issue of Black Issues Book Review (BIBR). Indigo Summer appeared on the American Library Association (ALA)'s list of 2008, 2009 & 2010 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Monica's young adult title, Ambitious, appeared on the ALA's list of 2013 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In 2009, Monica received a film option from Karat Films for the first five books in the INDIGO SUMMER series. And Tropical Fantasy was her last title as Monica Mckayhan.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick GIVEAWAY!

 

Margaret Ryan never really meant to start a book club . . . or a feminist revolution in her buttoned-up suburb.

By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the American woman's dream. She has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a home in Concordia--one of Northern Virginia's most exclusive and picturesque suburbs. She has a standing invitation to the neighborhood coffee klatch, and now, thanks to her husband, a new subscription to A Woman's Place--a magazine that tells housewives like Margaret exactly who to be and what to buy. On paper, she has it all. So why doesn't that feel like enough?

Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia's newest and most intriguing resident. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women--Bitsy and Viv--to the inaugural meeting. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their honest reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they begin to discover that the American dream they'd been sold isn't all roses and sunshine--and that their secret longing for more is something they share. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, after Betty Friedan, these four friends have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read together will become the glue that helps them hold fast through tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments--and what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives.

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     Amazon.com: The Book Club for Troublesome Women: A Novel: 9781400344741: Bostwick, Marie: Books

Marie Bostwick is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than twenty works of uplifting contemporary and historical fiction. Translated into a dozen languages, Marie’s novels are beloved by readers across the globe. Her 2009 book, A Thread of Truth, was an “Indie Next Notable” pick. Three of her books were published as Reader's Digest “Select Editions.” Marie lives in Washington state with her husband and a beautiful but moderately spoiled Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Connect with her online at mariebostwick.com

Summer on the Island By Brenda Novak

 A summer of healing, friendship, love…and a secret that could change everything.

After the death of her US senator father, Marlow Madsen travels to the small island off the coast of Florida where she spent summers growing up to help her mother settle the family estate. For Marlow, the trip is a chance to reconnect after too long apart. It’s also the perfect escape to help her feel grounded again—one she’s happy to share with friends Aida and Claire, who are hoping to hit reset on their lives, too.

A leisurely beachfront summer promises the trio of women the opportunity to take deep healing breaths and explore new paths. But when her father’s will reveals an earth-shattering secret that tarnishes his impeccable reputation and everything she thought she knew about her family, Marlow finds herself questioning her entire childhood—and aspects of her future. Fortunately, her friends, and the most unlikely love interest she could imagine, prove that happiness can be found no matter what—as long as the right people are by your side.

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Summer on the Island: A Novel: Novak, Brenda: 9780778386377: Amazon.com: Books

Join Brenda Novak's Online Book Group on Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/groups/brendanovaksbookgroup/. We’re currently reading THE TRUE COWBOY OF SUNSET RIDGE by Maisey Yates. Get an autographed copy in one of Brenda’s popular Book Boxes: http://www.brendanovakstore.com/.

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak's career as a bestselling author--she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.

"When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book," Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including eight Rita nominations, the Book Buyer's Best, the Book Seller's Best, the Silver Bullet and the National Reader's Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children--three girls and two boys. When she's not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.6 million!

My Thoughts...

 I have read many of Novak's books and this is by far the best one I have read. I felt all the feels and I loved the ending so much. I recommend this one a fun, fast read. Such a sweet romance.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Anticipation By Melodie Winawer

 

From the author of the “engrossing historical epic” (Booklist) The Scribe of Siena comes a thrilling tale set in the crumbling city of Mystras, Greece, in which a scientist’s vacation with her young son quickly turns into a fight for their lives after they cross paths with a man out of time.

After the death of her beloved husband and becoming a single parent to her nine-year-old son Alexander, overworked scientist Helen desperately needs an escape. So when Alexander proposes a trip to Greece—somewhere he's always dreamed of visiting—Helen quickly agrees.

After spending several days exploring the tourist-filled streets, they stumble upon the ancient city of Mystras and are instantly drawn to it. Its only resident is Elias, a mysterious tour guide living on the city’s edges…both physically and temporally.

In 1237, Elias’s mother promised his eternal service to the Profitis Ilias in Mystras in exchange for surviving a terrible illness. But during his 800 years of labor, he’s had one common enemy: the noble Lusignan family. The Lusignan line is cursed by a deadly disease that worsens with each generation, and a prophecy hints that Elias’s blood is their only hope for a cure. He has managed to survive throughout the centuries, but the line has dwindled down to the last Lusignan and he is desperate to avert his family’s destiny.

When Elias runs into Helen, he meets his match for the first time—but he unwittingly puts both her and her young son in danger as a result. With time running out and an enemy after them, Elias and Helen are forced to choose between the city they love, and each other.

Blending the historical romance of Diana Gabaldon, the rich detail of Philippa Gregory’s novels, and Dan Brown’s fast-paced suspense, Anticipation is a thrilling and satisfying read like no other. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Anticipation: A Novel: 9781982113698: Winawer, Melodie: Books

Melodie Winawer is the author of two novels. ANTICIPATION, a dual timeline story set in late Byzantine and modern Greece, is scheduled for publication in November, 2021. THE SCRIBE OF SIENA (2017), a medieval Italian historical novel that explores the mystery of Siena’s devastation by the Plague, has been translated into German, Czech, Polish and Norwegian. Melodie has also published a short story, 778, which is included in the collection WE ALL FALL DOWN: STORIES OF PLAGUE AND RESILIENCE.

Melodie, an associate professor of neurology at Columbia University, is a physician and scientist, with degrees in biological psychology, medicine, and epidemiology. She treats patients, conducts grant-funded research, and has published over fifty nonfiction articles and book chapters. To find the energy to write fiction, she relies on unflagging enthusiasm, ashtanga yoga, and a lot of green tea. Melodie lives with her spouse and their three teenagers in Brooklyn, New York and Ludlow, Vermont.

Is It Any Wonder By Courtney Walsh

 

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they’d return to Nantucket Island’s Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocably pulling them apart.

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa’s fledgling event planning company is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody’s father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other. 

Pick up your copy here...

Is It Any Wonder: A Nantucket Love Story: Walsh, Courtney: 9781496434432: Amazon.com: Books

Courtney Walsh is a novelist, theatre director, and playwright. She writes small town romance and women's fiction while juggling the performing arts studio and youth theatre she owns and runs with her husband. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists. Her novel, Just Let Go, won the Carol Award in 2019 and Just One Kiss was a 2020 Christy Award Finalist.

A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children and a sometimes naughty Bernedoodle named Luna.

Connect with Courtney online at her website (courtneywalshwrites.com) or on any of these social media platforms:

Facebook.com/courtneywalshwrites
Instagram.com/courtneywalsh

Twitter.com/courtney_walsh 

My Thoughts...

A Second chance romance set in Nantucket, Yes, please! I haven't read a book by Walsh in years and boy I have I been missing out. This second chance romance was so sweet and the ending will just melt your heart. This is book number two in the Nantucket Love Story series but don't fret it can be read as a stand alone. You will not be lost.

If you are looking for a clean romance to sit by the pool and devour grab this 4 star read. I recommend it.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.