Summer, 1946. When Boston reporter Jerry Canavan is sent down to cover the Newport Bermuda yacht race, the trip feels more like a reunion than an assignment. He stays at the luxurious home of Cam McShane, a classmate from Boston College, and runs into his childhood friend Paul Crump, who is an MP at the U.S. Army base.

For the three young veterans, Bermuda is like a tropical paradise. Cam hangs around the bars at night, socializing with other ex-pats and planning to start a business. Paul patrols downtown Hamilton and dreams of falling in love. With the war finally over, everyone wants to start living again, and the sailboat race is a symbol of the island's future and the return of tourism.

Jerry tries to stay focused on his work until he meets Gabrielle, a beautiful and mysterious French girl who lives next door. But romance isn't his only distraction because before the yachts even cross the finish line, the lives of his friends have started to unravel. Cam's drunken philandering has a much darker side, and Paul's relationship with a local black girl causes a scandal.

As Jerry's time grows short, he learns a shocking truth about Gabrielle's family. Only then does he realize that Bermuda is not all sunshine and Rum Swizzles. People may have flocked there to forget the past, but the war and its consequences are something no one can escape.

Author Bio:

Jonathan Cullen grew up in Boston and attended public schools. After a brief career as a bicycle messenger, he graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in English Literature (1995). During his twenties, he wrote two unpublished novels, taught high-school in Ireland, lived in Mexico, worked as a prison librarian, and spent a month in Kenya, Africa before finally settling down three blocks from where he grew up.

He currently lives in Boston (West Roxbury) with his wife Heidi and daughter Maeve.

Two generations from one family face heartbreak and injustice in this poignant and emotional novel inspired by true events.

Married to her dream man, and with a baby on the way, Dr Mia Sato's life is in perfect order.

When her beloved grandmother has a fall, the photograph clutched in her hand prompts Mia to ask questions her grandmother isn't willing to answer. Then she cries out a confession that rocks Mia to her core and leads her to make a shocking discovery of a past filled with lies, broken families and forced child migration.

Mary Roberts is a poor gutter child living in a council house in 1950's London. When she and her sister are given away to an orphanage by their mother, they could hardly imagine the turn their lives were about to take.

Harry Evans is an orphan who finds himself with Mary and her sister on a ship bound for Australia. To a farm for children, where abuse and neglect are rife. A journey that will change their lives forever, and from which they'll never return.

Based on one of Britain most secret and shameful real-life scandals in which over 100,000 British children were forcibly deported to Canada, South Africa, and Australia over several decades. Lilly Mirren's heartbreaking, captivating and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us that no matter where the journey leads us, our heart will always find its way home to those we love.

For readers of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdad Sings.

Author Bio:

Lilly Mirren is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three children.

She always dreamed of being a writer​ and is now living that dream. When she's not writing, she's taxiing her children to various after school activities, visiting her parents at the beach, or drinking coffee with friends.

Her books combine heartwarming storylines with achingly realistic characters readers can't get enough of.

Kate Murphy is just a nurse and single mom who wants to slip into her forties quietly, and finally lose those last 10 pounds. After a savage attack during her night shift break, Kate is turned into a vampire to save her. Now, she is thrust into a world that she didn't know existed; trying to figure out how to keep her new condition secret from work, kids, and her ex-husband without missing a step. It's funny how the word vampire will make you forget you have a water bill.

Unfortunately, Sorin, the Lord of the city, has sent her on a suicide mission to find the thing that left her for dead before it kills again and he doesn't take "no, thanks" for an answer. Despite knowing she should despise him, the passion he has ignited inside her is hard to control and she is quickly losing the reasons she shouldn't give in...especially when he makes it clear that he wants the same thing.

Kate will need to reach inside herself to find the strength that was always there and finally learn...she was never "just" anything.

About the Author
Nazarei, Lena: - Lena Nazarei is a full-time nurse, mom and doctorate student who used writing as a way to escape the stresses of a global pandemic, responsibilities and ever-growing chaos. She has loved vampires since childhood and decided to write the story she had always wished she could read. This is her debut novel and, since she cannot say goodbye to these characters, it will be the first in a series. In the future she plans to tell the backstories of each of your favorite players to learn what led them to the moment you meet them in Bite Shift. She currently lives in Pittsburgh with her two daughters and a spoiled little dog.

