#GiveAway ~ D'ZIA'S DILEMMA by Keri Kruspe ~ @authorkkruspe @GoddessFish

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chance of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here.


About the Book: 

Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Princess Bride.

The second book in the trilogy, D’zia’s Dilemma features a disembodied galactic gangster, a snarky spybot, and a sentient, lovesick spaceship. If you like non-stop action, powerful emotions, and sensual aliens, you’ll love the next installment of An Alien Exchange.

A woman betrayed. An alien duke faced with an impossible decision. Can two lovers who long to be together overcome those determined to keep them apart?

Lora Dharma Callahan excitedly agrees to leave Earth to attend “The Exchange” and meet the alien mate of her dreams. Instead of finding true love, she’s forcibly kidnapped and held captive by an alien lunatic who plans to take over the galaxy. He’s going to use her to create a serum that will ultimately enslave every human female on Earth. But no emperor wannabe is going to keep this girl down. Lora will find a way to save not only herself, but her planet as well.

Duke D’zia Yaq E’etu, cousin to the crown prince of Zerin, suspects a malicious plot to overthrow the galactic government. When the opportunity arises to insinuate himself in the suspected traitor’s stronghold, he doesn’t hesitate to use his infiltration skills. While there, he encounters Lora, whom he soon recognizes as his TrueBond. The only problem…she’s imprisoned and scheduled for experiments that will destroy her.

Now D’zia has a hard choice to make. Should he stay and get the proof he needs to prevent a narcissistic megalomaniac from taking over the galactic government…or escape with the only female he can claim as his own?

Excerpt:

An eternity passed before Lora’s brain cells decided to come back online. Which wasn’t easy since D’zia had pulled her hips into his hard groin. Holy shamoka, was all of that for her? Wait, what did he say? Something about a JR10?

“D’zia.” She pulled her mouth away from his while her inner nasty girl screamed to keep going. “Don’t, I can’t think when you kiss me.” Her heartbeat was going crazy and it was hard to breathe.

Okay, take in a few deep gulps of air…yeah, now she was calm. Right. She put her hands on the sides of his face to place him farther back from her so she could gaze into his eyes. Feminine pride warmed her as she took in the dazed, unfocused stare he gave back. Lordy, those dual-colored orbs were beyond beautiful, especially dilated in passion. His wet, full lips were tempting, and she’d love to spend eternity bathing in the weight of his intense focus.

His three-fingered hands burrowed under her loose tunic to wrap around her naked waist, his palms massaged her eager skin in heavy strokes.

She jumped when warm oils under his hands caused a path of lightning to cover her skin wherever he caressed. A fleeting scent of spiced licorice teased her nose. She drew in a shuddering breath as she cleared her throat. “D’zia, please, let’s stop and think about this.”


About the Author:

“Author of otherworldly romantic adventures”

Keri Kruspe has been an author since the age of twelve and has always been fascinated with otherworldly stories that end in Happily Ever After. Her current works, An Alien Exchange trilogy had its first release Winter 2018. The trilogy continues with D’zia’s Dilemma and concludes with Ki’s Redemption — to be released by the first quarter of 2019.

A native Nevadan, Keri resides with her family in the wilds of Northwest Michigan where she enjoys the stark change in seasons and the pleasures each one brings. An avid reader, Keri loves an enjoyable bottle of red wine, a variety of delicious foods and watching action/adventure movies…usually at the same time. You can find her most days immersed in her fantasy world on her latest novel while foot tappin’ to classic rock. When not absorbed in her writing, Keri works alongside her husband in building their dream home or discovering intelligent life in America in their RV.



Website: https://www.kerikruspe.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/klkruspe15

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkkruspe

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kerikruspe/

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MTGNR7D/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb




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#SpotLight ~ Taken As Theirs By Kryssie Fortune ~ @KryssieFortune

Taken As Theirs

By Kryssie Fortune

About Taken As Theirs:

As a fertile woman in an infertile world, no wonder she was TAKEN AS THEIRS.

