Hudson House Holiday Series

 

Way back in January, I’d planned to write four sweet romances in a generational series that begins in 1892 and ends with a modern-day story. It didn’t happen. Then I thought I’d get started writing them when CC and I went out of town for a week for Valentine’s Day. I got so entranced watching snowflakes fall in the woods from our hotel window, I didn’t write a single word. Before I knew it, it was June and I still hadn’t started on the series, although I did have my beautiful covers. Eventually, September was half-way gone and I realized if I didn’t get busy the books were never going to be more than words floating through my thoughts.

So, in five weeks of writing, I cranked out the four books that are the Hudson House series. I hope you’ll enjoy them even half as much as I loved writing them. I hope, too, if you read them, you’ll find that Hudson House isn’t just a setting, but one of the characters in the books. It was inspired by the beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and the Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon!

Hudson House

Four generations find romance and joy during the holidays at a home filled with wonder and love.

The first book in the series, A Christmas Dream, released last week, and A Christmas Spark debuts tomorrow!

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.

Will hope spark a holiday romance?

After losing his brother and part of himself on a French battlefield during the Great War, Kase Hudson seeks refuge from the haunting memories at his childhood home. He finds solace in carving wooden Santa figurines in his workshop in the stables that he sends to gift shops to sell. Kase distances himself from his family’s unwanted sympathy until his sister, Sarah, arrives for the holidays with her vibrant friend. He never expected beautiful Dori to breathe warmth and joy into the house right along with his heart.

With no family of her own, photographer Dori Stanford eagerly accepts Sarah Hudson’s invitation to join her for Christmas at her family’s home in Oregon. The two friends travel from their college in California to Silver Bluff, excited to spend the holidays at Hudson House. Once they arrive, Dori makes it her mission to connect with Sarah’s sullen brother, Kase, and draws him into the wonder of the season.

Will her persistence and encouragement be the spark Kase needs to step out of the past and into his future—possibly one that includes Dori?

A Christmas Spark is the second book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

Will a Christmas romance lead two searching hearts to a lifetime love?

Bound to the Hudson House family estate, Vienna Hudson strives to uphold the legacy her grandparents established. When she’s not busy preserving her heritage or managing the family corporation, she steals away for horseback rides across the sprawling grounds—until a chance encounter with a handsome stranger turns her world upside down.

Surveyor Sam Bishop is tasked with plotting a new interstate through the Silver Bluff area. He faces a significant challenge when his calls to an elusive landowner go unanswered, prompting an impromptu visit to Hudson House. Excited to explore the beautiful acreage, nothing could prepare him for Vienna's fiery welcome—armed with a pistol and a courageous spirit.

As holiday bells ring across the estate, Vienna and Sam work together to navigate the complexities of both the road project and the ever-evolving feelings dancing between them. Will the pair find a way to embrace their unexpected connection? Or will the pressures of responsibility and ambition tear them apart before they realize love is the most precious gift of the season?

A Christmas Love is the third book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

A heartfelt holiday tale of a family’s legacy that leads two hearts to love.

Reeling from the recent death of his father, Alex Hudson returns to Silver Bluff to protect his family's legacy. Upon reaching Hudson House, he discovers the once-vibrant estate all but abandoned. On top of that, his conniving aunts seem intent on seizing his inheritance. In search of support, Alex turns to a local attorney. There, he meets a woman who becomes an ally, friend, and the one person who can give him hope and a place to belong.

Nori Laroux enjoys working as a partner at her father's law firm. However, when he entrusts an important client to her care, Nori finds herself grappling with her feelings for Alex Hudson from the moment they meet. Committed to protecting his inheritance, she is determined to help Alex preserve the legacy of Hudson House, even if it means risking her own heart in the process.

When Alex suggests the idea of reopening the historic home for a Christmas celebration, Nori and her family eagerly step in to help deck the halls and fill Hudson House with cheer.

Will the holiday season bring Alex and Nori to the discovery that hope is a special gift and that love is the most treasured of all?