Death came between them in high school. Will solving a painful cold case bring them together at last?

Carlie Webster remains haunted by the past. After a messy failed marriage sends her packing for her small hometown, she relives the memories of her sister’s thirty-year-old unsolved murder. But when rekindled sparks fly with the suspected killer’s brother, Carlie must clear his sibling’s name if she wants a shot at second-chance love.

Cole Paisley has never shaken his family’s dark reputation. Finally returning after merciless rumors forced them out three decades ago, the recent divorcé is stunned to discover the girl who stole his heart is also back home and available. And when she finds a secret diary in the walls of her childhood house, he’s determined to help her catch the killer and prove his brother’s innocence.

Desperate for closure in her sister’s tragic story, the amateur sleuth feels growing comfort in the man she always believed was her destiny. And when the journal reveals a shocking detail, Cole and Carlie must uncover the town’s shameful secret to finally understand what really happened.

Will Carlie and Cole finally get to the truth and find the happiness they deserve?

Blue Twilight is the fifth book in the page-turning Blue Mountain: Logan Bend contemporary romance series. If you like relatable characters, small-town drama, and a juicy mystery, then you’ll adore Tess Thompson’s exciting tale.

Author Bio:

Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical Romantic Women’s Fiction with nearly forty published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on Hometowns and Heartstrings.

Shop all Tess Thompson books

When Ann Rutherford's husband dumps her for the bimbo in his office, unfairly leaving her without a home or a job, she reluctantly joins forces with Rhonda DelMonte to convert Rhonda's Florida seaside estate into the small upscale hotel it once was. Ann, quiet and reserved, is no match for brash, bossy Rhonda, who left the family's New Jersey butcher business after she won the lottery. Amid their struggles to succeed, The Sins of the Children, a soap opera, films a number of episodes at the hotel and things get complicated in unexpected ways when Ann falls for Vaughn Sanders, the star of the show.

"For every woman who had a crush on a rockstar and still secretly wishes her fantasy would become reality. Smart, sexy and fun, with enough realism that it could be you." —USA Today bestselling author Louise Bay

Single mom Claire Abby is the glue that holds her dad and her college-bound daughter together, so when her journalism career takes a nosedive, she has to resuscitate it. Now the biggest interview of her life hinges on convincing a notoriously private man to spill his secrets. If only he wasn't one of the sexiest guys ever...

Tall, square-jawed Brit Christopher Penman was Claire's celebrity crush when she was a teen. In person, he's as she feared—unfairly handsome, utterly charming, and completely nerve wracking. Claire has no choice but to ask the tough questions, the ones he's avoided for a decade, but Chris isn't talking...he's flirting...

Before Claire can get her head straight, an improbable friendship forms. Then there's a kiss...and an invitation...and ultimately, nights Claire once only dreamed of. But as they grow closer, she learns that Chris's pain runs deep. When his heartbreaking history repeats itself, will Claire risk her future—and her heart—to save her love with the man she could never forget?

More Reviews:

“This had me gripped from the very first pages…I fell in love with all the characters in the book...This is an adult romance that I completely immersed myself in, and I highly recommend you do the same.” —Best Chick Lit (5 Stars)

“Karen Booth has crafted a compelling story about life, love, and second chances…Ms. Booth has hit a home run with this riveting story that's full of life, trials and tribulations, joy, but most of all, love." —Blackravens’ Reviews (5 Stars)

“Fast-paced, sexy and altogether irresistible, Bring Me Back is made all the more appealing by Karen Booth's inside knowledge of the music industry. A flat-out fabulous read!" —NYT bestselling author Celia Rivenbark

“ Bring Me Back is brilliant! It’s heart-wrenching, funny, sexy, and a dream come true for it’s heroine Claire and for the readers who get swept up into the romance and drama of this book. I loved it…If you are a fan of drama, humor and heart with a wonderful blend of bittersweet and delicious sensuality, then you need to read Bring Me Back. I've added it to my absolute favorites, the ones I curl up with when I'm down and need to remember to love and laugh and believe in magic." —The Book Tart (5 Stars)