As a breeder--one of the few fertile women left in a ruined, plague-ravaged world--Cassie would fetch a handsome price at auction, and selling her to the highest bidder was exactly what her captors had in mind... until two fearsome beasts decided to take her for themselves.

Eli and Dane have chosen Cassie for their mate, and when she makes a foolish attempt at escape she quickly ends up tearfully promising obedience as her bare bottom is soundly and shamefully punished. Her body's response to their stern dominance cannot be denied, however, and it isn't long before she is screaming out her intense, helpless pleasure as she is roughly and thoroughly claimed. But will Eli and Dane's pack accept a human girl or will Cassie be an outsider forever?

Publisher's Note: Taken as Theirs includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

Publisher Stormy Night Publications
Release Date January 4, 2019
Genre Erotic Paranormal romance

Taken As Theirs Buy links:

• Amazon USA https://amzn.to/2W6jMw0
• Amazon UK https://amzn.to/2s95Q6O
• Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/2GZLI1f
• Amazon Australia https://amzn.to/2RvViwV

Excerpt from Taken As Theirs: 

Goosebumps covered Cassie’s flesh. Tingles raced between her legs, tiny electric sparks that warmed her blood. One kind word and her good intentions would crumble—just like her sisters’ chance of freedom if she told this drop-dead gorgeous pair about them.
What with the vampire auction and that nightmare descent of the cliff, she couldn’t take much more. Cassie had been a fool to think she could escape. Completely drained, she was at the werewolves’ mercy
Her imagination worked overtime. Wolves were pack animals. Suppose they decided to share her around the crew? The vampires certainly would have, and she didn’t expect werewolves to behave any better.
She cowered when Eli pulled a knife, but he sawed through the wet rope binding her to his brother. Her legs folded, and only Dane’s strong grip kept her upright. Sheaving his knife, Eli swept her into his arms.
He gave her his best Pepsodent-white smile. “Foolish little princess, so eager to return to the vampires who will abuse you. You’re safe here, despite the unconventional start to our friendship.”
Like a half-drowned kitten, she dripped water onto his trousers. He smelled of summer breezes and crops ripening in the fields. So cold her teeth had stopped chattering, she let go of her fears and let Eli take charge. Heat flowed from his chest to hers, but it wasn’t enough. She felt like an ice cube lost at the back of a freezer.
He carried her through a narrow galley, and into the captain’s cabin. She’d expected twin bunks and a tiny space. Instead, this room reminded her of Nelson’s cabin on the HMS Victory. The back wall consisted of window panes, giving her a view of the distant cliffs. The view fascinated and delighted her but the cabin’s four-poster bed terrified her. It covered more than half the room and had enough room for three if not four.
Dane pulled towels from a trunk then tossed her one of his brother’s jumpers. “Get dry, princess then get into bed and warm up. We’re going to lock you in while we get underway in earnest, but we’ll be back with hot stew and a hot coffee soon.”
After living on half rations for a week, her mouth watered at the thought of a decent meal. That these dominant werewolves cared for her welfare stunned her. Then they offered her a coffee. Utter luxury.
Emotions set in, and tears filled her eyes. She broke into a cold sweat that turned her forehead clammy. She’d never felt so weary in her life—not even when she’d swum marathons.
Dane lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “Don’t cry, little human. You’re safe now.”
The intensity in his gaze felt like a shot of energy for her soul. It made her feel hot and tingly inside. She craved his touch, and maybe his kiss. A fresh set of shivers beset her. This time, they were more about her forbidden attraction for the werewolves than the cold.

About Kryssie Fortune:

I love alpha heroes with superpowers. As a child, I was addicted to DC comics. Now I love the Marvel movies. I’d love to write a hero like Thor or Aquaman, but I have a soft spot for Chris Pine too. He was great as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, but I loved him Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman.
I like my hero’s larger than life and twice as sexy. My Regency men are strong-willed soldiers who survived Waterloo. My contemporary ones are all former soldiers—Doms building a new life after their service. My paranormal heroes are mostly powerful shifters, but there’s the occasional vampire, fae, or demon among them.

