It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reads) GIVEAWAY: Wreathed in Disgrace (+ guest post)

Wreathed in Disgrace

Welcome back to our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 again this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads!

Christmas is only 17 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!)

WREATHED IN DISGRACE by Robin Patchen
SERIES: Coventry Saga #9
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
PUBLISHER: JDO Publishing
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2022
PAGES: 386

A famous actress, a protective bodyguard, a festive Christmas season, and a killer…or two…on the loose.

Everybody believes movie star Denise Masters abandoned her family to pursue her dream, but the truth is much more complex. For years, she’s longed to return to Coventry to repair her relationship with her daughter, but contractual obligations–and fear of being rejected–have kept her away. When a serial killer targets Hollywood actors, Denise decides to spend the Christmas holidays in New Hampshire. She will finally face the disgrace of her past.

Private security agent Jon Donley figures the woman he’s been hired to guard will turn out to be a paranoid, privileged prima donna. Instead, the more he gets to know Denise, the more he likes her. But he’s not being paid to get involved with her. His job is to keep her safe while he figures out what links her to the other victims.

But the serial killer on the west coast isn’t the only trouble they face. A second danger is closing in fast, threatening not just Denise but the little girl she’ll stop at nothing to protect.

Romance, suspense, and a New England Christmas. Don’t miss the next installment of the addictive Coventry Saga.

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Cooking up some Holiday Magic

by Robin Patchen, author of Wreathed in Disgrace

Cooking isn’t as fun as it used to be, back when I was a stay-at-home mom and spent so much time in the kitchen. These days, though I’m home all day, most of my hours are spent on my computer, cooking up stories instead of meals.

As a full-time writer, I don’t have as much time to plan and prepare meals as I used to. Plus, I’m no longer the only chef in the house, since I live with three capable adults (my husband of almost thirty years and our two younger kids, who are 23 and 21).

I don’t get to cook as much as I used to. But when the weather turns cold, whenever I have a free minute, you’ll find me in the kitchen.

There’s something about chilly weather—especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas— that makes me yearn for my cozy kitchen. Which is probably why my most recent novel, a Christmas story called Wreathed in Disgrace, features a couple of my favorite winter soup recipes.

The heroine, Denise Masters, is a famous Hollywood actor, but she knows her way around her kitchen. When the stress heats up—and thanks to serial killers and stalkers, she has plenty of that—she starts pulling ingredients out of her pantry.

Denise especially enjoys it when she gets to whip up delectable soups for the delectable bodyguard who’s protecting her. (Who can blame her?)

Below you’ll find the two recipes Denise makes for Jon, and another one of my favorites, just because I think you’ll like it. Denise has spent years in Southern California, so she’s gotten used to a Mexican flair to her meals.

I’m no Hollywood star, but I like me some Tex-Mex as well, which reflects in the recipes I’ve chosen. I hope you’ll check these out—and check out Wreathed in Disgrace while you’re at it!

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning mix (or ¼ cup)
2/3 cup water
1 can corn
1 can Rotel
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can chili beans (I prefer Bush’s)
1 can beef broth

Brown onion and ground beef. Drain the grease out, then add taco soup mix and water and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add without draining: corn, Rotel, tomatoes, beans, and beef broth. Let simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar, tortilla chips, avocado slices, and sour cream, if desired.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt

In a large slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked and falling apart, 5-6 hours.

Shred chicken with a fork and add back to soup.

Serve with tortilla chips, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream, and avocado slices, if desired.

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

2 chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1 10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes w/green Chilis, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup water
1 8-oz package light cream cheese

Add all ingredients EXCEPT CREAM CHEESE to a slow cooker. Mix it up, and then place the cream cheese on top.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours then stir and shred chicken.

Robin Patchen is offering a print copy of Lineage of Corruption (the previous book in the series) and a $10 Amazon gift card to one of my readers! (US only. 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 Wreathed in Disgrace by Robin Patchen? What’s your favorite soup?