A Christmas Hope is the fourth book in the Hudson House Holiday series of wholesome, heartwarming Christmas romances full of the joy of the season.

Merry Christmas!

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Today, Shanna draws on her rural roots to create sweet and wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength. Her historical westerns have been described as historically accurate, blending facts with engaging fiction, while her contemporary works have been called laugh-out-loud funny, swoony, and heartwarming.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website.

A Christmas Dream

 

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.

The series follows the Hudson family through several generations, starting with Brant Hudson in 1892, and ending with Alex Hudson in 2024!

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.

Kissing Balls

 

It all started with a kissing ball.

I saw a beautiful one in a shop window and considered making one. Then, as things tend to go, I ran out of time before the holiday season arrived.

But the idea of a kissing ball being involved in a holiday romance stuck with me. 

In my sweet historical romance, The Christmas Kiss (releasing today!), a cousin to the hero gives him a kissing ball for a decoration. 

He knows exactly what it represents and thinks about kicking it outside, but refrains. 

As I was writing about the kissing ball, I decided to do a little research about them. Kissing balls have been around a long, long time.

During the Middle Ages, villagers would wind twine and evergreen branches into a ball shape. In the center of the boughs, they would place a clay figure to represent baby Jesus. The boughs were hung from the ceiling to render blessings and good fortune to all who passed beneath it.

It was during Tudor times that the kissing bough became a popular Christmas tradition. They were made with two intertwined hoops covered with evergreens that included holly, bay, and mistletoe, and were hung over doorways to welcome guests. Legend says the tradition of the day was to salute or kiss in greeting or leave-taking. Amid the Christmas season, this bough gave free license for the activity. Those who met beneath it would often pick a berry from the mistletoe as proof of a kiss.

Victorian England brought a new look and name to the ornament. The kissing ball was elaborately decorated, incorporating mistletoe and evergreens such as pine, as well as flowers and herbs. Herbs were chosen for both beauty and symbolic value. Lavender and rosemary signified loyalty and devotion, mistletoe brought good fortune and fertility, while thyme promoted courage. An apple or potato frequently served as the base. Victorians emphasized romance with the kissing ball, waltzing beneath it at parties and women lingering near it in hopes of a suitor catching them there.

He’s a devoted single dad still grieving the loss of his wife.
She’s an outrageously fun female with a temper that runs as hot as a teakettle.
Will the two of them find a way to work together to give his son a Merry Christmas?

When Gracy Randall returns to Hardman after almost six years away, she can’t wait to see the look of surprise on her parents’ faces. But the surprises are for her, it seems, as everything she thought she could depend on turns out to be different than she expected. The family ranch? Sold. The fabulous job she lined up for her return? Gone. The life she left behind? Memories. Now what will she do?

Cord Granger has problems of his own. The ranch he bought to make a fresh start requires far more work and time than he’d anticipated. Until he can find someone to take care of the house and his son, Bodie, he struggles to keep up with each day’s demands. Yet, the thought of letting another woman into his home, even if she is hired to be there, feels like dishonoring the memory of his wife. But he has to do something. The work? Piling up. The grief he faces every day? Staggering. The life he left behind? Memories. Who can he trust to help?

After landing on the wrong foot the moment they meet, the last thing Gracy and Cord want to admit is that the other may hold the answer to their problems. Can a little holiday hope help Gracy bring fun and joy back into Cord’s world? Will Cord’s return to the land of the living break the heart she locked up six years ago?

Find out in The Christmas Kiss, a sweet historical holiday romance brimming with the wonder of the season, a town full of humorous characters, and heartwarming story of love.

His head lowered toward hers and their lips had just barely brushed when Bodie ran into the room, full of giggles.

“What’s this, Daddy? Is it a ball? Can I kick it like my other ball?”

Cord sighed and stepped back, grasping at the unraveled threads of his composure. Everything in him wanted to tell Bodie to kick the kissing ball until it was an obliterated pile of leaves, but he experienced the desire to kick it a few times himself, preferably at Luke.

