It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas (Reads) GIVEAWAY: The Yuletide Angel

today’s book: The Yuletide Angel

On Monday, we kicked off this year’s blog series spotlighting (over 70 this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads! This is the 7th year for the Christmas Reads Giveaway series, and I think I get more excited about it every year 🙂

Christmas is still 40 days away, according to Google, BUT it’s never too early for Christmas stories. Beginning now and continuing through just after Christmas, I’m going to spotlight several Christmasy releases from 2023. So… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage (wassail anyone?) and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and start your bookish Christmas list! And no doubt you know the drill by now – there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)

THE YULETIDE ANGEL by Sandra Ardoin
SERIES: Barnes Brothers #1
PUBLISHER: Corner Room Books
GENRE: Historical Romance (Christian)
RELEASE DATE: July 18, 2023
PAGES: 101

Who is the mysterious Yuletide Angel?

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Violet Madison ventures out at night to leave packages at the houses of the poor. When her brother announces his upcoming marriage, Violet realizes she’ll soon lose her role as mistress of her childhood home. Worse, without a way to support herself, she could lose the roof over her head and become as needy as those she helps.

A betrayal by his brother and a past love turned Hugh Barnes into a confirmed bachelor. Now drawn to Violet, Hugh discovers that his sweet, shy neighbor is the anonymous and charitable Yuletide Angel. As much as he admires her spirit, he’s horrified by the risk she takes in traveling alone during the wee hours and vows to protect her.

Hugh’s discovery of Violet in the company of his reprobate brother endangers their growing romance. However, the biggest threat to their love might come from the one hiding in the late-night shadows.

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Hugh shut the ledger and slid it onto the shelf below the register. Perhaps the snow would hold off a while, and she would agree to accompany him to the café down the street for the noon meal. He longed to be with her somewhere other than his store—or tagging behind her in the middle of the night.

He untied his apron and hung it from a peg in the back room, then grabbed his hat and coat, turned the sign from Open to Closed, and locked the front door after him.

With a jaunty step and a cheerful whistle, he covered the six blocks to the street where they both lived. He slowed his pace at the sight of the carriage parked in between their houses. The horse’s cocked rear leg and drooping head indicated he’d been there a sufficient time to nap. His hip flaunted the mark of the livery.

Violet entertained a guest? It would explain why she never appeared this morning.

Hugh wavered between returning to the store and traipsing up the walk to discover the identity of her visitor. Really, it was none of his business, but she did promise the rest of her delivery. He rolled his shoulders. He had a right, as a merchant colleague, to …

No. It was his duty to see that she filled the orders he had taken yesterday. It wasn’t simply Violet Madison’s business reputation at stake.

He marched up the porch steps and opened the screen door. Once he twisted the key on the bell, he shut the outer door, clasped his hands behind his back, and rocked on his heels until the front door opened.

“Hu … Mr. Barnes, I wasn’t expecting you.”

Hugh gaped at Violet. He swallowed to moisten his dry throat. He’d never seen her so … so … so soft and womanly. She wore a form-accentuating dress in a red that heightened the black in her hair. The latter was coiffed in a fashionable style complete with tiny curls surrounding her temples. She looked little like the sweet, shy Violet he’d come to know.

A blush dappled her face. “Would you like to come in? Your—”

Footsteps echoed on the wood flooring of the foyer as a man walked up to stand behind her. Hugh’s skin turned cold and his jaw clenched with the immensity of his outrage. He shook his head at Violet. “I thought you were different.”

She gasped at the growl in his voice.

What did she expect? That he would enjoy finding Kit in the company of another woman he intended to court? That he would open his arms in welcome as though a brother’s betrayal was something to celebrate?

As an author of heartwarming Christian historical and contemporary 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. Connect with Sandra at her website.

Sandra Ardoin is offering an ebook copy of any one of her 2023 releases pictured above (winner’s choice) 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.

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What about you? What makes you want to read The Yuletide Angel by Sandra Ardoin?