Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
Even though it is ONLY *September!* – this is one year where #ChristmasRoms are already starting to tug at my heart! Similar to last year, where I was starting to find out about a lot of lovely #newbooks arriving for the hols but without a way to purchase them (this year, I’m submitting quite a lot of lovelies to my local library – whose been rather gracious with me accepting more than they’ve turnt down!) – which is why I was featuring a series of Spotlights and/or Book Announcements whilst interconnecting Q&As into those threads from last Autumn & Early Winter!!
This year, I’m continuing the tradition – with one small upgrade – due to my participation in #blogging4books – a lovely new group for bookblogger support – I learnt about #blogmas! I believe it generally takes place during *December!* – where you spend 31 days sharing Christmassy posts spilt between the festive season in [general] and the Christmas stories your either reading [that year] or have enjoyed discovering. Sometimes it’s even topical based or you can feature interviews, etc – the rules (haven’t yet been found) appear to be a bit up in the air in regards to each individual blogger! Happily, as this is my first spotlight for a Christmas story – I am starting a wee bit early! Even though, technically my *first!* Christmas book review will be going LIVE in *November!* this year!!
I truly never tire of Christmas stories – Contemporary, Historical, a cross-genre selection – whether in fiction and/or tv/film, there is something uniquely pulling about the context of a Christmas story for me! I am appreciating my journey into discovering #newtomeauthors how are writing these kinds of selections and I hope, as the years move forward, I will not just be spotlighting the titles I wish to be #amreading *but!* I will start to have opportunities to either a) start collecting the paperbacks b) continue to make purchase requests at my local library c) borrow these lovelies through ILL’ing (inter-library loan) or d) happily await the audiobook releases (if they go into that format!).
Curiously, which routes of exploration do you take to curl into a #ChristmasRomance and/or a #HolidayRom!? Which authors are your #mustread favourites and which styles of Christmas/hols stories are your absolute favourites to continuously seek out?! Full novels? Novellas? Shorts? Anthologies? Which genres? New or Classic or a Mixture? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Let’s peer into this latest release by an author I am most eager to start reading – I have an extract to share with you which is why you might want to brew yourself a cuppa of your favourite tea or java selection before returning in for the ‘read’!! Happy (early) Christmas!
Snowflakes Over Holly Cove
Subtitle: This Christmas, there's happiness sparkling on the sea air...
by Linn B. Halton, Ms Linn B. Halton
As the snowflakes start to fall, Holly Cove welcomes a new tenant to the beautiful old cottage on the beach...
For lifestyle magazine journalist Tia Armstrong, relationships, as well as Christmas, have lost all their magic. Yet Tia is up against a Christmas deadline for her latest article 'Love is, actually, all around...'
So, Tia heads to Holly Cove where the restorative sea air and rugged stranger, Nic, slowly but surely start mending her broken heart.
Tia didn't expect a white Christmas, and she certainly never dared dream that all her Christmas wishes might just come true...
Set in Caswell Bay on the stunningly rugged Gower Coast, the cottage nestles amid the limestone cliffs and the woodlands; the emotions run as turbulently as the wind-swept sea.
As cosy as a marshmallow-topped cup of cocoa, fall in love with a heart-warming festive story from the bestselling author of The French Adventure.
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 978-1788541558
Also by this author: Christmas at Bay Tree Cottage, Coming Home to Penvennan Cove
on 18th September, 2018
Published by: Aria Fiction (@Aria_Fiction)
an imprint of Head of Zeus
Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook
Converse via: #HolidayRomance + #ChristmasRomance & #Contemporary #Romance
Read an Extract from the Novel:
Mum and I link arms, faces turned upwards towards the heavens. Our eyes scan the dense and strangely opaque grey sky, as a flurry of large snowflakes rain down upon us. Like a feather pillow which has burst its seams, we are bombarded by a cascade of soft, white clusters of icy crystals. Having to constantly blink away the fluffy white particles as they hit our eyelashes, we hug each other and begin laughing, totally enthralled.
With cheeks starting to glisten as the ice melts on contact, already the heavier flakes begin to settle on our hair and thick winter coats. As carefree as children, we survey the scene in awe.
The street outside our boutique hotel is being turned into a winter wonderland in front of our eyes.
The combination of a heavily-laden sky and the soft carpet beneath our feet muffles every little sound; even our footsteps no longer echo as we head off in search of the bright lights. I know that this is a memory that will be etched on our minds forever, as Mum squeezes my arm and turns to smile at me. I feel like Santa dispensing a little Christmas magic, as what I see reflected in her eyes is a moment of almost child-like happiness and joy. And to me that is priceless.
As we turn the corner, ahead of us is a cacophony of sounds softened by the backdrop that is almost a mini blizzard now – a snow globe brought to life. The traffic has slowed, but horns still toot and sirens still screech; a city that never sleeps cannot be stopped.