Instead, he forced himself to smile and turned to face his son. “It’s not a toy, Bode. Your cousin Maura made it as a decoration.” He knelt beside Bodie, took the kissing ball from him, and dangled it from his index finger. “See, it hangs from this ribbon here. Where do you think we should put it?”

“I … I …” Bodie was so excited about the decoration, he raced out of the kitchen, scurried right back in, and grabbed Cord’s hand. “Come on, Daddy. We gots to find a good place for it!”

Cord stood and let Bodie tug him from the room but not before glancing back at Gracy with a look of promise. Maybe next time he cornered her at the sink, he’d make sure the kissing ball was hanging overhead.

What's your favorite holiday decoration or tradition?

Connect with Shanna at shannahatfield.com

Must Read Christmas Books

 

With the holidays upon us, I sent Captain Cavedweller out to our barn to "haul in the holly" so I could deck the halls. 

One of the red and green storage tubs he carried in holds some of my most favorites treasures - my collection of Christmas books. There are several that I read every year because I love them so much and they have become part of my holiday tradition. 

I thought I'd share a few of them with you today. 

Catherine Palmer's Victorian Christmas stories are wonderful and transport me back to another time. This collection holds four of my favorites.

A Victorian Christmas Quilt
A Victorian Christmas Tea
A Victorian Christmas Cottage
A Victorian Christmas Keepsake (my absolute favorite of all the Christmas books she's written)

Available on Amazon

The Christkindl's Gift by Kathleen Morgan is such a great story and one I eagerly read each December. This story has a grieving widow, a meddling father-in-law, adorable children, and a wounded stranger with an awesome Scottish brogue. What could be better?

Available on Amazon

Pony Express Christmas is destined to grab onto your heart. It's the story of a Pony Express rider and his encounter with a man and his son in a prairie blizzard. 

Available on Amazon

__________

If you'd like to add a few of my books to your collection of sweet Christmas romances, I have two on sale today! 

The Hardman Holidays Boxed Set includes the first three books in my Hardman Holidays series and is on sale for 99 cents this week. 

This boxed set contains three full-length historical romances from the Hardman Holidays series including The Christmas Bargain, The Christmas Token, and The Christmas Calamity. Wholesome and heartwarming, each book offers messages of love and faith, family and hope, with plenty of humor and Christmas cheer.

♥ The Christmas Bargain - Luke Granger might own Hardman’s bank and the fanciest house in the Eastern Oregon town, but he’d much rather be outside riding his horses or wrangling his herd of cattle than keeping his account books straight. In a strange, unsettling turn of events, he hesitantly accepts a farmer’s daughter instead of money to cover a loan. If the man hadn’t threatened to sell her to the saloon owner, Luke would have refused to take her. He has no idea what to do with shy, lovely Filly or their marriage of convenience, but he’s about to get far more than he bargained for.

♥ The Christmas Token - Blake Stratton enjoys a simple existence in the small western town of Hardman as a carpenter. With honest work and loyal friends, his life is nearly perfect, at least until the day Ginny Granger arrives, setting him on his ear and upending his life. Infuriated by her meddling presence, he’s further exasperated to discover he isn’t immune to her considerable charms.

♥ The Christmas Calamity - Dependable and solid, Arlan Guthry relishes his orderly life as a banker’s assistant in the small town of Hardman, Oregon. He has good friends, a great job, and the possibility of marriage to the town’s schoolteacher. His uncluttered world tilts off kilter when the beautiful and enigmatic prestidigitator Alexandra Janowski arrives in town, spinning magic and trouble in her wake as the holiday season approaches.

Holiday Hope is on also on sale for just 99 cents for a limited time! It's the first book in my new Holiday Express series!

Left alone in the world after losing her parents, Cora Lee Schuster travels across the country to the newly-established town of Holiday, Oregon, to become a mail-order bride. She arrives in town to be greeted by her future father-in-law with her betrothed nowhere to be found. When it becomes obvious her reluctant groom-to-be has no intention of showing up at the family ranch where she’s staying, Cora Lee must decide if she’ll follow her head or heart.

