A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time. Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re- consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay. Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t. Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit. One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.
Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her family and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before she trained as a lawyer and more recently worked at a psychiatric unit. She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day. FacebookWebsiteInstagramTwitter
My thoughts: this was a lovely, charming book full of friendship, love and hope.
Ben, Jed, Hattie and Christine are four lonely people brought together and who slowly find new ways to be through their relationships with each other.
Ben is grieving and his well meaning sister doesn’t really see it, but his friendship with Jed gives him a way to help another person and open his horizons a little. Jed is punishing himself and struggling on the streets, becoming friends with Ben and Hattie helps him realise he doesn’t need to keep punishing himself for others’ mistakes. Hattie and Christine are a mother and daughter at loggerheads. When Hattie gets to know Jed and Ben, her mother sees red. But as she herself starts to fall for Ben, can Christine let go of the past?
With Christmas approaching, will the festive season work on these four people and bring them together? Can they be happily ever after? Well, you’ll have to read it and see!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
THE CAST OF SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING THE APPEAL RETURN FOR A FESTIVE MURDER MYSTERY *
One dead Santa. A town full of suspects. Will you discover the truth?
Christmas in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, to raise money for the church roof appeal. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking amongst the amateur dramatics enthusiasts.
Sarah-Jane is fending off threats to her new position as Chair, the fibreglass beanstalk might be full of asbestos, and a someone is intent on ruining the panto even before the curtain goes up. Of course there’s also the matter of the dead body. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list?
Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they read the round robins, examine the emails and pore over the police transcripts. Will the show go on?
Janice Hallett is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Appeal (a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, the Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year and winner of the CWA Debut Dagger award) and the Sunday Times bestsellers The Twyford Code and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. She lives in West London.
My thoughts: the Fairway Players are back, with all the bitchy backstabbing and murderous machinations as they put together their festive show – Jack and the Beanstalk, complete with rather elderly, done the rounds Beanstalk.
Emails, social media posts, texts and police transcripts build up the picture of what exactly happened and who the guilty party is.
Darkly humorous and with all the trademark red herrings and crazy goings on that made The Appeal such a hit read intact. A brilliant and entertaining festive crime read.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
After a difficult break-up, Poppy is keen to put the past behind her and what’s better than some relaxing time with her aunt in the picturesque Cornish village of West Par. But life at her aunt Flora’s Dogs’ Home is anything but relaxing. When a poor little pup is stranded at the gates, Poppy takes them for a check up at the local vet, hoping against hope they’ll be fine. And there she meets Mack: the vet who is so charming and experienced with the dogs, but selfish and – dare she say it – money-grabbing with his clients. But underneath that cold exterior, she’s sure there’s more to the story. If only she could convince him to open up. Because without him, the future of Wagging Tails isn’t so assured… Purchase
Sarah Hope is the author of many successful romance novels, including the bestselling Cornish Bakery series.
My thoughts: a book full of my favourite things – animals, Cornwall, romance, charming characters, yes please. Oh and it’s set at Christmas, which is a bonus if you’re into it.
Poppy moves in with her Aunt Flora, who runs the Wagging Tails Dog Rescue, and offers to help out while she gets herself together, after an ugly breakup. Bonding with Flora’s enthusiastic team, and the cute pooches, especially Dougal, abandoned in a box by the gate, Poppy soon realises that despite everything appearing to be ok, there’s a serious problem Aunt Flora has kept secret.
Falling for, and bickering with, new vet Mack, can Poppy help out Wagging Tails, save Aunt Flora, adopt Dougal and build a new life for herself in West Par? With some help, human and canine, she might just be able to do so!
Delightful, sweet, funny and full of doggos. What’s not to like? Go on, treat yourself.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
A town in need. An extraordinary cat. A season for miracles…
It’s nearly Christmas and committed Londoner, Mina Kestle, is close to signing a deal that will make her career and give her everything she’s ever wanted. And then she receives a mysterious letter in the post along with an ancient key, sent by her long-estranged godfather . . .
