When a snowstorm pummels the western half of the country,
three couples find once off-limits love just in time for Christmas.
SNOWBOUND AT CHRISTMAS
Holiday Anthology
Jennifer Ryan, Lia Riley & Maisey Yates
Releasing Nov 15th, 2016
When a
snowstorm pummels the western half of the country, three couples find once
off-limits love just in time for Christmas. An unforgettable holiday anthology
from bestselling authors Jennifer Ryan, Maisey Yates, and Lia Riley.
Close to Perfect: A Montana Men
Novella by Jennifer Ryan
At sixteen,
Abigail gave Dex the gift of a lifetime, but the cost of it was more than he
ever knew. Now she’s back in town with a secret that has been ten years in the
making and this time it’s Dex’s turn to make the ultimate sacrifice or risk
losing her forever.
Snowed in at Copper Ridge: A Copper
Ridge Novella by Maisey Yates
Mia Landry
has always had it bad for brooding cowboy Devlin Grayson. Too bad he’s her best
friend’s older brother. But when they find themselves snowed in at Copper Ridge
Lodge, Mia finally has the chance to tell the man of her dreams exactly what
she wants… him.
Hot Winter’s Night: A Brightwater
Novella by Lia Riley
While
Brightwater is being covered in snow, Goldie Flint is stuck in her flower shop.
She never expected her hero to be Kit Kane, the former love of her life. Kit
knows that what he had with Goldie isn’t just in the past and with the help of
a little bet, an ornery grandmother, and a lot of snow, he’s ready to show her
that what he really wants for Christmas is a second chance.
What an amazing collection of short stories for the holidays. I love Christmas holiday anthologies and SNOWBOUND AT CHRISTMAS is the perfect blend of love, humor, second chances and heart-tugging emotion. I love that all three stories worked and each were a part of each authors popular contemporary series.
CLOSE TO PERFECT by Jennifer Ryan.
This story really grabs the heart. Dex and Abigail should have been together, but one horrible night threatens Dex's future and Abby steps up to prove Dex innocence. Unfortunately, fate takes Abby away from Dex for ten years. I really felt for Abby and her sacrifices, she finally had a chance to make things right for Dex again. She is quiet and sweet, but her life has been anything but. Dex is that special man, the one that is surprised when things come to light about Abigail, but instead of being angry or bitter, he actually has a generous heart and listens to what Abby has gone through and grabs his chance for a forever with the girl that he has never forgotten.
HOT WINTER'S NIGHT by Lia Riley
Kit and Goldie loved each other as teens, but when the going got tough, Kit got going. He believed that he did the right thing, but when he returns to town, the feisty Goldie doesn't want anything to do with him and the woman can hold a grudge. being snowbound with his family gives him the chance to try to win Goldie again.
This story has some tender moments, but some laugh out loud moments as well. These two stubborn people still have a sizzling chemistry. Their banter is fun and his family also are a wacky bunch, especially their grandmother. You have to be a Scrooge not to love this addition to the Britewater stories.
SNOWED IN AT COPPER RIDGE by Maisey Yates.
Mia has always had a crush on her best friend's older brother, Devlin. He is eight years older and though he does think she is someone he could care for, he doesn't think he deserves someone like her to love. He doesn't think he fits in with his own family. They find that they are snowbound before the rest of his family arrives for their annual family Christmas get together. With the chemistry between them, they give in to a special night. Mia is a sweet girl neglected by her wealthy pretentious parents. After spending this time with Dev, she grows stronger and tries to convince Dev that he matters and he deserves to be happy, too.
I loved each story in this wonderful anthology. It made me laugh and had me tear up at other times. The stories are filled with a lot of heart and emotion and what more can you ask for during the holiday season. I would recommend that readers who love the magic of Christmas would love this collection and should grab a copy when it shows up on store shelves.
Excerpt
From
Jennifer Ryan Close to
Perfect
Ten
years ago…
Dex
sat on the hard bench outside the Sheriff’s office knowing he
hadn’t done anything wrong, but shaking in his Converse just the
same after a deputy showed up at the high school batting cage, cuffed
him, and brought him down to the station. They charged him with
stealing a car, drinking and driving, and in a drunken stupor,
ditching the car in Crawford Pond.
The
car had been pulled out of the murky water, a case of beer in the
back seat—mostly empty cans—along with his baseball cap with the
MVP pin the team awarded him last season.
How
the hell did it get there?
Laurie
walked out of her father’s office and turned the butterflies in his
stomach into hummingbirds.
Oh
God. I’m in deep shit.
He’d
thought landing Laurie as his girlfriend made him big shit. Hell, he
was seventeen and she had a hot body he wanted to get his hands on,
even if she never let him past second base.
Then
he met someone...different. Interesting. Nice.
Abigail
Swain was barely sixteen and in the senior class. She was that smart.
Really smart.
