Excerpt from My Upcoming Release CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE

The world-wide release of my small-town Christmas romance, CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE, happens October 18, 2023. I can't wait! In the meantime, you can pre-order the book for delivery on October 18, or order the print book now. I'd love to share my blurb and an excerpt. I hope you enjoy! 

It’s Christmas time at Solace Lake Lodge, but a series of thefts threatens everyone’s holiday spirit.

Blurb:

An emergency brings Drew Barnes to Solace Lake Lodge, an inn deep in the Minnesota woods owned by his aunt and uncle. He’s sure desperation is the only reason they’d allow him to fill in as their bookkeeper. No one in his family has believed in him since his mistake got him fired from his previous job. Soon after he arrives, Drew is disheartened to discover thefts and financial irregularities. The last thing he wants is to be put in the middle of another crime.

Sous chef Celeste Bishop has made a good life for herself and her nine-year-old daughter in the three years she’s worked, and lived, at Solace Lake Lodge. After being unfairly fired, this was the only job she could get, and she’s grateful her gamble on the lodge paid off. The only sticking point is the isolation since she never learned to drive. How can she show her daughter independence when she’s always relying on others?

Drew sees Celeste’s frustration and offers to teach her to drive. A powerful attraction ignites between them, and soon deeper, stronger emotions blossom. Drew is all in, but Celeste resists her feelings. She’s nine years older than Drew. An interracial relationship didn’t work for her parents. And loving Drew feels like a betrayal of her deceased husband.

As Christmas approaches, the thefts escalate. Can Drew stop the thief and redeem himself in his family’s eyes—and his own? And can he convince Celeste they deserve the gift of a happily ever after this Christmas?

Excerpt:

Drew sat back in his chair, a sinking feeling in his gut. Ryan certainly had the skills to hack into their computer system and change information in their accounting system. Was that why he didn’t want to come back out to the lodge? Was he getting ready to run?

“Did Ryan and your sister have a falling out?” Luke asked.

“Not that I know of. Why?” 

“Just a feeling my dad got. Ryan was subdued when he talked to him. Since he and Carrie have been together, he’s been very happy. He said Ryan was much more outgoing than when he first arrived in Minnewasta, but he seems to be reverting to his old ways.”

Or maybe he was simply becoming more secretive because he had something to hide. He had no proof that Ryan was behind any of the trouble at the lodge. But in his mind, Ryan was the most likely suspect. 

There was no way he could have stolen from the kitchen. Unless he had help…

Carrie. What if Ryan convinced his sister to steal from the kitchen?

A wave of nausea swept over Drew at the thought. He got to his feet. “Excuse me. I need to talk to Carrie.”

Luke rose as well. “She’s not in the kitchen. Maggie just told me she went home sick.”

Drew felt sick, too. If Ryan was their hacker, it was going to kill Carrie. And if she was involved in the thefts, it was going to kill him. He had to find her. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll see you later.”

“Whatever issue they have, I hope they can work it out. They’re good people.”

Drew swallowed hard. At least one of them was. “Yeah.”

He grabbed his jacket from the back of the door and headed outside to his car. If Carrie was involved in the thefts from the kitchen…

Drew wasn’t sure what his next move would be.

Pre-order ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Solace-Lake-interracial-contemporary-ebook/dp/B0CH5DTYNS

Order CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE in print: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Solace-Lake-Love-Romance/dp/B0CH2P1616