With last-minute shoppers and people now eager to make their way home, the sidewalks are so busy that the pitching snow is quickly trampled underfoot. Being swept along with the crowd, as if we are New Yorkers and not merely visitors, it’s easy to soak up the ambience.
Suddenly, a guy wearing a Santa outfit appears in front of us ringing a small hand bell and holding up a bucket, part-filled with coins. He’s an older man and his beard and moustache appear to be real. I’m guessing the flowing white hair is a wig, as it’s as white as the snowflakes that continue to fall. It looks like some of that padding around the middle might not actually be padding, though. He’s even wearing half-moon glasses, perched low on his nose. Everything about him embodies the Santa images I remember from my childhood.
‘Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas, ladies. Do you have a few coins to spare to make my bucket a little fuller? Help the homeless at Christmas.’
Mum turns her head to look at me, a bemused smile on her face. We immediately dive into our handbags to pull out a handful of coins each, that clatter as we throw them into the bucket.
‘Merry Christmas and I hope it’s a truly wonderful one for you both.’
‘Thank you, Santa, and good luck filling that bucket.’
His eyes crinkle up when he smiles back at us and for some reason he reaches out to place his gloved hand on Mum’s shoulder.
‘The season’s blessings upon you, my dear. Enjoy this special holiday.’
With that he moves on past us, leaving Mum and me to stare after him as he continues to greet people and accept donations. Even when Mum and I link arms and begin moving forward again, the tinkling sound of that little bell seems to float on the air.
‘It’s like another world,’ Mum exclaims, totally captivated and more than a little overwhelmed by the skyline that towers above us.
‘So good, they named it twice – the city and the state!’
Ahead of us a Starbucks offers a chance to warm ourselves up a little and we hurry inside. There’s a table for two in the window and I settle Mum down before I head off to order our coffees.
In the background the sounds of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree add to the lively and festive atmosphere. Most of the people who are seated have a pile of carrier bags stuffed beneath their seats and there’s a real buzz in the air as the holiday season is about to begin.
‘Eggnog Latte or Chestnut Praline Latte?’
Mum looks up at me, raising her eyebrows and giving a shrug of her shoulders. ‘Surprise me!’
‘Eggnog Latte, then. Why not?’
When it’s cool enough for her to take that first sip, a little smile creeps over her face.
‘This reminds me of my father. He always made eggnog at Christmas. It was his only contribution, as my mother even carved the turkey.’ She laughs to herself, transported back to a special moment goodness knows how many years ago.
‘I’m not even sure how it’s made,’ I admit. I’m pretty sure it’s a drink I’ve never tried.
‘The secret is in the nutmeg, he always said. It’s milk, cream, a little cinnamon and vanilla mixed with eggs, sugar and bourbon. It was a luxury in those days. Even the smell of it conjures up Christmas, to me.’
It’s wonderful to sit here and hear her talking about Christmases from her own childhood.
‘This is truly magical, Tia, thank you so very much. My wonderful, darling daughter, what would I do without you in my life? Spending time with you is gift enough, so today I’m doubly blessed.’
I vowed then, that in future we’ll celebrate every Christmas Eve in style at a very special destination. I can’t think of a better way to repay her for all those wonderful Christmas memories from my childhood. Losing my father, and then a family row distancing my brother from us, has blighted far too many Christmases already.
Our first trip had to be New York; home of the iconic yellow taxi cab, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. And, of course, the setting for one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time: Miracle on 34th Street. But who knows where we’ll be this time next year? My only wish is that the snowflakes will begin to fall, as that’s the little bit of magic that makes Christmas special, no matter what age you are.
I love how this extract begins – as it places you right in the midst of a beautiful moment of Wintry blissitude! I personally spent too many of my moons outside of a traditionally four-season environment to where *snow!* is something of dreams (only!) and where I have personally found a fond affection for ANY Wintry scene – be that in fiction and/or film! I literally *crave!* scenes like this one – happily devour the Christmas films via Hallmark Channel (& on some years, Lifetime) – whilst I ache to find more Christmassy stories like this one to soak inside, bemused over experiencing a properly delightful ‘Winter’ and being caught inside by a ‘blizzard’ which to me equates a most cherished experience someone could have whose burnt out on the ‘other half’ of natural disasters!
Not to mention the fact, I THRIVE in colder grey skies – cloudy days are my jam and I personally can take a near-permanent vacation from ‘sunshine’. In essence, my heart and spirit lie in Winter & Autumn whilst I’m forever stuck in a perpetual Summer which never seems to morph itself into the regular Seasons even if it flirts with them during the year.
What wonderful wordplay Ms Coleman has given us! The curiously wicked way in which SNOWFLAKES can give us that lovely sense of ‘unexpected JOYfulness’ and a playfulness of mirth at the same time!! Your never too old to get caught up in the serendipitous nature of SNOW, that’s for sure!! She literally convinced me to read this story based on the premise *but!* she won my heart with the opening paragraph of the Prologue!!!
