A Chase for Christmas by Candace Shaw

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's July and even though the sun is blazing and Christmas is five months away this time is when I get excited for the holidays. I blame the years of seeing department stores bring out their discounted Christmas décor and Hallmark running all the Christmas movies during the time. This is an older title now out of print but it's available on Hoopla and for ebook purchase.

It's getting close to Christmas time and successful video game developer, Preston Chase is putting on a Winter Wonderland event to benefit the local Children's hospital. He enlists help from a local artist who also happens to be his sister's best friend Blythe Ventura. Blythe is balancing holiday sip and paint events but she can't say no when it comes to a good cause. 

I thought this one had the right balance of making it feel like Christmas time without having to have the constant reminders through holiday activity on every page. The setting isn't Christmas Lane, USA instead it's set in Atlanta, Georgia. But that doesn't mean it's devoid of any holiday magic as the two work together to bring hope and joy to sick children. Christmas romance always involves people getting together in a very short window of time so it was interesting that this one had a bit of a slow burn. Preston and Blythe already have an easy chemistry together after a year of flirting and Preston's sister hinting that they should be together. 

Having been burned in the past by a cheating ex boyfriend, Blythe isn't ready to jump into another relationship as she's still overcoming insecurities from the last one. But Preston is cool, confident and ready to convince her to risk it all. It's a quick read with just enough drama and some genuinely funny moments.

Christmas in July Books

Welcome Back, Booklovers. The holiday season is my favorite time of year and even as a kid I loved watching the Christmas movies replay on tv in July. When I worked in retail I loved that our store would sell discounted Christmas stuff cheap because I would stock up on décor. Now people are even having big celebrations. But one of the cool things I've seen authors embracing is putting their Christmas books on sale so even if you don't want to read them this month there's still the chance to score a good deal.

The Holly-day After

In this story you can join Santa, and his family, as they celebrate their traditions in the North Pole. Help Santa's nieces and nephews as they cook up an amazing pancake feast. Bundle up and head outside to help them plant their future Holly-day After trees. After all, the traditions we start today can live on forever!

Carla and the Christmas Cornbread 

Christmas is Carla’s favorite holiday of the year. She goes to her grandparents’ house and eats grandma’s special recipe—a perfectly delicious cornbread. She listens to her grandpa Doc’s marvelous stories about traveling the world. And, best of all, she spends lots of time with her family.

But when Carla accidentally takes a bite out of Santa’s sugar cookie, she thinks she’s ruined Christmas. How will Santa know to stop at their house if they don’t leave him a midnight snack? With her grandmother’s help, Carla comes up with a plan, but will it be enough to save Christmas?

Love at the Icicle Café

California lawyer Mina Richards spent her childhood helping her mom bake at their winter-themed café in the snowy village of Gosberg, Germany. When her retired parents want to sell The Icicle Café, Mina returns to facilitate the sale. She needs this to go right—she’ll fly in, finalize the deal and fly out to rescue her once high-powered career. But faced with Scott, her childhood friend and crush who doesn’t want to sell, Mina’s plan quickly falls apart.

Rising chef Scott Dawson has turned The Icicle Café into a destination restaurant. His parents and their partners want to sell the café to a hotel chain, and Scott can't meet their price. When Mina arrives—more beautiful and determined than ever—he sees the possibility of a new future for the business and the town he loves. He just needs to change her mind…about more than selling the café.

When Scott asks Mina to help with the café’s annual Icicle Fest, their icy relationship warms. Can these former friends find a future together in the snowy village of their past?

Alaskan Christmas Escape

An elite CIA kill squad has located hacker Zenobia Hanley’s Alaska wilderness hideout. With commandos hot on Zee’s heels, she’s saved from capture by her neighbor John Lowry. Zee has kept her yearning for the SEAL, who has a disability, in check to shield him. But, despite her secrets, John’s determined to protect Zee regardless of the risks. Because there’s more at stake this Christmas than just their lives.

Christmas at the Château 

Executive chef Viola Williamson has to have the kitchen up and running by the time the Bainbridge House restoration is complete. Working closely with Dom Shaw, Viola is struck by her hotter-than-mulled-cider attraction to her family estate’s handsome caretaker. It’s obvious that he feels it, too—yet Dom keeps his distance. Can Viola convince him that with all this cooking going on, he’s the only one stirring her heart?  

