MILLICENT'S MIRACLE by Author Nancy Fraser (Thanksgiving Brides - Book 3) **Book Birthday**

Welcome back to Romance Sweet Reads. Today we’re featuring another new sweet/inspirational romance series, Thanksgiving Brides. The series is historical/western historical set prior to the 1900s.

We’ll be continuing with the third book in the series, Millicent's Miracle, by author Nancy Fraser. Millicent's Miracle is the prequel to an Oregon Trail story Nancy published earlier this year titled, Ella (Prairie Roses Collection). In the new book, we'll get to explore Ella's brother Connor's romance with Millicent, and get to reconnect with Ella and her children. Here’s your sneak peek at Millicent's Miracle...

Millicent (Millie) Carter is beside herself. Pawned off by her uncaring father, after her mother’s passing, the last thing Millie wants is to be stuck in some small town in the middle of nowhere. What she wants is to return to Chicago and the life she’s known there. Despite her misgivings, she finds the kindness she experiences with her aunt and uncle more tolerable than she expected. As a matter of fact, she doesn’t even mind returning to church, something she’d not done since her mother took ill.

Connor Miller is doing his best to revitalize and run the family’s farm and continue his job as the area’s only wainwright. Both his parents are gone, leaving him in charge of more than he’s prepared to handle. He’s also taken in his widowed sister and her three children following her husband’s questionable demise. Scandal has followed the family for as long as he can remember. First his father, and now his sister’s late husband. With only his strong faith to keep him going, he trudges on.

When Connor and Millie meet, there is an immediate awareness. Yet, Connor knows he has no time to devote to courting, no matter how badly he wants to settle down with a wife and family of his own. For Millie, the handsome farmer is far preferable to the older men her uncle has introduced her to through his congregation.

Perhaps there’s an agreement to be made. Or, will they both let their feelings pass in favor of their obligations?

Available exclusive in eBook on Kindle Unlimited

Also available in Print

Prologue

Late Summer, 1869

Chicago, Illinois

Millicent (aka Millie)

Millicent Carter turned full-circle in the ornate dining room of her family home. Hands planted firmly on her slender hips, she dared to shoot her father a stormy glare. “But... Papa... please—”

“You’ll do as you’re told,” Millie’s father insisted. “And go where you’re told. That’s my final word on it.”

“I don’t want to leave Chicago,” she insisted. “I’ve no desire to live in some backwater town in... um... Missouri of all places. They probably don’t even have indoor plumbing.”

Sylvester Carter huffed loudly, his handlebar mustache lifting and falling with the exaggerated response. “Don’t be so melodramatic, young lady. Of course, your aunt and uncle have indoor plumbing. Perhaps not as luxurious as that fancy marble your mother demanded, but adequate all the same.”

“What about my friends? My studies?”

“Your studies were an indulgence after finishing school. They’re not necessary. It’s not like you’ll ever have to work for a living. As for your friends, they’re one of the reasons I’m sending you away. I believe they’ve become a bad influence on you.”

“I’m not a child anymore,” Millie reminded him. “I can take care of myself.”

“Really? It certainly didn’t seem like it when I had to send my carriage for you last week when your so-called friends left you at the mercantile to run off and visit that bawdy traveling show.”

“I chose to stay put. Would you have rather I’d gone with them? I knew better than to be seen in such a risqué place.”

Her father signed deeply, and Millie hoped he was about to give in to her request.

“I do appreciate your wise decision, but who’s to say you’ll make the same one the next time. Now that your mother is gone, I worry about your insistence on independence. I... my firm... has a reputation to uphold. I can’t have my twenty-year-old daughter running around unchaperoned.”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Millie asked. “You’re not worried about me. You’re only worried about how my behavior will reflect on you in the eyes of your stuffy clients.”

“I’m smart enough to admit I don’t have the foggiest idea how to raise a daughter. That was always your mother’s job. I don’t want to worry about you while I’m away on business. You’re too old for a nanny, and I refuse to burden my household staff with more work.”

“So, your solution is just to ship me off to relatives?”

“I thought you loved your uncle Malachi and aunt Rebecca. You always seemed to enjoy their visits.”

“I do. Of course, I do. Mother doted on her big brother, and was quite proud of the fact he’d become a minister.”