Jace Coleman has loved trains since the first time he rode on one as a boy. Now, he spends his days as an engineer driving the Holiday Express line on a new engine named Hope. When a mail-order bride turns up at his father’s ranch to wed his brother, Jace has an idea his meddling father has tried his hand at matchmaking. The longer Cora Lee stays at the ranch, the harder Jace works to keep from falling for his brother’s intended bride.

Will Jace and Cora Lee discover the gift of hope? Find out in this sweet holiday romance full of memorable characters, warmth, and Christmas cheer.

Holiday Hope is the first book in the Holiday Express series, a collection of heartwarming, wholesome, holiday romances brimming with the spirit of the season.

Holiday Express Series

 

A few years ago, my husband and I were driving through Nevada. On a whim, we decided to stop in Ely at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. 

(SIDE NOTE: If you are a fan of the Big Bang Theory television show, they gave a shout-out to the museum in the episode when Sheldon gets to "be the engineer." You can read about it here.)

We'd barely set foot inside the historic depot when I started thinking about the idea of a mail-order bride story. By the time we left the museum, I had landed on the idea of a series of stories that spans several generations and includes a steam engine named Hope. 

Today, I wanted to share a first look at the beautiful covers Josephine Blake designed for the series.

Holiday Express

Four generations discover the wonder of the season and the magic of one very special train in these sweet holiday romances.

Holiday Hope

Release Date: November 30

Pre-order Price: 99 cents (reserve your copy book while it's at this great price!)

 Infuse your holidays with hope and humor in this sweet western romance

 Left alone in the world after losing her parents, Cora Lee Schuster travels across the country to the newly-established town of Holiday, Oregon, to become a mail-order bride. She arrives in town to be greeted by her future father-in-law with her betrothed nowhere to be found. When it becomes obvious her reluctant groom-to-be has no intention of showing up at the family ranch where she’s staying, Cora Lee must decide if she’ll follow her head or heart.

 Jace Coleman has loved trains since the first time he rode on one as a boy. Now, he spends his days as an engineer driving the Holiday Express line on a new engine named Hope. When a mail-order bride turns up at his father’s ranch to wed his brother, Jace has an idea his meddling father has tried his hand at matchmaking. The longer Cora Lee stays at the ranch, the harder Jace works to keep from falling for his brother’s intended bride.

 Will Jace and Cora Lee discover the gift of hope? Find out in this sweet holiday romance full of memorable characters, warmth, and Christmas cheer.

 Holiday Hope is the first book in the Holiday Express series, a collection of heartwarming, wholesome, holiday romances brimming with the spirit of the season.   

 

 

Holiday Heart

Release Date: December 7

Pre-order Price: $3.99

 Hearts and humor collide in this sweet holiday romance

 Zach Coleman spent his childhood dreaming about trains, and now he’s one of the repairmen at the Holiday engine house who keeps them chugging down the tracks. Life couldn’t get any sweeter, or so he convinces himself, until he’s on his way home from work and saves a woman from getting hit by a wagon. How was he to know that one, brief encounter would upend his world?

 Lorna Lennox grew up with the best of everything in life. Her father, a railroad tycoon, has made sure of it. Now that he’s moved her into a new house in a remote Oregon location, Lorna wonders if she’ll fit into the small community. She’s barely arrived in the town of Holiday when an adventure leaves her at the mercy of a handsome stranger. One she finds impossible to forget.

 Will the holidays present a chance for hearts to entwine? Find out in this sweet holiday romance rich with history, humor, and the joys of Christmas

 Holiday Heart is the second book in the Holiday Express series, a collection of heartwarming, wholesome, holiday romances brimming with the spirit of the season.   

 

 

Holiday Home

Release Date: December 14

Pre-order Price: $3.99

 A winning combination of romance, humor, and history

 Widow Britta Webster can hardly remember life before her village was overrun with German soldiers during World War II. All she wants is to live a peaceful existence and raise her child. But she will do anything to protect Joshua, even if it means begging a stranger to take her to America where her son will have a safe place to call home.