"Bring Me Back is a story that will make you laugh, cry, blush and sigh...it is a story that will leave you wanting more." —Jersey Girl Book Reviews

"Hang on for an exciting, sexy, humorous and convincing dream-come-true read...It's one for my keeper shelf." —Manic Readers

"All I can do is gush over Bring Me Back.”  —Talk Supe

"Full of humor, love, acceptance, compromises and raw sensuality, Karen Booth delivers an amazing read that is sure to land on your favorites list!" —Hesperia Loves Books

"Bring Me Back is a story every woman who has ever had a teenage crush on a band member can relate to." —Read Your Writes Book Reviews (5 Stars)

"Excellent. Full of swoon!" —Scandalicious Book Reviews

Author Bio:
Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music, Judy Blume, and the films of John Hughes. A former music-industry exec, Karen writes smart, steamy contemporary romance—big city loves stories and rock star romances. When Karen isn't creating fictional musicians, she's listening to everything from Otis Redding to Duran Duran to Tokyo Police Club with her kids, honing her Southern cooking skills (she makes some mean collard greens), or sweet-talking her astoundingly supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.

Maybe there's time for one last wish at Lighthouse Point...

Courtney Davis is perfectly content with the new life she's found for herself and her son on Belle Island. They are finally safe from her past.

AJ Hamilton can't shake his past. He finished trying to prove to his family, the media, or anyone else that he's anything more than the black sheep of the wealthy Hamilton family.

When AJ arrives to hide out at the island, the oh-so-responsible Courtney falls for the footloose playboy. And AJ might just have found the one woman he wants to convince he's not really the person everyone believes he is.

But when AJ's choices accidentally put Courtney's son in danger, there's no escaping the past for either AJ or Courtney.

Maybe everyone is right about AJ.

Maybe Courtney will never truly be safe.

Or maybe, just maybe, one last wish at Lighthouse Point will change everything...

“Through an intricate weaving of characters, Knipfer constructs an engaging story that doesn’t just live on the printed page, but the characters speak to your heart.” —Readers’ Favorite

Set in the early twentieth century, single mother, Petra Livingston, and her young son, Jefferson, have come home to Broken Birch Bay, Minnesota braving the town gossips over her sordid past.

Spurred by contention with her dad, Petra takes a job at a local cafe, working for her independence and meets Don De Muir, who worms his way into her heart-which she swore she'd never give away again.

Thrilled to have her ally and sister, Petra, back home, Honey sets aside her mom's disappointment in her and plans her wedding to a local fisherman, Jeb Spangler, a man with a broken past and a temper. However, as the time draws near, Honey gets cold feel, reevaluating her feelings for Jeb.

Will Petra allow Don past her defenses? Will Honey and Jeb move forward into their future or be derailed by what comes between them? Will it be one of the sisters, a boyfriend, or a parent who lifts their hand to protect another, taking a life in the process?

Told in a split-timeline of prison diary entries and narrative, fans of Christian mystery, Christian historical fiction, and clean romance will relish this unique mystery.

More Reviews:

“Knipfer masterfully weaves a small-town historical drama, peppered with a sharply crafted whodunit, resulting in a rustic and remarkably engaging work of pastoral historical fiction.”  —Self-Publishing Review

”Written in a way that evokes all kinds of emotions. Knipfer does a fabulous job of weaving a story full of suspense, love, tension, and mystery.” —KC Hart, bestselling author of the Katy Cross mystery series

Author Bio:

Jenny Knipfer lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling. 

Shop the Sheltering Trees series

“…WOW such an emotional book. The characters were so well written, with so much depth. There were scenes in this book that gave me a lump in my throat.” —Booklovers Anonymous

Justin Blackwood can't remember a time when he believed in the magic of anything, least of all love. A cynical businessman, who grew up in a broken home, he guards his heart with every breath he takes. His job has taken him all over the world and roots are the last thing he wants...until he meets a beautiful innkeeper in Whisper Lake.