“That’s another reason I’m sending you to them,” he told her. “It’s a much more respectable life—living with a reverend—rather than running with your school chums here in Chicago.”

“How will I get there? You’re obviously too busy to take me. Surely you don’t intend to let me ride the stage on my own.”

“I do not. Your cousin, Billy, and his fiancé, Caroline, will be coming here to get you. Caroline’s older sister is coming along to chaperone. They’ll arrive a day early and do some shopping, then meet us at the coach station so the three of you can return to Maryvale together.”

“Maryvale,” she repeated. “It sounds so quaint. I’ll be bored,” Millie announced boldly. “To tears.”

For the first time since her father had told her of his plans, he snorted an outright laugh. “Knowing my headstrong and independent daughter the way I do, I have a feeling you won’t stay bored for long. As a matter of fact, I almost feel sorry for the people of Maryvale, as well as the entire state of Missouri.”

Nancy Fraser a Top 100 best-selling and award-winning author. She is the 2022 winner of the NEST (National Excellence in Story Telling) award for her western historical romance, An Honorable Man for Katarina.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Nancy's Sweet Reads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub

Thanksgiving Brides is a six-book series from some of your favorite authors. You can find all of the books in the series on Kindle Unlimited

~ ~ ~

Thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon.

Blessings,

Nancy

HARVEST HEARTS by Author Nancy Fraser (Pumpkin Patch Romances - Book 4) **Book Birthday**

Welcome to Romance Sweet Reads. Today, it's my pleasure to continue with this brand new multi-author series of sweet/inspirational romances. Pumpkin Patch Romances are a series of nine books by some of your favorite best-selling and award-winning authors.

Next, we will be looking at book 4 in the series, Harvest Hearts by Author Nancy Fraser.

Widowed Claire McMillan returns to her hometown of Cider Mills, Michigan to care for her 92-year-old grandmother who’s been diagnosed with dementia. A cozy mystery author, Claire plans her professional and personal time down to the quarter-hour.

Michael (Mick) Cousins is a retired navy seal who’s come to Cider Mills to take over his late uncle’s farm. He spent many summers working for Uncle Carl and has no doubt he can handle the day-to-day operations of a small family farm. What he doesn’t realize is that, in the time he’s been away, Scarecrow Farms has grown into a thriving business with a half dozen employees.

When Claire takes Gram on outing to the local harvest festival, the last person she expects to run into is the one man she crushed on throughout high school.

Mick can’t believe the young girl with the thick glasses who helped him cram for his chemistry exam is now a beautiful, mature woman. Can these two former acquaintances kick it up a notch now that they’ve outgrown the pressures of high school cliques?

Or, will Claire’s reluctance to risk her heart a second time, put an end to their mutual attraction as quickly as it began?

Available in eBook exclusive on Kindle Unlimited

Also available in PRINT

They’d just settled in at one of the open picnic tables when a tall, older gentleman approached them. Claire recognized him instantly. Harold Perkins. The high school principal when she attended, and good friend of the late owner of Scarecrow Farms. The younger man at his side looked vaguely familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place him.

“Molly Beckham,” Harold called out loudly. “Is that really you?”

Molly raised her head, meeting the man’s gaze. “Yes, it is, Harry. My goodness, you’ve gotten old.”

Harold snorted a laugh. “And you’ve not aged a day, Molly.”

Leaning to her left, Molly peered past Harold to the other man. “I know you,” Molly said, her gaze narrowing.

“Yes, ma’am, you do.” The man’s deep voice surrounded the few words. “I had you for tenth grade English. And eleventh.”

Molly smiled demurely. “Couldn’t get enough of me with just one year?”

“I guess not, ma’am,” he said, a light chuckle escaping.

Claire studied the man closely.

“That’s not what I remember, though,” Molly explained. “You used to come to the house. I thought you were there to court my granddaughter, but that wasn’t it, was it?”

“No, Mrs. Beckham. Your granddaughter was tutoring me so I wouldn’t fail chemistry.”

Claire’s head shot up, her gaze locking with the stranger’s clear blue eyes. “Mick?”

His broad grin brought back long-buried memories of the very first crush she’d ever had. Mick Cousins, star quarterback for the Cider Mills Tigers.

He nodded, then asked, “Claire Beckham?”

She returned his nod with a quick dip of her head. “Yes, it’s me. Although it’s Claire McMillan now.”

