Welcome back to Romance Sweet Reads. Today we're going to continue our Christmas in July celebration with the next book in a brand-new, eight book, multi-author series. Christmas Bride Dilemma is sure to put you in the mood and, if you're in the middle of a hot summer, we might cool you off a bit, too!
The seventh book in the series is Trapped in Mistletoe, by bestselling and award-winning author, Aurora Kelly.
Clara Jones is fleeing an arranged marriage. When she becomes stranded in Mistletoe, Montana, Clara has no choice but to endure it until the next stage arrives in town.
Edward Bishop inherits the Grand Hotel, in a small town he's never heard of. With a mother determined to have him marry, Edward sees Mistletoe as a place to escape her meddling.
When marriage is the last thing either of them wants, how can it be the one thing that saves them both?
Available on Kindle Unlimited
December 1880s Mistletoe, Montana Territory
Clara Jones gripped the carpet bag, nails digging into her palms. Her eyes darted around each person on the street. The couple she’d been travelling with assured her that Mistletoe was a safe town to be stranded in.
It was only supposed to be for one night.
This was not how things should have ended. Not with her scuffing her feet on the dirt path where the stagecoach stopped in an itty bitty town even she’d never heard of. What was she to do now? Her empty hand slid down her side to the hidden pocket and reassuringly touched the weight of the coins stashed there.
No questions had been asked of her this whole trip. Apart from how she was travelling and where her final stop was. All things Clara had been able to answer noncommittally. Nothing a smile wasn’t able to reassure.
The trip hadn’t helped the aches or the bruising she carried with her. If anything, they’d allowed her to disguise her ailments. In the way she walked, sat, and held back from others.
“Miss?” The stagecoach driver’s voice was soft, gentle if you will.
He reminded her very much of the man who should have raised her. With his weathered face staring back at her, Clara could almost be forgiven for thinking she was looking at her father.
“Yes?” Clara stepped back. “Is there a problem?”
“Stagecoaches get robbed all the time out this way.” He lifted his gaze to the darkening sky, wiped his forehead, and took a breath. “With our driver being shot, it seems there aren’t that many willing to drive on to the next town.”
He didn’t mean… “Are you saying I’m stranded?” Her voice wavered. How had that happened? Clara was not one to reveal her fear. But this couldn’t be happening… She wasn’t far enough away yet. Not even close.
“In a fashion, that would be what it is,” he agreed, his hand resting on his hip. “Now, since you were the only one left, the proprietor has agreed to give you a room for half off until the next stage comes through.”
Half off. Deep breath, Clara, this could be worse. “How long will that be?” Might as well just ask the most important question. Her hand itched to touch the weight of the coins again.
“Maybe a week.”
A week, even at half off, was too long. She simply didn’t have enough money for that long.
“I don’t have enough money for a week,” she finally admitted. “Would they let me work for some of the board?”
She wrung her hand around her wrist, the other hand still gripping her carpet bag. Unable to let go, to allow her situation to sink in. If he found her here, that was it. Once he had her in his grasp again, there would be no getting away a second time.
My husband refers to it as diet romance since there is no sex on the page.
I live in the Southern Tablelands of NSW Australia with my husband, children and fur babies.
You can find the entire Christmas Bride Dilemma series
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A special thanks to Cheryl Wright for the use of her tagline graphics to go with our excerpt posts. It was so wonderful to see everyone here today. Please come back again on Friday, July 28th, when we'll take a peek at the final book in this awesome series.
Blessings,
Nancy
Sounds like a great book! I'll have to grab my copy.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, this author is new to me, but from the sound of the excerpt, I may have found a new favorite author! I love action and this book sounds like it will be full of it. I also love romance, and knowing that's coming too, makes me yearn for all that is between these pages getting Clara from broke, scared, and desperate, to finding her HEA. Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Aurora! I have your book sitting in my kindle. Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDelete