When I was a little girl, my mom and grandma both enjoyed looking through magazines. As I got older, I also loved thumbing through the glossy pages. It was in a magazine Grandma had shared with Mom that an article featured a story about the beautiful Biltmore House of Asheville, North Carolina.
Mom mentioned more than once that she wished she could visit it someday, but that didn’t happen in her lifetime.
Years later, though, my husband and I took a holiday trip and toured the incredible Biltmore Estate.
When we walked through the impressive entry doors, the part of my heart where memories of my mama reside whispered, “We finally made it!” As we explored the house, I felt like she was right there with me, every bit as awed as I felt by the Biltmore.
Captain Cavedweller and I were thoroughly blown away by the Biltmore. From the stables and gift shops, to the restaurants and displays, everything was amazing and elevated to the next level.
The house, though, is something beyond the description of mere words. One needs to step into a world most of us can’t begin to imagine to fully experience what it is like to visit this incredible historical wonder.
If you’ve never heard of the Biltmore, I encourage you to read more about it. Constructed in the late 1890s by George Vanderbilt, the Biltmore is a 250-room French chateau filled with priceless treasures. Stepping inside the doors is taking a step into a different time where hospitality, luxury, and beauty reigned.
By the time we returned home from our trip, the idea for a series inspired by the Biltmore was beginning to grow, and blossomed into the Hudson House Holiday series.
Hudson House draws inspiration from the Biltmore and a much smaller mansion located in Portland, Oregon, called the Pittock Mansion. I hope as you read the story that the house and estate joined the cast of characters in your mind, because that is how it is intended.
He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.
After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.
Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.
As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?
A Christmas Dream is the first book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.
When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.
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