Merry Christmas Monday Winners

The winners from PJ's December 22nd Merry Christmas Monday post are:

Kimh

and

Patty B43

You have each won a package of books. (U.S. addresses only)

Helen

and

Anita H

You have each won your choice of a Kindle copy of 

one novella from those reviewed in the post.

(International)

Merry Christmas Monday

Most of the year I have plenty of time to lose myself in a long, multi-layered story so it's no surprise that my reading choices trend toward full-length novels. But when the winter holidays approach and my calendar begins to fill, leaving reading time at a premium, I turn to those delightfully delicious nuggets of holiday happiness known as the romance novella. Here are a few of the stories keeping me company this holiday season.

Her Christmas Earl: A Regency Novella
by Anna Campbell

No good deed goes unpunished… 

To save her hen-witted sister from scandal, Philippa Sanders ventures into a rake’s bedroom – and into his power. Now her reputation hangs by a thread and only a hurried marriage can rescue her. Is the Earl of Erskine the heartless libertine the world believes? Or will Philippa discover unexpected honor in a man notorious for his wild ways? 

Blair Hume, the dissolute Earl of Erskine, has had his eye on the intriguing Miss Sanders since he arrived at this deadly dull house party. Now a reckless act delivers this beguiling woman into his hands as a delightful Christmas gift. Is fate offering him a fleeting Yuletide diversion? Or will this Christmas Eve encounter spark a passion that lasts a lifetime? 

Take one notorious rake who is more than he seems, add a practical young woman bent on saving her family from scandal, stir in intelligent conversation, a little steam, some deeper feelings. Place it all in the gentleman's dressing room, jam the door shut and sprinkle with Campbell's superb wit, humor and depth of emotion to create a lovely, feel-good story that will leave you sighing with happiness.


The Sweet Surrender of Janet Buchanan

by Paula  Quinn


SHE WOULD NOT BE CONQUERED . . .

Janet Buchanan is no man's property. She refuses to marry her family's sworn enemy-consequences be damned. She'd rather take a dagger to the brute herself. Yet when a tantalizing-and infuriating-man from her past comes to her rescue, Janet finds herself undeniably tempted by his hot, hungry kiss.

HE COULD NOT BE TAMED . . .

Notorious for his prowess as a lover and a fighter, Darach Grant has only one goal in mind: to defend his kin's land from the impending siege of a hostile clan. The last thing he needs is the delicious distraction of Janet Buchanan-the only woman who can stir his ire as deeply as she warms his blood. But Janet's intended will stop at nothing to claim her, forcing Darach to choose between surrendering his honor . . . or his heart.


I'm a huge fan of Paula Quinn's Highlanders - the bold, brawny men and the courageous lasses who claim their hearts. After seeing the fire between Darach and Janet in The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell (you don't have to read this first but it will give you a deeper appreciation of Janet and Darach's relationship), I was among the many begging for their happy ending. While only 25,000 words, Ms. Quinn has given me all I desired in this fast-paced, emotional, action-packed story of honor, betrayal, loyalty and love. 

Once Upon a Christmas Kiss
By Manda Collins

IS IT A REASON FOR CHEER?

When Sir Lucien Blakemore arrives at his cousin’s estate for a week long Christmas party, he’s shocked to see Miss Winifred Nightingale among the other guests. Employed by his neighbor back in Yorkshire, the governess with the lovely eyes has always seemed off limits, but she’s visiting here as a guest—and there’s nothing like a little mistletoe to make the spirits bright…

OR THE SEASON FOR HEARTBREAK?

Miss Winifred Nightingale never dreamed a holiday visit with her sister would lead to both ladies spending Christmas as the local lord’s guests. But the big surprise comes when she finds the handsome Sir Lucien Blakemore staying there too. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will an old nemesis and a party guest bent on mischief make their first kiss under the mistletoe their last?

One of the things I most enjoy about Manda Collins' writing is the intelligence she brings to her characters, especially the females. With well-conceived story lines, fully developed characters, witty banter, just the right amount of sizzle and a tightly plotted mystery running throughout, she keeps this reader engaged from beginning to end. With a good-guy hero, a heroine everyone can cheer for and a richly developed cast of secondary characters, not to mention a Christmas house party (who doesn't love those?), Once Upon a Christmas Kiss will "kiss" your holidays with pure reading pleasure. 

