It’s time for another MFRW Book Hooks blog hop! I have two Christmas romances filled with love and laughter – Don’t Mess with Christmas is a sweet romance and Perfectly Christmas is sexy. Each is part of a series, but they’re fun stand-alone stories and both are part of Kindle Unlimited. This week Don’t Mess with Christmas is in the spotlight! Despite all the restrictions and uncertainty right now, I hope that you find peace this holiday season and have moments filled with love and laughter.
Parker Roy grew up in the middle of four brothers and has lived with enough testosterone to last her a lifetime. She’s finally moved out and made a life of her own. Between putting the finishing touches on the set for Mapleton’s Christmas play, plowing snow, and transforming her hydroponic greenhouse into a Christmas wonderland, it’s ramping up to be a hectic season.
Dr. Julian Murphy, the only allergist in town, has his eye on the woman behind the set design of the holiday play. He’s volunteering backstage in the hope of getting to know her. There’s a bit of a snag when she’s referred to his clinic for a rash – doctors aren’t allowed to date their patients – but Dr. Brogan Corkie doesn’t see it as an insurmountable problem and steps in to give their romance a nudge. She’d better be right because, if not, it could seriously mess with Christmas.
The allergist or the rash– which itch will Parker scratch?
Buy Link (only 99c!) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L1DHDMS
Enjoy an excerpt from Don’t Mess with Christmas ~
Get a grip. Mary’s Boy Child. Dates are supposed to be fun. Her shoulders sagged. If only.
She blew out a breath. Was this all worth it? She could be in comfy sweats, with a big bowl of buttered popcorn, curled up on her favourite chair watching a movie. Cozy, fun, stress-free.
Her cell phone rang making her jump. “Hello?”
“What are you wearing?”
Parker smiled reluctantly. Hailey Gibson, her best friend since grade two, got right to the point. “Yoga pants and a hoodie.”
“March yourself into that bedroom and change right now. You are going on that date.” Hailey tsked. “I’ll be there in five.”
“No need. I’m kidding.” Parker pursed her lips. “I’m wearing black plants and a blue sweater.”
“The fitted ones that go to your ankle?” Hailey’s voice was suspicious.
“Yes.”
“The cashmere sweater with the low back and pearl buttons?”
“Yes.”
“Jewelry?”
Parker rolled her eyes. “Pink and yellow crystal pendant with the matching earrings – the dangly ones.”
“Perfume?”
“Definitely not.”
“Okay, maybe you’re telling the truth.” Parker imagined the consternation in Hailey’s blue eyes. “Maybe.”
Parker laughed. “I am. I can send you a pic.” She leaned against the bathroom counter. “Oh ye of little faith.”
“Huh. I know you too well, Parker. Any little excuse and you’d be backing out of that date. I’m not going to let that happen. Should I come over to drive you?”
Parker sighed. “How did you know I was having second thoughts?” Her voice was quiet.
Her best friend didn’t even say I told you so. “Twin vibes.” Parker’s eyes filled. “Parker, just relax and try to enjoy yourself. You put too much pressure on yourself. You think every date is an interview for marriage. Don’t. Sometimes people get together to have fun and…enrich their souls.”
Parker harrumphed. “I don’t need my soul enriched.”
“Maybe Julian does. Look, he sounds like a great guy – talented, smart, easy on the eyes. And he’s taking you to Fire and Ice. Not a bad way to spend a Friday night. Pretend he’s one of your brothers. No scratch that. Pretend you’re meeting to discuss the stage set. Just give him a chance – get to know him.”
Parker made a face. “I always seem to say something stupid and blow it.”
“You can’t blow it, Parker. You can’t have a relationship if you have to watch what you say. Your true soul mate will overlook an occasional blunder.”
“Is that supposed to be reassuring?”
“Yes.”
Parker held the phone away from her ear. Ouch.
Hailey continued at a lower volume. “If you don’t jibe, it wasn’t meant to be. No harm, no foul.”
“I suppose.”
“And if you don’t mesh, you can get the rash sorted out. It’s a win-win.”
Parker laughed ruefully. “I guess. In a pique of bravado I told him that all my dates were fantastic. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“Repeat after me. I am kind and considerate, have a great sense of humour, am a smart, successful businesswoman, and I’m fun to hang out with.”
“I’m a mess.”
Hailey laughed. “No, that you are not. You’ve got your shit together, Parker. You just need to ratchet that confidence up a notch.”
“I’m trying.”
“You go, girl. It’s 6:40. No more stalling. Put on some lipstick so you don’t look anemic, a little blush to cover the pallor, and get ’er done.”
“All right. Will do.”
“Send me deets.”
Parker shook her head with a laugh.
“Have fun.” Hailey had been a cheerleader in high school. Pep talks were her thing.
“I’ll try.”
“That’s the spirit,” Hailey said dryly.
Parker hung up the phone with a chuckle.
She fastened the necklace and earrings, her hands no longer shaking. She looked at herself once last time in the mirror and squared her shoulders. “Here goes nothing.”
Enjoy the next awesome author on the blog hop!
It’s time for another MFRW Book Hooks blog hop! One of my favourite Christmas traditions is setting the table with Christmas crackers. Before we start to eat, we pull open the crackers with a bang, put on the paper crowns, and go around the table reading the fun fact or joke. Some of them are pretty corny, but they’re definitely fun! Here are a few to brighten your day:
On the first day of Christmas, his true love said to him, “Sorry, I have to work.”
Salt is a tricky mineral because not only do we add it to cooking water and keep the shaker handy at the table, it’s hidden in all kinds of food – from eggs to breakfast cereals to bread. In the past, the recommended salt intake was 5-6 grams per day (roughly less than a teaspoon a day) or 2 – 2.4 grams of sodium a day. We know that the effect of sodium on blood pressure is greater in patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) and hypertension is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. A low sodium diet recommended for people with hypertension sometimes went as low as 1.8 grams of sodium a day. Not only was this very difficult to adhere to, people complained that it changed the taste of their food (and not in a good way).
Only whole cow milk or infant formula are recommended for children between 1 and 2 years of age. (Soy milk has similar fat content to 2% milk and whole cow milk with a fat content of 3.25% is recommended, so that’s why soy-based formulas are preferred over soy milk for 1-2 year olds.
It’s day 1 of the 10-day Countdown!! Enjoy a sneak peek of chapter 1 of Don’t Mess with Christmas.
It’s day 2 of the 10-day Countdown!! I’m sharing some of the inspiration behind Don’t Mess with Christmas. It’s Book 4 of the Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor series ~ a delightfully funny medical romance! Come escape with me! November 2 is the big release day. Woohoo!!
Parker Roy grew up in the middle of four brothers and has lived with enough testosterone to last her a lifetime. She’s finally moved out and made a life of her own. Between putting the finishing touches on the set for Mapleton’s Christmas play, plowing snow, and transforming her hydroponic greenhouse into a Christmas wonderland, it’s ramping up to be a hectic season.
It’s day 3 of the 10-day Countdown!! In Don’t Mess with Christmas, Julian Murphy and Parker Roy go out to find the perfect real Christmas tree. With all the choice, how to decide which type of tree to buy?
It’s day 4 of the 10-day Countdown!! Dr. Brogan Corkie is sharing her recipe for chilled Roasted Peach Soup – it’s deeeeelicious!