Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair 2022- #Festive #Romance Staci Troilo, #Romance #Suspense Pamela S. Wight and Ashley Brandt, #Festive #Mystery James J. Cudney,

Welcome to the Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair with a selection of books from personally recommended authors on my bookshelf I believe will make wonderful gifts for friends, family and for you.

The first book is one I can highly recommend and is the festive romance by Staci Troilo – No Such Luck (Keystone Couples)

About the Book

Seeds of luck usually wither. The rare one grows and blooms.

Piper Seidel has one thing going for her—a red carnation given to her by Tommy Burnett in the tenth grade. It might have dried over the years, but it’s still her good luck charm. Losing it sets her life in a downward spiral, forcing her to return to her hometown where she comes face to face with her high school crush.

The years have been kind to Tommy, who looks better than ever. Unfortunately, Piper is at her worst, continually embarrassing herself whenever he’s around. The only plus? Her long-time friend, Jack Rhodes, still lives in town. Since she last saw him, his legs have grown longer, his biceps thicker, and his shoulders broader. He was always the brother she never had, but now she can’t help noticing him in an unsisterly way. Jack is every bit as caring as he’s ever been—until her bad luck drives him away, maybe forever.

Piper needs a new good luck charm, and fast, before she loses her final chance at happiness.

One of the reviews for the book

John W. Howell VINE VOICE  5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Story Well-Written

Piper is one of those people who believes she is the best there is. That belief still holds when her boss fires her. Not only did he fire her, but he had security pack her things and escort her out of the building. But, for the best, there is it is a hard way to leave.

Piper is also one who hangs on to a memory even if it is not exactly true to the actual situation. While her stuff was packed, someone lost a precious good luck charm of hers. The charm kept alive a fond memory of a night with Tommy Burnett, her high school crush.

Piper also has failed to keep in touch with her childhood friend Jack Rhodes. He calls regularly, but Piper doesn’t have the time or inclination to return his calls.
So now Piper has to drive home for Christmas and face the possibility of a grim holiday.

She is without a job and alone in this world except for her loving father and not-so-loving stepmom.

There are enough elements to make one heck of a romantic tale with what I have exposed here. It takes an excellent writer to think up these elements and then craft a satisfying story worth reading. This is what Staci Troilo has done.

I have to admit I’m not one for romance novels, but I found this one tough to put down. Ms. Troilo had a launch tour, and the excerpts on that tour convinced me that I would enjoy the story. It is a well-written, heartwarming adventure worth reading. 

Head over to read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

A small selection of books written by Staci Troilo

Discover more about Staci Troilo and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK –Follow Staci: Goodreads– Blog: Staci Troilo WordPress – Website: Staci Troilo – Twitter– @stacitroilo –

The next book is a romantic suspense novel by Pamela S. Wight and Ashley Brandt... another perfect gift for any time of year. Twin Desires.

About the book

Twin Desires, a romantic suspense set in San Francisco and the quiet CA town of Stinson Beach, follows Sandra Eastman and the two men who almost destroy her world.
Blake Sinclair, Sandra’s boss and president of a prestigious investment firm, is successful and charismatic. But his twin brother, Alex, is his opposite – a twisted, tormented soul. Sandra becomes a pawn in a deadly game between these powerful opposing forces.
In this fast-paced thriller, Sandra is scooped up into a whirlwind of suspense from the mansions of the S.F. elite to a remote beach house 30 miles north. As each page turns, she becomes more entangled with the skeletons in the Sinclair closets while desperately confronting her own skeletons and discovering strength she never knew she possessed.

One of the reviews for the book

New York Army Mom 5.0 out of 5 stars A new look at an old Genre.

A 5-Star Review of Twin Desires, by Pamela Wight and Ashley Brandt.

As I have said before, I don’t usually read romance novels because there doesn’t seem to be anything new and exciting. REFRESH! Adding the suspense of the twin brothers brought a whole new light to the subject. There was a whole lot of suspense, and just enough romance to keep the reader interested in both. I found myself reading well into the night when I really should have been sleeping.

