The Christmas Cottage


Kay Correll - 2014
    What she finds is a small town that embraces all things Christmas and a handsome neighbor with a small son who both capture her heart. Add to that their adorable pup, and she knows the holidays are not going to be what she planned. At all. Steve Bergeron is quite content being a single father. He’s not willing to risk his heart — or his son’s — on another woman who is sure to leave them. It’s quite clear Holly will be gone by the new year. But he finds himself willing to do anything to chase away the sadness that lurks in the depths of Holly’s eyes. This isn’t part of his carefully laid out plans. At all. When an accident on Christmas Eve forces them both to question their choices, can the magic of the season warm their hearts and bring love and joy back into their lives?

Soup: A Way of Life


Barbara Kafka - 1998
    Though the subject is so familiar to us all, her approach is totally original, just as it was in her award-winning Roasting: A Simple Art and Microwave Gourmet. In a wonderfully diverse collection of nearly three hundred recipes from all over the world--some traditional, some newly minted, many so simple they require no cooking at all, each of them very much a part of our spiritual and emotional lives--she offers up a lifetime worth of pleasure:icy soups for steamy days (ceviche soup with ginger) and hot soups for cold days (winter duck soup)rustic potages (great green soup) and elegant consommes (beef madrilene)simple soups to start (Moroccan tomato) and complex soups that make a meal (beef short ribs in a pot)fifteen-minute specials (mussels and tomato soup) and those that simmer all day (pot-au-feu)a magical garlic broth, among other vegetable broths and bases, gives vegetarians hundreds of recipes to enjoy As always, Barbara's intelligence and talent for innovation have resulted in a vast body of ideas to make your life in the kitchen easy and interesting. Nearly thirty stocks are offered, as well as dozens of ways to use seasonal produce to cook and freeze soup bases for year-round fresh taste. You'll find cooking times for everything from dumplings and piroshki to noodles and pasta, simmering times for every possible cut of meat, and yields and blanching times for dozens of vegetables. There are easy-to-follow charts to answer every cooking question.And then there's Barbara's "memory pieces." Woven through the recipes, they form a book within a book, one family's personal and culinary history. They're fascinating and warming and enriching on their own. They also remind us why soup is a vital part of our lives. And why Barbara Kafka is a vital part of our cooking experience.

Christmas Lights and Snowball Fights


Beth Rain - 2020
    It has been a sucky, sucky year...She got dumped...She's still stuck selling over-priced clothes to idiots...and, of course, she had to work on Christmas Eve eve. Her birthday.But now she's on her way to the cosy oasis that is her parents' house - ready to slip into her festive PJs, turn her back on the year and hibernate until New Year arrives.One ill-advised moment of weakness where she actually listens to her Sat-Nav and disaster strikes.Sam Wills is determined to bury his head in the sand until Christmas is all over. It has been a crappy, crappy year...He's all alone...The well-meaning villagers of Little Bamton are driving him potty...and, of course, Christmas was always his wife's favourite time of year.But now he's on his way down to the village pub for one last appearance before hiding-out in his cabin until the New Year. Or, that was the plan until he spotted the ancient, red Nissan Micra on its side in the ditch.Will the magic of Little Bamton be enough to save Caro and Sam this Christmas or is the festive season about the be the biggest baubles-up of the year so far?

Christmas at Whisper Beach


Shelley Noble - 2017
    After finally opening a second branch of her company in Whisper Beach, she’s enjoying her new romance with Joe Enthorpe, the local vineyard owner. She may never have a traditional family, but she won’t let that stop her from having a joyful Christmas. Joe is ready to spend a very merry Christmas with Van and his always rambunctious family. But when the mother of a local boy becomes tragically ill, Joe invites him and his sisters to stay at the vineyard. Everything soon begins to unravel as Joe fears the complications will drive Van away and he’s desperate to keep their relationship from crumbling. But with every Christmas comes a miracle and soon, Van and Joe learn that it isn’t always about the family you make, but the one that lives in your heart.

