Category: Book | Novel Extract

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas20 showcases | NEW Cover Art & a NEW edition of “Oath of the Brotherhood” (Song of the Seare, Book One) by Carla Laureano *previously published as C.E. Laureano!

Posted Saturday, 12 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

This is a first for me – a book series I wanted to read and showcased during the [2018] #FantasyForChristmas showcases for Prism Book Tours is going to be re-released through a new publisher and happily available in beautiful hardback editions! Complete with supplemental materials and a few new additions therein – just thinking about that made me giddy! Plus it is lovely to re-feature a series which now has brand-new cover art & which is going to be a limited run of hardbacks! I am not sure if I will be able to purchase these whilst their available as I was still putting my sights on borrowing this series through my local and/or my regional libraries – however, for those who can plan their book buying budgets in six month increments – I think you might find this series agreeable to your budget! (as they seem to be coming every 6mos from 2021 & 2022 until the trilogy is re-released in full)

My idea about finding Sword & Sorcery series definitely was on par with my reading habits because of how I reacted to reading the Gifted & the Cursed this year (book one) + (book two); whilst owning to the fact, I do regularly seek out stories which might fall shy of my comfort zones but if the world-building is solid and there is a compellingly convicting story within the pages of the novel – odds are in good favour I am going to want to be a reader of your tale!

I look forward to seeking out this series at my libraries in the New Year – as I would love to have a solid footing of fetching the stories from #FantasyForChristmas before my 4th year participating comes along in December, 2021! Whenever I find one of these lovelies, you’ll find me blogging about them on Jorie Loves A Story as part of the reason I like showcasing these kinds of posts is to give myself notes and notations about the books, the authors and/or the series which kick-start my memory as to what first drew my eye into reading them!!

The book photo attached to this post was special I felt because of how it showcases the Christmas tree and I loved how each of the writers (or someone close to them – as the photographers were not disclosed) were able to capture a snaphot of the books whilst giving us the impression that we’re all just a short distance away from having these books in our own hands to read!

Curiously – have any of the Speculative Fiction and/or Fantasy series you’ve discovered and have wanted to read become re-issued or re-released before you had the chance to read them the first go round? If so, which authors, stories or series fell into this category for you?

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Oath of the Brotherhood Book Photo provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

When evil threatens, who will find the faith to fight it?

In an island kingdom where the Old Ways hold fast and a man’s worth lies entirely in his skill with the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a musician and a follower of a forbidden faith—problematic for any man, but disastrous for the son of the king.

When Conor is sent away to a neighboring kingdom to secure a treaty, he learns that his ability with the harp is a talent that traces back to the magical foundations of a once-united Seare. But his newfound home is soon placed in peril, entangling Conor in a plot that has been unfolding since long before his birth.

Only by leaving both kingdoms behind and committing himself to an ancient warrior brotherhood can Conor discover the part he’s meant to play in Seare’s future. But is he willing to sacrifice everything—including the woman he loves—to follow the path his God has laid before him?

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 978-1621841494

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The Song of Seare series:

ORIGINALLY:

Oath of the Brotherhood (book one)

The Sword & the Song (book two)

Beneath the Forsaken City (book three)

*however!*

Beneath the Forsaken City is now BOOK TWO!

→ forthcoming release, Summer, 2021!

Whilst The Sword & the Song is now BOOK THREE!

*Unless, I somehow confused the order originally?*

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Published by: Enclave Escape
an imprint of Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas20 or #FantasyForChristmas
as well #Fantasy or #INSPYFantasy or #WyrdAndWonder

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Posted Saturday, 12 December, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas20 showcases | The Dancing Realms series by Sharon Hinck

Posted Friday, 11 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

This marks my second featured Fantasy novelists showcasing during the #FantasyForChristmas20 featured posts during my annual #blogmas schedule! I had to reschedule and re-adjust the schedule I had originally to post these lovelies on Jorie Loves A Story due to a moderate migraine (this week) and the stomach flu (last week). Thereby although my posts are a bit more randomised they are going to be showcased before the finale for the #FantasyForChristmas blogosphere event concludes!!

When it comes to choosing which stories within Fantasy I am most likely to feel as if I’ve gone back ‘home’ are the kinds of Epic Fantasy stories which have not just convicting backstories & histories but have a firmly built world behind the journey of the characters. This is duly important across all genres I regularly read but with Fantasy, if the world-building isn’t ironed out and adds a layer of credible believability I am not always able to suspend myself inside the world for as long as I would prefer. This is why I like seeking out worlds of Fantasy like this one – which talks about being an ‘island world’ and thereby expanding the kinds of worlds I have explored in Speculative Fiction!