“You’re living here in Cider Mills?” he asked.

“Only for the past two months,” she admitted. “I’ve come back to live with my grandmother.”

“Just you? No family?”

She shook her head and cast a quick glance in Gram’s direction. Fortunately, she was engaged in a conversation with Harold and barely registered Claire’s and Mick’s exchange.

“Just me. My sons both attend college. The oldest is a senior at Ohio State, and the younger a freshman at Notre Dame.”

“You can’t possibly have sons that old,” Mick suggested.

“Of course I can,” she responded. “Our thirtieth high school reunion was this year. That makes us... um... mid-forties?”

“Pushing fifty with a vengeance,” he corrected.

“Yes, I suppose we are.”

“Where’s Edna with the cider and doughnuts?” Molly asked, her voice raised to grab Claire’s attention.

“I’m sure she’ll be here soon, Gram. The line was long.”

“Perhaps, I should go hustle them up a bit,” Mick offered. “Put the fear of the new boss in them.”

His words caused Claire to refocus. “You’re Carl’s nephew? Now the owner of Scarecrow Farms?”

“Yes. Not that I was expecting all this. When I left home, this was nothing but a family farm with a small vegetable stand by the road.”

“Life... and thirty years... has a way of changing things,” she said softly.

Mick shot her another of the devastating smiles she remembered. “I suppose it does, Claire. Sometimes for the better.”

Nancy Fraser a Top 100 best-selling and award-winning author. She is the 2022 winner of the NEST (National Excellence in Story Telling) award for her western historical romance, An Honorable Man for Katarina.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Nancy's Sweet Reads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub

You can find the entire Pumpkin Patch Romances series on Kindle Unlimited

~ ~ ~

Thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon for the next book in this series, Autum Dreams, by Author Jessica Parker.

Blessings,

Nancy

AVOCADO TOAST by Author Nancy Fraser (The Orchard Brides - Book 1)

Welcome to Romance Sweet Reads! Today we're showing off the first book in the brand new contemporary romance series, The Orchard Brides. Over the next few weeks we'll be featuring all ten books in this clean and wholesome/inspirational collection of great reads.

The first book in the series just happens to be mine, and I'm uber-proud to share a bit about Avocado Toast!

The last place Andrew (Drew) Morgan wants to be is back on the family avocado farm in Plentiful. If he had his way, he’d still be active military and deployed someplace far, far away. Unfortunately, he rarely gets what he wants. And, being back in the orchard is just the latest in a long list of disappointments.

Single mother, Chloe Taylor has relocated from Fresno to the rural area of Plentiful, California to build her marketing business beginning with the local agriculture co-op. It’s her job to convince the local farms to invest in a major overhaul of the co-op’s publicity campaign. A mixture of modern operations, and older, family-owned farms, only adds to her frustration.

At the moment, her biggest challenge is bringing the owner of Plenty Good Farms in line with the others. The fact that the old curmudgeon of an owner, Samuel Morgan, has brought his nephew in to run things gives her hope. Surely, the younger Morgan will be more amenable to her progressive ideas.

When Chloe first presents her plan the Morgan men, it’s Drew who throws a monkey wrench into his uncle’s agreement to sign the necessary contract. What she doesn’t realize is that Drew’s reluctance has more to do with his uncle’s health issues, and the possibility that he won’t be able to talk the man who raised him into retiring.

When Drew is forced by the military medical team into choosing between a desk job or retirement, he shares his frustrations with Chloe and she helps him find a new purpose outside of being a full-time farmer. It also helps that their attraction is growing. Drew has definitely fallen for the independent woman, and her adorable daughter.

Will Chloe’s faith and determination help her lead Drew through his difficult decisions and bring them what they both need... a love that transcends their everyday challenges.

Available exclusively at Kindle Unlimited

Drew Morgan pulled his muddy four-wheeler to a stop on the side of the road just short of the driveway leading to Plenty Good Farms. The last place he wanted to be, but where he was needed most. After nearly twelve years of active military service, he understood duty. Responsibility.

It wasn’t like the military was giving him an assignment any time soon. If ever.

He killed the engine, slid from behind the wheel, and walked around for a few minutes, working the kinks out of his bum leg and stretching his back. It wouldn’t do to arrive on his uncle’s porch with a limp.