Davy Penhallow is an artist who lives on the tiny Cornish island of Morgelyn with only his pet cat, Murr, for company. Mina hasn’t seen or heard from him in decades, but now it seems he wants her to look after his cottage – and his cat – while he recovers from a stroke in hospital. Mina doesn’t know why Davy has written after all these years, but she intends to do what’s right: sort out the cottage and the cat and then get back to London in time for her career-saving meeting, before everything she’s built comes crashing down around her.
But the more time Mina spends in the cottage, looking after Murr and remembering the magic of Cornish folklore, the harder it becomes for her to tear herself away. And when she discovers that a set of ruthless property developers are coming for Morgelyn, she realises she might be the only one who can stand in their way to save the island, Davy’s cottage and Murr’s home.
As Christmas draws ever closer and echoes of the past – her own and the island’s – wash up in her memory, Mina begins to unravel a generation of secrets… and discover what it is she has truly always wanted . . .
The perfect magical read to cosy up with on chilly winter nights…
My thoughts: as anyone lucky enough to be selected as a cat’s servant knows, they are magical and mysterious beasts. Murr may be centuries old and part of myth, or she might be the last descendant in a long line, that’s a secret that she won’t tell.
But the tiny island of Morgelyn needs a saviour now, and in the form of Mina, and the islanders, who set out to save it, they have one. As Mina waits to see whether her godfather will recover from a stroke, she cleans his cottage, feeds his cat, and fights to save his home.
I am not only a cat servant, I am a lover of Cornwall (my ancestors came from the West Country) and this is a celebration of that magical place too. Its ancient Celtic traditions, its unique language and myths.
A slim volume, but one that’s heartwarming and sweet, full of bravery and love. 🐈⬛🐈⬛ I think even my cat would approve, if he could read!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time.
Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re-consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay.
Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t.
Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit.
One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.
Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.
Amazon UK
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Publication Date: 24th November 2023
Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her family and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before she trained as a lawyer and more recently worked at a psychiatric unit.
She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.
Alisha Jones, or Princess Christmas as she is affectionately known, is joint heir to her Grandpa Frost’s family fortune, but being third behind an older sister and brother means she has to work three times as hard to prove herself. Marsha Underwood, her Grandpa’s PA and ever-present thorn in her side, is determined to undermine her at every turn and Alisha finds herself powerless to prevent this. An encounter with a fortune teller at the Frost Christmas Ball leads to a bewildering dream of the future; and the added complication of Tom Walker, the son of Frost’s new business partner leads to a tumultuous year. With her friends by her side, will she be able to turn things around? And what exactly does the strange dream mean? A story of family, friendship and love at first sight with a sprinkle of Christmas magic. Purchase Follow Charlie Dean on Twitter
🎄 Enemies-to-lovers
🎄 Fake Dating
🎄 Forced Proximity
🎄 Sharing Body Heat to Stay Warm
🎄 One Car
🎄 Anxiety Rep
🎄 No Third Act Breakup
Fake dating my arch-nemesis during Christmas…what’s the worst that could happen?
One year ago, Oliver Lewis ruined my life by winning the community college photography contest—now he’s ruined it again by scratching my car.
Did I mention it’s Christmastime? Now, while my car is being repaired, I’m forced to let Oliver chauffeur me around Meridel.
But I’ve found a silver lining! If I win England’s most prestigious photo competition, I can finally pay off my debt and move forward with my life. The only problem is, one of the judges is Oliver’s father, and to better my chances, I have to get cozy with my arch-nemesis.
AKA: pretend to be his girlfriend for Christmas.
I thought it would be simple, but I did not expect that underneath that smug, arrogant exterior there’d be a sweet, thoughtful man who would find every excuse to be near me.
But it doesn’t matter. I, Maya Beck, will not fall for Oliver Lewis.
My future rests on winning this contest and nothing—and no one—will get in the
The Mistletoe Bluff is a sweet, closed-door romantic comedy with laugh-out-loud moments, sizzling chemistry, and swoony kisses.
This is the second standalone in the Sweet Meridel Romance series.
2021 Best Indie Book Award® Fantasy Winner, 2022 Minnesota Author Project YA Fiction Winner, and 2022 Best Indie Book Award® Dragon Fantasy Winner!
