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Catherine Castle

~ Romance for the Ages

Catherine Castle

Tag Archives: sweet Christmas romance

Wednesday Writers–Snowbound in Winterberry Falls by Ann Brodeur

09 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by Catherine Castle in Book excerpts, books, Christmas Reads, clean romance, Guest Authors

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Ann Brodeur, book excerpt, Christian romance, Christmas Read, Snowbound in Winterberry Falls, sweet Christmas romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today it’s Christmas in June as I welcome author Ann Brodeur and her debut novel Snowbound in Winterberry Falls to the blog. In addition to talking about characters, Ann has an excerpt from her book.

Welcome, Ann!

When I started writing what would turn out to be my publishing debut novel, Snowbound in Winterberry Falls, I looked to friends and acquaintances for inspiration in developing characters.

My heroine, Stephanie is a Type 1 diabetic. Diabetes is a disease that many members of my extended family have so it was natural to write about. Tilly Miller is the cousin of the hero, and quite outspoken when it comes to caring about Jason. She is fashioned after my best friend – the salt of the earth and someone I can trust completely.

One character I had fun creating was Mrs. Sweeney. She’s a culmination of several women in my life, many of whom have passed. She’s a refreshing character who speaks her mind without being confrontational.

Have fictional characters reminded you of someone you know in real life?

 

Snowbound in Winterberry Falls

by Ann Brodeur

Unwrapping their past – one secret at a time.

Owning her own PR firm is all reporter Stephanie Clark wants for Christmas, but the idea of running a prestigious election campaign in the country’s capital throws her stomach into knots. A last minute vacation road trip to focus and seek God’s direction for her life ends up in disaster when she gets caught in the worst snowstorm to hit Vermont in over a decade, crashing her into a small town and the one person she’d rather forget.

Former photojournalist Jason Miller hadn’t planned on being solely responsible for saving his family business from financial ruin. He’s barely keeping the newspaper in print, his News Editor has gone AWOL during the town’s most celebrated holiday festival, and reports of missing Christmas decorations have everyone on edge.

When a desperate knock at the newsroom door brings a ghost from Christmas past back into his life, can Jason make up for his prior behavior without breaking his promise to Stephanie’s father? Will Stephanie’s quest to solve the town’s Christmas caper—and uncover the truth about Jason’s disappearance—cost her everything she’s ever wanted?

EXCERPT

Here’s a fun scene starring Mrs. Sweeney during her first visit with Stephanie:

 “Oh, dear. I fear I’ve made you uncomfortable.” She clicked her tongue and patted the back of Stephanie’s hand. The older woman reclined in her rocking chair, the rhythmic sway of the chair squeaking with every push of her feet. A walking cane clattered to the floor nearby, and Stephanie righted it again, earning a beaming smile.

“Like you, dear, I love a good story.” Her mouth relaxed, her clear blue eyes seeming to focus on a distant memory. “Do you know I was in love with a newspaper man once?” Her eyes twinkled. She rested her gray head against the back of the chair. “Of course, Mother didn’t approve. He was a nosy busybody who made it his business to report on every Tom, Dick, and Harry’s escapades and then charged people to read it.” The girlish laugh brought an image to Stephanie’s mind of a much younger woman.

“What happened?” Stephanie shifted on the edge of the bed where she sat.

“I listened to Mother. I didn’t marry Charlie. I married Matthias.” Her expression softened at the mention of her husband’s name. “Matthias was a good and kind man. He owned the bank, so Mother was pleased with the match.” Her face moved through a series of emotions Stephanie couldn’t quite decipher.

“Matthias and I had some good times together, but sometimes I wondered what my life would have been if I’d married Charlie.” Tenderness infused her voice at the mention of her long-gone newspaper man.

“Ach. Look at me. I’m such a ninny when it comes to sappy romance. Charlie could woo a pig.” Mrs. Sweeney paused her rocking and sipped from her cup once more. “God’s plan was for me to marry Matthias, not Charlie. God gave us such a beautiful life.”

She replaced her tea things on the small, round table next to her and leaned on her cane, wobbling to her feet. Stephanie stood and braced the older woman’s feeble arms and waited for her to steady. Mrs. Sweeney squeezed Stephanie’s arm and hobbled to the door. She shut it, clicked the lock, and stood with her back to Stephanie for a moment before shuffling around on her heel. Stephanie raised an eyebrow and focused on the curious woman.