Paired
together for a science class project, he’d gotten to know her and
wondered why he’d never really noticed her. Small town, small
school, still, she kept under the radar. Her parents believed school
was more important than friends. Instead of spending her free time
playing sports or hanging out at the diner downtown with other girls,
she spent every spare minute at church or studying.
Abigail
might come off weird and brainy, but really she was shy...quiet. And
genuinely nice. A perfect target for Laurie, who made it known she
didn’t like him spending time with Abigail, even for a class
project.
Five
days into working with Abigail something inside him shifted while she
explained the intricacies of photosynthesis right off the top of her
head. The way her eyes lit up. She planted her chin in her palm and
looked right at him. Open and filled with kindness, she did something
to his insides. He moved without thinking about it, leaned across the
coffee table in his living room, and tentatively pressed his lips to
hers in a soft kiss. He didn’t know why he had to do it until their
lips touched and the wonder and softening in her eyes undid him. To
his surprise, she kissed him back, and if he hadn’t been sitting on
the floor already, he’d have hit his knees.
That
kiss changed everything and put a lot of things into perspective.
Like he’d rather be with someone he liked and enjoyed spending time
with. He and Laurie had more fights than good times and it wore thin.
Quick. Despite Laurie’s many protests, he ended things with her
with a promise that he wouldn’t back out of taking her to the dance
so she wouldn’t be humiliated and have to go alone.
From
that moment on, he secretly spent more and more time with Abigail,
though they kept their relationship hidden. Something about the way
her overprotective father hovered nearby when they worked on their
project at her house warned him that she’d get into deep trouble if
her parents knew about them. Abby never said so, but he got the sense
she feared her own dad.
As
the mayor of their town, he had a reputation for advocating strict
morals. A lot of people outside their church congregation found him
judgmental. Including Dex.
He
might not be valedictorian material, but he made better than good
grades, was the best pitcher and hitter Crystal Creek High ever had,
and he planned to take his team to the championships this spring. He
had baseball and college to look forward to over the next couple of
years and still Mayor Swain looked at him like he was nothing but a
thing.
His
dad sat beside him, ready to do battle, and nudged him with an elbow
in his side. “Laurie’s here. She probably told her father the two
of you were at the dance all night, and you couldn’t have stolen
that car.” The hope in his father’s voice destroyed Dex.
Laurie
walked right past him, smiling that sweet smile he and the other guys
she’d caught in her web knew hid her devious side. She was out for
blood. Since her dad was the sheriff, he had a feeling she was going
to get it. Every last drop she thought she deserved because he’d
had the audacity to dump her
and ruined her plan to
get back together at the dance.
The
sheriff waved them into his office. “Let’s go, Dex. You’ve got
some explaining to do.”
“Listen,
Sheriff, Dex had nothing to do with the theft of that car, or how it
ended up in the pond. Dex was at the dance with Laurie last night.”
Dex
wished he deserved his father’s devotion and unwavering confidence.
He wasn’t guilty of the charges, but he wasn’t innocent either.
“Step
into my office, Steve. We’ll just see what Dex has to say about
what really happened last night.”
His
father turned and gave him one of those dad looks, telling him
without words that Dex had better have a good explanation for not
telling the whole truth this morning over breakfast about how great
the dance was last night.
Dex
took a seat in front of the Sheriff’s desk and refused to say
anything. Not until the Sheriff gave up whatever he thought he knew.
Or rather, what Laurie wanted her father to believe.
Dex
stared up at his father, standing with anger flashing in his eyes
after the sheriff laid out the evidence against Dex.
“Why
didn’t you take Laurie home?” his father asked.
“She
didn’t want to leave with me, said she’d get a friend to take her
home, so I left.”
“And
you can’t account for your time after leaving the dance,” the
sheriff pointed out, an angry I’ve-got-you gleam in his eyes.
“I
drove around in my truck
for a while to cool down after the fight with Laurie.”
The
sheriff snorted and rolled his eyes. “I suggest you call a lawyer
and come up with a better defense than the bullshit you’re feeding
your father.” The sheriff stood and waved them out of the office.
Dex
walked out behind his dad in a daze. Even his father seemed at a loss
for words. Dex wanted to explain what really happened, but couldn’t
give them the whole truth. If Abigail’s strict parents found out he
was seeing her behind their backs, she’d be in deep shit.
His
father pulled out his cell and dialed.
“A
lawyer,” he snapped, then moved a few steps away.
The
sheriff stepped out of his office ready to process Dex and lock him
up.
His
dad glared and bit out, “Sheriff, you don’t have any proof he was
in that car. I could drive a truck through the holes in that story.
It’s Dex’s word against Laurie’s.”
“His
hat was found in the vehicle. He claims he’s never been in the
vehicle, nor does he know or associate with Mr. Fowler. Laurie, along
with her friend, saw him on their way home.” The sheriff turned on
Dex. “We’ll book you for DUI, grand theft auto, and destruction
of property. You’re looking at three years minimum.”