Emily Schneider grew up in Minnesota where she spent most of her life studying music and singing, which ironically has nothing to do with writing fantasy or romantic comedy novels. While music had always been a passion, Emily could never get away from her love of reading and writing books full of dragons, Fae, monsters, magic, and romance. When she isn’t writing, you can find Emily chasing around her two dogs, Pixel and Frodo, playing Mario Kart with her husband, or watching The Lord of the Rings for the one-hundred-and-eleventh time.
Three women, three decades, three Christmas Eve moments that change their lives forever. On Christmas Eve, 1968, Cathy McLean receives a surprise visit from the lost love of her life and is forced to chose between the one that got away and the one that stayed. On Christmas Eve, 1993, Cathy’s daughter Helena is overjoyed to hear that her boyfriend is about to propose, until a devastating encounter threatens to bring her heartbreak instead of diamonds. On Christmas Eve 2023, an shocking discovery rocks Eve Quinn’s world. The only gift Eve wants this year is the truth. But will it take a Christmas miracle to unravel generations of secrets? Unwrap this festive tale of complicated families, impossible choices, and an unforgettable love that lasts three lifetimes. Purchase
Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 30 novels, including My One Month Marriage and One Summer Sunrise and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow.
My thoughts: I’m writing this during a very hot summer, which makes talking about a Christmas book seem a bit mad. But it’s from the lovely Shari Low, and it’s a totally heartwarming and sweet story of three generations of women, all of whom hit a point in their lives on Christmas Eve, years apart. Moments that could go one way or another. And as the women relive their pasts, the future is happening right there and it’s all connected.
So maybe hold onto this one for winter, it’s definitely more of a snuggly read with a mug of hot chocolate and some cosy socks than right now, when I’m trying to decide how best to cool off! But it is worth the wait, it’s a three generational love story and will make you feel all warm and melty, in a good way!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Secret Santa Claus Club is a book about a little girl looking back at each Christmas and remembering the magic of the holiday. Toward the end of the book, she starts to doubt Santa Claus, but she isn’t ready to learn the truth just yet. The next year she’s ready to know, and her parents invite her to be part of the Secret Santa Claus Club. She learns that even though Santa Claus isn’t a real person, the magic of Christmas still exists through giving and creating magic. She realizes that her parents were Santa Claus the whole time, and how much work they did to make her holiday special. The very end of the book has rules of the Club, which include keeping the secret and helping spread the magic to believers.
Jeff Janke is a single dad who considers himself more of a problem solver than an author. When his daughter started questioning Santa, he wrote a book to help guide her from a world of believing in Santa to a community of truly becoming Santa. When his daughter wanted to invite other friends into the club (after they learned the secret), and after lots of encouragement from friends and family who have faced the same dilemma, he decided to publish Secret Santa Claus Club to help other parents and children too!
Andrew and his older brother Nicholas were separated as children.
Nicholas had been snatched away by the Prince of Darkness, and Andrew had all but given up hope, but now their mother is ill, and he’s determined to reunite them before she passes – despite her objections.
With his dog Jenny by his side, Andrew sets out on an epic and perilous crusade well beyond his wildest imagination, facing evil protectors, giant wolves, dark magic, Sorcerers, Goblins, and even the Prince of Darkness himself.
Then there’s The Great Tree.
It’s enormous, with a presence that’s nearly impossible to describe…
And it’s clearly the heart of the kingdom of the wicked Sorcerer.
This is the setting for the adventure story that changed Christmas forever!
Young people and adults of all ages will enjoy this thrilling fable in the same way we’ve enjoyed other great Christmas stories of the past.
Jenny the dog is based on a very real Jenny, the author’s vision of a true warrior – who has her own inspiring story that he’s happy to share with anyone who asks.
All proceeds from the sale of The Great Tree go to The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary to rescue unadoptable dogs, cats, and horses, an approved 501 (c)(3) Animal Public Welfare Charity that greatly appreciates the ongoing support of readers like you!
Able Barrett is a former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Force Prosecutor who shamelessly admits he loves animals more than most people, and he’s the manager of The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary.
I enter the darkness that has been cultured for thousands of years, the legends of life gone by, ringing within its corridors with a deafening silence. I feel the presence of both good and evil, which seem to loosely pull at me. Which direction to take? A light can only slightly penetrate the thickness of the darkness. Faces begin to appear as ghost-like images; it’s a warning, which I do not heed.