It is lovely to dive into a world you haven’t always explored – seeking out its perimeters and truly taking stock about how the writer set the world to function as much as how everyone interacts within the world’s structures and/or confines due to culture, tradition or expectations of society. Sometimes those are a bit looser in context and tone but others are more firmly structured. I love the random discoveries – the ones where worlds give you something to chew on and consider as you’re reading the writers’ words and delving closer to their vision for the world you’ve become transported inside.

I love how nature plays an active role in this Fantasy as well – the first time I ‘met’ trees which were menacing was in the Drew Barrymore film “Babes in Toyland” which I believe was in theory a remake! I remember watching it several times as back then they offered a special dvd copy of it with your Happy Meal at McDonald’s which I felt was a complete upgrade to the usual toys! Thinking back on that childhood experience and all the readings I’ve had as a middle grade reader, a teenage reader and now an adult reader of Fantasy – I am quite intrigued to see how the natural world continues to offer a presence in Fantasy which can either be benign or slightly darker than the stalwart guardians we consider them in our realms.

And, there is that whole bit about saving one half of the world but forsaking your own return? Still. My. Heart. I am going to need gobs of tissues for this one I suspect as just the heart pull of that choice and the weight of what is at stake! I am such a lover of drama but sometimes the more guttingly realistic the dramatic story I read – the harder I find myself to put aside my emotions! Although, I am forever grateful for the experience – if you consider #ArmyWives as a baseline of proof!

Curiously – do you regularly read INSPY Speculative Fiction stories? Are you a newbie like I am and are happily surprised by the kinds of Fantasy stories you’ve found within the world of INSPY? Which authors and/or series have you currently read? For me, I’ve enjoyed Morgan L. Busse (see also Review) and am going to be reading “Kingdom Above the Cloud” before December concludes which I spotlighted earlier in Spring.

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Forsaken Island promo book photography provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

On an uncharted world, happiness is effortless and constant…
but can true joy exist without sacrifice?

The people of Meriel have long believed their island world floats alone in the vast ocean universe, so they are astonished when another island drifts into view. With resources becoming scarce, Carya and Brantley quickly volunteer to search the new land for supplies.

After navigating a barrier of menacing trees, the pair encounter a culture of perpetually happy people who readily share their talents and their possessions. But all is not what it seems. At the core of the island is a horror that threatens everyone, including Brantley and Carya.

Freeing the villagers of the bondage they’ve chosen may cost Carya and Brantley more than they could have imagined. Even if the two succeed, they’ll have to find a way to return to Meriel quickly … or be cut off from their home forever.

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 978-1621841357

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The Dancing Realms:

Forsaken Island by Sharon HinckHidden Current by Sharon Hinck

Forsaken Island (book one)

Hidden Current (book two)

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Published by: Enclave Escape
an imprint of Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas20 or #FantasyForChristmas
as well #Fantasy or #INSPYFantasy or #WyrdAndWonder

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Posted Friday, 11 December, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

#Blogmas | feat. “Roping Christmas” (Rodeo Romance, Book Eight) by Shanna Hatfield

Posted Thursday, 10 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

This spotlight is for a #newtomeauthor who is writing Western Contemporary INSPY Romances! I haven’t yet dipped back into reading INSPY Westerns as I’ve been super focused and happily entrenched inside my favourite Western Roms from Harlequin Heartwarming these past several years – which are considered ‘sweet & clean’ if audiences and readers are seeking a romance which are not focusing on scenes or language which might prove offensive to their readerly sensibilities. However, I also know those who read INSPY are not all hybrid readers like I am who read between both mainstream & INSPY markets of publishing. We all have to choose what we will read and what our readerly limits are within our genres of interest. For instance, I had to take a firm step back from the grit and realities of war and focus more on the humanistic stories set within war dramas than being placed inside the battles & descriptive narratives of most war dramas as they are regularly told today.

When it comes to reading Western Romances, what encourages my heart the most is the setting! I love horses & riding – ever since I was a young girl – which is why whenever I am lost in the chapters describing life on a ranch and/or in a Western Rockies community and towneship, I find myself wickedly delighted in the joys of ‘living this life’ as seen through the eyes and hearts of the characters who live there themselves. Now, of course, outside of the Western half of the United States there are other places you can set a Western Romance – as some states still have a lot of rural communities and agricultural heritage within their borders. We also have Eastern mountains on the East Coast which are a fine compliment (if albeit slightly less grand!) to the Rockies, too!

