We are so excited to have Elisabeth Barrett stop by with a special holiday guest post today! The giveaway details are down below.
Holiday
Traditions by Elisabeth Barrett
No
matter what holidays you celebrate, around this time of year, it
seems like everyone has their own traditions. One friend of mine
savors each and every holiday card she receives and creates a
beautiful “tree” out of them which she displays year-round.
Another friend meticulously wraps her gifts in newsprint with stories
she thinks the recipient will enjoy.
I
have traditions of my own. For instance, I love gingerbread,
and every year, I simply must decorate a gingerbread house. Before I
had kids, I’ll admit to feeling a little sheepish buying a kit for
myself, but now I don’t have to hide my obsession—I get to share
it with children who are just as excited (if not more so) than I am!
There’s nothing quite like assembling the cookie house, tilting the
pieces just so to ensure that nothing tips over. Or swiping a
“broken” candy cane to eat. Or making sickly sweet icing from
that little plastic bag ooze all over the base to create a snowy
walkway (which of course you get to eat after it has hardened).
I
also love the decorations—not just my own, but those in my
neighborhood. There’s nothing quite like driving around in the dark
with the heat on, oohing and ahhing over all the amazing lights and
displays. One street in my town is nicknamed “Christmas Tree Lane,”
and every year, Mr. B and I drive over with the kids to gape at the
incredible spectacle—houses all decked out in full holiday glory
with dancing snowmen, galloping reindeer, and a giant Santa popping
out of the chimney. It’s quite the sight.
My
most important holiday tradition, however, is simply spending time
with family. I can’t think of anything better than spending time
with those I love.
In
my holiday novella CHRISTMAS IN TAHOE, being with family over a long
Christmas weekend isn’t in the cards for the main characters Ann
and Chase. Ann is recovering from a devastating personal loss, and
Chase is recovering from a devastating professional one. Yet there’s
something about Tahoe, especially over Christmastime, that brings out
the best in both of them. As they learn to move past their respective
hurts, they find comfort in each other and learn to trust and love
again.
And
isn’t being with loved ones what the holidays are truly all about?
About
CHRISTMAS IN TAHOE:
Silicon
Valley actuary Ann Smith is an expert at calculating probabilities,
but lately the odds haven’t been in her favor. Two years ago her
fiancé died a week before their planned Christmas wedding, leaving
Ann heartbroken and alone. When a friend suggests heading up to Lake
Tahoe for a long Christmas weekend of skiing, wine, and relaxation,
Ann thinks it might be just the thing to help get her life back on
track. But Ann’s plans go awry when her friend cancels at the last
minute, and Ann ends up driving to Tahoe with Chase Deckert, a sexy
snowboarder who pushes all
her buttons.
Chase Deckert is a man
who lives by his own rules. A few years ago his business partner
betrayed him by selling out their biomedical research for a quick
profit. Chase left science far behind, and now spends his days
snowboarding in Tahoe, wanting nothing to do with the dog-eat-dog
world of Silicon Valley. Chase has closed his mind and his heart and
only believes in one thing: fate. But fate seems to be in a giving
mood, because joining him for Christmas is a brave, beautiful woman
who shows him the true meaning of the season and helps him rediscover
a part of himself he’d long forgotten.
Fueled by the mountain
scenery, the season, and their unbelievable chemistry, Ann and Chase
end up learning more about each other—and themselves—than they
ever imagined possible. Can one long, steamy Christmas help them
realize they’re meant to be together? Or when the holiday is over
will they be right back where they started?
Five Stars
Sign me up for one of Chase
Deckert's snowboarding lessons, please!
I don't know about you, but when the
holiday season is in full swing, I tend to be in the mood for some
romantic holiday reads! Christmas in Tahoe was everything I wanted,
and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed this
novella.
Ann Smith is still mourning the loss of
her fiancé,
who had passed away around Christmastime a few years back. It's been
hard for her to move on, and understandably so, the holiday season
tends to not be a merry one. Ann and her friend make plans for a fun
getaway in Lake Tahoe during Christmas, but at the last minute her
friend can't make the trip and instead sends someone else to
accompany Ann.
Oh,
y'all need to meet Chase Deckert! He's one hunky snowboarder, and
ultra SMART...PhD level smart! I find that combo in a man really
HOT! Although bio-tech companies are after his research, there's a
huge reason why he left Silicon Valley. He was all set to spend
Christmas alone until a friend asked for a favor. Once Chase gets to
know Ann, he realizes she's no plain Jane! She totally surprises him
that she can handle her skis, and they continue to have a fun time
together.
The setting in Tahoe was delightfully
written. I felt like I was transported to the top of the snowy
mountain with Chase and Ann. It's a perfect place for romance to
blossom. Ms. Barrett also injects some local San Francisco Bay Area
flair into this story, which made me smile! Chase and Ann are two
broken souls. I love it when people get a second chance at
happiness! Christmas in Tahoe is sexy, smart, and filled with the
perfect amount of holiday spirit! Roxy, the black lab is adorable,
too!
*A complimentary copy was provided in
exchange for an honest review.*
About
the author:
Elisabeth
Barrett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends her days
teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying
time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited children.
She is constantly perfecting her home-work-writing juggling act, but
in her free time she loves to hike open space preserves, grow
orchids, bake sweet things her husband won’t eat, and sing in grand
choruses.
GIVEAWAY!!!
To
thank you for stopping by, let me know whether you are able to spend
your holidays with loved ones, and one commenter will be randomly
selected to win a digital copy of CHRISTMAS IN TAHOE! Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