The images become clearer. They are the faces of beautiful women, goddesses perhaps; they draw my very being deeper into the darkness, serenaded by their gentle voices lifting away my fear of the unknown. I am floating now, effortlessly on a bed of soft blowing air. I am totally consumed. Have I fallen under a spell? I call out for help.
Suddenly there is a flash of brilliant light and the real faces of the women are revealed to me. They are the true evil ones, the guardians of the darkness, the Temptress Sirens of the Dark Lords. They have surrounded me. I see a faint light in the distance. I begin to run towards the light, I feel Temptress Sirens clawing at me as I try to go towards the light in hopes of a safe passage. I hear a voice ever so softly… “Don’t go to the light…….Don’t go to the light…….It will deceive you. Use your faith and follow your heart.”
I stop but I can feel the Temptress Sirens stalking me. I move through the complete darkness with my eyes closed now. There then appears a golden mist that forms a stairway leading upward through the darkness. Without hesitation, I follow the stairway climbing slowly out of the darkness. I can still feel the draw of the Temptress Sirens at my back growing stronger. I become weary as I continue to climb. The strength of the Temptress Sirens is beginning to hold me back. I fear I cannot make it to the top. A silhouetted hand appears from out of the darkness above me. I do not know whether to take it. I have no choice. I grab the hand and a gentle pull brings me away from the grasp of the Temptress Sirens. I hear their shrieks of madness slowly fade away as I am pulled forward.
A gentle light appears and an Angel appears before me. She has the youthful beauty of a thousand ages. I hear her gentle voice speaking to me yet her lips do not move. Her name is Afriel. She is a being of light charged with safeguarding young life. She is to protect that which is youthful and tenderly growing within each of us, no matter how old we actually are. Afriel grants youth, vigor, and vitality. She places her hand on my forehead and closes her eyes as she nods her head and says, “go forward and save your brother, Nicholas.”
How did you do research for your book?
I start of course with my own knowledge; from there I am pretty impatient so I go to the internet and reliable sources. Since my books are mostly fiction I can make up anything I want, although I like to be as close to the truth as possible to make it believable which is always a goal of mine.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
Nicholas was the hardest; here is a guy we swept away by the Prince of Darkness as a kid and transformed into something he was not; but he remembers deep in his soul what he was like. The easiest was Andrew and Jenny; that was me and my girl Jenny, so very easy.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
I was working on a project and as I sat in my office out the window I saw this huge tree sitting on a hill in the distance, shaped perfectly and it came to my mind immediately what a “Great Tree” and the rest just fell into place.
There are many books out there about Christmas. What makes yours different?
I could not find a book/story about how Santa Claus (St. Nick) came to be; also how did this Christmas tree celebration come to be. It may be the first book about how St. Nick and Christmas Tree celebration came to be; at least to my knowledge.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Just go for it! Don’t let any excuse stop you. Failure is not a good reason not to try; otherwise nothing would get done.
Your book is set in an alternative world. What inspired that?
The Great Tree is set somewhere between the 7 Kingdoms, Middle Earth, and the Shire. Great places that I love in lore and from great writers.
In your book you focus on the brothers’ bond. Why is that?
Two young men together were the only powers on earth that had the power to defeat the evil before them. It is the key to the book and story, without it, the story fails.
If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
That is an easy one Andrew and Jenny; that was me and my girl Jenny, so very easy.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I am manager of The Last Road Dog Animal Rescue where we have a home for the unadoptable dogs, cats and horses that otherwise would be homeless or worse. I get to spend every day with my animal buddies which is a life all dream; while at the same time to write; nothing is better than that for me.
How long have you been writing?
The Great Tree only took 25 years to finish.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
Absolutely. Drop it for a while then just jump back into when you least expect it and boom you are at it again.
What is your next project?
“Life Beneath the Surface.” It is about a man that wakes up in the sweat lodge of an Indian medicine man, who just brought him back to life, when all else failed. He has a little memory of his past except that he remembers his wife, Aurora, was killed. It goes from there…
What genre do you write and why?
Fiction; fantasy, animals and sometimes epics, but always a good yarn!
What is the last great book you’ve read?
The Bible.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
“I really like your story but really loved the pictures!”