  

“A Perfectly Dreadful Christmas” 

by Louisa Cornell
from the Christmas Revels anthology


Three not-so-wise gentlemen, a pregnant stranger, several tumbling footmen, and an unexpected snowstorm will turn Elizabeth's Perfectly Ordinary Christmas into a disaster ... or a Christmas miracle with the man she loves. 


Louisa Cornell is a long-time friend and a natural-born storyteller. I've been waiting many years to see one of her stories in print. "A Perfectly Dreadful Christmas" is a perfectly delightful debut! It has everything I could ask for in a delicious nugget of reading pleasure. The dialogue is witty and fast-paced with humor that is laugh-out-loud delightful but this story also includes deep and poignant emotion that touched my heart and let loose a few tears. The characters are richly drawn with a depth that is not readily apparent. Cornell unveils those depths in our hero and heroine but teases by only pulling back the curtain a bit with the other primary characters. As a reader, that tells me (I'm not above begging here) that they will be receiving their own stories. For a perfectly wonderful holiday novella, pick up a copy of Louisa Cornell's "A Perfectly Dreadful Christmas" in the Holiday Revels anthology.

Cowboys for Christmas
By Liz Talley, Kim Law and Terri Osburn

Claire, Georgia, and Mary Catherine couldn’t be more different, but they promised they would be there for one another no matter what. And when they all gather in Holly Hills, Texas, for Mary Catherine’s Christmas wedding, they’ll find they have one thing in common: hearts that are about to be branded—by unforgettable cowboys.

In “Love Me, Cowboy” by Terri Osburn, wallflower Claire would be more excited about the wedding if it didn’t mean running into Mary Catherine’s brother—the bull rider she once had a scorching one-night stand with…

Ivy League volleyball coach Georgia never wanted to see Holly Hills—or another cowboy—again. But a sexy veterinarian is making her rethink her vow to never marry a Texas man in “Kiss Me, Cowboy” by Liz Talley.

Claire and Georgia both think that Mary Catherine is getting hitched to the wrong man, despite how perfect he is. And in “Marry Me, Cowboy” by Kim Law, a local rancher with a wild reputation gives Mary Catherine a glimpse of what might have been—and what could still be...


I do love a sexy cowboy so you know this anthology shot right to the top of my holiday reading list. I enjoyed all three of the stories about three best friends who return home to their small Texas hometown and find love in the most unexpected places but my favorite of the trio is "Love Me, Cowboy" by Terri Osburn. Osburn showcases her skill in getting to the heart of her characters with Claire, a woman who has spent most of her life struggling with her weight, her self-esteem and her bully of a mother and sexy, bull-rider Tyler, her best friend's younger brother and the man who owns her heart - a fact of which he is unaware. While Claire has slimmed down and toned up, she still struggles with her self-image and her controlling mother. It's hard to see herself as the person she is today and even more difficult to imagine that while Tyler loves the "new" her, he loved the "old" her just as well. Osburn guides these two through some harrowing emotional minefields with the finesse for which she has become known in her contemporary Anchor Island series. Give this one a try.


Unwrapping her Perfect Match

A London Legends Christmas Novella
By Kat Latham


’Twas a week before Christmas, and at the auction house... 

At six foot one, Gwen Chambers has felt like a giant her whole life. She’s a calm, capable nurse saving lives in a busy London hospital, but healthy men give her heart palpitations. When larger-than-life rugby player “Little” John Sheldon convinces her to bid on him in his team’s fundraising auction, she discovers how pleasurable heart palpitations can be. 

A rugby player was stirring, with desire no one could douse... 

John has wanted Gwen since he first saw her, but when he’s injured in a match just before Christmas he suddenly needs her too. Not only can the sexy nurse help him recover, but she might be able to help him look after his daughter—a shy ten-year-old who speaks only French. 

But will it be a Happy Christmas for all, and for all a good night? 

From decorating the Christmas tree to ice skating at the Tower of London, Gwen helps father and daughter open up and bond with each other—and she bonds right along with them. But when John's agent calls with a life-changing offer, Gwen has to decide how far she’s willing to go for her perfect match. Will their first Noël also be their last?

