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I’m so excited to be able to share with you about Island Christmas the newest release in the Wildflower B&B Romance series. Here is the back cover blurb followed by a short excerpt.
Should Rachel take a risk, or play it safe and possibly lose the man who could help fulfill her dreams?
Sous Chef Rachel Narrelli returns to Wildflower Island looking for a fresh start for herself and her young son, but discovers that life has a lot of bumps in the road even on idyllic Wildflower Island. She is grateful when new friend Chris Campbell offers support as she faces obstacles with her new job and new life. She cares for the Chris but must decide if she is willing to risk her heart to a man with an uncertain future.
A self-proclaimed workaholic, Chris Campbell comes to Wildflower Island hoping to take life at a slower pace. When a new guest at the Wildflower B&B catches his eye, he is drawn to her. But how will a woman and her young son fit into his future—a future that’s uncertain at best? And most of all, how can he reconcile her lack of faith in God with his strong religious beliefs.
~
This is the meet cute where Rachel and Chris first meet. Rachel has returned to Wildflower B&B with her three-year-old son and her son, Jason aka Jasie, has wandered into the sitting room, while she checks in.
“Come on, Jasie. Let’s go get settled. I hope we get the Poppy room, where I stayed the last time I was here.”
Her son stayed glued to her until they stepped inside and she released his hand. Jill, the woman Zoe mentioned, sat at the reception desk. Her long dark hair cascaded to the middle of her back in soft waves. She looked to be in her early thirties and wore a pleasant smile.
“Welcome to Wildflower Bed-and-Breakfast. You must be Ms. Narrelli.”
Rachel nodded. “Please call me Rachel. Ms. Narrelli makes me feel old.” At twenty-six, she was not old.
Jill nodded then handed her a key and a card. “All the information you should need is on the card, but feel free to ask if you have a question. Mrs. Jackson requested you be assigned the Poppy room. I trust it will be to your liking.”
Rachel nodded and wondered how this ultra-professional woman could possibly remind Zoe of her. A crashing sound in the sitting room accompanied by her son’s shrieking cry sent her running into the room. She sensed Jill close behind. A lamp lay overturned on a room-sized rug that covered the wood floor, and a frowning man bent over to pick it up. When he stood his vivid blue eyes caught hers. “Is this little dude yours?”
Jason raced to her and clung to her leg.
Rachel rested her hand on his shoulder as his body trembled. “What happened?” Jason could be a handful at times. She bit her bottom lip, determined to remain calm and polite.
Jason looked up at her. “I was playing ring-around-the-rosie.”
“Sorry about this,” she said to Jill and to the man who stood nearby. “Jason, please apologize.”
He looked to the ground. “Sorry.”
“No harm done,” Jill said, but her pinched smile indicated otherwise.
The guy shrugged. “I’m sure I knocked over more than my fair share of things as a boy. Look, the lamp is fine.” He placed it on the end table beside a leather chair.
Jason’s head popped up, and he gazed with admiration at the man, who in turn winked at her son.
Jill turned to her. “I assume you know your way to your room?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Excuse me then.” Jill pivoted and left the room.
Jason held up his arms. “Up.” Her precocious son, though very verbal for a three-year-old, still needed an afternoon nap, which he’d missed. She lifted him into her arms and warmed as he snuggled close.
The man stepped forward. “I’m Chris.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rachel.”
He brushed a longish swoop of brown hair out of his eyes. “You’ve stayed at the Wildflower B&B before?”
She nodded as Jason went limp in her arms. Although he was a little guy, when he was completely relaxed, he quickly became heavy. “Excuse me. I should lay him down for a nap.” She turned and trudged up the stairs, torn between wanting to visit with the attractive man and taking her son to the room.
As she settled Jason in his bed, she thought about Chris.
I hope you enjoyed learning a little about Island Christmas. I’m giving away one kindle copy of Island Christmas, but if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read all the books in the Wildflower B&B Romance series for FREE. :)
I would love it if you would subscribe to my newsletter. You may do so at http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/ Thank you!
To be entered for a chance to win please answer the following question.