How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
I was a young man very similar to Andrew, as his persona is that of my own at that age, at least from my perspective, in particular his love of Jenny.
If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
Andrew: Timothee Chalamet
Nicholas: Tom Holland
Aurora: Sydney Sweeney
If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
A movie score by Hans Zimmer; Lead Song by Lady Gaga; and Directed by Antoine Fuqua
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
Making it as perfect as you can; proofed to perfection and getting the pictures to match your mind’s eye and then getting people to read it!.
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
Long and winding road!
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Just go for it. You will be surprised what you have inside you, that just needs a jump start to get going, and the you will have a great fun doing it.
Which authors inspired you to write?
J. R.R. Tolkien
George R.R. Martin
Jack Kerouac
Dr. Seuss
Jack London
What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?
A deeper dive into the personalities of Andrew and Nicholas but it slowed the pace of the book too much.
On rituals:
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Nope! I work best on an empty stomach.
Where do you write?
In my office with my dogs all around me. The atmosphere is perfect.
Do you write every day?
It goes in spurts. Days at time and then a break, sometimes caused by life’s ever-changing events.
What is your writing schedule?
Late nights when it is quiet.
Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?
I like having a movie I have seen a million times but has a good soundtrack in the background.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I have because it is actually faster and you can do an outline form much faster, at least in my case that sometimes is the only way to keep up with my brain pumping out ideas quickly and rather in random order.
If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?
I am a dad to my dogs, and I find the time with them is in balance at all times.
Fun stuff:
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
431 BC – 404 BC to the Greek and Sparta era; the time of my ancestors!
Favorite travel spot?
The beach.
Favorite dessert?
Don’t like deserts; but I would like to visit the Sahara Desert.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
Boat building book for novice; Edible native plants; and The Bible.
If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
My compassion and caring for animals.
What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?
That is my life; it didn’t change much during the pandemic, because I pretty much stayed at home most of my life anyway; it is typical, not atypical.
What TV series are you currently binge watching?
Kojak – he is of Greek heritage too.
What is your theme song?
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
What is your favorite thing to do in winter?
Playing with my kids (dogs and cats); going on hikes with them is wonderful, even better in the snow.
What is a favorite Christmas tradition (or memory)?
I love watching It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I first saw it when I was about 14 or 15 and I lived outside of Chicago, where I grew up. It was on the local PBS station. I started watching just when Gorge Bailey is on bridge and about to jump in to commit suicide when Clarence, his guarding angel, saves him. After the movie was over I went outside at about 1 in the morning and it was snowing big snowflakes outside and it was an absolutely beautiful night out, with the snow gently falling ever so gently. I will remember it forever.
What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?
Walking in Memphis
What is something that made you laugh recently?
When Jenny just starts to roll over on her back and scratches in the grass, always cracks me up as funny and happy because she is so happy.
What is your go-to breakfast item?
Spinach
Hard Boiled Egg
Whole Grain English Muffin
Yogurt
Non-fat Milk
What is the oldest item of clothing you own?
I have t-shirts from high school days from the 1970s.
Tell us about your longest friendship.
I have some friends that we get together every year in summer that date back to grade school days, about 60 years; Rob, Will, Jimmy, Scott, and Cookie. Rob and I are the closest. I pray for their good health and prosperity every day.
What is the strangest way you’ve become friends with someone?
I saved (adopted) a couple of dogs Pebbles and Bambam from a no kill shelter in 2004; they had been dropped off when they were just puppies on the shelter doorstep; and had been there for 5 years. Pebbles was quite famous as she one night opened the gate to the puppies’ room and they found a bag of kibble and they all feasted until morning when they were found. Pebbles and Bambam were great dogs and I loved them both. The lady that helped me adopt them; we became very good friends from then on; even today.
Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
An actress that went to my high school, before my time, but I still had quite a crush on her, even today, Ann-Margret.
My thoughts: this was an adventure story about one young man and his dog, Jenny, going on an epic quest to find his missing brother and save him from the darkness. There’s magic and danger but the bond between Andrew and Jenny, as they fight to redeem Nick and return to their home, is at the heart of the story. An enjoyable holiday fantasy. And all proceeds from the book go to support an animal charity. Whi
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.