today’s book: deadly christmas pretense by dana mentink
Christmas is only 25 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 next featured book is a riveting suspense novel set at Christmastime + a note from the author on finding joy even if Christmas is different this year!
DEADLY CHRISTMAS PRETENSE
SERIES: Roughwater Ranch Cowboys #2
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
PUBLISHER: Love Inspired Suspense
RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2019
PAGES: 224
A cowboy to her rescue…
but she’s not who he thinks she is.
Posing as her sister for Christmas is the only way to save her, but Maggie Lofton needs help—even if it means working with her twin’s cowboy ex-boyfriend, Liam Pike. But between the bull’s-eye on her back and the dangerous connection she’s forming with Liam, Maggie’s mission is harder than expected. Will their tenuous partnership be enough to shield her when the killer closes in?
amazon affiliate link used
Christmas is different this year. Yes, the decorations are sparkly and festive, there is an overabundance of sweet treats, and Junie the Wonder Dog will have her little stocking all filled up as usual…but something has changed. Our beloved Grandpa is no longer with us. Though I know he is joyfully celebrating in Heaven, it is still hard to watch his life partner of 69 years spend her first Christmas without him. It seems as though there’s an empty space at the family table, a missing voice, an unfinished song.
Another thing that has changed at Mentink Manor is my bear cubs (fondly referred to as Yogi and Boo Boo) are not wee ones anymore. I don’t know how it happened, but they are almost grown with their own spaces to be and places to go. Though I can still hear their exuberant, little girl, Christmas chatter, now I must try and schedule time with them, squeezing in family moments in between their work responsibilities, and social lives.
So Christmas is different this year…but you know what? There’s also a deeper sweetness to it. We share stories about Grandpa and reflect upon the beauty of a life well lived. Flannel shirts remind us of his sturdy shoulders and the many people he comforted with his hugs. We remind ourselves that God understands our grief because He sacrificed His own son for us. And we take comfort that there is a much better place awaiting us, where there is no more grief.
My girls have become independent, and isn’t that the ultimate goal of parenting? Now when they call to chat, it’s a precious moment we reconnect not because we have to, but because we want to. The shared laughter in the fleeting moments when we are together is ultra-special, profoundly joyful.
So things are different here at our house, but we still feel deeply the blessings of the season. I hope that you feel that joy to as we enter this holiday season. God bless you and yours, friends and I wish you a very, merry Christmas indeed.
Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and a Holt Medallion winner. She is a national bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harlequin Heartwarming and Harvest House. Dana was thrilled to be a semi-finalist in the Jeanne Robertson Comedy With Class Competition. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, teen bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, a chubby box turtle and a feisty parakeet.
website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram
Dana Mentink is offering one of my readers a print copy of Deadly Christmas Pretense and a $15 Amazon gift card (US only for print copy, ebook will be given instead if international winner is drawn. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) 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 Deadly Christmas Pretense by Dana Mentink? Is Christmas different for you too this year? What blessings can you find even in the difference?
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
I love Christmas stories and I can always find something to be thankful for.
Love dana’s books.
I love Christmas stories!
Christmas is different for me this year, but I’m grateful to have a warm home when it’s cold and snowy.
Suspense and Christmas. Christmas is different this year without my dad. A blessing is that he is no longer suffering and is at peace and seeing mom again.
My Christmas is going to be really different this year. My Sister is recovering from back surgery so we are having a very low key Christmas this year.
I want to know what happens when Liam finds out Maggie’s secret. It will be a quiet Christmas with just me and my husband this year. I’ll have more time to seek after the Lord and to spend quality time with my husband.
This sounds like an intriguing read.
I love reading Christmas books this time of year! This one I can’t wait to snuggle up and read!
Sounds like a good book.
I love Christmas stories. We had a similar experience when my Mother in Law passed away leaving her life mate of almost 70 years. It was sad but we sustained the traditions, until FIL went home to be with her.
i love the cover and excerpt is great
I love reading christmas books, I have the blessing of my family if I don’t have anything else.
I like the interesting concept. Sounds like a good book. Happy holidays.
blurb’s interesting
I love Christmas stories- always seem to be full of hope. We’ve had a couple of different Christmases due to some health issues so this year we are embracing everything we can
It would be interesting to read how she convinces her twin’s ex-boyfriend that she’s her sister. And who doesn’t love a good-looking cowboy!
I followed a blog tour for this book and saw so many positive reviews, so I want to read it.
This sounds like an intriguing read. This Christmas will be different as we’re going to be celebrating in our new home. Otherwise, it’s been a rough year with my FIL’s cancer diagnosis and my husband doing a lot of the farming by himself. It’s been a very bad year for most farmers with the late planting/harvest season. But my FIL’s prognosis is good and my husband is almost done with harvest. For those two things, we are thankful!
Christmas is very different for us this year but we find our joy in Jesus!
You had me at Dana Mentink! She is hilarious! Always a gripping read!
Love Dana’s Books She is a great Author!
I love reading Love Inspired books!! This one sounds like it has a lot of suspense and a few twist in it. This Christmas will be our families third without our mother and our second without our oldest sister. We can be thankful that they are in a better place with no more sickness or suffering. Thanks for this giveaway.
I like Christmas stories and suspense ones also.
I love Suspense and this year will be different because this is the first year my husband and I will be alone. My last child moved out in August. We are now empty nesters. Thank you
When holidays are different because of grief I think it helps to start a tradition to remember them. My grandpa always had a box of TicTacs in his pocket so since he passed away we’ve always put TicTacs in everyone’s Christmas stocking.
What interests you most about this Christmas read? It seems to be a thriller and is suspenseful which I like. What blessings can you find if Christmas is different for you, too, this year? That my family is healthy and doing well.
I have loved every book I have read by Dana, so I am looking forward to reading it. And the blessing I would find is I have all of my family healthy and with me