Look what our authors published in December!

 Our authors have been busy writing your next favorite story.

Look what we published in December!

 

What's in a Name?: Love for 3 Lucindas (Love in the West)

By Marisa Masterson

Three ladies connected to the name Lucinda in intertwined stories of convenience, marriage, and love.
Lemon Pie by Lucinda
Lucy never imagined that Ty Goodson would bid on her pie at the auction. But after a night spent in a cave and a shotgun wedding, Lucy finds herself in a forced marriage with a man who longs for a different woman. Will she win his love and escape the men chasing them?
Mail Order Lucy
Lucinda's father sends her on a train to New York to prevent her from breaking up Ty and Lucy Goodson's marriage. But after meeting a fellow passenger, the two switch places. Lucinda finds herself on a poor farmer's doorstep, pretending to be his mail-order bride. Can she convince Andy to become a rancher and find happiness with a man who ignites a passion in her heart?
A Match for Maggie
Maggie—the fake Lucinda--in danger when her past comes back to haunt her. But with the help of handsome US Marshal Reg Parker, she discovers safety and love. However, life twists for her when Reg sends her to Denver as another man’s mail-order bride. There, she discovers her groom is missing. Will she be safe in Denver, and who will be the man to marry her?
A Christmas Eve to Remember
Lucinda and Maggie must rely on their loved ones for support. But when Reg is arrested, will he and Maggie spend Christmas apart? And with the return of a dangerous threat, will Maggie and Lucinda make it through the holiday unharmed?

Release date: December 2, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLGMSY9P

 

A Pony for Christmas: Western Christmas Magic

by P. Creeden

     Will hope, love, and peace make its way to the western frontier this year and help someone in desperate need of the spirit of Christmas?

     Little Susan Price has never spoken a word. Her father, Wayne Price, has never quite understood how to bring his child out of her shell, but has fully accepted her as she is. But at five years old, he’s worried how other children will respond to little Susie’s silence. Christmas is coming, and he really doesn’t even know what he might get her for a gift. Through it all, his stalwart mother has plans to help both his son and granddaughter. Perhaps finding a wife and mother might be the cure to all their ills.

     Eleanor Hunter’s father runs the livery in Golden, Colorado and she’s always been one of his hardest workers. When a black pony comes to town with a man who is ready to shoot it, she stops him and buys the pony for a dollar. Now her father wants to know what she’s going to do with the feral thing. But the more time she spends with the pony, the more she realizes that he just needs confidence, love, and trust. And she’s happy to give him both. If only it were so easy to get the man who she’s been in love with for five years to trust her as well. But then his mother steps in.

Release date: December 09, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFVP33DN

 

A Surprise for Christmas: Confederate Widows, Spinsters, and Proxy Brides

By Zina Abbott

     Analia Cantrill and what remained of her family fled the South as the Yankees approached South Carolina. They took refuge with her aunt’s family in Baltimore. Following her mother’s death, circumstances all but force Analia out. With nothing left to draw her back to the South, she decides to seek a husband in the West—hopefully one who will leave the difficulties of the War Between the States in the past and accept her situation.

     Jeffrey Holden struggles to overcome his hatred for the Southern rebels responsible for the death of his older brother. After corresponding with several women, some stopped writing after he admitted a war injury now required him to walk with a cane. Others he rejected because they were from the South. He decided upon Miss Cantrill from Baltimore. Even though Maryland still allowed slavery during the war years, it stayed with the Union. The woman’s uncle rose to the rank of captain in the Union Army. Surely, she was an acceptable choice.

   Analia feels a sense of unease when, in the same letter with her fare to join him, Jeffrey expresses his happiness over finding a nice Northern bride. She suspects, once he hears her speak and discovers who she brings with her, he will be in for a big surprise.

Release Date: December 09, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D1LVNY3L

 

Minda: Christmas Quilt Brides Book 22

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

     Philadelphia socialite Minda Gayle Harleigh is still in hiding. Wishing to avoid the social shame of being jilted at the altar like her cousin, she embraces a leap year tradition so she can be the one asking. At the summer gala for the Penn Sailing Club Regatta, surrounded by family and friends, she proposes marriage to her beau. Ernst Heinrich III refuses, telling her she has stripped him of his dignity. Now she’s scouring matrimonial newspapers to find someone out West who knows nothing of her background and her inappropriate boldness.
     Montana farmer Kunz Lambrecht has barely won back his standing in the Butte City German community after rejecting a mail-order bride almost three years earlier. No one accepted his rationale that someone with hearing loss could be in danger on a farm. Again, he places an ad in Brides by Mail and is amazed to connect with an Eastern woman who is visiting his town the following month.
     But when the two meet, will they hide behind their past mistakes, or will they see their correspondence connection for the real possibility it presents?