Warm-hearted, free-spirited Lizzie Cole wants it all—the dream job of running her own inn and a man who wants to settle down. Despite a previous romantic setback, she still believes in happily ever after and her perfect soulmate. She just has to find him. While the dark-haired man with the shockingly blue eyes makes her heart beat faster, Justin Blackwood is the last man who should leave her breathless. He's her complete opposite and they don't want the same things.

But when a lunar eclipse throws Whisper Lake into darkness, Lizzie and Justin find themselves struggling to fight the moonlight and a love that could change their lives—if they're willing to take the risk.

Author Bio:

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 41 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened her own publishing company in 2011 and has since sold over 4.8 million copies of her books. Nineteen of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. In July of 2014, Barbara was named the Amazon KDP bestselling author of ALL TIME! She was also the first indie author to sell over 1 million copies at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. An author known for writing emotional stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations, Barbara has received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and has also received six nominations for the RITA for Best Single Title Contemporary Romance from Romance Writers of America. She has won the honor twice for her novels Daniel's Gift and The Way Back Home. 

Shop the Whisper Lake Series

Shop all Barbara Freethy books

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy come from two different worlds. She loves her country estate existence. He was born for London’s high society. If his aunts have anything to say about it (and they always do), Darcy’s future depends on finding a bride with connections to the nobility. 

Can Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their families, fears, and the constant berating of London’s gossipmongers to follow their hearts?

Author Bio:

E.M. Storm-Smith is a mother, wife, attorney, former engineer, and literature lover. A lifelong obsession for books drove her to create stories of her own. Several years into the journey of writing about characters she loved, E.M. decided to take her passions to the world and see what happened.

When she’s not writing, E.M. is spending her time reading others’ books—preferably somewhere with lots of sunshine—traveling, and cooking things.

She dreams of marrying a nobleman. Too bad he's only pretending to be one.

Cecilia Cosgrove's beauty opens doors and hearts everywhere she goes. With a marquess courting her, the status and wealth her family is counting on her to obtain is finally within her reach-until she meets Jacques Levesque, the French nobleman who immediately pegs her as affected and superficial. While piqued and offended, Cecilia secretly begins to wonder whether he might not have a point.

Poor French migr Jacques Levesque has been disguised as a French nobleman for almost as long as he can remember, trying his hardest to keep his head down in a society obsessed with rank and high birth. But when Cecilia Cosgrove comes into his life, he finds it hard to maintain his fa ade-or to want to.

While Cecilia struggles between the desire to please others and the wish to pursue her own course, Jacques's interest in her provokes a powerful enemy intent on taking him down. With love, acceptance, and the future on the line for them both, Cecilia and Jacques must decide whether a life lived behind a mask is any life at all.

The touching fourth instalment in the Emerald Cove saga from a USA Today Bestselling Author.

At forty-four years of age, Ben Silver thought he'd never find love. When he moves to Emerald Cove, he does it to support his birth mother, Diana, after her husband's sudden death. But then he meets Vicky.

Vicky Hawkins is younger than Ben, much younger. But there's something about his earnest brown eyes, the sadness behind them, the depth to them, that draws her in. He becomes her friend, but it isn't long before she realises there's more to their relationship than that.

It's time for Cindy to get on with the rest of her life. She'll have to decide if the cafe she's spent her life nurturing will be a part of her retirement or if it's time for her to let it go.

Sarah finally finishes the book she's been working so hard to write. But will she be able to rejoin the industry she left behind? Even as she steps forward, she and Mick are considering the next phase of their relationship.

If you haven't begun this uplifting ongoing series yet, be sure to start at the beginning. Enjoy these moving stories of love, hope, loss and heartache for fans of Debbie Macomber.

Please note: This book is the fourth instalment in the Emerald Cove saga.





Sometimes everything seems to go wrong... but maybe, just maybe, it's for the best.

All Charlotte wants is a perfect holiday wedding. But nothing is working out how she planned. Absolutely nothing. Just how many things can go wrong with one wedding?

Will she get the perfect Christmas wedding she's dreamed of?

Join your favorite Lighthouse Point characters in this short heartwarming holiday novel.