One Christmas Wish: A Novel

Vaughn Miller’s Wall Street career was abruptly ended by a wrongful conviction and two years in prison. Since then, he’s returned to his hometown, kept his head down and forged a way forward. When he is exonerated and his name cleared, he feels he can hold his head up once again, maybe even talk to the beautiful café owner who sets his blood to simmering.

Sierra Crane escaped a disastrous marriage—barely. She and her six-year-old goddaughter have returned to the only place that feels like home. Determined to make it on her own, Sierra opens a soup café. Complication is the last thing she needs, but the moment Vaughn walks into her café, she can’t keep her eyes off the smoldering loner.

When they give in to their attraction, what Sierra thought would be a onetime thing becomes so much more. Vaughn knows she’s the one. Sierra can’t deny the way Vaughn makes her feel, but she’s been burned before. With Christmas approaching, Vaughn takes a chance to prove his love, and it will be up to Sierra to decide if her one Christmas wish—true happiness—will come true.

One Snowy Seduction

‘Tis the season for getting great gifts and Teesha Palmer just won the trip of a lifetime to the French Alps. The only pitfall to her holiday vacation is the appearance of her distractingly sexy friend-turned-enemy, Kendrick McLaughlin. An unexpected blizzard that traps them in a mountain-side cabin might be exactly what they needed to face the past…and one snowy night is all it takes to convince Teesha and Kendrick that some things are better together.

A Chase for Christmas

The pursuit of love has always been high on Preston Chase's priority list. But the video game developer has yet to find the soul mate he craves. His sister's best friend—artist and studio owner Blythe Ventura—is a world away from the shallow glam girls who've thrown themselves at him. With her creative spirit and passionate commitment, she's the ideal candidate for his Winter Wonderland project. Too bad she doesn't seem interested in being the one to win his heart. 

After a string of dating disasters, Blythe isn't ready to believe in a romantic relationship with Preston. Until their work giving sick children hope and joy for Christmas brings them together—and reveals a very different side of the notorious millionaire playboy. All she has to do is trust in the feelings Preston is awakening and this just might be the year that they both find the happy holiday ending they've been searching for…

Missing at Christmas by K.D. Richards

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Earlier this year I read Pursuit of the Truth by K. D. Richards and was happy to learn there would be more books this year in the West Investigations series. This series is apart of Harlequin Intrigue. What separates Harlequin Intrigue from Harlequin Suspense is that the stories from Intrigue are high action thrillers with some romance while Suspense are romances with a thriller element but the romance is at the forefront. I give that explanation to set the expectation that this story is more thriller than romance. I received an arc from  K.D. Richards in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start with the cover. It's not a good one. I need Harlequin to get it together and stop recycling the same imagery over and over and over again for their suspense stories. I've seen both these pictures on other books and laid out much better. Plus neither match the description of the characters. Get it together, Harlequin! Let's getting new more appealing covers out there.

This is set during Christmas time but it's okay if you don't like the holidays. There's no holiday celebrations in this story. No mentions of jolly old St. Nick or Christmas caroling. Just some mentions of cold weather and stray tinsel.

Addy Williams is searching for her little sister, Cassie who was interning in a small town during her gap year for a major tech company. As in real life the police don't care about a missing Black woman and try to convince Addy that her sister just ran out. Addy knows her little sister though and knows she wouldn't run off without telling her. So she decides to take matters into her own hands and track her down. While she is walking around town questioning locals she is attacked by a stranger.

Shawn West is a PI in town investigating a major software company for manufacturing counterfeit chips when he witnesses a stranger being attacked. He discovers that stranger is Addy, the woman he had a one night stand with at his brother's wedding several months earlier. While he is quick to offer her help he discovers her missing sister may have a connection to the case he's investigating.

The romance is warm so the sex scene in off page. But Addy and Shawn still have chemistry that's present in their heart to heart moments. They also work well as a team. Addy can hold her own! She's no damsel in need of rescue. She has a gun and knows how to use it. She also saves their asses more than once which Shawn acknowledges. He has genuine admiration for Addy and believes her even though no one else does.

One of the common themes in this story is working through grief as Addy and her sister have experienced loss of several important family members in their lives. After the loss of their dad both are still working through how to move forward. 