I believe to be a Western Romance it has to have a certain spirit about it – a certain legacy of familiarity built upon Western themes of interest and of course, *cowboys!* are surely a must as much as women who can be independently self-supporting of both themselves and the families they are raising on a ranch or other Western location. I love the ease of soaking into the natural world through a Western lens of influence as well – where you get to see the larger animals roaming free on the range and/or in the forests, whilst you have herds which need to be looked after (ie. cattle especially) and/or you have a horse farm which has its own set of standards and layers of hard-work woven into it as well. And, then of course there is the aspect of ranching life and the responsibilities of being self-reliant and sustainable however which avenue can turn a profit for the ranch.

In essence, I am in love with Western Romances from the start of the first chapter and I love the hours we can spend in the saddle next to the heroes and heroines which make this genre such a wicked delight to be reading! The closeness of family, the importance of hearth & home and the fabric knitted out of neighbours & friends alike is what helps shape a well-rounded Western for me! And, if there is a Western Romance set during Christmas!? Eek. *goosebumps!* As I consider Christmas Romances a special niche of joy in my Romantic wanderings every year!!

Curiously – do you *love!* reading Western Romances as much as I do? I’ve been reading and reviewing a heap of lovely series by my beloved Harlequin Heartwarming novelists over the past several years – from the Rocky Mountain Cowboys to Return of the Blackwell Brothers & this year’s sequel series the Blackwell Sisters to the Sweetheart Ranch series! There are so many wonderful Western Rom authors who are traditionally published as much as there are Indie Authors – either self-publishing their stories/series or are with an Indie Publisher or Press. I love focusing on Indie & Self-Published authors as much as traditionally published authors which is why featuring Ms Hatfield’s series is such a joy for me! I’d love to find more authors like her writing in a genre I dearly love devouring!

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Roping Christmas by Shanna Hatfield

A focused cowboy, a distracted executive,
and a hilarious quest make for an unforgettable holiday . . .

Wyatt Nash is a professional tie-down roper, a good ranch hand, and not too shabby when it comes to attracting women. But according to his five-year-old niece, he needs to work on both his roping skills and his dating game. His sister thinks he needs to settle down. And don’t get him started on the advice he gets from well-meaning friends. When his rodeo sponsor, billionaire Jon Sinclair, asks for his assistance in tutoring a clueless city girl about Sinclair Industries, Wyatt doesn’t feel like he can say no. Then he discovers he’ll be teaching none other than the one woman on the planet who wants nothing to do with him.

Ashley Jarrett would do almost anything to turn her small publicity firm into a huge success. When Jon Sinclair expresses interest in working with her, she readily agrees to his crazy idea to have her learn about his company through hands-on projects. Not only is she forced far outside her comfort zone, but the man documenting every bumbling misstep she takes is an infuriating cowboy she’s determined to ignore.

Packed with small-town charm and the wonder of falling in love, Roping Christmas is a sweet holiday romance sure to bring laughter and infuse hearts Christmas cheer.

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 979-8691116568

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This series has 8 books inside it including:

Rodeo Romance series graphic provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

Be sure to visit her FantasticFiction page to find the full listing!

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Published by: Wholesome Hearts Publishing

Converse via: #ContemporaryRomance &/or #ChristmasRomance + #SweetRomance
as well #HolidayReads or #ChristmasReads and #INSPYRomance + #WesternRomance

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Posted Thursday, 10 December, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Christmas Romance &/or Holiday Story, Contemporary Romance, Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction

#Blogmas Book Spotlight | “For This Christmas Only” (Masterson, Texas, Book Three) by Caro Carson

Posted Monday, 7 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I am quite sure it won’t be too much of a surprise I like to seek out other imprints by Harlequin Books every so often throughout the year? I have sorted out my top favourites to read regularly are *Harlequin Heartwarming* & *Love Inspired: Suspense* however, this gives quite a bit of wiggle room to seek out their other imprints and find other authors who might be writing stories which are going unnoticed by me throughout the year as they’re writing under imprints I might not regularly have access too and/or have more trouble borrowing through ILL’ing (interlibraryloaning). This is one keen reason I enjoy hosting spotlights like this one today as it gives me a chance to know which authors I might want to seek out next and which stories I might fancy reading within their other imprints.