Abigail
stepped through the door and stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes
wide with shock as the sheriff’s last words sank into Dex’s head.
He’d spend the next three years in jail. No scholarship. No college
education. No life as he’d planned it. This charge would follow him
the rest of his life.
Jennifer
Ryan is
the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The
Hunted Series and The McBrides Series. She writes romantic suspense and
contemporary small-town romances featuring strong men and equally resilient
women. Her stories are filled with love, family, friendship, and the
happily-ever-after we all hope to find.
Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three
children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with
both is often revealed in the state of her home and in how late dinner is to
the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in
the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in
her head, until she puts them on paper.
After
studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, LIA RILEY scoured the
world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of
direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica,
sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands
in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author MAISEY YATES lives in rural
Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and
arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she
takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example
of her pioneer spirit. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate
category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy
contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she
clearly has the best job in the world.
Author Interview:
See what these fun authors had to say!
Jennifer Ryan
Describe yourself in five words or
less.
Smart, spunky, giggly, fun-size, chocoholic.
What types of scenes are your most
favorite to write?
The first kiss. I love the buildup
to that moment, the anticipation, and the spark that finally ignites
when two people give in to the connection that draws them together.
What are you favorite types of
stories to read?
I write suspenseful contemporary
romance, and I love to read suspense, but when I need a break from
that, I escape into historical romance. I love a roguish Viscount or
sexy Scottish Laird.
What are some books that you enjoyed
recently?
All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan
Troublemaker by Linda Howard
Breath of Scandal by Sandra Brown
Why, another Montana Men novel, of course.
Ford Kendrick gave up his one true love
ten years ago to save the legacy his parents left behind for him and
his brothers and get Jamie away from her abusive mother. He thought
he sent Jamie away for her own good, but when she returns from the
military broken in body, heart, and soul, he’ll do everything in
his power to make his Firefly happy and shine again. When a friend
from her past shows up and a secret revealed puts Jamie’s life at
risk, Ford will put HIS COWBOY HEART on the line to protect Jamie.
Lia Riley
A la Twitter style, please describe
your book in 140 characters or less.
Wise-cracking ex marine
gets stranded in blizzard with the ex-girlfriend who never forgave
him for breaking her heart
What types of scenes are your most
favorite to write?
I love me a good kissing scene
What gave you the most trouble with
this story?
Keeping it short, novellas are such fun to write,
but a little challenging because there is always a little more you
wish you could include.
If you had a theme song, what would
it be?
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Name one thing you won’t leave
home without.
My baby
Maisey Yates
Can you tell us a little about your
book?
Mia is visiting her friend’s family for Christmas in
Copper Ridge, and she and her friend’s older brother, Devlin, are
the first to arrive at the lodge. Mia has always had a crush on
Devlin, but she’s never had the courage to make a move. But then a
storm whips up and leaves the two of them stranded overnight…and
Mia figures it might be about time to make her some Christmas magic
with the man she’s always fantasized about.
How did you come up with the concept
and the characters for the story?
Well, I love a cheerful
heroine and a grumpy hero, especially for a holiday story. And I also
love a good girl and a bad boy (with tattoos no less). Adding that
forbidden element of her being his younger sister’s BFF, and a
snowstorm, just seemed logical. ;)
Name three things on your desk right
now.
A Diet Coke can (don’t judge me) my RITA (yay!) and a
little iron mouse my husband gave me for Christmas.
What types of scenes are your most
favorite to write?
I love banter. I love writing fights, I
love any back and forth between the hero and heroine. And I love it
most of all when a scene of banter takes a nosedive into double
entendre and suddenly what started out light gets really tense and
sexy.
What 5 things should
readers know about you?
I don’t take myself very seriously. I
really do love sweet potato fries (which is why they’re mentioned
in a lot of my books). I LOVE writing, I really do. I’m left
handed. I can sing a mean country song.
How long have you been
writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?
I’ve
always fiddled around with stories, but I first finished a book in
2007. I was inspired by reading the Harlequin Presents line, and then
by a contest Harlequin ran. I thought: Well, I should write something
and enter the contest! That won’t feel like real rejection! I
didn’t place in the contest, but at that point I’d written so
much of the book I knew I had to finish. I did, and I sent it in, and
eventually sold that book.
Do you have any advice to give to
aspiring writers?
They say writers should write every day,
and I think that’s great advice to build good habits. But I would
also add: finish the book. Don’t just write beginnings over and
over. You need to practice seeing a project through to completion. No
excuses. The biggest trap I see people falling into is being eternal
starters, or eternal polishers or editors. Nope. Write the book,
finish the book. Let it go. Do it all over again.
Is there anything that you would
like to say to your readers and fans?
Thanks for all the
support. Readers are so important, and I’m so, so grateful for
mine!
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