The stubborn old coot would likely brand him injured and useless, and continue to insist he could manage on his own.

Drew knew better. Thanks to a letter from Doc Taylor, he’d been apprised of Sam’s failing health. As badly as Drew wanted to stay close to Fort Hood in hopes of haranguing them into letting him go back to work, he couldn’t very well desert the man who’d raised him from the age of ten.

C’mon, Andrew, grow a pair!

His uncle’s familiar admonishment echoed in Drew’s ears. Samuel Morgan was—if nothing else—an opinionated and cranky curmudgeon who liked nothing better than to goad people into doing what he wanted them to do.

Still, Drew loved the set-in-his-ways old man with all his heart. So much so, he’d accepted his mandatory three-month medical leave without so much as an argument. Then, he’d set out on the eighteen-hour drive from the base to the farming town of Plentiful, California in order to check on Sam for himself.

No sense putting off the inevitable any longer. Drew hopped back into the car and turned up the long, winding driveway. Parking at the rear of the century-old farmhouse, Drew took the steps two at a time, the reward for his exuberance a shooting pain that ran from behind his knee cap, up the back of his thigh, and ended in his hip. With the pain came the flash of memory he couldn’t quite escape, the loud explosion of an IED, flames shooting into the air, jagged shards of shrapnel flying everywhere.

He stopped at the door and sucked in a breath before turning the knob and stepping into the warm and welcoming kitchen.

“About time you got here, Andrew,” Sam groused from his seat at the table. He cradled an all-too-familiar cup of coffee in his sun-tanned grasp.

The first thing Drew noticed was the way Sam’s hands trembled where he held the ceramic mug. “The road was wet,” Drew countered. “I couldn’t go top speed all the way.”

Sam’s faded gray gaze narrowed in his direction. “No doubt you’ve lost all the driving skills I taught you as a teenager.”

“After maneuvering caravans of military vehicles for a dozen years, handling a lightweight four-wheel drive takes a bit of practice.”

“Yeah, well, you’re home now. You’ll catch on once you’re back on the tractor and pulling a wagon load of fresh-picked ‘cados.”

Nancy Fraser is a best-selling and award-winning author who happily jumps across multiple romance genres with gleeful abandon.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Nancy's Sweet Reads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Newsletter Sign-Up

Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads

You can find all ten books in The Orchard Brides Series on

Kindle Unlimited

And, while you're there check out our companion cookbook, Treats From the Orchard

Just 99¢ or Kindle Unlimited

All proceeds to benefit the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

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Thank you so much for stopping by. Please come back again soon. April's going to be a busy, busy month with more wonderful authors, great books, and a lot of fun!

Nancy

ONCE UPON AN ANGEL by Author Nancy Fraser **BOOK BIRTHDAY**

Welcome to my Book Birthday celebration for my newest release, Once Upon an Angel. This is a story that's been percolating in my brain for sometime. I've always loved stories of angels earning their wings, yet most are historical in nature. I thought ... what if I were to update the tried-and-true trope, add in a romance (or two), and set part of the book in Heaven?

Once Upon an Angel is a clean and wholesome romance that I hope you'll enjoy. I've been told it's two-tissue worthy, so be prepared.

Two heroine, two heroes, and a meddling arch-angel...what could possibly go wrong?

Novice angel-in-training, Ariel Pearce, needs to earn her wings. She’s had a few chances, but things haven’t worked out as planned. Now, she’s relegated to leading new orientation for the recently departed. When new arrival, Mark Moore, enters Heaven, Ariel sees a kindred spirit. Someone taken far too early, as she was, and under similar circumstances.

Given one last chance to earn her permanent wings, Ariel is sent back to earth to help her former fiancée get past her death so he can find true love. A task she’s had before and failed at miserably. When her mentor, Gabe (yes, the Arch Angel Gabriel), insists she take Mark with her, Ariel’s reluctant. However, nobody argues with Gabe.

Rick Norton is still grieving Ariel’s loss, even though it’s been five years, and he’s done his best to move on. Unfortunately, his attempts at finding another lasting relationship have all gone up in smoke. Until now. Could the cute barista at his favorite coffee shop be the one he’s waited for? There’s something about her that seems familiar, yet he can’t quite place it. Whatever it is, it’s drawing him to her like nothing he’s ever felt before. Or, at least not in the past five years.

