The Woodcarver’s Snow-kissed Christmas
Welcome back to our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 again this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads!
Christmas is only 19 days away, according to Google, but of course it’s never too early for Christmas stories, and ’tis the season when I really start craving them (even more than I do the rest of the year lol), so now is the perfect time to jump right into these posts!
Continuing through just after Christmas, I’m going to spotlight several Christmasy releases from 2022. Most days will have more than one post, just FYI. 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!)
THE WOODCARVER’S SNOW-KISSED CHRISTMAS by Izzy James
SERIES: Christmas Holiday Extravaganza
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: White Rose Publishing
RELEASE DATE: October 14, 2022
PAGES: 100
Reed Archer is a man with a past. His new-found faith in God will not be believed by those who know his history.
Ann Wright is a woman who wants to control her future. Her skill as an artist drives her need to be independent in a time when women usually must rely on the men in their lives to make decisions for them.
Can a risky proposition at Christmastide make them see each other in new light and bring a happily-ever-after for both of them?
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“I have a proposition for ye.” He angled his tall frame toward her even as a sly smile niggled the corner of his mouth. “As ye so bluntly put it, we have an opportunity this Christmastide. Rather than take this time to prove to our parents that we will never suit, let us take this time to see if we will suit.”
“What?” She sought his gaze again. “Ye mean ye actually want to marry me?” She was well and truly flummoxed.
Reed grinned.
Ann spun away from him. Paced two steps and back again. “I admit that ye crossed my mind when we were very young, but—“
“But what?” She stood wide-eyed. “I really shouldn’t say.”
“Come now, Annie. Ye’ve subjected me to yer bluntness, surely it won’t fail ye now?” A smile softened the blow of his words, but the challenge hung between them.
“Ye got mean.”
His smile faded.
“As ye got older ye became more like yer father. I do not wish…I will not…” He took a step closer. “I am not my father.”
“Why should I believe ye?”
He looked to the sky. “I had hoped…” He looked back down.
“What?” What had he hoped? And why did her heart require her to listen when her head did not want her to care?
“Are ye willing to give us twelve days?”
She paced while her head screamed. No!
Ye already misjudged him once, her heart sniped back. “Ye will accept my judgment?”
“Yes.”
“Without argument?”
The corners of his well-formed lips raised in mischief. “Not promising that.”
“How do ye mean to go about this trial?”
He raised one brown brow. “I pray it will not be so painful as a ‘trial’.”
She crossed her arms. It would do no good to feed his arrogance with humor.
“In the usual way. I shall ask ye to walk, ride, to dance with me. Ye will agree to these activities.”
“People may get the wrong idea.”
“People will understand that we are courting. Isn’t that what ye had proposed?”
“No. I proposed people should be made aware that we had decided. Against.”
“Now they will see us decide.”
“I do not like it.”
He nodded. “Ye were right, we cannot claim old friendship or even to know each other, since so much time has passed.”
He was not wrong. She was stuck here for twelve days. It wasn’t possible to avoid him the entire time. And her parents were more likely to believe her judgment of the unsuitability of the match if they thought she’d given it a valiant effort.
“It’s the grain ye’ve got to see before ye decide what to do with the wood, girl.” Grandpa’s voice whispered.
Izzy James, The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas
© 2022, Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Izzy James is the pen name of Elizabeth Chevalier Hull. Elizabeth grew up in coastal Virginia surrounded by the history of the founding of our nation. She lives there still with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books. Visit her at echull.com
Izzy James is offering an ebook of The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas to one of my readers! (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 The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas by Izzy James?
The title and cover caught my attention first as I have always been fascinated by the art of woodcarving and by those individuals who are adept at it. I enjoyed reading the synopsis and excerpt and I am looking forward to reading the story
I would like to read The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas by Izzy James because it sounds like a unique piece of historical fiction.
Such a pretty cover!
the cover drew my eye first
Great excerpt, thank you for sharing!
interesting
I want to read this book because this is my exact favorite genre. Plus the fact that it is Christmas themed just adds to its’ appeal for me.
“It’s the grain ye’ve got to see before ye decide what to do with the wood, girl.” This line clenched my desire to read Izzy’s book. I was drawn to the cover first. And then to the synopsis. Many have a reputation that goes before them, and it’s hard for others to accept that they could change. But with faith and with God they can. I like stories that bring this out.
I enjoyed the excerpt. It really drew me in.