Once Upon a Montana Christmas
Miss
Eva Kenward left England with a dream, but when she finds herself stranded on
the rugged frontier of Montana with a babe in arms, only one man—a handsome
cowboy—can make that holiday wish come true.
HOLIDAY
SURPRISES
Miss
Eva Kenward does not want to spend another Christmas alone. Leaving Queen
Victoria’s England, she journeys to America in search of an uncle but finds
herself on the rugged frontier of Montana. And with no money and no
acquaintances, the rudest man she has ever met is the one she must engage.
Especially considering the precious bundle in her arms.
“Hunt” Strauss has been fooled before by beauty. So when the ravishing
young woman arrives on his doorstep, he suspects her of ulterior motives. But
perhaps the baby she holds truly is his kin...and when Miss Kenward finds
herself stranded after a hotel fire, he reluctantly agrees to help. Bringing
her to his sprawling ranch, Hunt tries to keep his distance. But the enticing
woman and her enthusiasm for the season soon prove that fairy tale love
stories—and holiday wishes—really can come true.
Once Upon A Montana Christmas buy links
Boroughs Publishing Group
Amazon
BN.com
Allromanceebooks
kobo
Excerpt:
“Oh! It’s here!” Eva heard Aunt
Carol bellow from downstairs. She gathered Lily in her arms and went down to
see what all the fuss was about.
Eva arrived downstairs just in time
to see Hunt and Mr. Walker carry a large crate into the house and place it
beside another.
Aunt Carol’s face was bright with
excitement. “Oh, dearie, you are just in time.”
“Just in time for what?” Eva said as
she edged closer to the crate.
“Christmas decorations, tinsel, and
treats from my brother in Germany!” As Aunt Carol explained about the contents
of the crates, Hunt and Mr. Walker pried them open, revealing wrapped packages
and tins full of fragrant spices.
Eva sat down on the floor with a
very curious Lily on her lap. When she opened a tin with the embossment of a
German landscape, the scent of cloves filled the air. The next package Eva
pulled contained a smooth wood block engraving of a Christmas tree. “This is
beautiful,” she said as she admired the engraving.
Eva was surprised when Hunt began to
explain the significance of the wood engraving. “It’s a cookie mold. We use the
molds to make decorative Lebkuchen, a
type of spiced cookie, and ornaments for the Christmas tree. It has been a
tradition in my family for many generations. My Oma taught my siblings and I
how to make them.”
She could hear the pride in his
voice. Despite his tough exterior, underneath it all was a sensitive man. Not
for the first time, Eva wondered what had hardened him.
“Did you have any family traditions,
dearie?”
Eva did not know how to answer that
question without raising sympathy from Aunt Carol. Her family was not close and
they would never dream of sitting on the floor, rummaging through crates. She
could hear her stepmother now: “That is why we have servants. Let them get
their hands dirty.” Looking away, she shook her head without a word, and
continued on with unpacking their
traditions, wishing desperately she had some of her own.
Author
Bio
Alanna Lucas grew up in Southern
California. From an early age, she took an interest in travel, incorporating
those experiences into her writing. When she is not daydreaming of her next
travel destination, Alanna can be found researching, spending time with family,
or going for long walks. Alanna Lucas is a member of the Romance Writers of
America, East Valley Authors, The Beau Monde, and Celtic Hearts Romance
Writers.
Thanks for having me, Beverly :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! A nice peek at 'Christmas in July'.
DeleteWhat a great excerpt, Alanna! I tweeted.
ReplyDeleteLoved the peek at your book, Alanna. Best of luck with it! Tweeted
ReplyDeleteThank you Ella and Barbara!
ReplyDeleteExcellent excerpt! This book is on my TBR list!!!
ReplyDelete-Lani
Thank you all for stopping by! Alanna it sounds like a wonderful read.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lani- I appreciate the support!
ReplyDelete