YAY! Once Upon a Christmas Kiss is out!

I love writing historical novellas about Christmas, and I'm happy to say that this year two of them are in an anthology -- or is it a boxed set? (I never know what to call these collections.) Anyway, Once Upon a Christmas Kiss is available now - 9 novellas for only 99 cents.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Amazon Australia

The blurbs for all the stories are below. In the interest of full disclosure, please note that both of my novellas, The Reluctant Seductress and Love at First Dance, were previously published in other anthologies which are no longer available. I'm pleased to publish them together (under the collective title Yuletide Nights) for the first time -- because they share some of the same characters, and they follow one another during the same Christmas season.

Also, there are two other novellas in the same story universe. Under a Christmas Spell and Under a New Year's Enchantment take place the previous Christmas in book time (but were published several years ago in real time). They are available separately, and also may be found in Harlequin Christmas collections from time to time.

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Blurbs:

Step away from the Christmas rush this season and fall in love again with this amazing set of Historical Christmas tales by USA Today and bestselling authors! This set includes -

One Knight Under the Mistletoe by CATHERINE KEAN –
Kissing Lord Renfred de Vornay under the mistletoe was the last thing Lady Liliana Thornleigh expected days before Christmas. When she learns Ren’s dangerous secrets, will her hatred of him intensify, or will she accept his love?

Mhàiri's Yuletide Wish by CATHY MACRAE -
What Mhàiri and Michaell receive this Yuletide season could prove more than they had ever dreamed.

Unkissable Knight by ANNA MARKLAND -
Dervenn de Roure is a hero of the Battle of Hastings, the same conflict that left Victorine de Toeni orphaned and facing poverty. She must marry to survive. Dervenn's scarred face bears testimony to his sacrifice, but the haughty Victorine cannot overlook the fact he is a Breton, not a Norman. It might take the scheming of an unlikely matchmaker like William the Conqueror to make her see Dervenn is the man she needs.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree by AMANDA MCCABE –
Spend the holidays in Regency England! Seeking an heir to her fortune, a widow challenges her family to a wild holiday scavenger hunt in the novella "A Partridge in a Pear Tree"--and two people find a lasting love seeking the Twelve Days of Christmas...

“Solid characters, a family secret or two, and some clever writing make this the best story in the collection” – All About Romance

National Reader's Choice Award Finalist--Best Novella

Christina, A Bride for Christmas by HILDIE MCQUEEN -
After being dispatched to Blanchard Creek, Wyoming by her mother as a mail order bride, Christina Mills tumbles from one mishap to another. A story of hurt, scars and the healing power of love.

Yuletide Nights, a Regency Novella Duet by BARBARA MONAJEM -
Book One, The Reluctant Seductress: Forced to work as a spy due to her mysterious seductive powers, Lettice Raleigh emerges from the war with her virginity intact and her reputation in tatters. She hasn’t a hope of marrying—but she doesn’t reckon with the very proper Lord Hadrian Oakenhurst, who has one besetting sin: curiosity.
Book Two, Love at First Dance: Sir Colwyn North’s uncanny skill as a lover made him an excellent spy—but it also gave him the worst of reputations. His only hope of winning the hand of the very proper Lady Jane Dew is to trick her into marriage. By way of seduction. While in disguise.

Mistletoe Magic by LAUREL O’DONNELL –
A confident knight arrives home to find his childhood friend grown into much more then he remembered. The lady of the castle keeps a dangerous secret that threatens all she holds dear. Will Mistletoe Magic save them?

Dancing Under the Mistletoe by LANA WILLIAMS –
A woman running from her past. A man unwilling to face the future. A stolen moment under the kissing bough. Can one kiss and the magic of Christmas unite two lonely souls?

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Amazon Australia

 



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Merry Early Christmas!

Barbara

What I've been reading -- September

September was a good month for reading. I read two books I loved, one by an author new to me, and tried out a well-known author, too, which was fun. I am not usually into reading bestsellers, but a friend gave me a spare copy, so why not?

The best-selling author in question is Lee Child, and the book is The Midnight Line. I can see why he is so popular. His character, Jack Reacher, is a drifting, super-macho ex-military dude with a dry sense of humor and (in this book, at least) a “just because” motivation that I loved. Sure, he has angst, but we don’t get bombarded with it. We don't need to, because it's obvious in the way he lives. The story is compelling, and the writing is engaging and easy to read… Will I read any more by Mr. Child? Probably not, because I’m not usually drawn to macho ex-military stuff, but I’m glad I read The Midnight Line.  

On to other books. Murder in Spite is the eighth book in the Doyle and Acton series by Anne Cleeland. It’s another solid addition to the series. Doyle and Acton are wonderful characters. Each new story is like a visit to delightful old friends. (The books have to be read in order; the first, Murder in Thrall, is the best.) Ms. Cleeland writes great historical mystery/thrillers, too. I like her writing style. She’s not afraid to use semi-colons! I’m a big fan of both semi-colons and dashes (in fact, I tend to overdo the dashes) and don’t believe they are distracting to readers. Or maybe I just don’t want to believe it. I like parentheses, too. Hurrah for varied punctuation. ;)

Lastly, a friend recommended The Dark Before Dawn by Jaima Fixsen. OMG, I loved it! It’s historical suspense, taking place during the Congress of Vienna in 1814. Great pacing, well-researched setting, espionage, betrayal, murder, you name it. The central character is brilliant, but I can’t say anymore without giving too much away. Highly recommended!!

That’s it for now! Stay tuned for a Christmas anthology coming out next week.

Barbara

Freebie -The Right to Remain Single, Sept 4-8

Just a quick note -- The Right to Remain Single, a ghostly little holiday novella related to the Scandalous Kisses series, is free on Amazon today through Friday. Go on over and grab a copy!

Amazon US
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK
Amazon Australia 

What I'm Reading

I was on vacation much of August, and expected to get a whole bunch of reading done... Nope.

But here's what I read. They're all mysteries, my go-to genre for satisfying reading.

They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer. This was a re-read, but it was so long since I read it the first time that I had forgotten whodunit. It's one of my favorites of her mysteries -- a good puzzle and a lovely romance as well. (I much prefer mysteries with some romance in them.)





 

Scandal Takes a Holiday by Lindsey Davis. Whenever I'm stumped for something to read, I go for the next in the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries. The characters are like old friends, and I can count an interesting visit in Ancient Rome or the far-flung Roman Empire each time. Hopefully I'll catch up soon --  the series has ended and Ms. Davis is several books into a new one about Falco's daughter.





 As Death Draws Near by Anna Lee Huber. Apart from the depressing title (which I may find depressing because I'm no longer young and immortal), I enjoyed this book -- a solid mystery with lots of historical info about Ireland. I like to deepen my knowledge and understanding of Ireland and its troubles -- so much so that I even did some research to touch on it when I wrote The Rake's Irish Lady.

Lastly, my favorite read this month -- The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. I had read a couple of her books before -- good reads -- but this is by far my favorite. I don't usually go for long, slow reads, but her writing is lovely and the way she weaves two stories, past and present, is super. Also, I always like to learn more about Scotland's history. This story was particularly poignant and seemed headed for a sad ending -- but I guessed how she was going to bring about a happier conclusion, and I was relieved to find that I was right. I heaved a deep sigh of satisfaction, colored only by a tiny sadness, at the end. GREAT BOOK!!

That's it for now,
Barbara