This is book 7 in the Charming Inn Series (a spin-off from the Lighthouse Point series):

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

Charming Christmas - Book Seven

Or try the Lighthouse Point series. Either series can be read first, so jump right in.

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Celebrate summers at the lake, where great food, timeless fun, and the promise of renewal await in Choosing Again, the uplifting fifth novel in the beloved Gift of Whispering Pines series.

Val cherishes her role as the quintessential boy mom. She enjoys her bustling life with four kids and her husband, Luke. But beneath the surface, she craves something entirely her own. Her dreams-buried under piles of sweaty baseball uniforms and yesterday's dirty dishes-seem more distant than ever. Carving out time to revisit, much less pursue, her old aspirations seems almost laughable. She has children to raise, and money is tight.

Then the shrill ringing of Luke's phone in the dead of night splits their world into before and after. Will the harsh realities of life tear her family and marriage apart?

Seeking solace, Val retreats to Whispering Pines, her big sister's lake resort where they spent idyllic vacations as kids. There, amidst preparations for a nostalgic Fourth-of-July celebration, Val rekindles her passion for cooking. Inspired, she envisions a bold new venture: transforming an abandoned Airstream into a mobile culinary delight with her inheritance from her Aunt Celia.

New friendships at the resort create surprising temptations, and unsolicited advice leads to crushing revelations. Val must confront painful truths and the possibility of repeating past mistakes. This summer will be a time of choice and change. Can she find her path to happiness without losing everything she holds dear?

Join Val and her family in Kimberly Diede's Choosing Again, where the beauty of Whispering Pines offers the perfect backdrop for a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and the power to choose a new beginning.

Hosting Christmas at the cottage this year sounded like the perfect plan... At least that's what everyone thought.

Helen couldn't be more pleased to see her daughters, their husbands, and the kids gathered together. The Matthews have always been big on family. This year, with her grandson's arrival, and her daughter, Payton, settled in a new marriage, it was the perfect time to start a new holiday tradition.

The chatter around the Christmas dinner table is usually merry and bright. So, what could possibly go wrong?

In the fourth book of The Pelican Beach Series, a family secret is sure to turn things upside down just in time for the holidays.

It all starts when one individual becomes very curious about a family secret. Will the curiosity spiral out of control and ruin Christmas for the Matthews?

All Helen can think about is trimming the tree, gingerbread houses, and listening to her favorite holiday songs.

Will her visions of the perfect Christmas backfire? More importantly, will some of their deepest family secrets be revealed?

Author Bio:

Michele Gilcrest is an author of women's fiction and family sagas with a touch of sweet romance. She was born in the north but spent many years living in Georgia. Traveling the world and finally settling in a small town community has given her so many fun experiences to write about in her books. Her favorite settings, often displayed in her books, are beach towns and small-town communities. Michele's biggest inspiration is faith and family. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction. She's known for spending hours in the bookstore with a hot cup of coffee. There's nothing like reading a good book that takes you on an adventure. When she's not writing, she spends quality time with her husband and her little Yorkie, Charlie.

Ann and Rhonda are fed up with the way the new, majority owners are changing The Beach House Hotel from the small, elegant hotel they once owned and operated into a tacky, South Beach wannabe property. What's their only recourse? Buy back the property to save it from getting even worse. And with the new management ruining Ann's daughter's plans for a Christmas Eve wedding, they have to get to work right away to regain control of the hotel. Facing a number of challenges along the way, including rumors of Vaughn's dalliance with Ann's old nemesis, Lily Dorio, Ann and Rhonda work to make it the best-ever Christmas at The Beach House Hotel.

Nantucket's famous Christmas Stroll is always the first week of December and this year sisters Mandy and Emma and Paul, the executive chef want to do something extra special for Mimi's Place, the restaurant that they co-own. It will be Emma and Paul's first Christmas together as a couple and Mandy's first holiday as a newly single and divorced mother of two. Although Mandy does have a promising new relationship, though she wants to take things very slow. 

