It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reads) GIVEAWAY: Unwrapping Hope (+ guest post)

today’s book: Unwrapping Hope

Welcome to another post in my annual blog series spotlighting new and recently-released Christmas reads! (Over 50 this year – And I’m SO EXCITED about it!)

Christmas is only 11 days away (Can you believe it?!?) and I think we all could benefit from some extra Christmas cheer this year, right? Continuing through just before Christmas, I’m going to spotlight several new/recent Christmasy releases. So… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and start your bookish Christmas list! Oh… and did I mention there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)

Today’s first book is a charming historical romance novella – plus author Sandra Ardoin shares about hand-me-down decoration!

UNWRAPPING HOPE
SERIES: Widow’s Might #0.5
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance novella
PUBLISHER: Corner Room Books
RELEASE DATE: October 15, 2019
PAGES: 146

She’s a mystery his heart longs to unravel.

Phoebe Crain, once a lauded concert pianist, lives in anonymity after being disgraced by a wealthy man. For her daughter’s sake, Phoebe can’t afford a second mistake in love, yet each day brings a struggle to resist trusting in the integrity of a department store owner’s heir…another man of wealth.

Spence Newland has fought for years to prove his worthiness to take over the family business. But store scandals and his own insecurity threaten everything he has worked to achieve, even the future he’s come to envision with Phoebe.

Will they give in to their greatest fears or conquer them and unwrap the gift of a forever together?

Travel back to 1896 for a story one reviewer labeled “a lovely tale of the heart.” Then meet Claire Kingsley in Book One of the Widow’s Might series, Enduring Dreams.

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hand-me-down decorations

by Sandra Ardoin, author of Unwrapping Hope

I’m a Christmas decorator extraordinaire. Well, I have a lot of decorations, anyway. Each Thanksgiving weekend, I begin to pull out boxes…and boxes…and boxes. 

It usually takes me three days to put up and three days to take down. That doesn’t include the tree, which truth be told, I could do without. I try to pawn that aggravation pleasure off on my daughter when she comes home, but it doesn’t always work.

Most of my decorations have been around for years and involve Santas in every shape, size, and interest. Because, you know, I’m a…

But there is one decoration I bought in the early ’80s. To clarify, that’s the 1980s. Just because I write 19th century historical romance doesn’t mean I lived it. 😊 

Where was I? Oh…

Lambie.

Lambie goes on the fireplace hearth each year. She used to baa when turned over and turned upright again. Unfortunately, the poor thing has been silenced by age and years of being shoved into the cupboard after Christmas. I suppose if I lived where she lives most of the year, I wouldn’t baa either.

Children have their favorite decorations at Christmas, don’t they? I have mine. And I have my hand-me-downs—ornaments from the 1940s and ’50s that came from my grandmother. My daughter has always held a fondness for Lambie, so one day the wooly creature will be all hers.

In my novella Unwrapping Hope, little Maura has something she would love to receive as a Christmas gift, but her mother can’t afford it. In fact, they really can’t afford decorations, but Maura’s mother, Phoebe, takes her to the railroad station where people are passing out candy canes, even though they have no tree to hang one on. 

Ah, but perhaps there’s more awaiting them than a mere stick of candy. Something that will last a lifetime and beyond.

What Christmas decoration will you be handing down to a child?

As an author of heartwarming and award-winning historical romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith. Rarely out of reach of a book, she’s also an armchair sports enthusiast, country music listener, and seldom says no to eating out. 

Visit her at www.sandraardoin.com. Connect with her on BookBub, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest. Subscribe to the newsletter and keep up with what’s new, discover what’s upcoming, and learn of specials.

Sandra Ardoin is offering an ebook copy of Unwrapping Hope to one of my readers! (Open internationally. 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.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Unwrapping Hope by Sandra Ardoin? What Christmas decoration will you be handing down to a child? Or, what Christmas decoration was handed down to you?