today’s book: christmas next door by vickie mcdonough
Christmas is still 32 days away according to Google (if we get to Dec 25th and we have days left over, blame Google, not me lol), BUT now ’tis the season when I start craving cozy Christmas reads. (Okay – I crave them all year round but now’s when I can get away with talking about them LOL) This year I’m continuing my annual blog series spotlighting new and recently-released Christmas reads, and I’m super excited! Christmas books make me happy!
So… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and start your own bookish Christmas list! Oh… and did I mention there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)
Today’s featured book is a collection of historical novellas by 2 authors – plus a post from the author explaining how the stories are connected!
CHRISTMAS NEXT DOOR
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Barbour
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2019
PAGES: 448
Visit an Old West Texas town where a mysterious benefactor leaves gifts each Christmas, but also where four pairs of neighbors battle over hearsay, secrets, and mysteries.
THE MARSHAL NEXT DOOR by Vickie McDonough (1885)
The marshal’s deputy claims he’s seen the marshal’s young sisters snooping around businesses where there have been recent thefts. Marshal Yates can’t believe his sisters might be the thieves and seeks out a woman to mentor the impetuous teenagers. But when evidence is found against his sisters, will he have to arrest them at Christmastime?THE SPINSTERS NEXT DOOR by Susan Page Davis (1886)
Rachel Tanner’s family harbors secrets that may lead her and her aunts to financial ruin. When Stephen Worth rents a house on the Tanner property, he gets to close to family business, insisting Rachel open a locked box her dead father guarded closely. Can the schoolmaster persuade Rachel to defy her aunts and open the box—or will she remain alone with a tangle of unanswered questions?THE OUTLAW NEXT DOOR by Vickie McDonough (1887)
Dane McDermott, a reformed outlaw born into a gang of thieves, has buried his past deep. As respectable business owner Dane has finally met the woman of his dreams. But when his father shows up, will it ruin his chances for love with the preacher’s daughter?THE GUNSLINGER NEXT DOOR by Susan Page Davis (1888)
Alice Singer’s new neighbor has her worried. He’s a retired gunslinger with delusions that he is Ben Franklin and needs a printing press to produce his almanac. Enlisting the postmaster’s help, Alice seeks to understand her odd neighbor, his many packages, and mysterious visitors. Is he really just a harmless old fellow?
christmas next door
People ask where my love for westerns come from, and I tell them that I grew up watching cowboys show with my dad—back when we only had three channels to choose from. I don’t know if it was that or the fact that my grandpa was a Texan, and it’s in my blood. I also loved horses and read every book I could find in the library with a horse on the cover when I was young.
My favorite genre to read is historical fiction set in the Midwest in the late 1800s. When my good friend, Susan Page Davis, asked if I’d like to work on a novella collection with her called Christmas Next Door, I quickly agreed. We set up a fictional Texas town called Wiseman and created a whole cast of characters. We each wrote two of the novellas in the Christmas Next Door collection. Each story has a mystery, but this is also an over-arcing mystery that runs through the fours novella. Here’s a peek at what the stories are about:
Visit an Old West Texas town where a mysterious benefactor leaves gifts each Christmas, but also where four pairs of neighbors battle over hearsay, secrets, and mysteries. Even as romantic tensions increase, love seems beyond reach. Can their problems bring them closer to share in the generous spirit of the season?
THE MARSHAL NEXT DOOR by Vickie McDonough (1885)
The marshal’s deputy claims he’s seen the marshal’s young sisters snooping around businesses where there have been recent thefts. Marshal Yates can’t believe his sisters might be the thieves and seeks out a woman to mentor the impetuous teenagers. But when evidence is found against his sisters, will he have to arrest them at Christmastime?
THE SPINSTERS NEXT DOOR by Susan Page Davis (1886)
Rachel Tanner’s family harbors secrets that may lead her and her aunts to financial ruin. When Stephen Worth rents a house on the Tanner property, he gets to close to family business, insisting Rachel open a locked box her dead father guarded closely. Can the schoolmaster persuade Rachel to defy her aunts and open the box—or will she remain alone with a tangle of unanswered questions?
THE OUTLAW NEXT DOOR by Vickie McDonough (1887)
Dane McDermott, a reformed outlaw born into a gang of thieves, has buried his past deep. As respectable business owner Dane has finally met the woman of his dreams. But when his father shows up, will it ruin his chances for love with the preacher’s daughter?
THE GUNSLINGER NEXT DOOR by Susan Page Davis (1888)
Alice Singer’s new neighbor has her worried. He’s a retired gunslinger with delusions that he is Ben Franklin and needs a printing press to produce his almanac. Enlisting the postmaster’s help, Alice seeks to understand her odd neighbor, his many packages, and mysterious visitors. Is he really just a harmless old fellow?
Grab a copy of Christmas Next Door for a fun, seasonal read.
Bestselling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a sweet computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is a best-selling author of more than 50 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her novels include End of the Trail, winner of the OWFI 2013 Best Fiction Novel Award. Whispers on the Prairie was a Romantic Times Recommended Inspirational Book for July 2013. Song of the Prairie won the 2015 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Gabriel’s Atonement, book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series placed second in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award. Vickie has recently stepped into independent publishing.
Vickie has been married for forty-one years to Robert. They have four grown sons, one daughter-in-law, and a precocious granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, antiquing, doing stained-glass projects, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com
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Vickie McDonough is offering one of my readers a print copy of Christmas Next Door! (US only) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
What about you? What interests you most about Christmas Next Door by Vickie McDonough & Susan Page Davis?
I love nineteenth century historicals, especially those with rural settings in America. And of course Christmas makes it even better!
Me too, Cynthia. Most of my books are set in the late 1800s in small towns. 🙂
I would love to win this book!
It’s a fun read, Patti. Good luck!
I always think of Christmas stories as being contemporary, so this late 1800’s western them sounds very interesting. My hubby is also a compiter geek who is not overly fond of horses either.
Christmas was definitely different in the 19th century. Much fewer gifts and decorations–if any. Still good food and family gatherings though.
I love Christmas stories! Thanks for the chance to win!
I hope you get a chance to read my book. It’s got several good mysteries running through it and lots of Christmas spirit.
I enjoy reading historical novels that take place in the 1800s–how life was (no super stores–but they did have catalogs! some folks didn’t even have telephones yet!) it is hard for me to comprehend that my maternal parents were born in the late 1800s, and how much life has changed since then! I
I love Christmas stories and inspiration fiction set in the 1800s, together a winning combination. I have always enjoyed Vickie McDonough’s books as well as those of her co-author, Susan Paige Davis.
Thanks for being a fan, Roxanne! The late 1800s is my favorite time period to read of too.
I know just you mean, Ms. Barb. My dad’s parents were born in 1874 and 1876–hard to wrap my brain around.
Oooo I loooove Christmas stories… and a western?? Yes please!
Thanks for being a fan, Roxanne! The late 1800s is my favorite time period to read of too.
Love reading books about Texas since I used to live there. Also like reading historical books!
Looks like a great Christmas read.
I love a good western and this contains four.
The cover reminds me of Lessons on Love. So pretty!
I can’t wait to read this book.
I like reading Christmas stories during the holidays and being historical makes it even better. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and good luck everyone.
I love Christmas stories.
I love Historical Romance. Thank you
time period
Historical fiction always fascinates me.
What a cast of characters in these stories! I like to read historical fiction.
I like the idea of all the stories being set in the same town!
I’ve read some of Susan’s westerns before and enjoyed them.
me too!
I like Vickie McDonough’s books and I’m a sucker for Christmas novellas!