 Honor, grace, and duty are the driving forces behind Bryce Coleman’s approach to life, even as he strives to survive in war-torn France. Severely wounded, he’s left by his comrade in the cellar of a woman who clearly wants nothing to do with him. When she pleads with him for her son’s future, Bryce feels bound by an obligation to the widow for saving his life.

 Will a burdensome agreement turn to love when hearts come home to Holiday? Find out in his sweet historical romance packed with vintage charm, nostalgia, and the wonder of Christmas.

 Holiday Home is the third book in the Holiday Express series, a collection of heartwarming, wholesome, holiday romances brimming with the spirit of the season.   

 

Holiday Love

Release Date: December 21

Pre-order Price: $3.99

 Will delving into the past kindle a forever love?

 Kali Hoyt loves old things. Old books. Old dishes. Old cars. Old love stories. Hired as the director of the newly-formed preservation society for the town of Holiday, she can’t wait to begin digging into the history of a place she enjoyed visiting during her childhood summers. When her cousin introduces her to his best friend, Kali has no idea the grease-covered redneck will have such a monumental influence on her future.

 Trace Coleman has spent his life being groomed to take over his family’s vast Lennox Enterprises empire. Astute at running the company, he much prefers to spend his days tinkering with the old steam engine that his great-great-grandfather worked on as a mechanic in the Holiday engine house. When he encounters the newly hired director for the preservation society he founded, he knows her presence in Holiday is going to change his life in ways he can’t begin to imagine.

 Will two reluctant hearts succumb to the magic of the holidays? Find out in this sweet holiday romance filled with humor, heart, and love.

 Holiday Love is the fourth book in the Holiday Express series, a collection of heartwarming, wholesome, holiday romances brimming with the spirit of the season.  

THOSE THINGS WE SAVOR ON CHRISTMAS by Marisa Masterson

Riding into town, the three travelers passed a small, brick church. Snow flurries danced in the air and candles glowed in each of the church’s windows. The Christmas Eve service had started. Organ music drifted to them. Silent night, holy night. Voices now joined the organ, drawing a wistful feeling from Charity. This was her first Christmas Eve as a believer, and how she wished she could spend it in that church. Thad’s baritone joined the congregation as they rode past. Charity gladly joined him. She’d learned the song years before. The words hadn’t meant anything to her, at least nothing more than an old story or legend. This year, she treasured the sacrifice Christ made to become a man and bring her grace.

Snow. Candles. Caroles. They're all a part of the Christmases so many of us have enjoyed in our lives. The idyllic Christmas. 

Since I write romance with a great deal of action and suspense, adding these tender scenes into my books makes for a sweet change during the holiday season. The one above is from my latest novel, Detective to the Rescue, part of the Christmas Rescue series. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08121FXK3

In the story, a young woman has been trained by her uncle. While he's a very successful Pinkerton agent, her first case was a flop. She has one more chance at a case and has to succeed. She's willing to do what it takes to make that happen--even if it means posing as a stranger's wife. 

Nothing seems to work like she expected. Is it any wonder she suddenly finds herself married for real!

In addition to writing novels to release specifically at Christmas, holiday scenes are sometimes worked into my other novels. Last month, I released A Bride for Boss. The scene that truly bonds the new family together takes place at Christmas.

In the main room, a large sock hung from the mantle. Behind the low hanging sock, a pine knot popped in the cheery fire that drew Frankie. The room was cold, reminding Frankie that she was living in a mud house.

As she rubbed her hands near the flames, Boss reached around her to lift the sock off of the nail. He pointed to the nail before giving Marsha the sock.

“See that nail, precious girl. That one’s yours for every Christmas.”

His daughter puckered her face in confusion. Boss’s voice quavered as he tried to explain. “Christmas is a special day each year. It’s precious so we give you a present to celebrate.”

Carrying the girl to the sofa covered by a gray wool blanket, Boss sat with her on his lap and offered Marsha the bulging stocking. She held it but didn’t reach inside.