A Very Vintage Christmas: Holiday Collecting, Decorating and Celebrating


Bob Richter - 2016
    Vintage ornaments, lights, decorations, cards and wrapping all conjure up happy memories of Christmases past and serve as tangible mementos of holidays shared with family and friends. In fact, finding these objects, decorating with them and sharing them with others brings an instant feeling of comfort and joy. Coupled with beautiful photographs, tips on collecting, and secret shopping haunts, A Very Vintage Christmas offers a 360-degree look at holiday d�cor in America and gives suggestions on how to make vintage finds work for today's audience. While each chapter of A Very Vintage Christmas is unique, there is a common thread that runs through them all: the love of beautiful holiday decorations, and the interest in their history, value, and preservation. The book helps the everyday collector and enthusiast to build their own collection and offers tips on how to make the most of what they've got.

Uncommon Crochet: Twenty-Five Projects Made from Natural Yarns and Alternative Fibers


Julie Armstrong Holetz - 2008
    In Uncommon Crochet, designer Julie Armstrong Holetz applies new ideas and unconventional materials--like wire, raffia, jute, sisal, recycled belts, fabric strips, and felted beads--to twenty-five patterns for bins, baskets, totes, handbags, clutches, jewelry, and more. Step-by-step instructions, detailed how-to photographs, and essential advice about creativity, design, and experi-mentation encourage you to play with fiber, add funky embellishments, and use your creative spirit to customize any pattern--even the ones in this book! From practical containers like Red's Goodie Basket (a stylish home for your WIP--works in progress) and Vintage Satchel (a sturdy retro messenger bag) to just plain fun projects like Petite Fleur Vases (tiny bud vases that hold water) and Sushi (crocheted California rolls, anyone?), Uncommon Crochet offers fresh twists on old-school techniques that turn simple projects into gift-worthy creations.

The Treasure of Christmas


Melody Carlson - 2010
    Now three of these beloved stories are available in this handsome value-priced 3-in-1 edition. The Treasure of Christmas includes The Christmas Bus, Angels in the Snow, and The Gift of Christmas Present. These stories will be cherished parts of the holiday season for years to come.

Kassie's Cowboy


Lindsay McKenna - 2018
    . . A brutal blue norther is battering Wind River Valley just in time for Christmas when retired Marine Travis Grant spies a driver spinning out of control on black ice. It’s probably a tourist who doesn’t understand the deadly conditions, and Travis knows he has to help. The last person he expects to find behind the wheel is his childhood sweetheart, Kassie Murphy. She’s injured, but alive. And now, for Travis and Kassie, this snowy silent night will be one last chance to put the painful past behind them—and treat the wounds only love can heal.  Praise for Lindsay McKenna’s Wind River Rancher “Moving and real . . . impossible to put down.”—Publisher’s Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

One of the Few: A Story of Personal Challenge through the Battle of Britain and Beyond


Johnny Kent - 1971
    In this role, he helped the famous 303 Polish Squadron play a decisive part in the Battle of Britain, and this earned him the highest Polish military award, the Virtuti Militari, as well as the affectionate nickname ‘Kentowski’.Group Captain Kent’s fascinating memoirs, originally published in 1971, tell the story of his life in the RAF, from his struggles as a boy on the Canadian Prairies to get into the air, detailing his experiences as a test pilot in Farnborough and his constant efforts to excel at what he did. In this new edition, alongside the classic tale of derring-do, Kent’s daughter provides supplementary material that places his extraordinary story into the broader context of his life as a son, husband and father. Poignant questions are raised about what it meant to be ‘One of the Few’ – for both the men themselves and those to whom they were closest.

Naughty or Nice (Erotic Romance)


Liliana Hart - 2012
    When she finds she’s without a place to stay for the night, billionaire Derek Worth tempts her with an offer she can’t refuse, and she finds out it’s a lot easier to stay warm being naughty instead of nice.

Christmas Crasher


Ash Keller - 2021
    Lola Blakeman has a plan for her life…and it doesn't include kissing a grumpy lumberjack.Her whole life, people have been telling Lola to loosen up, ditch her schedules and checklists, and be spontaneous. But they probably didn’t mean she should hop into her sensible hybrid and drive without a plan or direction—straight into a blizzard.Eric Jolly may be a grouchy recluse, but when a mysterious blonde crashes into his life—literally—he can't just leave her to freeze in the snow. But it's a complication he doesn't need. He only has a few days to get his family's Christmas tree farm ready for the season. And he's far behind already.With a heavy dose of Christmas magic and a little luck, Eric and Lola might just save the farm and fall in love while they’re at it. That is, unless Lola's secret ruins it all.*This holiday novella was previously published in the Snow in Love charity anthology.The Road Trip to Love sweet romcom series features smart-as-a-whip heroines and swoon-worthy heroes as they navigate the speed bumps, u-turns, and detours that propel them toward a destination they never expected: love.