Kryssie Fortune's Social Media Links:

• Website: http://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssie
• Blog: http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KryssieFortune
• Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OGFnjc
• Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kxqabJ
• Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2hA0ZVO

#GiveAway ~ Only A Good Man Will Do By Dee S. Knight ~ @DeeSKnight

Only A Good Man Will Do

The Good Man Series (Book 1)

By Dee S. Knight

♥♥ GiveAway ♥♥ 

Dee is giving away an ebook of Naval Maneuvers and a $10 Amazon card to giveaway during the tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win. You may find the tour locations here https://goo.gl/PNbaF9

About Only A Good Man Will Do:

Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar's wife. Good luck with that!

Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. For years he has striven for perfection, fighting for the pinnacle achievement in his world of academia, Headmaster of Westover Academy. Westover, established before the American Revolution, is still one of the most prestigious schools in the country. They accept only boys whose parents fit a certain mold and only those teachers who hold to a stringent set of mores, on and off campus. Jonah considers his brother a prig. Daniel sees himself as doing his best to serve his students. How much better can he serve them as headmaster? That is what he seeks to find out.

Suddenly, into his cut and dried, strictly black and white life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe's foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Bad enough that she's enrolled her son in Westover Academy under false pretenses. More, she runs the town's most disreputable bar. Worst, much to Daniel's dismay, he finds himself drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.

Buy Links:

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FnwnFh
• B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1129630612?ean=2940161770603
• Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/898008
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/only-a-good-man-will-do

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
Excerpt:

“Daniel, am I talking to myself, here?”

“Oh, no, I’m…” He chuckled an amused admission. “Tell me what you said again.”

He could almost hear Eve smile. “I said, you called at four-thirty on Saturday and Sunday, so I took a wild leap that you would today, too.”

“Ah.” Smiling to the empty room, he squirmed to get into a more comfortable position. “A woman of logic.”

“Absolutely. You don’t want to play me in chess. I think five or six moves ahead.”

“I’ll remember that. There’s nothing worse than seeing a guy cry when he’s been beaten at chess by a girl."

~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~
About the Author:

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.

Dee's Social Links:

• Website: https://nomadauthors.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
• Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

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#LoveMeSomeRetro ~ Trapped by Fate on Reckless Roads By MariaLisa deMora ~ @MariaLisadeMora @MJsBookBlognR

 Trapped by Fate on Reckless Roads

Neither This Nor That Series Book #4

By MariaLisa deMora 

  

About the Book:

“Got your back,” is more than a saying in Retro’s world.
Standing united as a club is a given, and loyalty is held as a standard of brotherhood. Forgiveness for transgressions, however, does not come easily, or ever in some cases. Retro’s only demand for his brothers is honor and
integrity, and his belief is that everything else will fall into place behind those qualities. He is not wrong.

In the rough realm of bikers, there are no shortcuts to win a
place among the old guard. It’s a world where respect can only be earned, trust
is painfully gained, and loyalty will be fiercely returned.

Jerry Rogers lived his life bound to those firm tenets which
anchored his brotherhood. MHL&R was more than a patch on a leather cut, it
ran thick as blood through Retro’s veins as he worked to better things for his
club, and family. 

Locked for years in a loveless marriage, Retro still found a
sense of pleasure and peace knowing he’d at least always done his best to
buffer their children from his single mistake. 

Confronted by evidence that what happened in the past wouldn’t
remain quietly buried any longer, Retro embarks on what might become his most
important journey down memory lane. One that can only end in blood…and death.

Genre: MC Romance

Release Date: January 21, 2019

#LoveMeSomeRetro

Purchase Links:

Amazon

iBooks

Nook

Google Play

Kobo

EXCERPT: 

Beginning

Jeremiah Rogers angled his body away from the other person in
the room, shifted his gaze to the window, and caught sight of the reflection of
his own face. Gaunt and aged in ways he hadn't been a year ago, he stared into
the echo of his eyes.

