today’s book: A Small-Town Christmas Challenge
Oh hey! It’s been a minute since I last posted in this series. I am so appreciative of these wonderful authors who are taking part in this year’s Christmas Reads Giveaway – each one of them has granted me abundant grace and compassion as I struggle to get back into the swing of things after losing my dad last week. And you, my dear blog readers whom I consider friends, have extended to me that same grace and compassion. Thank you ♥
I am finding that grief is ever-fluctuating so I am dipping my toe back into the blogging waters today with no absolute guarantee that I will have the emotional or mental stamina to do so tomorrow. But today I do, so today I am blogging. And I am becoming okay with giving myself the freedom to see how I feel and listen to what my body & heart are telling me.
So without further ado, I am continuing our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads! Christmas is only THREE days away, so… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and continue your 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 romance between a nurse and a pastor who inherit an old historic home together, and author Susanne Dietze shares about a yummy Christmas tradition that plays a key role in the story!
A SMALL-TOWN CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE by Susanne Dietze
SERIES: Widow’s Peak Creek #3
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: Love Inspired
RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2021
PAGES: 219
Will reviving an old tradition
be the start of something new?
When she inherits a beautiful historic house, nurse Leah Dean knows selling it could solve all her problems. But there’s just one catch—she and co-owner Pastor Benton Hunt must cohost the Gingerbread Gala in the home first. As Christmas approaches, Leah and Benton grow closer, and parting with the house—and each other—is not as easy as they thought…
From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
Widow’s Peak Creek
Book 1: A Future for His Twins
Book 2: Seeking Sanctuary
Book 3: A Small-Town Christmas Challenge
Hello, friends!
If you’re anything like me, you’re facing down a holiday to-do list while also trying to make time to savor the season.
We all have different traditions, but I like to use special devotionals for Advent, go for walks or drives to look at holiday light displays, drink hot cocoa with a candy cane in it, and indulge my love of gingerbread houses.
Whether they’re candy confections like the kits we can make at home, or professional marvels, like the annual White House gingerbread creations, I think gingerbread houses are delightful. I always have, since I was a little girl looking at my mom’s holiday issues of Good Housekeeping, which included photos from their annual gingerbread contest.
With gingerbread on my mind, I suppose it’s no surprise that the main characters in my Christmas romance A Small-Town Christmas Challenge find themselves tasked with creating and decorating a V.I.G. (a Very Important Gingerbread house which will go on display at the town’s Gingerbread Gala). Benton and Leah are intimidated by the prospect, but I couldn’t resist assigning them such a sweet activity (pun intended) to do together!
I had so much fun writing those scenes. I sketched out their house on paper, researched the candies they’d use, and looked up the “best” recipes for royal icing for them to use as glue. I even included in my personal trick for getting a gingerbread house to stay in one piece.
I freely admit the fictional house in my story turns out much better than my home attempts. I may have won first place in a cake decorating contest when I was eleven years old, but in the decades since then, my skills with a tube of icing have gone downhill. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the process of decorating gingerbread houses with my family, though. That’s part of the joy of the season, isn’t it? Creating special memories that last far beyond the items on our to-do lists?
How about you? Do you make a gingerbread house at Christmastime? If you do, do you ever nibble the candies?
I hope that however you spend Christmas, there are many special memories for you and those you love.
Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she’s an award-winning, RWA RITA® nominated author who’s seen her work on the Publisher’s Weekly and ECPA Lists for Inspirational Fiction. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne lives in California and enjoys fancy-schmancy tea parties and curling up on the couch with a costume drama. You can visit her at www.susannedietze.com.
Susanne Dietze is offering a print or ebook copy of A Small-Town Christmas Challenge to one of my readers! (US only for print. Ebook is available 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.
What about you? What makes you want to read A Small-Town Christmas Challenge by Susanne Dietze? Do you make a gingerbread house at Christmastime? If you do, do you ever nibble the candies?
I enjoy reading Christmas stories year ’round; I haven’t made a gingerbread house in years!
I have never made one – but I’ve always wanted to!
Merry Christmas. I know this is going to be a challenging Christmas. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for taking care of yourself. That is most important. I love the cover of this book. God bless you and your family.
thank you, sweet Debra 🙂
Sounds good. Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas 🎄
Merry Christmas, Lucy!
I’m sorry to learn about your father, Carrie. I’m praying for you and your family!
In A Small Town Christmas Challenge, I love the idea of the pastor and the nurse having to work together to put on the Gingerbread Gala; obviously as they get to know one another, they may become interested in the other. The process should make for an interesting story.
Thanks, Suzanne!
Sounds great!
Thank you..this is a new genre for me.
Sounds like a wonderful story. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
I have never made a gingerbread house. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like a book I will enjoy.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Grace and freedom. Take what you need and do what you can. Prayers for you and your family.
Sweet Carrie, my heart aches for you and your family. This will be a difficult Christmas but I pray that in the midst of the pain, you are truly able to sense God’s love and comfort. You remain in my prayers.
Thank you so much for featuring the book, even in the midst of a hard season. You are the kindest person. I hope you are able to rest, and do what you need to do for however long it takes. Sending you my love.
My thoughts and prayers are also with you and your family.
I love small town Christmas stories! We made a cookie house last year, using a kit with a ready to decorate house.
Love reading Christmas stories all year long. Thanks for your great generosity.
the premise
it’s so intriguing, isn’t it? 🙂
This sounds like a wonderful and interesting story, especially the Gingerbread Gala.
i can’t wait to read it soon!
A Gingerbread Contest is a fun and delicious challenge. I’ve seen some elaborate gingerbread homes and mine were simple and fun to make. The icing is tricky because it hardens so fast. The story looks like a slice from the past.
No. I don’t make gingerbread houses at Christmas. I wish I did. I tried one time with my kids and it was an EPIC fail.
I haven’t made a gingerbread house but I know it is something I would enjoy doing.
We did make gingerbread houses each year and they never looked very good but we always had fun trying to make them! Great memories, just not just construction! 🤣
The story sounds interesting. I love the cover.
Marilyn
Love The cover sounds like such a great story!
I love stories set in a small town and holiday stories especially. That’s what makes me want to read this book. I have never actually made a gingerbread house for the holidays
I enjoy small town stories especially at Christmas time. We made gingerbread houses when the children were still living at home