Release date: December 13, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DG6H5486

Mack: Christmas Quilt Bride Book 23

By Angela Raines

     Colin "Mack" McCullough was in the wrong place at the wrong time and at age 14 was sent to prison. Now, eight years later, out of prison, he is offered a shot at redemption: by escorting Myra Aldridge safely to Denver, a high-stakes job that could help him rebuild his life. But the question lingers—was he hired because of his past, or despite it? Either way, danger was bound to follow.
     It wasn’t that Myra Aldridge hated traveling—it was that her father made all the decisions without asking her. At almost eighteen she felt old enough to make her own choices, and the last thing she needed was some hired escort watching her every move and telling her what to do.

Release date: December 20, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKYB6YVL

Trifle by Tilde: Old Timey Holiday Kitchen: Book 36

By P. Creeden

     Tilde Visser has only one dream for Christmas, to live in a house again and bake a Trifle for her mother. Until now, her family has been living with other Dutch in tent communities. But when there’s a robbery in their small town and one of the Dutch are blamed, the whole community lands in an uproar. Then Samuel, the kind baker who has been helping the Dutch, gets involved in the trouble as well.
     Tilde must find a way to clear Samuel’s name before there’s a territory dispute, and help everyone find peace before Christmas. But she might just find love as well…

Release date: December 21, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHV6YL9K

A Recluse for Christmas : Confederate Widows, Spinsters, and Proxy Brides

By Kimberly Grist

Join these Southern Belles on a Christmas journey to bridge the North and the South. Pasts fade and futures ignite amidst prairie snowflakes under western skies. Before each love story can unfold, the bride and groom are wed by proxy—having never met. Wounded souls find redemption in the bitter winter winds, and love’s embrace is the gift that warms their hearts. Find tales of hope, healing, and holiday joy as these Southern Belles, left alone by the war’s harsh realities, navigate cultural differences to forge new lives wed to their western, Yankee grooms. Will every heart discover the true spirit of Christmas and defy expectations? Fall in love right along with every star-crossed couple when you immerse yourself in each of these sweet holiday romances today!

Release date: December 23, 2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZK49D8B

 

 

 

 

 

A Tradition of Tiny Cakes!

Ah, the petite four! They're a holiday tradition for my family. They're also the fancy French cousins of cupcakes. These dainty desserts may be small in size, but they pack a punch in taste and presentation. And if you're anything like me, you can't help but feel a little fancy when you take a bite out of one of these little treats. Our mother used to always have a box at Christmas, and it was a big treat to be able to pick one!

Dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries in France, large brick or stone overs were used to back bread. Since these ovens took such a long time to cool down after they were used, bakers learned to take advantage of the heat for baking pastries. This process was dubbed baking à petit four (literally "at small oven")

But let's be real here, petite fours aren't exactly practical. Sure, they're great for fancy events and high tea parties, but let's not kid ourselves - we're not eating them on a daily basis. And if you are, well, you're either living in a palace or have way too much disposable income. Either way, can I come over?

But I digress. Petite fours are essentially mini cakes that have been cut into bite-size pieces and decorated with intricate designs and pretty toppings. They're like the prima donnas of the dessert world. They demand attention and admiration, but are ultimately just a tiny indulgence.

But what really gets me about petite fours is the fact that they're often served on fancy platters and stands, making you feel like you're about to have a high-class tea party. But let's not forget, they're essentially just tiny, glorified pieces of cake. And while I do appreciate the effort put into their delicate designs, let's not forget the true purpose of a dessert - to satisfy our sweet tooth and make us happy. Unfortunately over the years they've become quite expensive and hard to find! Thank goodness for amazon is all I can say!

So next time you come across a petite four, take a moment to appreciate its beauty and maybe even snap a picture for Instagram. But let's not forget to just enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like a good ole slice of cake that doesn't require a fork and knife.