Sabrina Baker longs to find happiness. Convinced no man could love a short, skinny girl, who comes with her own set of health problems, she goes about her daily routine believing she’s not good enough. That is, until handsome school Vice Principal, Rick Norton, enters her life.

Can Rick and Sabrina finally find what they both need on their own? Or, will it take a bit of angelic help to get them to see they’re perfect for one another? Once Ariel convinces Mark he’s right where he needs to be, will she finally get the beautiful white wings she’s always wanted? Will they both get a friendship that will last for eternity?

And, finally, what has Gabe done to hasten things along both on earth, and in Heaven?

Available exclusively on Kindle Unlimited

Exclusive to this post only!

Mark spun around, and met Ariel’s gaze. She looked exceptionally lovely today. Her long chestnut hair hung in waves around her heart-shaped face. Her hazel eyes sparkled. The only imperfection—as slight as it seemed—was the serious expression altering her usually angelic smile.

“We’re going where?” Mark asked, almost positive he’d heard her wrong.

“Back to Baltimore. Apparently, I’m getting another crack at my wings.”

“Same task? Get the fiancée to fall in love with another woman?”

She nodded. “We leave tomorrow afternoon and have two full days to complete the assignment.”

“Why am I going? I don’t even know—”

“Yes, you do. Or, at least you probably do. You both played in the teacher’s hockey league at the same time.”

“No sh—” He stopped short and shot her his best repentant grin. “What’s his name?”

“Rick Norton. He’s—”

“The highest scoring right wing in the league. Or, at least he was last season.”

“Really? That’s great,” she responded, her smile returning. “He was always very serious about his hockey.”

“What’s my part in all this? I mean, what do they expect of me?”

Ariel shrugged, the motion drawing his gaze to her fading smile. “I assume you’re there to make sure I don’t let my broken heart get in the way, like the other times.”

“So, you were jealous? Perfectly understandable.” When she didn’t respond, he asked, “What did you do? Sabotage the relationships?”

“No, of course not. At least not on purpose.”

“Then, why didn’t it work out?”

“The first time, the woman—Helena—called it off when she met some fancy-suited, high-profile lawyer.” Giving a quick wince, she admitted, “I may have had a hand in their meeting. I was watching from a nearby doorway and accidentally bumped into the server carrying a tray of drinks. He bumped into the lawyer, who tripped and dumped his drink on Helena. When their gazes met, it was like a bell went off for them both.”

“And, she ended up dumping Rick for the new fellow,” he guessed.

She gave a short, quick nod, and continued. “The second woman—her name was Bethany—wasn’t being honest with him. She wasn’t cheating on him or anything, but she had a gambling problem. A bad one.”

“I take it, Rick found out.”

“As you’ll quickly learn, our presence has a calming effect on people. It also tends to bring out their honesty, when they least expect it. One evening, he was at her place for dinner when the messenger app on her phone kept pinging. At first, she just blew it off as a girlfriend who was bugging her to meet up at the bar. Then, I did what I thought was best for all concerned.”

“Which was?”

“I went and stood behind her, placed my hands above her shoulders, and waited. The next time the phone pinged, she broke down and confessed that the message was from a man to whom she owed money. A lot of money. She also told Rick she’d been trying to work up the courage to ask him for a loan.”

“A loan? I hope he didn’t give it to her.”

“He told her he needed time to think, and he left. He was angry, so I followed him. By the time he got home, he’d calmed down. He went back the next day and offered to lend her the money, under certain conditions. She was to take a leave of absence from her job, check herself into rehab for her addiction and, once she was out, she’d have to pay him back.”

“Did she accept his terms?” Mark asked.

“I have no idea. I do know he told her that he’d remain her friend and support her emotionally until she was back on her feet, but that their relationship was over. Which meant, I’d failed again.”

“Wait a minute. Backtrack, please. You said something earlier about bumping into the server, which then snowballed into the end of Rick’s first post-you romance. Does that mean people will be able to see us when we’re there?”

“No, they can’t see us. We can, however, make things move when we need to. Or, in my case, by accident.”

“Cool!”

“Not ‘cool’ when it ends up costing me my wings.”

“How does getting us there actually work? Are we beamed down, or something?”

Her half smirk, half laugh drew his broad grin in return.