Ryan from Pursuit of the Truth does make an appearance in this though his storyline is unconnected so reading that story first or not won't have an effect on your enjoyment of this one. Also he was a little overbearing here with his constant reminds to Shawn about getting distracted.

If you want a fast-paced and easy to read thriller this is a good one to pick up. Both main characters are strong, there's no overly graphic violence, it's under 300 pages, and it's affordable. If you like procedural show it reads like one. 

Christmas in July:Upcoming Releases You Need to Pre-Order or Library Request

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Everyone knows I love Christmas and that I'm always on the hunt for Christmas themed books by Black authors. And while ebooks are great and backlist and indie are a blessing I have followers who want books they go into the bookstore or library and grab. I saw some new titles this year which is exciting.

Just as much as I want you to buy books I also want those of you who are in the US to support your local library by putting in requests. People don't realize it but a library request can turn into a purchase which in turn is a sale for the author. And it's also good for your community because an accessible place where anyone can go and get free books it's always a win. Even if you want to buy a physical copy for your shelves request the ebook or audiobook.

And if you plan on buying through Amazon please support my blog by using my affiliate links. Also I've made an Amazon idea with all my Christmas book picks . There's even backlist books on there too. So you can use it to shop for yourself or pass it along to friends. That's accessible here.

No Ordinary Christmas (Black Romance)

Mistletoe, Maine, is buzzing and not just because Christmas is around the corner! Dante West, local cutie-turned-Hollywood hunk, is returning home to make his next movie. Everyone in town is excited . . . except librarian Lucy Marshall. When Dante took off for LA without warning—or even a goodbye—he broke Lucy’s heart. She swore not to spend one more minute thinking about her ex, but Dante makes an offer Lucy’s struggling library can’t refuse: a major donation to film on-site.

Christmas in Rose Bend (Interracial Romance)

Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother’s deathbed confession: Nessa’s dad wasn’t really her dad. Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids. But then she meets the innkeeper’s ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison.

Wolf’s big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. Nessa has too much weighing on her to feel like she fits—even though the heat between her and Wolf is undeniable. And the merriment bringing an overdue smile to Ivy’s face is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?

Missing at Christmas (Black Romance)

Private investigator Shawn West is stunned when the attack victim he rescues is Addy Williams—the one woman he never forgot. She’s turning a quiet upstate New York town inside out to bring her missing sister home by Christmas. Shawn offers to help if she'll provide a cover for his own investigation into a suspicious company in town, but can they work together to find Addy's sister…or are they already too late?

A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo (Black Romance)

Rodeo superstar Geoff Burris is adored by legions of female fans, but life on the road makes him shun commitment. During a rare hometown visit to Bronco for a holiday competition, he’s sidelined by an injury—and meets Stephanie Brandt. She’s a local nurse who is not dazzled by his fame—and prefers to keep out of the spotlight! Geoff is captivated by the no-nonsense introvert. He’d never planned to put down roots, but when Stephanie is in his arms, all this cowboy can think about is forever…

Christmas Data Breach (Black Romance)

Security specialist Gideon Wright knows Mya Rochon’s cancer research is groundbreaking. But when an arsonist destroys his ex-wife’s lab and puts her at risk, he discovers it’s dangerous, too. With Gideon’s protection, Mya’s determined to finish her project—no matter the risk to her life…or Gideon's heart. But will their rekindled partnership face its most deadly adversary yet?

Claiming His Christmas Inheritance (Black Romance)

In her last matchmaking attempt, Zed Evans’s late aunt stipulated he must find a wife—or lose his childhood home. Fortunately, the resolute bachelor needs to be married for only three months. Now he just has to convince Tasha Jenkins to be his holiday wife in exchange for funds to get her dream business started. It’s the perfect plan…until love makes an unexpected appearance.

   

And don't forget the kids!

Santa in the City (Picture Book)

It's two weeks before Christmas, and Deja is worried that Santa might not be able to visit her--after all, as a city kid, she doesn't have a chimney for him to come down and none of the parking spots on her block could fit a sleigh, let alone eight reindeer! But with a little help from her family, community, and Santa himself, Deja discovers that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in her city.

My Only Christmas Wish by J. M. Jefferies

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're celebrating Christmas in July all month long. And what better way to celebrate than with a glass of frozen hot chocolate and a Christmas themed-romance? 

