Monday, November 18, 2013

Christmas in New York! Four holiday stories, five #bookgiveaway Day 1 HIS MISTLETOE FAMILY by Ruth Logan Herne

Ruth Logan Herne's His Mistletoe Family 
from the Men Of Allegany County series




I really enjoyed this sweet story about a retired Army Colonel and a young entrepreneur in Upstate NY who find romance and comfort in one another's arms. Haley Jennings loves a challenge in business--she has started a co-op in her grandfather's old factory right during the Christmas rush, which would be a daunting task for the most focused among us. But then, a monkey wrench is thrown into her life--her brother has left his two young sons into her care.

With a five and a three year old in the back seat of her convertible, Haley must find time, food, and resources on a cold Thanksgiving night when her search lands her at a church meal, locking eyes with a handsome and mysterious man--Brett Stanton. Brett hides his pain by hiding from the world. He has lost family in the war and has shut himself off from relationships--until something about the beautiful lady and her two young wards tug at his heartstrings.

As a resident of upstate NY who has traversed these same small towns--Bolivar, Jamison, Wellsville, Olean. . . I found this book to be a delightful trip through my memories of beautiful countryside and warm-hearted people. This writer captures small town hospitality and the rugged, pull-together aspect of these communities. Her characters are believable and sympathetic, and their stories resonate in the heart.

Even though Christmas is past, the snow is still white on the ground, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this holiday happily ever after.

Ruth Logan Herne loves Charlie Brown Christmas trees, rooting for the underdog and people who go the distance while others see the path as too long or broken! She loves God, chocolate, writing, dogs and is blessed by a sprawling family, oodles of grandkids and a sweet old farmhouse in constant need of work. She's sure that clean rooms are over-rated, snakes and possums should mind their own business and buy their own farm and puppies and kittens and babies are about the cutest things on Earth. A "pull-up-your-big-girl-panties-and-move-on" kind of gal, she is blessed to be married to her high school sweetheart (although it wasn't as if THEY WERE KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR to challenge him for her!!!), work with young families who allow her to exploit their sweet children on blogs, and rock babies on a regular basis. An author for Love Inspired Books and Summerside Press, she lives in upstate New York.

Tune in tomorrow to hear about another of Ruth Logan Herne's Upstate New York Christmas stories, Yuletide Hearts.

Leave comment below with your favorite Christmas memory. One winner for each book this week will be chosen on Friday, November 22. You can earn extra entries by sharing on FB, twitter, pinterest, and google+, (see upper right corner of blog for easy buttons) and for subscribing to this blog via email or feedburner. Let me know what you did for your extra entries. Good luck!

35 comments:

  1. A beautiful snowy Christmas Day, A hot cup of tea and a roaring fire. And the Christmas Story and a hand-painted nativity scene God bless you
    Chris Granville
    PS posted on fb subscribed to this blog

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  2. Even though I don't like snow any other time, a white Christmas is a must.

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  3. Hi, Quilting Grannie. I agree with you 100%. Shoveling is meant for the younguns. ;)

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  4. I have so many wonderful Christmas memories... getting up in the middle of the night with my brothers (they were 8 and 11 years older than me) to empty our stockings, read the comic books Santa brought, fill them back up and go back to bed!

    missionwife AT hotmail DOT com

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    1. That sounds like my kids. :) My oldest son is 12 years older than his baby sister. And I have a boy ten years younger than the oldest. It's so fun to remember their "secret" conspiracies together. Of course I knew everything they did. LOO

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  5. I love Christmas stories set in cozy places I've never been. Of course, to be cozy, one has to be cold first! This book sounds like a perfect combination. One of my favorite Christmas memories is the year our tree wouldn't stand up on its little cross-wood footing. We didn't have a tree-holder, so Mother nailed it to the floor. Right through the carpet! Now when I hear the threat of someone being "nailed to the floor" I know it can really happen.

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    1. ha, nailed to the floor! That's funny, Davalyn. I'll bet that tree stayed put for a while. :D Thanks for entering!

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  6. One as a child I remember the most is when my dad gave there Christmas money to buy our gifts to a family that was in need. As the Lord says it is more bless to give then to receive. We got a orange and peppermint stick that year. Now being married was I got engaged midnight Christmas Eve in 1977. So I got a diamond. Still together almost 36 years later.
    Blessings
    joeym11(at)frontier(dot)com

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    1. aw, Diana, that must have been heartbreaking for you as a kid, but I pray the blessings returned to you a hundred fold. How nice that you got engaged on Christmas Eve! Very romantic!

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  7. I LOVE Ruthy. Though I haven't had a chance to read any of her books yet. Thanks for sharing your review, Kathy!