“It’s not Star Trek, Mark.” In a mocking voice, she teased, “Beam me up, Gabe.”

“Okay, if not Star Trek, how do they do it?”

“We walk through a door. On the other side, is our destination.”

“And we just know where to go, and what to do?”

“There’s actually an itinerary. It spells out Rick’s schedule and Sabrina’s routine so that we know where they’re going to be, and when we can ‘facilitate’ their relationship.”

“Sabrina, is it?”

“Yes. Sabrina Baker, twenty-eight, and in her last year of university. Apparently, her education was stalled. For personal reasons.”

“An ill parent maybe? Financial issues?”

Ariel gave another deep shrug of her slim shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out when we get there, won’t we?”

Nancy Fraser a Top 100 best-selling and award-winning author.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub

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~ ~ ~

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Come back again soon. March will feature a look at a couple of new series coming in early April. April will be absolutely filled with wonderful clean and wholesome books and even a couple of giveaways!

Blessings,

Nancy

A CHRISTMAS BABY FOR BEATRICE by Author Nancy Fraser **BOOK BIRTHDAY**

I love celebrating 'Book Birthdays' ... especially when they're mine! I'm so pleased to share my latest release, A Christmas Baby for Beatrice, with you today. Think of it as an "after holiday treat". A sweet, inspirational, western historical romance with all the feels!

Beatrice Collier has had a hard life. Born into poverty, she was orphaned at six and raised in a state-run facility. As a child, she never knew the joy of the holidays. When she turned eighteen, she married for propriety, rather than love. Having never really known true affection, she had no inkling what she was missing.

Maxwell (Max) McCauley, a Professor at the state college, makes his living as a horticulturist. Well educated, a stickler for detail, his expertise is in demand, making him far too busy to properly court a woman. Fortunately, he has a meddling housekeeper.

Max wasn’t sure what he was expecting when his housekeeper told him that the woman she’d chosen for him was a widow. However, it definitely wasn’t the strong-willed, independent spitfire with dark red hair and the most magnificent green eyes.

Beatrice can’t believe what she’s reading when she receives the telegram offering her the chance to become Mr. McCauley’s wife. Perhaps, at last, she’ll find a real home, with a man who can support her, and with whom she can work side-by-side. Her only concern is how he’ll react when she tells him the one secret she’s been keeping from everyone for as long as she can remember. As much as she dreads the admission, she knows they can’t marry until she’s confessed.

Will the professor and the widow find what they both need? A happily-ever-after and Beatrice’s first ‘real’ Christmas?

Find A Christmas Baby for Beatrice on Kindle Unlimited

“A widow? You chose a widow to be my bride?” Max looked up from his journals and met Alice’s stern expression. “Without even discussing it with me?”

“Do you have a problem with a mature woman? A widow?”

Rather than respond to her question, he asked, “What about the other woman?”

“Too young, and she wanted to bring cats with her.”

“And that disqualified her somehow?”

“I don’t like cats,” Alice said simply. “Besides, she was barely of legal age. I gathered her main interest was to get to the west coast, and I was concerned she wouldn’t stay put past the first winter.”

Max released a haggard sigh. Perhaps this had been a bad idea from the very start. As a matter of fact, he was almost positive he’d made a mistake in letting Alice oversee his love life. “So, what can you tell me about my intended bride?”

“Her name is Beatrice Collier. She’s thirty-four, was married for ten years before her husband died in a factory accident.”

A sudden thought occurred to him. “Children? How many?”

“No children... not that I would have objected.”

“Yes, I suppose you wouldn’t, given your own children are grown and moved away.” He narrowed his gaze, and slowly shook his head. “I guess I have no reason to question or complain. After all, I did go along with this wild scheme.”

“You trust me, don’t you?”

“I do with most everything, but... a wife? I must admit I am uncomfortable with all this. Of knowing very little about a woman I’m supposed to marry.”

“Don’t forget, she’s accepting you sight unseen as well. You’re not the only one taking a leap of faith here.”

Another logical point. “Yes, of course.” He rubbed his chin, stewing again. “When will she arrive?”

“Her train arrives in Tacoma on Thursday morning.”

“But I have classes, I can’t—” he began to protest.

“Not to worry, Maxwell. Pete’s going to take that blasted motor car of yours and fetch her. They’ll be back before you return from the research station.”