Without turning, he said, “I can’t offer an excuse, because
there isn’t one. I won’t insult you by saying it never meant anything, because
you know how I am. You’ve always known how I felt about her. She...” Here he
paused, at a loss for words for so long his soon-to-be ex-wife stirred
restlessly, the fabric of her jeans making a shirring noise as her legs crossed
and re-crossed. The mattress groaned softly, a sound that had often been heard
in this room in years past, and one that made guilt dig its hooks a little
deeper into him because it had masked their lie.

Her silence drove him forwards. At this point, they’d been
talking so long he was ready to just have it over with. “I knew when I took you
to my bed we’d wed. Your father wouldn’t have allowed anything less. I also—”
He turned and saw her tear-streaked face looking at him out of the shadows.
They’d been talking so long the sunset had stripped the color from the room,
leaving everything in banded shades of gray and beige. He swallowed and pushed
ahead, needing to have all the secrets laid bare. “I also know you didn’t love
me then. We’ve made it work all these years, because neither of us wanted
more.” Retro shook his head. “I’m no longer content to live this way.”

“What’s changed?”

“You know what’s changed, Wanda.” She was smart, and he
suspected she’d already put two-and-two together. He was done living like this,
forcing himself through the days and avoiding the nights. Her lack of follow-up
on her question told him he was right.

“What about our kids, Jerry? How will we tell them?”

At her words, he pulled in the deepest breath he’d taken in
days, because with two sentences she’d aligned herself at his side. She knew
the lay of the land. She’d always known they weren’t a love match. It was one
of the things that made her so bitter towards his brother Isaiah, because he’d
found his love. Gone now for too many years, but Isaiah had kept his Hope’s
love alive in how he was raising their children. Wanda had tried to drive a
rift between the brothers over it. Unsuccessfully.

“Nelda won’t be surprised.” Their daughter was always putting
together unexpected puzzles, and from the sadness she’d borne in the past
months, Jerry knew Nelda had seen how he’d been pulling away from her mother.
“Boys will follow her lead.” He lifted his hands and scrubbed across his face.
“I never meant—”

“You’re not the only one to stray, Jerry.” Wanda’s declaration
took him by surprise and his palms were still pressed to his cheeks as he
jerked and looked at her. “I haven’t been happy for years.”

His blood started to boil and he dropped his fists to his
hips, staring down his nose at her for a moment. Then he laughed once, a
humorless bark of noise meant to keep him from saying things best left unsaid,
and he turned back to the window, their dimmed and blurred reflections now
highlighted by a deep blackness. “Since it all happened years before you came
to my bed, I wouldn’t actually classify it as strayin’, Wanda. Can you say they
were important to you at least?” He’d had suspicions once or twice, but Wanda
had been so…blameless. Every time he’d thought to bring up the idea of
separating, just the look on her face would seal his lips.

“One was.” She gave him that, and then he saw her reflection
move, shifting to the opposite side of the bed. She slowly stood and then
waited for a moment, and when he didn’t turn, told the room, “I’m going to
start supper.”

Surreal.

 In The Series:

Amazon  •  B&N  •  Kobo  •  iTunes

Amazon   •   iBooks   •   B&N   •   Kobo 

Amazon   •   iBooks   •   B&N   •   Kobo

 Also by MariaLisa deMora

Series Reading Order & Series Buy Links

Amazon  •  Barnes & Noble  •  Kobo  •  iTunes

 • • • • • • •

Occupy Yourself Band series

 

Amazon  •  Barnes & Noble  •  Kobo  •  iTunes

• • • • • • •

Standalones

 Amazon  •  Nook  •  iBooks  •  Kobo 

Amazon  •  Nook  •  iBooks  •  Kobo  •  Google Play

 

Amazon  •  Nook  •  iBooks  •  Kobo  •  Google Play

Author Bio:

Raised in the south, MariaLisa learned about the magic of books at an early age. Every summer, she would spend hours in the local library, devouring books of every genre. Self-described as a book-a-holic, she says “I’ve always loved to read, but then I discovered writing, and found I adored that, too. For reading … if nothing else is available, I’ve been known to read the back of the cereal box.” A hockey fan, hiker, gamer, and single mom of a special needs son, she embraces her inner geek and has been working in the tech field for a publishing company for a couple decades. Music is a driving passion, and she says, “I love music of nearly any 

genre — jazz, country, rock, alt rock, metal, classical, bluegrass, rap, hip hop … you name it, I listen to it. I can often be seen dancing through the house in the early mornings. But I really, REALLY love live music. My favorite thing with music is seeing bands in small, dive bars [read: small, intimate venues]. If said bar [venue] has a good selection of premium tequila, then that’s a plus!”

Connect with MariaLisa

Facebook • Twitter • Website • Goodreads • Pinterest • Amazon • Instagram

Hosted by

#Review ~ The Best of Us by Robyn Carr ~ @RCarrWriter @SarahBurningham

My Review:


I always enjoy my visits to Sullivan's Crossing with Robyn Carr. The Best of Us is a fabulous story that I could not put down. 

Dr. Leigh Culver is one smart, talented, independent lady that I couldn't help but bond with quickly. She's a good doctor, a wonderful niece, and a great friend. She loves her medical practice in the small Colorado town. 

I remembered Rob Shandon from The Family Gathering. I enjoyed getting to know more about Rob. He is one of the good guys. He's a great dad, a caring brother, a great boss, and a good friend to many. He owns the local pub that serves up those yummy foods that sound so good. 

Leigh and Rob's first few meetings are a couple of great scenes. I enjoyed the scene where Leigh is taking care of Rob's teenage son. You can honestly see just how much he loves his sons and how caring of a doctor Leigh is. The next meeting totally reminds me something that could happen to me. Accidentally dumpster diving may not be the best time to ask a girl out on a date but hey it worked for Rob. 

Leigh was raised by her Aunt Helen from a very early age. Not only has Helen been a mother to Leigh she is also a great friend. These two ladies are very close and have a great relationship. 

Sully has been a big part of each of the stories in this series. He has been involved in many of the couple's relationships in the previous books. Sully and Helen form a friendship from their very first meeting. It was so wonderful to see that friendship form into a romance for and more. 

All the characters are wonderful in this book. Rob's sons are a big part of his life so they are a big part of his relationship with Leigh. These boys are sweet and so kind. There is one scene in particular that I found to be so sweet. It really showed that these boys were raised with love and care. 

This is one of those stories that really touched my heart several times. There is so much going on that I just could not wait to see what could possibly happen next and then how in the world was that going to work out. The Best of Us really is shown in all the characters in this book. It is a great title for an incredible story.

The Best of Us is the fourth book in the Sullivan's Crossing series but it stands just fine on its own. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading the previous books in this series you will still enjoy this one. If you have had the pleasure of reading the other books in this series then I know you will enjoy your visit and love catching up with old friends as much as I did. I just love small town romance stories for that very reason. I am always excited to catch up with all those friends I have made in previous books. 

I was given the opportunity to read this fabulous story and it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you. 

You may read more of my reviews on Ms. Carr's other books here. https://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/search?q=robyn+carr&max-results=20&by-date=true

The Best of Us Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2FHwHi7

~♥~♥~♥~♥~

About the Best of Us:

In Sullivan’s Crossing, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr has created a place where good people, powerful emotions, great humor and a healthy dose of common sense are the key ingredients to a happy life. Sullivan’s Crossing brings out the best in people. It’s a place you’ll want to visit again and again.

Dr. Leigh Culver loves practicing medicine in Timberlake, Colorado. It is a much-needed change of pace from her stressful life in Chicago. The only drawback is she misses her aunt Helen, the woman who raised her. But it’s time that Leigh has her independence, and she hopes the beauty of the Colorado wilderness will entice her aunt to visit often.