“I’ve read your article, Ms. Clark, and there are some details missing that are essential to getting your story right.” Her face grew stern, the picture of a school Marm. “I have a confession to make, but you must promise to help me achieve my ends and to not print a word of truth until after Christmas Day.”

Want to read more?

You can find SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS in Ebook or Paperback at Amazon

About the Author:

ANN BRODEUR is an award-winning novelist who writes inspirational and contemporary romances offering sweet hope and happy endings.

When she’s not reading, writing, chasing after her kids or enjoying long chats with her husband, Ann can be found drinking coffee. That’s been reheated several times throughout the day. She aspires to drink a hot beverage in one sitting.

Connect with Ann on  her BLOG/WEBSITE  FACEBOOK  BOOKBUB

Catherine Castle’s Holiday Reads–Merry Christmas, Darling review

27 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by Catherine Castle in Book Reviews, Christmas Reads, Holiday Reads, Romance

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Catherine Castle's Holiday Reads blog series, Christmas romances, Denise Devine, Sweet Christmas Kisses boxed set, sweet Christmas romance

 Time for a review by me on Holiday Reads.

The story I’m talking about today is the novella  Merry Christmas, Darling by the award-winning author Denise Devine. Devine’s story is part of the Sweet Christmas Kisses boxed set  of 14 award-winning, best-selling authors who write PG-romance. The $.99 I spent for the whole box set was worth it just for this story!

Merry Christmas, Darling

by Denise Devine

 

He needs a wife for a week. She needs his vote on the condo association’s pet policy. They need each other, but don’t know it. Their predicament provides an evening of fun for you, the reader.

Merry Christmas, Darling is an entertaining Christmas read with a Cinderella flair; a sweet romance, with lots of tension; a few cat and dog fights; and a scheming antagonist that will surprise you.

The only problem I had with this book was the hero changes a little too quick for me, but it’s a short book, and you can only do so much in so many words. Having said that, I really enjoyed this fun story. I read it one sitting, and stayed up until after one a.m. without even realizing how much time I had passed living in the characters’ entertaining, humorous world.

♥♥♥♥♥ Five Hearts for Merry Christmas, Darling

2015 Holiday Reads–A Very Kate Christmas from Judy Nickles

13 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by Catherine Castle in books, Christmas Reads, Holiday Reads, Romance

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2015 Holiday Reads, A Very Kate Christmas by Judy Nickles, Catherine Castle's Holiday Reads blog series, sweet Christmas romance, western romance

Hi, and welcome to this year’s Holiday Reads blog series!

As I’ve mentioned before on  my blog, I love Christmas. (Check out my Home for the Holidays series running three times a  week from now until Christmas, if you don’t believe me.) I also love Christmas stories–contemporary, historical, any era.

Every year I post reviews for Christmas reads I’ve enjoyed. Since I can’t read fast enough to keep up with all the Christmas stories I’d like to read and review on this series, I’ve decided to add  a promotional section to the Holiday reads series posting blurbs and/or excerpts from Christmas reads that sound interesting to me.  In addition to the promos, I will also be posting some reviews of Christmas books I’ve read this year. So, be sure and drop by often to get your overdose of Christmas at Catherine Castle’s blog!

Author Judy Nickles is leading off the promo section of the Holiday Reads this year with her book A Very Kate Christmas. 

I hope you enjoy this year’s Holiday Reads series. And if you’ve read a great sweet Christmas romance story, leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

A Very Kate Christmas ebook1(1)

 A Very Kate Christmas

Judy Nickles

 

Two days before Christmas in the bitter cold winter of 1880, a passing cowboy investigates a cry coming from a deserted line shack on a ranch in the Texas Panhandle. He finds a newborn baby girl clutched in the cold lifeless arms of her mother. Tucking her inside his coat for warmth, he rides straight to the nearest town where the doctor pronounces her a miracle.

On Christmas Eve, Dan and Olivia Forrester, who have recently found a second chance for love with each other, see the tiny baby girl when they volunteer to  help with festivities for the older children at the local orphanage. Both know she is meant to be their daughter. “There is so much love between us,” Olivia observes. “Enough to share.”

“The Christ Child brought you, Kate precious,” her father reminds her every twenty-third of December as she celebrates the coming of the Babe in the Manger along with her own birthday.

A Very Kate Christmas chronicles ten memorable Christmases for Dr. Katherine Bancroft Forrester and the special lessons of love and compassion learned from the people she meets along the way in a century of life.

 

Available at Amazon  $2.99 for Kindle, $6.99 print

Want to read more about the story? Click here to read an excerpt

 

 

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