Eli Austin has just acquired Bennetts, a beloved luxury department store. He's ready to get his revenge on the Bennett family who he believe almost drove his father out of business. The goal is to come in and pretty much shut down the store by making drastic changes.

Despite her mother selling off her store behind her back, Darcy Bennett refuses to go down quietly. She just has to win Eli over and show him that her store is a force to be reckoned with. Unlike his chain Dollar Bin, Bennetts cares about their employees and many have worked with them for years as well as having had family members work from them. This store is her family legacy and she's willing to fight for it. With Christmas fast approaching she'll need to do her best to keep with the store's holiday traditions.

Christmas romance set at a department store is not a new angle but I enjoyed how it was handled here. This enemies to loves romance had plenty of charm and while reading it I was taken by to my days of working the holiday season at a department store. Dollar Bin sounds like Walmart with worse customer service. While Bennetts sounds like the department store of dreams. The department store I worked at was never that nice. If only all retail jobs could include great benefits despite the low pay. If only we all had charitable bosses who cared about all employees and not just the bottom line.

Darcy is one of those characters who can charm anyone and she is well loved by so many people in Atlanta. While her superwoman like attributes could be a little over the top at times I enjoyed such a strong character. She was allowed to be the boss without having to shrink herself for a man which tends to happen in these Christmas romances. And she not only tries to make work better for her employees by offering cafeteria with healthy food choices, affordable insurance, and a day care center but she also sits on several committees and works with multiple charities. 

Eli is stubborn and his banter with Darcy was one of the things that kept me reading. Every time it seemed like they were making progress he found some way to ruin it with his ego. He's all about the bottom line and making the most money but fails to see how it effects him employees until he sees how well Bennetts runs. I also liked his relationship with his daughter Sophia, who he adores. Like many children in these types of stories she's a precocious child who wants her widower father to be happy. 

This was published in 2012 but it still holds up almost 10 yrs later. Holiday cheer is timeless and the brief mentions of a bad economy continue to ring true.This is a sweet romance that brings that much needed Christmas magic.

It's not in print right now so you can't get a physical copy unless you buy it used but you can get the ebook here for the price of a latte. 

**CLOSED** Christmas in July Giveaway!

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're celebrating Christmas in July here at WOC Reads! And what better way to celebrate than with a Christmas gift?

This giveaway is open international wherever Book Depository ships! There will be one winner and the winner will receive a Jan-July 2021 release of their choice.

To enter: Must be following me on Twitter @mswocreader or Instagram @mswocreader. Anyone following me on both platforms gets 2 entries. Comment down below with your handle to be counted.

This giveaway will close July 12th at 11:59pm, Winner will be announced July 13th!

Christmas in July

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Christmas is my favorite time of year and even thoughts it's months away I can't help but be excited. So between browsing QVC for early Christmas gifts and watching Christmas TV movies I plan on squeezing in a holiday themed read. So I wanted to make a list of accessible reads for Christmas in July. My goal is to squeeze in at least two of these during the month.

 

Married & Bright

For pop star Bianca Esposito, superstardom is right around the corner. In two weeks she and her chart-topping Christmas hit will be on a world tour. For now, she wants to (try to) enjoy being home for the holidays. If the creepy but, sort of cute, Rideo driver staring at her in the rearview mirror actually takes her there.

There isn't much Jaden Brooks wouldn't do for his family, including picking up a rideshare shift to help with his brother's medical bills and delivering his tipsy cousin home safely from a bar. He's the guy who always does the right thing. Never abandons his family or steps out of line, which is why he doesn't flirt with passengers or engage in awkward conversations—or ask the beautiful woman in the backseat for her number.

When Bianca and her friends end up at the same bar where Jaden picks up his cousin, it seems too coincidental. As Bianca accuses Jaden of stalking her, their heated conversation sets off sparks--and the attention of her fans. Soon, a getaway Rideo drive turns into a perfect night beneath the neon lights where hot chocolate shots and winter wonderland kisses blur into midnight marriage vows. After a media storm erupts, the pair must decide: is it possible to follow both your dreams and your heart?

Never Christmas Without You: An Anthology

Just for the Holidays by Nana Malone

Justin Morrison would do anything to make his ailing grandmother happy. Even if that means inventing a fake girlfriend to take home for the holidays. His best friend, Alex Winters, reluctantly agrees, but it’s not easy to keep her long-buried feelings for Justin under wraps when they’re sharing a room…a bed…a kiss. Christmas in Catalina is turning out to be hotter than anyone expected, but is theirs a love for all seasons?