He was silent for a few moments. “Fine. I can take the wagon. It’s more reliable on the bumpy access roads anyway.”

“There, you see. Everything is working out just as I planned,” Alice said with a wide smile.

Nancy Fraser is a Top 100 best-selling and award-winning author. She was recently named Canadian Author of the Year by N.N. Light’s Book Heaven.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Sweet Reads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Bookbub

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You can find the entire Mail-Order Brides' First Christmas series on

Kindle Unlimited

Thank you so much for stopping by. I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Nancy

SETH'S SECRETIVE BRIDE by Author Nancy Fraser **Matchmaker's Mix-Up Series**

 

Today it's my turn to share my latest release, Seth's Secretive Bride, Book #11 in the Matchmaker's Mix-Up Series. All the wonderful books in this series are available on Kindle Unlimited.

When Hannah McGibbon is forced out of her family home, she has nowhere to go. In a moment of desperation, she responds to an advertisement for a matchmaking service.

Widower Seth Temple needs a wife. Not for himself, but as a mother for his 7-year-old, emotionally challenged son. At the urging of his housekeeper, he sends in his application to be matched to a like-minded woman.

Unfortunately, what they both want is not what they get. Due to an unforeseeable mix-up with the usually stellar matchmaking service, Hannah is sent to Colorado rather than California. And, Seth is sent a young, red-headed spitfire, rather than the mature woman with a background in education he’d requested.

What will happen when he explains to Hannah that love and romance are low on his priority list and not part of his plan for a wife? And, once the matching service offers to set things right, will Hannah want to leave?

Available exclusively on Kindle Unlimited

Also Available in PRINT

The wheels of the coach hit another bump in the road, nearly knocking Hannah from her seat. Thankfully, they were within a half hour of their destination. Soon enough, this travel torture would end.

The driver’s loud call drew the horses up short, and the stage to a halt. Hannah breathed a sigh of relief, and silently issued a prayer of thanks for her safe arrival.

Within moments, the door was wrenched open. The coach’s driver, a sweaty, dust-covered man who looked to be in his late fifties, leaned inside. “Terrance. Who’s getting off?”

“I am, thank you,” she responded, her words forced out through her parched throat.

The man flipped down a rather lopsided stair and offered his hand. “Out you go then.” Once her feet hit the ground, he asked, “Which bag is yours?”

“The two brocade carpetbags, please.”

He uncinched the leather straps and lifted the flap covering the cargo hold. Snatching her bags from the back of the stage, he dumped them unceremoniously on the ground.

“I’m meeting someone,” she said timidly.

The driver shook his head. “Don’t know nothing about that, Miss.” Nodding toward the building to their left, “You can check with the stationmaster.”

“I will, thank you.”

She’d barely stepped up onto the sidewalk, one bag clutched in each fist, when the driver climbed back onto the stage and snapped the reins, setting the horses in motion and leaving her standing there. Alone.

“Excuse me, are you Hannah McGibbon?”

The man’s deep voice sank into her very being, and she whirled around to get her first real look at the man she’d soon marry. Rather than the young, handsome banker she’d been expecting, she came face-to-face with the stern expression of an honest-to-goodness cowboy.

“Yes, I’m Hannah McGibbon. Are you Mr. Preston’s hired man?”

His expression tightened, changing the severe angles of his face, drawing his frown.

“I don’t know who ‘Mr. Preston’ is, but I’m Seth Temple, the man you’ve come to marry.”

Hannah shook her head. “No, you can’t possibly be.” Pulling the letter from her bag, she told him, “I’m supposed to be meeting Mr. Simon Preston, an assistant bank manager.”

The man’s chocolate-brown gaze narrowed. He dug his hand into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out a wadded up piece of paper. “According to this telegram, I’m supposed to be claiming a Miss Hannah Elizabeth McGibbon at the waystation. So, if you’re Hannah, then I’ve got the right woman.”

Her breath caught. “But... you... you’re not the right man.”

NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits.

The granddaughter of a Methodist minister from Tennessee, Nancy now lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

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Find all the books in the Matchmaker's Mix-Up series on Kindle Unlimited

Thank you for joining me today. Next week, we'll take a look at the brand new series, Courting Chaos. And, of course, we'll be back with more books in the Matchmaker's Mix-Up series.

Nancy