Being a twin myself, I was able to relate to the feelings of the twin brothers. And it is true my friends, that a twin can feel the pain of their sibling. It has happened to me on more than one occasion. Of course, in this story we have a good twin and an evil twin, constantly leaving the reader wondering what the evil twin would do next.

The authors do a great job of building not only the main characters but the secondary characters as well. As an avid reader, I enjoy getting to know each of the characters, not just the main ones, So I especially enjoyed the character development from the beginning right through til the end. I am definitely looking for more from these authors in the future and I highly recommend Twin Desires. 

Head over to read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

 Also by Pamela S. Wight

Head over to find out more about Pamela S. Wight and buy her books: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – follow Pamela : Goodreads – website:Rough Wighting – About Pamela S. Wight

And the final book today is a wonderful gift for mystery lovers and is the 8th book in the popular series by James J. Cudney – Sleigh Bell Tower: Murder at the Campus Holiday Gala (Braxton Campus Mysteries)

About the book

When Bell Towers decides to build their newest boutique hotel in Wharton County, Braxton establishes a hospitality program as part of their university expansion. Despite the Ingram and Lynch family ties to prominent citizens, a dispute over the proposed landsite pits citizens against each other.

One takes matters into their own hands and slays the hotel magnate during the campus holiday party. As the list of suspects increases, long-lost family members are anxious to keep their secrets from being revealed, complicating Sheriff Montague’s ability to determine the murderer’s true motive. Even Kellan is forced to cast doubt on his friends and colleagues when it becomes obvious someone he knows committed the ultimate crime.

April and Kellan are also celebrating their first Christmas and Hanukkah together, exchanging gifts based on the classic Twelve Days of Christmas song. While they trim the tree, light the menorah, and experience all the traditional holiday festivities with the kids, Nana D delivers her sarcastic brand of humor and endlessly tortures the town. Among Eleanor’s surprise news, Augie’s new girlfriend, and Myriam’s hilarious demands, Kellan’s dealing with unexpected holiday drama.

The poor guy simply wants to spend the merry season with his family before he’s forced to trek to Scotland to fulfill his promise to the late Constance Garibaldi. What kind of quest has the psychic sent him on now?

One of the reviews for the book

Bernard Jan 5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, hilarious, full of family drama!

Sleigh Bell Tower: Murder at the Campus Holiday Gala (Braxton Campus Mysteries #8) by James J. Cudney is an incredible book. When I thought the author said it all in his previous seven books, he surprised us with another cozy mystery delight of a book.

A carefully and finely plotted mystery, Sleigh Bell Tower gives us a small army of interesting characters, a taste and smell of holiday festivities, a dispute over the proposed landsite to build a new boutique hotel, a suspense of a new murder, twists and turns of an exciting amateur sleuthing, pleasant creeps of paranormal, and a lot a lot of humor, family drama and intrigue (my favorite parts).

The most stellar part of the book is again Kellan’s and Nana D’s relationship. I wanted to start my review with quoting some of their dialogue, because already from the first opening lines of Chapter 1, Nana D and Kellan shine in being sassy wisecrackers. But as I flew through the book, pulled by its great promises, I realized that wouldn’t be possible. My review would end up pages and pages long as I would copy-paste all their hilarious thoughts and conversation. Their dialogues are brilliant, cunning, and contagiously funny, almost unreal! Both Kellan and Nana D are utterly charming and strong characters you must love. It hurts your bowels while you laugh at their verbal fights and outwitting. I would like to know if there are real Kellan and Nana D in the author’s life and not only in his imagination because they are more lively, convincing, and tangible than some real people I know.

Thank you, Kellan, and Nana D, for all the laughter, guffaws, and smiles; thank you, Jay, for yet another humorous and adorable hit from the Braxton Campus Mysteries! 

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

A small selection of books by James J. Cudney

Discover more about James J. Cudney and buy the books: Amazon US – and: Amazon UK – Website/Blog: This is my truth now – Goodreads: James J. Cudney – Twitter: @Jamescudney4

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.  Sally