His Holiday Gift by Reese Ryan

Pleasure Cove’s prodigal son just got the ultimate Christmas surprise—Madison, his five-year-old daughter he knew nothing about. Maddie’s aunt, Mikayla Mitchell, was once one of Dash Williams’s best friends…and his secret admirer. Now, seeing the sexy, ambitious lawyer with his little girl, Mikayla’s more smitten than ever. And Dash is starting to realize Mikayla’s the only one who could make his days merry and bright, and fill his nights with bliss…

A Gingerbread Romance: Based on a Hallmark Channel original movie

Taylor’s architectural firm enters her in a contest to build life-sized gingerbread houses. After the contest, she’s likely to get a promotion to a position in another city. But it’s a team competition, and Taylor’s temperamental partner soon backs out. Taylor needs a replacement—fast.

When she meets Adam, a baker and single dad, she convinces him to be her partner in the contest. After all, winning would give his bakery much-needed exposure.

For years, Taylor has avoided thinking of anywhere as “home.” When she was a kid, her family was always on the move. But the time she spends with Adam and his daughter Brooke, decorating for Christmas and enjoying Philadelphia’s holiday traditions, has her questioning everything. Could she have found a place to call her own?

A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas

Greg Wong hates when things don’t go according to plan, so he definitely doesn’t appreciate it when his mother insists he drive Tasha Edwards back to Mosquito Bay for the Christmas holidays. He likes peace and quiet when he’s in the car, and that’s the opposite of what he’ll get with Tasha, his high school sweetheart. The first woman he ever loved.

My Only Christmas Wish

All Darcy Bennett wants for Christmas is for her family's upscale Atlanta department store to stay in the family. No man, especially a stubborn—and deliciously sexy—Scrooge is going to edge her out without a fight. Bent on vengeance, new store owner Eli Austin has no problem using power to get his way. But is Darcy's feminine charm and a dash of holiday cheer enough to convince Eli to let her keep her legacy?

In a world full of mergers and takeovers, Eli does what it takes to stay in control. However, he doesn't count on the irresistible urge to unwrap Darcy like a holiday surprise. And he definitely isn't prepared to compromise with a woman whose family destroyed his own. With the magic of Christmas surrounding them, will Darcy and Eli be able to put aside their differences and realize that love is the only gift worth wishing for?

Noelle The First

Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through.

Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle.

With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.

The 12 Daves of Christmas: A Novel

Gabby Garrett's life never goes the way she envisions. She once pictured owning an interior decorating firm and marrying a successful, intelligent gift of the gods. In reality, she has stable (but boring) job and is about to marry the “perfect” man until he surprises Gabby seconds before her Christmas wedding is set to begin. Two years later, Black Friday holds a whole new meaning. In this midst of her holiday funk, she receives two unexpected gifts—a visit from her sister and a misdirected but intriguing text message from some guy named Dave.

After weeks of texting and old-fashioned phone calls (no exchange of personal information), she and Dave believe they’re made for one another—except Dave is hiding three big secrets that may change everything. On the day they’re slated to meet, Murphy’s law strikes, and they’re left with no way to find one another.

With only two possible clues, a real estate agent for a sister, and a heart full of determination, Gabby sets on a mission to find the man of her dreams. She’s 12 Daves and 8 days away from Christmas--and the clock is ticking. But is Gabby ready for the answer to her Christmas wish…even if he comes with a package she never pictured?

Merry Kiss Me: A Kiawah Island Christmas Romance

A decade after leaving home, culinary magazine editor Symone Farris is heading back to Kiawah Island for the holidays. She’s escaping New York and a failed engagement to reconnect with her grandmother’s storied restaurant and speakeasy, The Haint. But before she can say “Merry Christmas,” she’s fighting her mother’s campaign to sell the beloved establishment to the local real estate developer and love she left behind without notice ten years ago.

Rhue Baines loves three things, Christmas, family, and the Lowcountry sea islands he calls home. He understands the needs of his island community because he’s never left. When his ex, Symone blows back into town demanding he stop the planned redevelopment of her family’s land, he’s determined to get his way.

As Christmas approaches they both begin to remember what made them fall in love all those years ago. But when the past finally catches up with them, can their hearts survive the crash?