This novella was my introduction to Kat Latham's rugby playing London Legends. What did I do as soon as I finished reading it? I downloaded the rest of the books! I admit it. I love a jock. I've been a sports nut since I was a child and an avid romance reader since my teens so combine the two and you've got me. I'm hooked. But these books are not only for sports loving romance readers. Latham's heroes are fully fleshed, complex men who face more than just the conflict on the playing fields. And though they may be rough and tumble athletes, off the field they deal with issues that are deep, complex and sometimes frightening. Take John Sheldon, the largest man on the team, who is felled by a concussion just before Christmas and must rely on Gwen, the lovely nurse he's just met to help him through Christmas - the first one he's spent alone with his ten year old daughter. Did I mention that his daughter lives in France and doesn't speak English? Or that John doesn't speak French? Or that Gwen has struggled her entire life with her self-image and being bullied as a child because of being several inches taller than everyone else? Or how one person's betrayal has left her feeling unworthy and wary of attention from men? Yep, lots of complex issues and Latham handles them beautifully. Take a trip to London this holiday season and meet one of her "Legends." Bet you can't read just one!

~PJ


What are your holiday reading habits?

Do you enjoy reading novellas?

Do you prefer contemporary or historical?

Have you read any recently that you would recommend?

What titles are on your tbr list?

I have a package of books ready to come home to two of you who leave a comment on today's post! (U.S. only)

And for two of our international readers, you can choose a Kindle copy of one of the novellas reviewed above! 

Merry Christmas! 

Merry Christmas Monday Winners

The two randomly chosen winners of a package of books

from the December 15th Merry Christmas Monday blog are:

Carol L

and

mickey macD

To claim your package of books, please send 

your full name and mailing address (US addresses only) to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Merry Christmas Monday

Turtle Bark

Last Monday we chatted about snacks - those tasty nibbles that keep our tummies happy at parties, while watching football, wrapping gifts or stealing a few precious moments to lose ourselves in a good book. Today, we're shining the holiday spotlight on the sweeter side of life. I don't eat a lot of desserts the rest of the year. In fact, I usually prefer salty to sweet but that preference seems to go flying out the window when December rolls around and my sweet tooth blossoms in all its chocolate loving glory. Unless, of course, the sweet chocolate is combined with salt. No way I'm walking away from that one!

I do a lot of baking and candy making throughout the month of

December. I begin early - the weekend following Thanksgiving - and usually continue until a few days before Christmas. There are packages to ship to family and friends far away as well as goody plates to deliver to neighbors and others who go out of their way to bring a smile to my days. I love getting creative in the kitchen and watching the smiles the treats elicit upon delivery makes my heart happy. It's a win-win! 

Here are a few of the treats coming out of my kitchen this Christmas...


BOURBON BALLS

Powdered sugar
2.5 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
.5 cup bourbo
3 tablespoons corn syrup

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix one cup powdered sugar with remaining ingredients.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar onto a piece of waxed paper.

With hands, shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each in powdered sugar.

Wrap balls in plastic wrap or foil or store in tightly closed container.

YIELD: 3.5 dozen


TIGER'S BUTTER

2 cups white chocolate (candy melts) - melted
2 cups milk chocolate - melted
1 cup peanut butter

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler.

Melt milk chocolate in a separate double boiler.

Stir peanut butter into melted white chocolate until smooth. Add melted milk chocolate and gently swirl.

Use mixture to fill candy molds. Chill until firm then pop out onto waxed paper or

Spread onto a waxed paper lined cookie sheet to make bark. Chill until firm then break into pieces or

Pour into a waxed paper lined baking dish. Chill until firm. Pull out of dish using waxed paper. Cut into squares. Wrap in colored foil squares.


EASY COCONUT MACAROONS

5 1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 325°

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto parchment.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until golden. Remove to cooling rack.

YIELD: 24 cookies

* Can make ahead and freeze.

ELEGANT DIPPED CHERRIES

1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries with stems, well drained
2 tablespoons butter - melted
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons Half 'n Half
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup white chocolate - melted
.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate - melted

Pat cherries dry with paper towels and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the butter, corn syrup, unsweetened chocolate and cream. Stir in the powdered sugar.

Knead dough until smooth. Roll into 18 balls; flatten each into a 2-inch circle. Wrap each circle around a cherry and lightly roll in hands.

Place cherries, stem side up, in a shallow wax paper lined container. Cover and freeze for at least two hours.

