Book picks similar to
The Housekeeper: A Christmas Ghost Story by Leona Grace
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Charmed Spirits
Carrie Ann Ryan - 2012
Now she’s returned to Holiday, Montana to find that not much has changed—except everything she hadn’t wanted to leave behind.Matt Cooper isn’t pleased to see Jordan back in town. Not only did she break his heart when she left, he’s been keeping secrets from his family and friends and he knows the moment he’s left alone with his ex, he won’t be able to keep them in anymore.Only one look and he knows he’s lost. Again.But magic has a way of turning on a dime and if they’re not careful, they might lose everyone once more—even before they have a chance to make it theirs.
Cats of Connecticut: A Paranormal Romance Boxset
Dee Bridgnorth - 2019
The job at my family’s funeral home is to die for and working with the souls of the dead is like performing therapy for the recently deceased. At least until this one night when a run of the mill séance goes to pieces. The problem is that the deceased claims that he was murdered. Now it’s up to me, the dead guy, and the dead guy’s best friend Logan Pierce to dig up the truth. The problem is that I’m kind of falling for Logan and it’s starting to get a little awkward since his dead buddy is determined to make a love triangle that pretty much defies the laws of nature. PART II Being the oldest in a family like mine means forever reminding my younger siblings that they need to at least pretend to be serious about their job no matter how ridiculous it might seem. Yes. Decker's talk to the dead and turn into cats, but that does not reduce the need for professionalism. I’m Agnes. I’m the one stuck with helping the spirits of people who died by violent means. I thought that was my big lifetime task until I met the nephew of our dead neighbor. He claims to be looking for his uncle’s will. Then William Hayes gets involved and I’m pretty sure this party is too crowded. Of course, that was before I realized that William Hayes is actually a gifted clairvoyant hiding a huge secret about my identity. Yep. My life just got a whole lot weirder. As if I ever thought that was possible. PART III I’m really not sure what to tell poor Ryan Goring. My name is Lilly Decker and I communicate with the dead. But Ryan’s grandfather isn’t dead yet. The guy is in a nursing home, not a funeral home. Grandpa Joe is convinced that both his dead friends and the ones who are still alive are trying to tell him something about the recent string of deaths in the nursing home. How this is connected to Ryan’s recent troubles with his job at the country club doesn’t make a darned bit of sense. You kind of have to wonder if the old man isn’t out of his mind. But then, I’m the one claiming to see dead spirits because I can turn into a cat. Who am I to judge? PART IV I’m getting a bit sick and tired of all the recent shenanigans in my family funeral home. My name is Molly. I’m a Decker and yeah, I can turn into a cat. When a ghostly apparition starts frightening the ghosts already living inside the funeral home, I’m the one who decided that it’s time to put my foot down about rude guests. We just can’t be letting people bring random ghosts with them to our funeral home. It’s too crowded by half. That’s when I decided to confront Seamus Findlay about a ghostly woman clinging to his arm. And that is when I discovered Portia Findlay. This sordid tale is straight out of a sappy made for television movie about a man tormented by his long dead wife and unable to move on. Seriously though, Portia refuses to move on and I think it’s time for a little intervention. PART V I never asked to be born to a family of shapeshifters. As the youngest of five and the only boy, it sometimes feels as though my world is nothing but cat fights and lace frills. But there’s more to it than that. My sisters don’t realize that the balance is upside down. They don’t get what it’s doing to the ether and to the ghosts themselves. After all, it’s my problem. Unfortunately, I can’t fix this by myself. I need the help of the one person I really hoped to put behind me. Sadie Newton and I used to be lovers. Now I’m starting to realize that Sadie is more than just a weekend fling.
Stray
Smokey Moment - 2018
All first born males must live their lives as wolves able to shift into human form for the first 30 years of their lives. Alonzo Isidor Andino shifts between both worlds effortlessly but time is ticking and he has just a few months remaining to break the curse that could ruin his life. The curse can only be broken by true love which must occur by his 30th birthday. But, Alonzo has enemies who will stop at nothing to prevent him from gaining the love of a woman he marked when they were ten years old. Alonzo’s true love Giselle, doesn’t know she’s been marked by the wolf and begins to experience strange things happening to her. She notices Alonzo one day and her life is forever changed as she is drawn to him and feels powerless to the whims of her desires for him. Will Giselle fall in love with a man whose heart already belongs to her? Will she recognize that fate has already intertwined them? Will she be able to channel her own feelings and break down her own barriers and love a man whose future depends on her recognizing their destiny? Read along in this riveting and powerful story of lust, love, loyalty and betrayal. An urban fiction paranormal romance shifter novel. A powerful page turner.
Dragon Mates: The Falk Clan Complete Series
C.D. Gorri - 2020
They each have a matching gemstone to go with it.In The Dragon's Valentine we meet the eldest Falk brother, Callius. He is on a mission to find a Castle and his one true mate, one he can trust with his diamond rose....“She’s given up on love, but he’s just begun…”In The Dragon’s Christmas Gift our attention shifts to Alexsander, the youngest brother of the four. He has resigned himself to a life alone, until he meets her…“His heart is frozen; can she change his mind about love?”The Dragon’s Heart is the story of Edric Falk who has vowed never to love again, but that changes when he meets his feisty mate, Joselyn Curacao.“Some wounds run deep, can a Dragon’s heart be unbroken?”Lastly, you can meet Nikolai Falk in The Dragon’s Secret.“She just wants a little fun, he’s looking for a lifetime.”I loved writing each and every one of these brothers’ tales and I hope you will enjoy reading them!Del mare alla stella,C.D. Gorri
The 12 Slays of Christmas
Abby L. VandiverLarissa Reinhart - 2017
Vandiver - "Baby, it's Cold Outside"Judith Lucci - "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year"Amy Vansant - "Stollen Time"Colleen Mooney - "Death by Rum Balls"Amy Reade - "The Worst Noel"Nell Goddin - TBAColleen Helme - "Devil in a Black Suit"Kim Hunt Harris - "Frankincense, Gold and Murder"Larissa Reinhart - "A View to a Chill"Cindy Bell - "Christmas Chocolates and Crimes"Summer Prescott - TBAKathryn Dionne - "Murder at the Holiday Bazaar"
Christmas to the Max A Return to Welcome Novel
Bonnie Edwards - 2020
(Return to Welcome)Max Whyte moves to Welcome WA to live closer to his daughters after their mother remarries. He wants to fix up an old home, settle into his new position at an IT firm, and try not to think about turning forty alone.Burned by a single mother in the past, he vows not to get tangled with another woman with children. When he saves the life of a small boy, he finds himself tangled in more ways than he could imagine.When the boy’s mother turns out to be the perfect person to do his renovations, Max has trouble keeping his personal feelings out of their employer/employee relationship.Kaylin Simpson has returned to Welcome to give her boys the kind of home she wanted as a child. She needs a fresh, stable start and wants to run her own business. Her three-year-old twins keep her hopping, but after she finishes the renovations for Max, she hopes to have her life well in hand.Max is drawn to Kaylin and her adorable twin boys. Her wit and feisty spirit pull at his heartstrings until he realizes being a stepfather is never what he wanted.Christmas in Welcome can be a time to heal and move forward and Max and Kaylin must set aside their old hurts to allow love to blossom.
Christmas Mercies
Emily Josephine - 2020
Christmas has brought nothing but grief and loneliness for the past decade, after she lost her beloved husband to a fatal car accident. Hearing holiday music day after day during the first few months of the school year is like constantly ripping the scab off an unhealed wound.Determined to keep her husband in her heart, she has kept a fortress around it, allowing only one woman in as a true friend, and avoiding anything more than a passing acquaintance with any man.Until Timothy Fielding, the maintenance man at the apartment complex where she lives, comes along. He happens to love the Christmas season. When circumstances – and Janice’s best friend, Kayla – draw them together, he struggles to keep his growing feelings for Janice at bay. He has his own secret past that he’s sure would repel any woman, once she found out about it.But his desire for love and companionship win out, and he does his best to knock down the walls around Janice’s heart. But even when she finally relents and agrees to spend more time with him, she continues to resist opening her heart back up to Christmas.Because the death of her husband is only the beginning of the tragedy surrounding the day.In the meantime, Lucille Masterson, the great-grandmother of Janice’s star pupil, makes a shocking discovery that almost causes her to ruin Christmas for her family. Again. But then she realizes that if she would face her fear, she could finally release the burden she’s been carrying for the past ten years. What she doesn’t know is that it would release a horrible burden for the very person she’s afraid to face…**********“Christmas Mercies” is the first novel in Emily Josephine’s Christian holiday romance series, “Little River Village Christmas Romance.” A clean and wholesome romance novel, it will warm your heart, build your faith, and leave you feeling refreshed and hopeful.
The Billionaire's Mistletoe: A Single Dad's 2nd Chance Sweet Romance
Gigi Marlowe - 2019
But sometimes, a past of hurt puts finding new love on the back burner. Tiffany closed her heart to everything but her career when her ex left with another woman. Roger's billions couldn't save his marriage from a tragic ending that left his young daughter motherless. Career-focused and plagued by past fears, finding someone new is the furthest thing from their minds… Until Valentina Del Torre steps in. The Billionaire Matchmaker knows that a future lies ahead of them, but she can't mend the past. The fear of more loss, pain and heartache lurks within them both, pushing them apart even as they reach for each other. Will they finally find peace in each other? Can they even dare to hope for a holiday miracle?
The Daughter Claus
D. Thrush - 2013
Santa is a grumpy workaholic who focused all his attention on grooming her brother to fill his boots when he retires. But Nick has plans of his own to become a rock star. Now after a family emergency, it's up to Tina to leave college and return home to the North Pole to temporarily manage the family business.Not only does she have to deal with a long distance crush on her brother's band mate, rowdy reindeer, and family drama, but there's also her irresistible ex-boyfriend who broke her heart, her best friend's flirtation with an elf, and way too many Peppermintinis at the local pub. Christmas Eve is quickly approaching and she's counting on her undependable brother to deliver the presents. It's not easy being Santa's daughter!Crazy fun, girl power, and Christmas magic make this a fun story any time of year!