Helen Culver is an independent woman who lovingly raised her sister’s orphaned child. Now, with Leigh grown, it’s time for her to live life for herself. The retired teacher has become a successful mystery writer who loves to travel and intends to never experience winter again.

When Helen visits Leigh, she is surprised to find her niece still needs her, especially when it comes to sorting out her love life. But the biggest surprise comes when Leigh takes Helen out to Sullivan’s Crossing and Helen finds herself falling for the place and one special person. Helen and Leigh will each have to decide if they can open themselves up to love neither expected to find and seize the opportunity to live their best lives.

The Best of Us Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2FHwHi7

#SpotLight ~ Christmas Camp Wedding by Karen Schaler ~ @karenschaler

 Christmas Camp Wedding 
by Karen Schaler

NOTE: CHRISTMAS CAMP WEDDING is a novella; and is not a standalone; it is a sequel to Schaler’s CHRISTMAS CAMP.

About the Book:

After finally becoming partner at her advertising agency, Haley Hanson barely has time to plan her Christmas Eve wedding with her fiancé Jeff. When their perfect location falls through at the last minute, they need to find a new venue, fast. But everything is booked for the holidays, except for the place where Haley and Jeff fell in love, Christmas Camp.

With time running out to transform the inn into a winter wonderland, Trisha, a top wedding planner is brought in to help; she also just happens to be Jeff’s ex-girlfriend.

Will Jeff and Trisha’s Christmas past get in the way of Haley’s Christmas future, or can Christmas Camp still work its magic for a holiday happily ever after?

 Release Date: 1/8/2019

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2FJysvx

Excerpt:

Haley Hanson was right in the middle of one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments every girl supposedly dreams of. She was trying on a spectacular wedding dress. But looking at herself in the mirror, instead of feeling overjoyed, she almost felt—guilty, because this had never been her dream.

A successful career woman and the youngest partner at one of Boston’s most prestigious advertising agencies, Haley had always been more of a realist than a fairy-tale kind of girl. But somehow, in the most unlikely way, she had found her HEA, her Happily Ever After.

Meeting Jeff had changed everything.

Even as she thought about him now, she had to catch her breath. He had a way of doing that to her, taking her breath away. His love, his kindness, his dedication to family, his passion for life and his work, and most of all, his unconditional love for her had opened a door to a future she had never dared dream of. The fact that he was also incredibly handsome was just a bonus.

From the moment she had met Jeff and his dad, Ben, at Christmas Camp a year ago, the path she had always been on shifted. With Jeff, her journey to find love had been far from easy. There were bumpy roads, wrong turns, detours, and delays, but in the end, she knew that right now, even if this hadn’t been a dream she’d grown up with, she was exactly where she was meant to be, standing on a dressing room platform, inside one of Boston’s beautiful boutique bridal stores.

As she did a slow spin in front of the mirror, taking in her stunning silk-sheath wedding dress, she still couldn’t believe how trusting her heart had led her here.

It was really happening.

She was marrying Jeff in forty-eight hours, on Christmas Eve!

She still couldn’t believe how fast the last year had flown by. The last few months especially were a blur, planning the wedding while helping Jeff’s dad franchise his Christmas Camp concept.

When she first pitched Ben the idea, she believed it would be successful, but nothing had prepared them for the overwhelming response of people wanting to do the Christmas Camps, not just in the United States but in Europe, as well.

Working in advertising, she knew one of the keys to being successful was creating something people needed. She had learned firsthand just how powerful and life changing a Christmas Camp experience could be. She knew the day she had given up a prestigious national account to help Ben launch the Christmas Camp franchise idea that she was doing the right thing, just like she knew now, two days before her wedding, that she was marrying the right person for all the right reasons.

The fact that she had no doubts left her with an incredible sense of gratitude and wonder at how this could now be her life. She had gone from being nicknamed the Grinch to having her own Christmas miracle.

As her sparkling oval-cut engagement ring caught the light, she smiled remembering how Jeff had proposed to her at the same place his dad had proposed to his mom, at Star Peak, overlooking a breathtaking snow-covered mountain range.