Remove cherries from the freezer. Melt white chocolate. Holding onto the stem, dip cherries in the white chocolate; set on waxed paper to dry.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate. Drizzle over candies.

Store in an air-tight container.

* Undipped dough can be made ahead and kept in freezer until the day before serving.

YIELD: 1.5 dozen


And for our 4-legged friends:

GOOD DOGGY DOG BONES

2-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dry milk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon beef bouillon, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and stir well.

Knead dough two minutes on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut into shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 300° for 30 minutes.

Remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.

YIELD: 4 dozen



Those are a few of the treats that come from my kitchen at Christmas. 

What treats are made in yours?

Are you a baker or a buyer? 

Do you like your treats sweet or salty...or a combination of the two?

What's the traditional favorite that your family insists on every Christmas?

Any recipes to share?

I have two more packages of books ready to fly away to new homes! (U.S. addresses only)

Merry Christmas Monday Winner

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for my first Merry Christmas Monday post on 

December 8th. I appreciate all the recipes you generously shared! 

The randomly chosen two winners of a package of books from this post are:

Laurie G

and

Barbara E

Congratulations, ladies! 

To claim your books please send your full name and mailing address to us at

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Merry Christmas Monday

It's December 8th, the time of year when a lady's thoughts turn to visions of Chex Mix, Taco Dip, Hidden Valley Ranch Oyster Crackers, Blue Cheese Walnut Spread, Baked Brie and more. That's right, friends. Sweet, spicy, chewy, crisp, savory, creamy; in my house, it's all about the snacks!

Holiday activities go hand in hand with tasty nibbles, right? Holiday movies just aren't the same without a bowl of popcorn. A friend stops by for a cozy chat? Bring out the Chex Mix and eggnog!

The gang gathers at your house after the local Christmas Parade? How about some Taco Dip and chips or Ranch Oyster Crackers? Bet you can't eat just one! 

Here are recipes for some of my favorite holiday snacks.  




HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH CRACKERS

http://tinyurl.com/q6monmb

12-16 oz bag of plain oyster crackers
1 envelope of Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk  Recipe salad dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine dressing mix with oil. Add dill weed, garlic powder and lemon pepper.

Place crackers in a baking dish. Pour dressing mixture over the crackers, stirring to coat.

Bake in a 250° F. oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool before serving.



TACO DIP

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese - room temperature
1 (16 oz) carton of sour cream
1 envelope of taco seasoning

Blend cream cheese until smooth. Mix in sour cream and taco seasoning. Serve with your chips of choice. Easy peasy and sure to draw rave reviews. You may want to make a double recipe. This won't last long!










Need an appetizer to take to your work/neighborhood/book club Christmas party? I highly recommend Blue Cheese Walnut Spread, Boursin or Kahlua Pecan Brie. You may want to plan ahead and have recipe cards ready to hand out because I guarantee people will be asking!


BOURSIN

A neighbor shared this recipe with me in 1984 and it quickly became a holiday tradition. Also makes

a great gift to share with friends!

Blend the following:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
16 oz cream cheese - room temperature
8 oz. butter, room temperature

Add the following and mix well:
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon chives
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dill weed

Cover tightly and store in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature to serve. Great cracker spread!



KAHLUA PECAN BRIE

3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup Kahlua
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (14-16 oz) wheel of Brie cheese

Mix Kahlua, pecans and brown sugar together.

Cut and discard rind from the top of the Brie. Place Brie in ovenproof dish; cover with pecan mixture.

Bake at 350° F. for 25 minutes.

Serve with crackers of choice.

* Don't bake longer than 25 minutes. The Brie should be soft but not melted.


BLUE CHEESE WALNUT SPREAD

(I got this one from Weight Watchers - all the flavor with a fraction of the calories!)

1 cup cream cheese - room temperature
1/2 cup blue cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chives

Blend cream cheese, blue cheese, sour cream and Worcestershire sauce.

Stir in walnuts and chives.

Chill at least one hour before serving with your favorite crackers.


What are the go-to snacks for your family this time of year? 

I have a package of books (Merry Christmas!) for two randomly chosen people who leave a comment on today's post. (US addresses only)

Be sure to come back for the next two Mondays when I'll be sharing more holiday favorites and giving away books!