The Accidental Gargoyle: An Accidental Quickie
Dakota Cassidy - 2021
But witnessing and experiencing are two different things, and she’s perfectly fine being a plain ol’ human. So when her ex-boss Nina schleps her around to estate sales, where she purchases two of the butt-ugliest gargoyles in existence to decorate her hedge maze…what happens next is stone-cold cuckoo.Suddenly, Ingrid’s beloved career as an animal therapist is on hold as Nina, Wanda, Marty and the OOPs gang help her navigate a rocky new life as a nocturnal paranormal with big horns, bigger ears, and an aversion to sunlight. Oh, and there’s the inconvenient matter of attraction to the man who turned her…who’s sofamiliar… And did we mention the screeching harpies hellbent on getting their hands on her?It’s all hands on deck to keep Ingrid alive until the danger passes, but throw in an old enemy they never saw coming, and her case just may be the hardest yet!***Author Note: This is An Accidental Quickie and shorter in length than prior novels in the series.***
Bah Humbug, Mrs. Scrooge
Joyce Livingston - 2005
Why then is she so dissatisfied? In fleeing her abusive childhood, she left behind the only man she'd ever loved--Bob Rachette. Years later, Eleanor's no-nonsense approach to her successful business alienates everyone... including Bob. Widower Bob Rachette feels responsible for Eleanor. But when Eleanor insists her business come before his family, Bob puts his foot down... and loses his job. Meanwhile, an accident forces Eleanor to reexamine her life, her priorities, and the love she gave up. Can the Lord use Faith, Hope, and Charity to break through her heart of stone? Or will this Christmas be like all the others in Eleanor Scrooge's life--a Bah Humbug? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents!
Haunting Obsession
R.J. Sullivan - 2010
Daryl’s girlfriend, Loretta Stevens, knew about his geeky lifestyle when they started dating, but she loves him, quirks and all.Then one day Daryl chooses to buy a particularly tacky piece of memorabilia instead of Loretta’s birthday present. Daryl ends up in the doghouse, not only with Loretta, but with Maxine Marie herself. The legendary blonde returns from the dead to give Daryl a piece of her mind—and a haunting obsession he’ll never forget.
Blood & Sawdust
Jason S. Ridler - 2012
But nothing prepared him for Milkwood: a fat, ugly bastard who could take a beating like a government mule, but never, ever won. So when Malcolm risks his life to discover Milkwood's secret, he convinces the fighter to stop being a punching bag and to go for broke in the local tournament. Only problem? A beautiful woman called Lash who needs Milkwood for her own purposes, and a fouler creature on her heels known only as Dizzy Colt. But for Malcolm and Milkwood? Hell, it’s just another day of Blood and SawdustPRAISE FOR BLOOD AND SAWDUST!"With wicked, playful prose that blends the best of pulp with the supernatural, Jason Ridler’s Blood and Sawdust creates an unholy, hell-raising hybrid, the kind of tale Christopher Moore and Jim Thompson might swap after a long night of drinking, trying to one-up one another with acerbic absurdity." Joe Clifford, Author of CHOICE CUTS and JUNKIE LOVEPRAISE FOR THE WORK OF JASON RIDLER!"An exciting new writer." Lucius Shepard, multiple-award-winning author of HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER. “Jason Ridler is kind of like a bull rider who’s tossed a saddle on a Tiger tank, and he’s riding that bucking sucker for all he’s worth, because, hey, no one told him that he couldn’t do it, did they? So here he is, the Man in the Barbed-Wire Straitjacket." Norman Partridge, Award Winning Author of DARK HARVEST. "Jason Ridler’s work is intense and taut, with incredible characters and plots that keep your mind buzzing long after you’ve reached the final page." Trent Zelazny, author of TOO LATE TO CALL TEXAS, and FRACTAL DESPONDENCY. ABOUT THE AUTHORJason S. Ridler is the author of BLOOD AND SAWDUST, the Spar Battersea thrillers (DEATH MATCH, CON JOB and DICE ROLL), the short story collection KNOCKOUTS, and has published over fifty stories in such magazines and anthologies as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Chilling Tales, and more. His popular non-fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Dark Scribe, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. A former punk rock musician and cemetery groundskeeper, Mr. Ridler holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Visit him at twitter at http://twitter.com/JayRidler, Facebook ,http://www.facebook.com/Ridlerville, or his writing blog, Ridlerville, atwww.jsridler.com
Jingle Bear
Ruby Shae - 2014
Protecting Santa’s Village is his number one priority, and the job leaves little room for anything else. A mistake made years ago hardened his heart, and he’d rather live alone than allow love to alter his judgment again. Chloe Winters is free to celebrate Christmas for the first time in five years and she decides to spend it in Christmas Town, a popular tourist attraction, alone. When a sexy, muscle bound stranger offers her friendship, she’s reminded of her long ago wishes for someone to love her, curves and all. When Santa issues an ultimatum, Quinn finds out the big man really does know everything. The challenge? Convince his curvy, damaged, mate that his love, and shifters and Santa, really do exist.
Daughters of the Lake
Wendy Webb - 2018
Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams…One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen.As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past.