What is your most unusual Christmas experience, or since we are so close to Thanksgiving, what is your favorite main dish on the Thanksgiving table? Drawing Ends November 24th.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1VWMYCJ
Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance, romantic mystery, and romantic suspense that warms the heart and feeds the soul. Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
As a child,our family did not have lots of money.We lived in a tiny apartment attached to the landlord’s home We heard a knock at the door and there was a basket full of food and gifts.I thought I heard bells and I ran outside thinking it was Data with his sleigh.
Hi Kimberly, Congrats on your latest release! It sounds like a fun story. We celebrate Christmas during summer in Australia, and I love reading white Christmas stories :)
Congratulations on your latest release, Kimberly! I enjoyed the excerpt.
I remember my family spent Christmas in Florida one year. Being from up north and sitting around the Christmas tree in shorts just didn’t feel the same.
I read this book and love it! You are one of my favorite authors. One of our most funny Christmas experiences, and we have a lot of them, was the year that we decided to get such a big, real tree. The tree was so big that it kept falling over during the night while we were sleeping. Funny thing, the tree stayed put during the day, but, at night, all of a sudden, we would be awakened by crashing, breaking ornaments and a big thud from the tree falling. The living room was never the same. haha! So, finally , my husband tied the tree to a place on the wall. We eventually went to the artificial tree. :-)
Oh my goodness, Melissa, that is crazy about your tree. It certainly made for a Christmas season to remember. :)
I’m thrilled that you loved Island Christmas! I just finished writing the final book in the series and will be sending the cover reveal out to my newsletter subscribers next week. If you don’t already, be sure to subscribe so you will get the first look at the cover for Island Hope.
Linda, what a fun memory! One year we spent the night at my Grandmother’s home on Christmas eve and boy did she play with my young mind. Early in the morning she made noise with wrapping paper, which woke me up, then she shook jingle bells. At that point I hopped off the cot I was sleeping on and ran into the main room in the house. One of the adults, I don’t remember who, said Santa had just left and to run and to window to see if I could see him.
I rushed to the front door and peered outside and yes, I have a powerful imagination, I saw him flying in his sleigh! I”m not kidding–that should have been my first sign that I was going creative writing lol–I was very young though and probably could only write my name at that point in my life. lol
Kimberly, congratulations on this release! It is a great book. If you haven’t read it, you must! You won’t be disappointed! A funny Christmas memory I have is when my sister and I were little and our granddad took us out to “look for Santa” on Christmas Eve. My sister starts screaming, there’s Rudolph! It was a plane, but it was so funny!
Thanks, Narelle! Enjoy your warm Christmas. We are expecting a high of 36 on Thanksgiving next week. My son lives where it’s warm and sunny and I’m seriously missing sunshine and warmth right now. :) LOL, but he misses the cold.
Wrong account lol. That one doesn’t go anywhere. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Thanks, Jill! I imagine it would feel a lot different. :)
My favorite dish.. Dessert… FrogEye salad :)
I’m not sure if it’s an unusual memory precisely, but Melissa’s story about her tree falling over reminds me of Christmases with our cat George. Those dangling ornaments were too much for him to resist, and he took the tree down twice climbing around in it. We learned to tie the tree to a hook in the ceiling and still do it every year, even though our current cats aren’t as curious as George. Or maybe they are, and they’ve been thwarted by the fishing line holding up the tree!
Just finished reading Island Christmas. Good story, Kimberly!
Island Christmas is great! I read it last week. My family often does scavenger hunts for somebody’s present and I remember getting a fishing pole (I was probably 4 and it was in the bathtub) and a BB gun (I was 9 or 10). The most memorable one though is from when I was 8 and I found out my parents were giving me a baby for Christmas. I had to wait until August for her to arrive, but she was worth the wait. =)
That’s a new dessert to me, D K. What is Frog eye salad. I hope not what it sounds like. :)
Thanks, Valerie. :) Although we didn’t have a cat, I remember my parents using fishing line to keep our tree standing too. It sounds like your cats couldn’t resist a good tree and shiny ornaments.
What fun Christmas memories, Katy C! I’m glad you enjoyed Island Christmas. :)
Oh my goodness, that is funny, Sally!
Since this time of year is both birthdays and anniversary for my husband and I have many memories that are special. We always go away to my in-laws for Christmas. One of the most strangest is when as a family we had to stay half an hour away at my husband’s dead uncle’s house. Inside his house it could have been in a museum for all things 1960ish. It was really creepy and yet fun to look around in.