I was so dearly caught inside this purview of a Mum and daughter out on the towne – mostly as it is reminiscent of my own walkabouts with my Mum. How we duck into coffeehouses (ahem, we did Starbuck our way across a portion of America, too!) – how we get caught up in the bliss of holiday ‘flavours’ – for hot chocolate (sea salted caramel is a true blue favourite!), coffee (admittedly our favourite is practically a national outcry for Autumn!) and for tea alike, to finding ourselves over the moon grateful for holiday lights, carolers and the festive decorations – there is a beauty in the air between mid-Autumn to Twelfth Night – where the whole world is gentler, calmer and more still.
Ooh my dear sweet twinkling stars –
I hope my library picks this one!!! I dearly wanted to turn the page and read the next chapter!!!
And, this makes it doubly sweet – as last year I felt the same way about her other release!
As you might remember, last November [2017] I highlighted a dearly sounding Christmas Romance by this author as she has *two!* writerly careers spilt between two different names: Linn B. Halton & Lucy Coleman! We ended up having this fantastically lovely convo and I was hopeful I could gather a copy of the novel to be reading for this holiday season; either through directly purchasing one and/or borrowing one through my local library! This pre-dates my knowledge of the book blogosphere celebration known as #blogmas for which [2017] was quite the year for this to be up on my blog! I’ll be re-promoting those lovely posts & adding new ones this year – this marks the first of the NEW posts spotlighting the stories I am thankful to know about as the holiday season will start to approach after Thanksgiving!
Towards that end – which authors / stories would you rec for me to seek out!?
This author interview is courtesy of: Brook Cottage Book Tours
Be sure to visit this lovely page via Brook Cottage Book Tours to enter the giveaway for this novel! I normally link to the blog tour route when I’m hosting but this time round I’m sending you directly to the source! As this is one of the final authors being spotlighted this is also one of my final authors I’ll be showcasing before Brook Cottage Books goes on sabbatical. Good luck!
Similar to blog tours where I feature book reviews, as I choose to highlight an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog. I provide the questions for interviews and topics for the guest posts; wherein I receive the responses back from publicists and authors directly. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them; I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Snowflakes Over Holly Cove”, book synopsis, author biography, author photograph of Lucy Coleman and the tour badge were all provided by Brook Cottage Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers & My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Stories in the Spotlight and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2018.
Comments via Twitter:
A singular reason to get wicked EXCITED over an approaching holiday season is the wicked sweet expectation of #ChristmasRomances + #HolidayReads?#BookSpotlight on Snowflakes Over Holly Cove
by @LucyColemanAuth pub'd @Aria_Fiction?https://t.co/Wzd4ohvUAc | an early #blogmas! pic.twitter.com/i28VwxOnaF
— Spooktastically Jorie ??? (@joriestory) September 12, 2018
Sorry to hear your out of marshmallows?must admit, those are seriously one of the sweetest bits to #hotcocoa! Hope you have a big mug & it still tastes as lovely w/o them!?We're definitely two #Christmas lovers uniting for the second time in a year sharing our #bookish #bookJOY
— Spooktastically Jorie ??? (@joriestory) September 12, 2018
Book Spotlight w/ Notes | "Snowflakes Over Holly Cove" by Lucy Coleman (an early #blogmas post!) https://t.co/0XISTo7wYw via @joriestory
— karen mace (@bookkaz) September 12, 2018
#sohappy you’ve found my 1st spotlighted #Christmas #newbook announcement!?I am happily addicted to these kinds of releases!! I have a lot of lovely SURPRISES planned this year (similar to last year!) – which ones are you excited over? Plus didn’t this one sound AWESOME!????
— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter ?? (@joriestory) September 12, 2018
Cheated and sprinkle a crumble of Cadbury's flake on the top … delish!!!!!!
— Linn B. Halton (@LinnBHalton) September 12, 2018
She had me w/ the cadbury flakes!!?
After I mentioned it on my blog, and then hearing how she made hers; I'm in serious #hotchocolate withdrawal right now myself!?☕️
— Spooktastically Jorie ??? (@joriestory) September 12, 2018
Truly wonderful to be here in the spotlight, Jorie – thank you SO much lovely lady! The words spilt from your pen made me smile … virtual hug! x
Hallo, Hallo Ms Halton!
I must say, we are in equal admiration for each other!!! :) I am so blessed you’ve found my post and it gave you such a warmth of JOY to read!! It is wicked wonderful we share such a happiness for a mutually beloved holiday & season!! big, big HUGS.
Ah, it did give me that little ‘love all things Christmas’ thrill and I’m off to make a cup of hot chocolate, wishing I had marshmallows but the packet is empty … sob! Hugs, back!