Harlequin Books has long held a curiosity of interest for me as a reader – as I’ve moved from different imprints to the ones I currently focus on reading the most out of – although, I still mourn the loss of Love Inspired: Historical. I also read a lot of Mira books in the past before settling on Heartwarming. Heartwarming to me held within its scope of writers and stories the kind of stories I was seeking out of Mira but didn’t always feel were executed the way I hoped they might be as a reader who loves relationship based romances. This is why the Romance and Special Edition imprints are on my radar as sometimes, I surprise myself and find a Heartwarming-esque story within their imprints as well.

I’ve only read a handful of stories by this particular imprint and am still sorting out if it is a good fit for me overall or if its just an imprint I’ll read every odd moon but keep with LI: Suspense and Heartwarming full time. I have an extract to share and a few takeaways after I read the extract to share with you as you decide if you want to pick up this title yourself, too.

If you’re a regular reader of Harlequin novels and imprints, which imprints are your top choices and favourites? Which writers and/or their series are making an impression on you as a reader and which do you think might be a wicked good fit for me as well? I’d love to hear your thoughts – especially if you read Heartwarming, Romance or Special Edition imprints by Harlequin on a semi-regular basis as you’d have the best feedback to share.

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#Blogmas Book Spotlight | “For This Christmas Only” (Masterson, Texas, Book Three) by Caro CarsonFor This Christmas
Subtitle: He was successful in business but not in love
by Caro Carson

He was successful in business but not in love in this great romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Caro Carson

His book changed her life…

But he no longer believes his own advice.

After nearly dying in a plane crash, business icon Eli Taylor has become a recluse, until a chance encounter at a small town’s Yule log lighting leads to an evening spent as the fake boyfriend of his superfan Mallory Ames. When she finds herself homeless for the holidays, he invites her to stay with him—if she’ll return the favor and be his fake girlfriend, so he can show his siblings what a loving partnership should look like. Their arrangement will end when the new year begins…or will it?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Genres: Christmas Story &/or Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335894977

Published by Harlequin Special Edition

on 1st December, 2020

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The Masterson, Texas series:

The Bartender’s Secret (book one)

The Slow Burn (book two)

For This Christmas Only (book three)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Published by: Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)

Converse on Twitter via: #ChristmasReads and/or #HolidayReads
as well as #ChristmasRomance and #ContemporaryRomance

About Caro Carson

Caro Carson

Despite a no-nonsense background as a West Point graduate and U.S. Army officer, Caro Carson has always treasured the happily-ever-after of a good romance novel. After her military service, she worked in the healthcare industry with a Fortune 100 company, talking science with doctors who were rarely handsome bachelor Texans like the doctors in her books.

Now a USA Today bestselling author and RITA™ award winner, Caro is delighted to be living her own happily-ever-after with her husband (who actually is a handsome Texan) and their two children. They live in the great state of Florida, a location which has saved the coaster-loving theme park fanatics a fortune on plane tickets.

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Posted Monday, 7 December, 2020 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Blitz, Book Spotlight, Christmas Romance &/or Holiday Story, Contemporary Romance, Indie Author, Xpresso Book Tours

#Blogmas Book Spotlight | “Christmas Actually: Bite-sized Sweet Holiday Romance Reads” (anthology) [edited by] Teri Wilson

Posted Sunday, 6 December, 2020 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

If you’re a regular visitor of Jorie Loves A Story, you’ll notice I have a hearty affection for reading anthologies! Generally, those happen to be in the Speculative Fiction category of influence but I am known to pick up a Romance anthology every blue moon as well! Especially as it were those varieties which launched me into becoming a Romance reader all those lovely moons ago in childhood! Laughs. This particular anthology stood out to me because I am one of those readers who gets really enthused and excited about reading (or watching) Christmas Romances as soon as Thanksgiving concludes and Twelfth Night hasn’t yet reached us in January.

Christmas Romances are quite addictive because they are set during one of my favourite seasons of the year and I would daresay, my top favourite overall!! There is a fever of excitement and joy about Christmas and the pending New Year’s – where Hope is lit aflame and the unexpected delights of the season are just round the corner from enveloping you on your path. Christmas romances to me always have that little bit of something ‘extra’ to hold your eye and attention inside them. They have a way of developing a giddiness within them to keep your heart set on seeing how the story ends on a happier note than it first began and if something has to be resolved, all the better because what is more beautiful than redemption at Christmas?

