Title: A Big Easy Christmas: Holiday Duet
Author: Sue Ward Drake
Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance. Holiday Romance
Book Blurb:
A BIG EASY CHRISTMAS is perfect for fans of feel-good Christmas movies like White Christmas or The Holiday
A Guidry Brothers Family and Friends Holiday Duet
THE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas is only days away and Cath Guidry, French Quarter ghost tour guide, wants to find a special gift for her husband, Mitch, for their first Christmas together. When his elderly aunt suggests refurbishing his abandoned, but beloved, broken watch, she’s on board.
Mitch also needs a special gift to Cath. When her good luck charm chain breaks in a tussle with a purse snatcher, he has a designer create a new necklace. But when Mitch vows to stick to her side through Christmas, how can they keep their special gifts a secret?
NEW YEAR, NEW LOVE
When her ex-boyfriend proves impossible to shake, French Quarter cocktail waitress, Rhonda Owens, calls on the handsome New Orleans police detective she met at the Guidry Christmas dinner. Widower Tony LeNoux never expects to find love again, but Rhonda sparkles like a diamond and makes him believe again in a happy ever after.
But can they put their pasts behind them in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve?
EXCERPT FROM A Big Easy Christmas:
Mitch followed Cath through the French Quarter streets, resisting the urge to check the time. She wasted no time looking around the Christmas shop before carrying a white candle thingy to the register. They paid and left, stopping to buy pralines before heading back to Cath’s office.
Her office manager, Bea Harvey, looked up and pointed to the big bags he carried inside. “Ooo, somebody’s been shopping.”
Mitch set the huge bag with the centerpiece on the couch and pulled out a box of pralines. The candy shop had added a red bow with a sprig of holly to dress up their regular package. He placed the box on Bea’s desk. “Merry Christmas.”
“Oh, my, bless your heart.” She took his hand in both of hers. “I just made a new pot of coffee. You want a cup?”
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and chicory wafted toward him from the back room. “I could use some, thanks.”
“Me, too,” Cath said.
When Bea rolled back her chair as if to stand, he held up his hand. “I’ll get it. You want a cup?”
“I’ll get it later, thank you,” she drew out the last words and batted her eyelashes at him.
Mitch walked down a short hallway to the stockroom, heat flooding his face. If he listened to Bea too long, his ego would get too big to handle.
A mug labeled “Boss Lady” and another with a fleur-de-lis symbol rested on the drainboard. He chose the one he figured was Cath’s and a disposable cup, the women’s voices in the office drifting to him.
The phone in his pocket nudged the table with the coffee maker, and the reminder torqued up the tension in his gut. He could have missed an incoming text and pulled his cell to check.
Nope. Nothing. Hal hadn’t called. Neither had his other brothers.
Mitch stifled a sigh and filled the cups. After doctoring Cath’s the way she liked it, he carried their coffees back to the front office.
Cath jerked her head around as if he’d startled her.
“They said they were open—” Bea stopped talking and clamped her mouth shut.
His nerves now on high alert, he didn’t miss the way Cath planted a hand on top of Bea’s notepad. Why would she stand like that?
“Thank you.” She reached for her mug, all nonchalance.
He glanced at her hand on the pad and lifted his brows. “Is there something I should know about?”
Cath shrugged. “Time will tell.”
What did that mean? Mitch propped a hip on the edge of the nearby desk, watching her.
“Do you know something?” Bea tapped an orange-lacquered fingernail against her lips and looked at him. “I sensed you coming down the sidewalk even before I saw you through the door.”
Really? He swung his leg. “Why do you think that was?”
“You must have an aura that precedes you. You know, reaches out and vibrates in the air.”
He took a sip, let the strong, hearty brew slip down his throat. “You believe in auras, Bea?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. The guy who rents downstairs from me is into all this New Age stuff. He makes it sound reasonable.”
Was Bea trying to distract him? Why?
She dropped her glasses on their chain. “Don’t you ever think about someone and then have that person appear?”
“Not immediately.” He glanced at Cath, still standing over Bea’s desk though she had her own right behind him. “Last night I thought and thought, and wondered and wondered where Cath was, and she finally appeared a couple of hours later.”
“That’s not exactly the kind of appearance I’m talking about. My neighbor, Cecil, says it has to do with how two separate auras intersect.”
He could go along, see what else Bea would say. “Especially if one of them is a dashing bounty hunter?”
Bea leaned back in her chair. “That helps, I think.”
He muzzled a smile and nodded. “So, you’re saying I could maximize my aura to attract women?”
Cath tapped her wedding band. “Are you really interested in attracting other women?”
“I’m only wondering if I should fine tune my aura. What do you think?” He raised an eyebrow.
“It’s working fine already. I can attest to that.”
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Bookbub Book Page: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-big-easy-christmas-a-holiday-duet-big-easy-brothers-by-sue-ward-drake
What I love most about the holiday season:
The strings of colored lights glowing in the darkness and taking the family to see the neighborhood or the lights festival. New Orleans has a famous Christmas in the Oaks celebration with lights decorating trees, Storyland, the Rose Garden and the ancient live oaks throughout City Park. And afterwards you can’t beat eggnog and cookies, and plenty of holiday cheer.
Why is your featured book a must-read to get you in the holiday mood?
There’s gift buying and Christmas dinner cooking and fabulous light displays, oh, my! Including a taste of New Orleans’ cafe au lait and beignets (doughnuts). Yum!
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon (US) gift card.
Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to win.
Runs July 1 – 31
Drawing will be held on August 1.
Author Biography:
Award-winning author, Sue Ward Drake, loves using her experiences living in a farmhouse in Greece and her years in the French Quarter as fuel for her stories as often as possible. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense and speaks at conferences on writing suspense and disabilities. For news of the next thrilling Big Easy Brothers romantic suspense and other romances, visit www.SueWardDrake.com or sign up for her newsletter and get a free story: https://suewarddrake.com/sign-up-for-my-newsletter/
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