Jeff had started off by having them both look for a pinecone so they could make a Christmas wish together, a tradition in Jeff’s family. After he had helped Haley pick the perfect pinecone, she had found a stunning engagement ring tucked inside. Jeff had told her it was his dad’s idea to use diamonds from his mom’s wedding ring to have a special ring created just for her, to continue the tradition of true love. He had then gotten down on one knee and proposed, saying how much he loved her and that he wanted to spend every Christmas together for the rest of their lives.

Knowing that Jeff had proposed to her at Star Peak, just like his dad had proposed to his mom, meant everything to her. Now that his mom had passed away, she knew it was even more important to him to honor her memory by keeping special traditions like this alive.

Haley would be the first to admit that when she first met Jeff and his dad, Christmas traditions weren’t exactly her thing. That’s why her boss, Larry, had sent her to Holly Peak Inn, to Christmas Camp, to find her Christmas spirit, hoping it would help her land a huge new holiday advertising campaign.

For years, Haley’s idea of celebrating Christmas meant getting out of town and taking her parents to the Caribbean to avoid all the Christmas craziness and celebrating the holiday. While her parents would vacation on the beach, she would always work, using the time not celebrating Christmas to get ahead, while her competitors took time off.

But as soon as Haley had arrived at Christmas Camp, she quickly found there was no avoiding the Christmas craziness there. She was surrounded by Christmas 24–7, from the decorations, to the activities, to the meals, you name it. If it had anything to do with Christmas, it was happening at Christmas Camp. Haley had desperately wanted to escape, but when her boss insisted she stay the entire week, all she could do was try to find ways to avoid all the holiday hoopla. But every time she tried to take a shortcut, she kept running into one big roadblock.

Jeff.

Jeff’s dad, Ben, owned the inn and ran the Christmas Camp, so Jeff had made it his personal mission to keep an eye on Haley. He’d known she didn’t want to be there and had told her he wanted to make sure she didn’t wreck the other guests’ experiences. That’s when she had nicknamed him the “Christmas Camp Police.”

But what had started out as Christmas Camp chaos had turned into something much more meaningful for Haley. Through Christmas Camp, she was able to learn what mattered most at Christmas—family, friends, community, and love—and was then able to open her heart to finding her Christmas spirit and finding true love.

If someone had told her back then that the following Christmas she’d be marrying the “Christmas Camp Police,” she would have laughed them all the way to the North Pole.

But yet, here she was, wearing a wedding dress. It was crazy. Christmas crazy, in a good way.

Haley twirled around one more time in front of the mirror. “So what do you think?” She looked over at her best friend, Kathy, who was enjoying the posh surroundings, lounging on a white velvet settee, sipping champagne.

Kathy lifted her glass in a toast. “I think it’s perfect for you. It’s simple but chic, classy but not stuffy, expensive but not showy. It’s totally you. I love it!”

Haley smiled brightly. “So do I. They did a great job with the alterations.”

“It’s going to be perfect for the pictures,” Kathy said.

“I hope so.” Haley reverently touched her silky dress. “You know, at first, I only agreed to do all of this—the designer dress, the fancy cake, and all the flowers—because my mom and dad needed some promotional pictures to get ready to open their B&B. But now, honestly, I’m really getting into it. I guess it’s happened. I’ve officially caught bridal fever.”

“And why not?” Kathy said. “You only do this once. You deserve this.”

“I’m just glad I was able to get everyone to donate everything in exchange for all the publicity this will hopefully bring them.”

Kathy nodded. “Your parents are lucky they have a brand specialist for a daughter who can work her magic and make all these things happen.”

“I’m just thankful all the renovations are finally done at the Money Pit, in time for the wedding, and to open after Christmas,” Haley said.

Kathy gave her a look. “Hey, remember, you’re not supposed to call it the Money Pit anymore? That’s bad karma. It’s now your parents’ beautifully restored Victorian that’s going to be one of the hottest B&Bs in Massachusetts.”