Their sister Jill and her new husband, Billy, are planning to spend the whole month of December on Nantucket too, juggling working remotely for the executive search firm they own together in Manhattan and relaxing and spending time with family and helping out at the restaurant too. And Gina, their awesome bartender is spending her first winter on Nantucket and it's a bit of an adjustment—winters on Nantucket are so much quieter than the city life she was used to. She's even more confused when someone she had a major crush on back in the city moves to Nantucket. Suddenly her boring winter is starting to look a lot more interesting.

Author Bio:

Pamela Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who mostly writes women's fiction and suspense. A book worm since before she can remember, she still reads often. She currently resides in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod.

Christmas is a time for second chances...and for love.

Elizabeth Cranwell's children left home, her husband divorced her and dissolved their shared business, and she's set to spend Christmas alone.

Without her husband or the thriving business she spent years of her life building, Elizabeth doesn't know who she is or what to do with her days. She's dreading spending her first Christmas alone when her friends convince her to book a holiday at the Waratah Inn.

Robert Patch thought things couldn't get any worse when his only daughter married a controlling and angry man. That was until his grandchildren arrived. When his son-in-law won't allow Robert to stay with them over the holidays Robert does the next best thing and books into a nearby inn so he can see the children. He is pleasantly surprised when he meets a woman who reminds him of the love he lost so many years ago, in a way that reawakens a heart he'd long thought dormant.

Filled with memorable characters, from a cheeky possum to a cook who moonlights as an amateur counsellor, this sweet, small-town Christmas story celebrates the camaraderie of a life lived in community and second chances at life and love.

A stand-alone, heartwarming Christmas romance for fans of Sheila Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Debbie Mason.

“Charming, heartwarming...whimsical and pleasingly old-fashioned throughout.” —Kirkus 

Christmastime 1939 introduces the reader to the Christmastime series. Set in Brooklyn, we meet the young widow Lillian Hapsey and her two sons, Tommy and Gabriel. Even though the Christmas season is just around the corner, Lillian has no Christmas spirit. Alone, unhappy with her job, and plagued by financial concerns, Christmas has become a burden to her.

Overshadowing everything is the war in Europe. Despite the setbacks, Lillian is determined to give her sons a happy Christmas. Can she rekindle her girlhood love for the holiday season? Rediscovering her touchstone just might be the key to unlocking the excitement and magic of Christmas.  

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Author Bio: 

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

Book Excerpt:

Home. Almost a week since Lillian Hapsey returned from her sister’s house upstate, and things were exactly the same. The inspiration or revelation or solution she had hoped for hadn’t happened. She hadn’t thought her plans through. Instead, she had trusted that everything would fall into place, and now here it was—Christmas was almost upon her, and she had no Christmas spirit at all.

She let Tommy and Gabriel splash in the bathtub a little longer than usual. It gave her a chance to sort her thoughts, and to enjoy the hot water bottle on her lower back without the boys asking too many questions. She rested her feet on the small embroidered footstool and rubbed her legs.

A pile of clothing to be mended sat next to her, but she had no desire to get started on it. She frowned at her fatigue—it can’t have anything to do with age, surely, she told herself. Thirty-four isn’t exactly old. It must be the extra hours I’ve been putting in at work.

The small sketchbook she carried with her everywhere lay open on her lap. She paged through the drawings she had made from the visit to her sister’s—rows of trees in the orchard with a few old apples and leaves clinging to the branches, her sister Annette knitting by the fireplace, a swing that hung from an old oak tree, another of Annette kissing her sleeping baby. Lillian’s face softened at the memories. It had been a good trip.

She moved the hot water bottle to her lap and savored the stillness of the moment—a contrast to the busy week. It had begun with the train ride home from upstate, then back to her routine of scheduling babysitters for Tommy and Gabriel, and keeping up with her work at the department store. Now that Thanksgiving was behind them, the Christmas season had begun in earnest.

She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes, wondering how she would muster up the energy and enthusiasm to get her through the season. The radiator rattled and whistled with coming steam. A soothing warmth began to fill the living room, chasing the cold away. She sank deeper into the couch, giving in to her weariness. The hissing and shshing of the radiator grew louder and louder, accompanied by the gurgling in the pipes. A peaceful oblivion overtook her.