Anthologies are a great way for me to sort out which authors I want to be reading and which author has a style of preference I prefer to seek out. This particular anthology is a digital first release (sadly, it seems I’ve picked more digital first releases this year than dual released stories!) which means I won’t be able to partake in reading the stories it contains. Once you read my reaction to the story in the extract on this post, you’ll see how disappointing that kind of news is for a reader like me whose just found an author she dearly wants to keep reading!!

I’d love to hear from you dear hearts – which kinds of anthologies do you love to read the most and have you ever picked up a holiday themed or romantic themed anthology? If so, whose the editor and publisher? Which stories/authors stood out to you and is it a habit of reading anthologies for you like it is for me or is it more of a random find and not one you chase after (like I do myself)!!?

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#Blogmas Book Spotlight | “Christmas Actually: Bite-sized Sweet Holiday Romance Reads” (anthology) [edited by] Teri WilsonChristmas Actually
Subtitle: Edited by Teri Wilson

Christmas actually is all around…

Join eleven best-selling and award-winning authors under the mistletoe as they share bite-sized holiday romances celebrating the joy and romcom sweetness of the Christmas season!

Genres: Christmas Story &/or Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ASIN: B08BH7XL6H

Published by Pretty Bliss Press

on 1st December, 2020

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The following are the stories you will find within “Christmas Actually”:

The Christmas Wedding Date by Shirley Jump

When Holly McDaniels gets roped into attending her hometown Christmas ball, she convinces her handsome neighbor, workaholic Nick Corvino, to play the part of husband, giving the bah humbug bachelor a taste of Christmas magic that just might lead to a very real holiday happy-ever-after.

Gingerbread and Jingle Bells by Caro Carson

A big-city businesswoman answers her grandma’s plea for holiday-rush help at the family bakery, only to find herself apologizing to the small town’s handsome veterinarian each time she thwarts her grandma’s matchmaking schemes—until she discovers the mastermind behind all the romantic plans wasn’t her grandma, after all.

A Merry Aussie Christmas by Stefanie London

Their relationship is so fake it comes with costumes… Will spending a whole month as Patterson’s Bluff’s official Mr. and Mrs. Claus give a golden girl and the town outcast a second chance at love?

Mission: Merry Christmas by Nancy Naigle

A physical therapist finds her client bah-humbugging the Christmas spirit out of everyone and decides to focus on getting him back on the nice list.

Christmas In Sweetland by Lacey Baker

A restless hometown girl strikes a deal with the uptight guy next door to win a neighborhood holiday decorating contest—but they’ll both need a little Christmas magic to survive missing cupcakes, broken twinkle lights and falling in love.

The Matchmaking Christmas Spirit by Lindsay Emory

An event planner and a handsome handyman keep getting thrown together by a matchmaking Christmas spirit who won’t stop meddling in matters of the heart.

Christmas Eve at the USO by Tif Marcelo

When former college sweethearts and Army soldiers reunite at the Dallas Airport USO during a Christmas Eve snowstorm, they try to ignore the love they lost—until the Christmas spirit decides to play Cupid, leaving them with no choice but to go after the love wished they still had.

A Midnight Clear by Victoria Schade

A dog sitter booked to spend the Christmas holiday caring for a client’s new puppy is surprised to discover that an approaching snowstorm has trapped her with the handsome man of the house.

Love Letters for Christmas by Sasha Summers

When a soldier decides it’s time to meet his long-time teacher pen pal, his visit to her classroom brings all sort of surprises—and might just give them their greatest Christmas gift ever: love.

A Snow Maiden for Christmas by Sariah Wilson

Christina and Jack were high school sweethearts until he left her behind to follow his dreams. Now he’s back and their meddling mothers are determined to give Christina and Jack’s former romance a second chance by forcing them to play roles opposite one another in their local winter festival.

A Merry Royal Layover by Teri Wilson

When a veterinarian traveling to a remote European village to volunteer at an animal shelter during the Christmas holidays gets an unexpected first-class upgrade, she meets a charming stranger in the airport lounge who may or may not be the country’s crown prince.

This is a Digital First Release by Pretty Bliss Press

Converse on Twitter via: #ChristmasReads, #HolidayReads, #anthologies
as well as #ChristmasRomance and #ChristmasActually

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Posted Sunday, 6 December, 2020 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Blitz, Book Spotlight, Christmas Romance &/or Holiday Story, Contemporary Romance, Indie Author, Xpresso Book Tours