Haley laughed. “As long as I’m still paying the bills on it, I’m calling it the Money Pit.”

“Fair enough,” Kathy said and smiled back at her.

A pretty salesclerk walked over to Haley holding a fabulous bejeweled tiara and veil. “Are you ready to try this on?” she asked.

Haley nodded, excited.

As the salesclerk arranged the veil, Haley shut her eyes.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” she said.

When Haley opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the mirror, she let out a small gasp. As she fought back tears of happiness, she couldn’t believe this was really her life. She was getting married to a man who was better than any dream she’d ever had. “I feel like . . .”

“Cinderella?” Kathy asked.

“No,” Haley laughed, breaking the spell. “I could never do those glass slippers.” She thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “I feel like Meghan Markel in my own fairy tale.”

They all laughed.

When Haley struck the perfect princess pose, Kathy snapped a quick picture with her phone. “Well, no one deserves a fairy tale more than you and Meghan.” Kathy lifted her glass of champagne for a toast. “To the fairy tale . . .”

Haley held out her empty hands. “Wait, where’s my champagne?”

Kathy was already pouring her a glass. “After you get out of your dress.”

“I think that’s our cue,” the salesclerk said to Haley, as she led her back into the dressing room and carefully help her out of her dress. Haley, with a grateful smile, handed her the veil and tiara. “Thank you, this is all perfect.”

The salesclerk smiled back at her. “We’ll have it all ready for you up front. You’re going to look beautiful. This dress is perfect on you. We can’t wait to see the pictures.”

“Thank you, again, for everything.” Haley gave her a grateful smile.

A few minutes later, Haley came out of the dressing room wearing chic black pants, strappy high heels, and a sapphire-blue leather coat. She looked every inch the success she was.

When Kathy handed her a glass of champagne, they clinked glasses. “Now we can toast together. To my best friend getting married, chasing her dreams, and creating her own happily ever after. You’re my inspiration.

Haley gave Kathy a heartfelt hug. “And thank you for being here and doing all this with me.”

Kathy sipped her champagne, smiled. “You’re my best friend. Where else would I be? Plus, I love the dress I get to wear.” Kathy walked over to a gorgeous burgundy velvet cocktail dress that was hanging up.

“Only the best for my best woman,” Haley said. “It really is going to look amazing on you.”

“I love that you’re not calling me your maid of honor,” Kathy said. “The word ‘maid’ is too close to the word ‘old maid,’ and I don’t need to be reminded . . .”

Haley laughed. “We’re only thirty-three. You’re not an old maid.”

“Yeah, well tell that to my dating app where all the guys only want to date hot twenty-year-olds.”

“Then you need to find a better place to meet guys,” Haley said.

“Well, one of those places is supposed to be a wedding, but then you decided to have this small, intimate wedding, so you’re not helping me out one bit.”

Haley laughed. “So, you’re saying I should have done a big wedding so you could meet someone?”

Kathy poured herself more champagne. “Exactly. You’re supposed to help me get my HEA.”

Haley put her arm around her. “I’m sorry I let you down on this one, but I know your happily ever after is just around the corner. Jeff’s dad always says at Christmas anything is possible. You just have to believe.”

Kathy laughed. “And to think a year ago I was calling you Grinchy.”

Haley grinned back at her. “I guess my heart has grown three sizes, just like the Grinch’s.”

“And then some,” Kathy agreed.

Author Bio:

Karen Schaler is a three-time Emmy Award–winning storyteller, author, screenwriter, journalist and national TV host. She has written original screenplays for Netflix and Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies. Her travels to more than sixty-five countries as the creator and host of Travel Therapy TV inspired Christmas Camp. All of Karen’s stories are uplifting, filled with heart and hope.

Author social media handles:

https://www.twitter.com/karenschaler

https://www.facebook.com/karenschalerofficial

https://instagram.com/traveltherapy/

https://www.youtube.com/user/TravelTherapyTV/