After several minutes, the radiator sounds lowered to a sputter. Then a whisper. Then a soft, warm silence filled the small room. Broken by sounds of laughter and splashing from the boys.

Lillian opened her eyes and realized that she had dozed off. That won’t do, she thought.

She sat up straight and looked about her. She couldn’t help but compare her tiny Brooklyn apartment to her sister’s rambling old house on the orchard with a lovely view out of every window—the flower beds and vegetable garden in the back that still showed a bit of color, the charming old cider house, the country road leading into town. From the upstairs bedroom window, the view was like stepping into a painting—softly undulating farmland dotted with red barns and white farmhouses, the orchard stretching out to the west, and in the distance, patches of woods and a small stream that sparkled in the sunlight.

And the sunsets! The golden light over the orchard swelled her heart each time she saw it. She often ran upstairs as the day was fading in order to catch it, making excuses as she suddenly left the room. “Just getting something from upstairs,” or “I think I’ll fetch my sweater.” Not that she had to hide anything, she simply wanted those few minutes all to herself, to better take in the powerful stirring of beauty and longing. It was a reminder of girlhood dreams and all the things she was going to do with her life. She and Annette were raised in a town not far from the orchard and being upstate always plunged her into the past when she was young and full of dreams, before she and Annette had married and moved away.

Lillian shook away her thoughts and lifted a few items from the pile of clothes—three pairs of trousers, a few dresses, and a skirt.

“Tommy, Gabriel! Time to finish up!” 

She threaded a needle and draped the first pair of trousers over her lap. Mrs. Harrison from the dry cleaner down the street was kind enough to throw a little business her way. It wasn’t much, but it helped to supplement her earnings from the department store.

She pushed the needle through the woolen hem, trying to recapture the glimmer of Christmas excitement she had felt up at her sister’s. A few days after Thanksgiving, Annette had begun to unpack some of her decorations. The children had caught her enthusiasm as they pulled out garlands and the crèche set and red ribbons.

Lillian smiled in memory of the afternoon they sat at the kitchen table with the children and prepared sliced oranges to dry for ornaments, and made clove and orange pomander balls. The scent of fresh citrus and cloves filled the kitchen while the kids sang Christmas songs and laughed when they made up the words they couldn’t remember. And the evening when they sat in front of the fire, the kids sprawled on the floor, cutting pictures out of the catalogs—until Annette’s husband, Bernie, sent them all running and squealing when he crawled into the room growling and pawing like a bear.

Her smile deepened at the memory of rocking Annette’s youngest, five-month-old Abigail. Was there any greater sweetness than holding a baby as it smiled up at you and kicked its legs and shook its tiny fists in joy?

She set her sewing down. Is that what was making her sad? Knowing that she would never have another child? Or was it the nostalgia of being at Annette’s? Or was she just tired?

Spending Thanksgiving this year with Annette and Bernie, rather than Christmas as she usually did, had seemed like a good idea at the time. But now Lillian felt a stab of dread at the mere thought of facing the Christmas holiday alone.

No need to fear Christmas, she thought, picking up her sewing again. She would simply follow Annette’s advice, and start with their mother’s Christmas recipes. That would put her in the holiday spirit. And then hang the stockings, and get a tree, and…

She glanced over at the time.

“Hurry up boys! Your show will be on soon.”

The bathtub was soon gurgling as the plug was pulled and the water drained. She heard Tommy and Gabriel opening and shutting drawers as they pulled out their pajamas.

“Don’t forget to brush your teeth!”

Lillian cast another glance at the living room. There wasn’t a single sign of Christmas. She would have to get started.

Oddly enough, it would be their first Christmas together in Brooklyn. They had always celebrated the holiday upstate. Especially after Tom died, Annette had insisted that Lillian and the boys spend Christmas with her and Bernie and their growing family. With Tommy eight years old now, and Gabriel five, all their Christmas memories were from the orchard.

Lillian set her sewing down and brought the hot water bottle to the kitchen. This would be an important Christmas, and instead of preparing for it, she had spent these past few days filled with worry—missing Annette, hoping the landlord wouldn’t raise the rent, and fretting about the new manager at work, Mr. Hinkley. He had never liked her, and when Mrs. Klein finally retired and he was promoted, he made his feelings abundantly clear. He still resented the older manager’s preference for Lillian.