Pop Sculpture: How to Create Action Figures and Collectible Statues


Tim Bruckner - 2010
    Joe took toy soldiers to a whole new level by giving them the ability to pose via moveable parts, as well as interchangeable clothing and accessories, the business of creating pop sculpture icons for the mass market was off and running. Superheroes came next, followed by TV show and movie characters, most notably those from Star Wars. Today, action figures exist for sports stars, rock stars, even presidents.With today's blockbuster success of animated films, action figures and collectibles have become a behemoth industry--with a growing need for skilled artists who can bring these characters to life. So how do you get started?The trio of veteran industry insiders who authored this book take you on an incredibly thorough journey that begins with drawing conceptual drafts and continues through rough sculpting and honing the final product. Along the way, you'll learn how to research your character, shape casts from a variety of materials including wax and resin, make accessories, articulate characters so that they are poseable, paint them, and ultimately convince an art director to buy and manufacture them. Whether you want to make small PVC toys, collectible statues, or larger high-end collectibles, Pop Sculpture offers step-by-step demos and words of wisdom from the pros.

Beyond Portraiture: Creative People Photography


Bryan Peterson - 2006
    They reveal one of the millions of intimate human moments that make up a life. In Beyond Portraiture, renowned photographer Bryan Peterson shows how to spot those “ah-ha!” moments and capture them forever. A teary child...old people laughing together...a smiling girl with big, big hair. Everyone remember pictures like these, usually taken by a mother, a father, a friend holding a camera, forever preserving small yet revealing vignettes of our personal histories. But we always relied on pure luck and chance to catch those moments. Peterson’s approach explains what makes a photo memorable, how to spot the universal themes that everyone can identify with, and how to use lighting, setting, and exposure to reveal the wonder and the joy of everyday moments. Beyond Portraiture makes it easy to create indelible memories with light and shadow.

My Christmas Cock-up: A Reverse Harem Holiday Romance


Mika Lane - 2021
    At the same time. And now they won’t leave.After getting my heart broken, all I want is a holiday alone in a cabin in the mountains.But three very hot men claim they’ve rented it, too.And NO ONE is willing to leave.It seems my little getaway just got a lot more crowded, and when it snows, we’re really stuck.But I learn that the tall one likes hot…chocolate in the afternoon.The athletic one is big…on holiday spirit.And the last gives…the kind of gift you never knew you needed.What’s a girl to do with holiday surprises like this other than ring in the yuletide between the sheets?Santa won’t be the only one coming this Christmas eve…not if my three sexy cabinmates have anything to say about it.#2 in The Reverse Harem Holiday Romance Collection1. My Christmas Quarantine (2020)2. My Christmas Cock-up3. My Christmas Kink4. My Christmas KleptoThis hot, over-the-top romance includes a holiday celebration with hot, sexy men with a penchant for pursuing the kick-a*s women who give them a run for their money. If you love outrageously naughty stories as a way to indulge your not-so-secret bad girl side, then this is the book for you.

A Not So Quiet Christmas


Suzie Tullett - 2021
    . .Antonia prefers a quiet Christmas. She's happy to spend it on her own, watching Hallmark holiday movies in her pyjamas, eating what she wants, when she wants.Antonia's friend Jules, on the other hand, loves a big Christmas celebration and plans on travelling to the Yorkshire Dales for a festive break. But when Jules breaks her leg, she persuades Antonia to make the trip on her behalf. Arriving at the little cottage, Antonia meets the handsome property agent Oliver. But she can't escape the weird locals--or avoid embarrassing situations like mistaking a cow for a burglar.As Christmas approaches, the attraction between Oliver and Antonia grows. She could choose to return to the bustling city and spend it alone. Or she could choose love and have a not so quiet Christmas . . .