Happy Publication Day – 18 October 2024

A Christmas Romance In The Scottish Highlands By Donna Ashcroft

Thirty-two-year-old Ella’s life is busy enough running her evil stepmother’s cleaning business, without adding Christmas into the mix. She doesn’t have time to play Cinderella in her local festive pantomime, but she recently lost her father, who loved the show and helped out every year, so she finds herself being fitted for glass slippers anyway. Her life may be falling apart, but she won’t let his memory down.

Then Ella meets brooding and handsome stranger, Alexander, who is playing Prince Charming, and her heart skips a beat. Might this knight-in-shining-armour inspire Mistletoe’s best show yet? But Alexander quickly makes it clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with her or their town’s traditions. And as the night of the show draws near, it’s one disaster after another, with the ugly stepbrothers falling suspiciously ill, and Alexander rolling his eyes at every chance he gets. Ella is exhausted and can’t help but feel she’s letting everyone – including her father – down.

But when an on-stage kiss gets a little too heated between Ella and Alexander, she’s surprised when he offers his muscled shoulder to lean on. Under the spotlight, Alex’s gentle encouragement of the child performers and his adorable pre-show nerves make Ella wonder if there may be more to her prince than she thought. As props go missing and scenery falls flat, can Ella and Alex bring the town to together for one last showstopper? And as the curtain falls on the performance of her life, will Ella find her fairytale ending?

Hope Blooms In Tuppenny Bridge By Sharon Booth

After years of putting others first, Daisy has found a place to call her own in the charming market town of Tuppenny Bridge. The Crafty Cook Café, her pride and joy, is a testament to her determination. But beneath her cheerful demeanour and flour-dusted apron, Daisy still carries the weight of her past.

As summer unfolds in the Yorkshire Dales, Daisy takes long hikes through wildflower meadows, gradually learning to leave her troubles behind with each step. When Daisy meets Noah Lavender, the kind-hearted local headmaster, they forge a connection that helps her more than any amount of cake therapy ever could. But it seems he’s not quite the uncomplicated Prince Charming she might have wished for – Noah carries a secret of his own…

Then, Daisy bumps into a figure from her past who forces her to confront long-buried memories. With autumn approaching, it feels time to take a leap of faith. But will the echoes of yesterday remind her that this new life is too precious to risk?

Review Card & Book Review – A Mother’s Gift By Lee Tobin McClain & Kathryn Springer

This Mother’s Day, they’re finding new moms
…in these two irresistible novellas

Friendship could blossom into more in Lee Tobin McClain’s A Mother for His Childwhen single dad Blake Evans’s six-year-old daughter announces she wants her babysitter, Zoey Grey, to be her new mommy. And in Kathryn Springer’s The Mommy List, a little girl plays matchmaker between her dad, Gage Lawrence, and their next-door neighbor, Megan Albright…but are they ready to take that leap?

About The Author

My Review

In “A Mother’s Gift,” I loved how McClain crafted the friends-to-sweethearts story. Widower Blake valued Zoey’s care as a babysitter for his daughter and cherished their friendship, but it took time for him to realize he was in love with her. The emotional ups and downs of their lives kept me hooked, reading late into the night.

In “The Mommy List,” Springer opened with a twist that surprised me. I loved how Gage’s daughter’s Mommy List led him to adopt a dog, ultimately bringing him to Megan, the dog rescue owner. Springer did a great job showing two sides of workaholics and how this theme played a key role in both characters’ growth.

Both authors explored the emotional impact of Mother’s Day when you’ve lost your mom, handling this sensitive topic with grace and compassion.

My Rating

Link To Purchase