No need to ruin her evening thinking about him, she thought, sitting back down. The trip to Annette’s was supposed to be a prelude to Christmas. But Lillian felt no surge of excitement. She wasn’t in the mood for Christmas and would be glad when it was over. Everything felt wrong.

And of course, underlying everything, was the dark shadow cast by the war in Europe. The news reports grew more frightening with each passing day. She had believed that war would be averted. That Hitler would be appeased. But when he invaded Poland in the fall, England and France had declared war. Where would it all end?

She stared out and worried about a world controlled by Nazis and Fascists. Worried that the U.S. would be pulled into the war—or worse, that they would be attacked by Nazis. First bombed, then invaded, then…

"A charming, heartwarming tale of two people looking for a second chance at love and family. [Mahkovec] remarkably conveys Droom's transformation, [and] readers will enjoy the novel's detailed imagery, which has a whimsical and pleasingly old-fashioned quality throughout." —Kirkus Reviews

Set in New York City against the backdrop of impending war, Christmastime 1940 tells the story of an unlikely romance between a struggling young mother trying to make a fresh start and a man who has lost his connection to humanity.

The curmudgeonly Charles Drooms is perfectly content with his life as the owner of a successful accounting firm. However, when the beautiful widow, Lillian Hapsey, and her two young sons move down the hall from him, his narrow world is shaken. Three forces—Lillian, the Christmas season, and a mysterious little boy—converge to stir up powerful memories, pushing Drooms to make some life-altering decisions.

Author Bio: 

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

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Christmastime 1941 opens two days after Pearl Harbor has been attacked. War has just been declared, and New York City is in a state of chaos and panic as it tries to prepare for possible attacks. Following the same characters established in Christmastime 1941, and introducing a few new ones, it tells the power of old loves, new loves, and friendship.

It continues the love story of Lillian and Charles, the adventures of Tommy and Gabriel, and depicts two bittersweet romances: that of Izzy and her fiancé Red, and that of the office manager at Drooms Accounting, sixty-year old Mrs. Murphy, and her Brendan.
 
Author Bio:
Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

Shop the Christmastime series

Shop all Linda Mahkovec books

In Christmastime 1942 the Axis forces are winning, and America struggles to find its footing in the war. Men leave to fight and women join the workforce. New York City vibrates with energy, romance, tension, and urgency. Yet love burns brighter than ever, bringing people together and giving them hope for the future. The famous Stage Door Canteen in Times Square provides the background for one of these romances—between the proud, but wounded, Edith Mason and the Shakespearean actor, Desmond Burke.

Author Bio:

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.

Shop the Christmastime series

Shop all Linda Mahkovec books

In Christmastime 1943 the war intensifies, the Christmas season arrives, and love is kept alive on the home front. In New York City, Lillian Drooms struggles on her own while her husband, Charles, is away at sea. She volunteers with “Artists for Victory” at a hospital for wounded soldiers, but soon begins to doubt her ability.

Meanwhile, on a farm in Illinois, the beautiful seventeen-year-old Ursula is torn between her sense of duty and the power of love. The source of her deepest yearning and her deepest hatred lies in Friedrich, one of the German POWs recently hired to work on the family farm. The Christmas season brings its charm and warmth—but can love survive in these turbulent, fragmented times?

Author Bio:

Linda Mahkovec is the author of World War II historical fiction, short stories, and contemporary novels.

Themes of love, family, and home dominate her stories, and though they may be set against the backdrop of war or deal with the disappointments in life, the overarching feel is uplifting and hopeful. Threads that run through her work are the search for beauty and meaning, and the artistic female character—whether she is a painter, a gardener, or simply someone who lives creatively and seeks connection.

Mahkovec was born and raised in a small town in Illinois. She then spent several years in the San Francisco Bay area and Seattle, and for the past thirty years has lived in New York City. She has a PhD in English, specializing in Victorian literature. She has previously published as Agnes Irene.