Frankie joined them, sitting close to her husband.  Smiling at Marsha, she rolled the top of the stocking down. “I think there’s something fun inside for Marsha,” she crooned.

At those words, the girl’s face changed from confusion to excitement. She seemed to now understand that the contents were hers and reached in to pull out the surprise.

Her little fingers entwined in yarn and pulled out a soft rag doll. Its face had been embroidered with skill, and a finely sewn calico dress covered the rag body. From the doll’s neck, a bonnet dangled down its back.

Where and when had her husband bought it? She knew he couldn’t have made it in the night. Had he slipped out while she slept?

Marsha’s lips pursed as she oohed over her doll. Cradling the rag doll, the little one rocked it slowly. Then she surprised her new parents.

“Baby.”

Frankie met her husband’s startled gaze and grinned. “Another new word! I think the words are locked up in her brain, only she’s been too afraid to use them.”

Rubbing a hand over her child’s dark hair, Frankie softly asked Boss about the doll. “When did you have a chance to get it? Weren’t the stores closed today?”

With a nod of his head, Boss answered her. “Yeah, I haven’t left the house.”

His voice faltered a bit as he looked at a distant corner of the room while speaking. “I had a sister who died young of yellow fever.” He ducked his head in embarrassment as he explained. “I’ve kept her doll all these years. Just somethin’ to remember her by, I guess.”

Frankie gave him a worried look. “It won’t bother you to see Marsha play with it? Maybe even get it dirty?”

His head shook from side to side. “Nah. Marie’s been gone years. The toy’s been stuffed in a chest without me lookin’ at it. Time for it to be used.” Then he gave a gruff laugh. “Anyhow, can’t have my girl here goin’ without. This bein’ our first Christmas together.”

Tears pooled in Frankie’s eyes, and she willed them away. Serious, reserved spinsters didn’t cry.

Of course, she left that life behind to become a wife and mother. Maybe a mother could be forgiven tears in a tender situation like this one. She hoped so since the moisture ran down her cheeks now.

Clement Moore's poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (The Night Before Christmas), written as a gift for his ill child who wanted a Santa Claus story, is in part responsible for a great deal of our traditions at Christmas. The stocking hung by the fireplace. Gifts for children. 

Early on, Christmas festivities were for adults. Children had very little to do with the holiday. It was a time for drinking and being, well, merry. As an example, take a look at what is considered the very first Christmas card.

It might be a little blurry for you to make it out. If you look carefully, the child is drinking wine from an adults glass. Nothing innocent about the Christmas celebration on this card. In fact, when it was produced many in the public were outraged that it showed a child drinking.

I prefer the warm, child-centered Christmases I've known with decorated cookies and lights on the tree. We'd play I spy each night. The lights would be turned off and we'd take turns describing a decoration. The game was to see who could be the first to find the one being described. Perhaps your family had something similar. For me, it was an essential part of the Christmas and one of the few times my mother played a game with me.

Regardless of traditions, this year is bound to be a very different Christmas. No matter what doesn't happen or can't be done this holiday, it is still the time to remember the incredible gift of Jesus. A simple Christmas might be the best way for us to focus on that.

Check out my other Christmas Release, A Strongman for Christmas, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9N79FY. This mail-order bride romance will surprise you with the twists the heroine's life takes. 

"To be honest, this didn't sound like a book I would enjoy. A woman marries a man in a traveling circus...does not sound romantic. Boy was I was wrong. Like all of Marisa Masterson's stories, I couldn't put it down once I started it. There was action, adventure, love and of course romance. This is a must read!"--Leona M.

"The storyline is a bit different from usual mail order bride stories but that's what made it appealing and kept my interest throughout."--Amazon Customer

"This was a nice sweet Christmas story with a circus added in. The setting of a circus was different and not something I’ve read before. The attraction between Wynona and Marvel was instant, even though he wasn’t her intended husband. As they start to enjoy their new life together, danger from the past arrives at the circus. Will Marvel be able to protect Wynona from her dangerous brother, or will Wynona take matters into her own hands. Very well written story with good character development. I would recommend this story to others. Even though it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone story."--Theresa25

The Christmas Wish

 by Shanna Hatfield

In a time so unlike any we've ever experienced, we could all benefit from more kindness, more joy, and more hope. 