Then that was the year it snowed really bad and we almost got stuck in his house.
Last Christmas, my daughter bought me a package of Ghriradelli chocolate. She put it in a box and wrapped it and put it under the tree. We came home one day and our puppy had chewed a hole through the paper, box. and package and ate all but four of my chocolate(the chocolates were individually wrapped in the package). How he had unwrapped it all and only ate the chocolate,we will never know. :)
I have great memories of going to both Grandparents house. My dad was one of six children and my mom was one of thirteen. There was never a dull moment and always good treats to eat.
One unusual Christmas for me was the year my grandfather died just 2 weeks before Christmas. My mom had been caring for him at home, so my dad booked a family trip to Hawaii, leaving the day after Christmas. We had a wonderful trip, and then came home to open Christmas gifts that hadn’t arrived before we left – quite the contrast!
I enjoyed the first Wildflower B & B I read, so would enjoy this one!
I just subscribed to your news letter. Thanks for including the link. My favorite dish at the Thanksgiving table is probably sausage-mushroom stuffing with gravy.
We had an old, ugly tree with old ugly plastic, child safe ornaments. It fell down one Christmas as the bottom and stand broke and were unrepairable. My son dragged the tree to the corner for the trash with lights still on. They were also not working. My son went online and bought a really pretty, child safe tree. Then we went shopping for ornaments that had to be to his standards and color scheme. I insisted on the bottom third of the tree being non breakable. We had really funny discussions about what was to his standards but child safe :-)! The tree was gorgeous in the end!
Oh my goodness, Beth! I hope your puppy was okay. I’m sorry you missed out on those chocolates.
Marylin, I’d say that was definitely a Christmas to remember. :)
Karen, it sounds like you have some wonderful Christmas memories. :)
Hi Beachbum67. Thanks for subscribing!
That dish sounds delicious! Have a great Thanksgiving. :)
That is certainly a unique year, Margaret. I’m glad you enjoyed the first book in the series.:)
Diana, it sounds like you had a lot of fun. I love reading Christmas memories. :)
I forgot to mention this in my post, but if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can borrow all the books in my Wildflower B&B Romance series and read them for free. :)
Congratulations on your release. :) Cute meet/cute– Little ones are always fun to read about at Christmas.
Thanks, Lindi.:)
Love the teaser of your new book! I think my most memorable Christmas was the year I was visiting friends in Sydney, Australia. It was the first and only time I was not home with my family for the holidays. What I remember most was having a fabulous dinner in the sweltering heat. It was raining and hotter than hades. Coming from Michigan I was used to crisp, cold and often snowy Christmases so this was quite a change. We had a great time but man was it hot.
While it’s not an unusual memory…my favorite part of Christmas when I was a tween/teen was having friends of the family over for Christmas Eve gift exchange. We usually had 2-3 close friends of my parents come over.
I do remember losing power one Thanksgiving too though and the turkey was in the oven. I don’t remember if it was done enough to be eaten though.
Andrea, what a neat tradition.
I can name one Christmas dinner disaster….would that count, lol!! I always make my homemade dinner rolls & one year we had our neighbors, a family friend and another couple at our house. Well, dinner came out fantastic except for the rolls & I couldn’t figure out why. They were small, didn’t rise like they should have & hard as tack. When I figured out what happened, I was SO embarrassed….I forgot to put the salt in when I was mixing all the ingredients together!! I can look back at it now and laugh, but it wasn’t funny at the time. I apologized to everyone, remade the rolls a couple of days later (with the salt this time!) and took some over to our neighbor. I told her “now THIS is how they should come out”….they were so good about it and just had a good laugh :-)
Thanks for the chance to own a copy of “Island Christmas”! I have the first book in this series already so this would be a nice addition……and congrats on the new release, Kimberly!!
Hi Trixi, I’ve had a few of my own cooking disasters, so I can relate. :) I hope this Thanksgiving goes off without a hitch. :)
Oh I have to say my favorite Thanksgiving dish is sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows! :) I look forward to it every year! YUMMY
I’m making that for the first time this year, Laura. :)