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    1. hey, Amber! Lovely to see you. Ruthy is a lot of fun, and its neat to see her personality come through in her writing.

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  8. Favorite Christmas memory was my first child, a girl, being born. :) She's still my favorite Christmas present ever. Lovely review - it sounds like a sweet romantic story!

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    1. That is a wonderful Christmas gift indeed, Susan. Good luck on the giveaway of Ruth's book.

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  9. One Christmas as a child, our neighbor was a deputy sheriff so he and my Dad took the children riding looking for Santa. We rode everywhere and it was getting late when we arrived back home. We arrived home and found Santa had been to our house while we were riding around looking for him. It's a memory I'll never forget.
    Barbara Thompson
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  10. I shared on my Facebook page and Twitter!

    Also, I subscribe to this blog via email!
    Barbara Thompson
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. that is an awesome story, Barbara. thanks for sharing and for subscribing. Good luck!

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  11. We had nice Christmas's as a kid at my grandparents farm and at home. I wont' shovel ! Kathleen Diana is well spoiled ! Loved up really good. so love it when all of us freinds can come and share here and there.
    Blessings
    Linda Finn
    Faithful Acres Books
    http://www.faithfulacresbooks.wordpress.com
    faithfulacresbooks@gmail.com

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    1. Memories of Grandparents and Christmas seem to go hand in hand. A farm at Christmas must be divine! My grandmother's house was over the river and through the woods, but it was the Hudson River and through Westchester County's woods to the bustling metropolis of Yonkers, NY. heehee

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    2. Mine lived in Plainville/Jacks Reef NY over the river for sure and through some woods. It was fun and we would sled down off the huge hill out back of the farm right to the house, it was a long walk but a fun one.
      Linda

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  12. Memories of my grandmother make Christmas special
    God bless you
    Chris Granville
    granvilleATfrontiernetDOTnet

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  13. I never remember being at Grandparents on Christmas day. We always lived out in the country and had a large family. And only a wagon to travel. We had no extra money so never ever got much, but we were happy. Sometimes there was a box left by the door with gifts for us. I loved the snow in the states where I have lived , except here in deep South Texas. My favorite Christmas memory was in 1958 when i had a beautiful baby girl at midday on Christmas day. My own live babydoll, a girl. One I will always remember. Such a blessed day. I would love to win this book. Thanks for a chance, In WY. lots and lots of snow. We always had a white christmas there. Maxie
    mac262(at)me(dot)com

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    1. Your daughter was born on Christmas Day? What a beautiful and special gift! One of my friends growing up was born on Christmas--Zoe Noel, which means "Eternal life in Christ." I pray the prophetic meaning of her name catches up to her one of these days.

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  14. Favorite Christmas Memory is a white christmas and family around and our electricity back on
    God bless you
    Chris Granville
    granvilleATfrontiernetDOTnt

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    1. oh, sounds like there's a story behind that! A power outage on Christmas day. Oh my!

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  15. Tracking Santa every Christmas Eve on the local news was always so much fun. I went to bed very excited that Santa would make his way to my house sometime in the night.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. awe, I remember looking out for Rudolph's red nose, and being convinced I saw it! It might have been the planet Mars. heehee

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  16. I remember when we 3 sisters received bicycles for Christmas. What a loving sacrifice our parents must have made to give us what we asked for.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Aw, Janet, it's amazing how as we grow older, we grow in awareness more and more of what our parents did for us. That is gorgeous.

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  17. My most memorable Christmas was in 1958 when I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Christmas Day at noon. She was due to come on New Years. So now Christmas has 2 wonderful reasons to celebrate. The birth of our Savior, and the birth of my sweet girl, who is now a Nana to 5 little ones. She has loved having this date for her birthday. Also the easiest birth I had of 4. Please give me a chance to win this book. I am a follower of yours and sharing on Facebook.
    Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com

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    1. I love that she is now a grandmother. God bless her and you! You are entered and have three entries. :D

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  18. Hi Kathy!

    I love the Christmas memories I have of gathering with family at my grandparent's house and enjoying that special time together. I am so blessed because my maternal grandparents are still with me and I delight in their enjoyment of this special time with my own three precious children!

    I am a new blog follower.
    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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    1. so you have four generations. How blessed! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a joyous Christmas with yoru precious family. And good luck on the giveaway!

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  19. I love how we continue certain traditions, Christmas Eve at my house, Christmas day at my parent's home. Having four generations on the same town and same street, has been a wonderful way to maintain family tradition!

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  20. Just got done drawing names through random.org, and I would like to thank everyone for coming by this week! you all have made my Christmas in NY giveaway week very special. The winner for His Mistletoe Family is Chris Granville! Congratulations, Chris. I will email you shortly.

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