That's part of why I so loved writing  The Christmas Wish. 

In the story, the heroine runs a bookstore by day, but at night, she sits before her bedroom window, pen in hand, and writes anonymous letters to people in town, wishing special wishes for them. 

Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to do that in our modern world. To send special wishes out to people who could use a cheerful boost, or a word of encouragement, something to lift low spirits. 

As the Christmas draws closer, I find myself drawn to ideas that could bring a smile to someone or brighten their day. 

What's one thing you can think of that might be a help to others and bring them holiday cheer?

Home is the last place he wants to be for Christmas . . .

When an urgent telegram arrives from his mother, begging him to return home, old West photographer Percy Bruner can’t refuse. After an almost five-year absence, he dreads returning to the small eastern Oregon town of Hardman where he grew up. He’d dreamed of raising a family there, and loving his sweetheart until they were both old and gray. But with her gone, the only thing the town can offer him is painful memories.

Now that his family needs him, Percy must face the ghosts that continue to haunt him, and make the hard choice of letting go of his past or giving up on his future.

Will his return the place he once loved give shattered hearts a chance to heal and make a special Christmas wish come true?

Full of small-town characters, sweet romance, Christmas cheer, and second chances, The Christmas Wish offers a heartfelt holiday read sprinkled with humor and hope

~*~

“I can carry it.” Percy took his purchases from her. “What are you baking upstairs?” he asked, sniffing the air again, catching whiffs of cinnamon and apples.

“I’m making applesauce. It has to simmer for a few hours. Grandpa promised not to let it scorch.” Brynn’s eyes lifted to the ceiling, as though she could see through the wooden boards to check on her grandfather.

“It smells wonderful. I’m sure your customers are leaving today with their stomachs rumbling in hunger.”

She laughed. “I doubt that, Percy. Especially if they’re like you and come in wearing crumbs.”

Embarrassed, he hastily shifted his purchases to one hand, then swiped the other across his face.

Brynn laughed again and stepped in front of him, brushing her hand across the lapel of his coat. “There. Now no one will know you aren’t the starving photographer in need of nourishment some of the women in town have decided you must be.”

“Starving photographer?” He offered her a lopsided grin. “Hardly. If people keep bringing around food, I’ll gain forty pounds before Christmas.”

Percy opened the lid on the tin from Filly and held it out to Brynn. “Filly Granger made these.”

“Then I couldn’t possibly refuse,” Brynn said, taking out a cookie.

“Take two, then you can share one with your grandfather.” Percy waggled the tin until she lifted a second cookie.

“Thank you for sharing your treasure.”

“You’re welcome.” Percy edged toward the door, realizing he’d rather stay with Brynn a while longer. She was easy to talk to, and to be around. He hadn’t really noticed that about her when he was younger, but back then, his only thought had been of Anna.

He’d discovered in recent days that Brynn was funny and kind but always in motion, always thinking of something to do, whether it was for others or for the bookstore. To him, it seemed her mind was never quiet and she didn’t take much time to rest. He’d seen the light on above the bookstore several evenings long after most of Hardman was asleep. He couldn’t help but wonder if Brynn sat in bed reading one of the romances she enjoyed or plotting ways to conquer the world.

Amused with his thoughts and the picture in his mind of her devising battle plans at her desk, he grinned. “Have a good day, Brynn, and thanks for the pen and papers.”

“You’re welcome, Percy. Thank you for shopping at Rutherford’s Books and Stationery.”

“My pleasure. Maybe I’ll come back again and have a visit with Teddy.” Percy glanced at the chair where the cat slept then opened the door and stepped out into the nippy November afternoon.

Despite the chill around him, he felt oddly warm inside as he made his way back to the mercantile.