Title: A Hint of Holiday Romance Collection of Short Stories
Author: Pamela S Thibodeaux
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Book Blurb:
Love is celebrated in all seasons and every holiday. Christmas trees have become “Holiday Trees,” hence our cover. These stories each revolve around a specific holiday, and love is always in the air…
Winter Madness: Is it true love between the faithful optimist and broody pessimist or simply winter madness?
Choices: Can Cammie and Kip rediscover each other after one night of his Home is where the Heart is Tour or is she destined to unrequited love?
Love Unmasked: Will Kelli and Cody find love when the masks come off?
Casi’s CPA: Will her new CPA be the one to fill Casi’s bankrupt heart to overflowing?
Lilies for Sandi: Can two hearts broken by unfulfilled dreams find healing, wholeness, and restoration?
Cathy’s Angel: Can a confirmed bachelor and the mother of four find love amid normal daily chaos?
Detained for Love: Will love set her free when Maddy Albright is detained by Officer Jacob Roberts for a traffic violation?
Ferryn’s Quest: Will Ferryn’s search for the man in her dreams cost her the love of her life?
Kaylyn’s Flowers: Will a storm on All Hallows Eve give Kaylyn and Jake a chance at love?
Old Flame, New Love: Will Lindsay’s old flame, Stephen (who’s in the middle of a divorce), be her new chance at love?
Love Field: Will Katie spend the holidays alone again or will the romantic name of an airport bring her and her soul mate together?
Excerpt from Winter Madness
“I must warn you: I don’t like surprises.”
“I love surprises. They’re what make life interesting.”
As much as she had known in her heart the person she’d chatted with online was the same boy she fell in love with in high school–and somewhere deep inside still loved–Sienna never dreamed they would actually spend a whole day together. Just as she had known twenty years ago, she felt from the very depths of her soul they were meant to be together. Now, she hoped the afternoon would melt into evening and linger. Where could they go? What could they do that would surpass the last few hours spent skating with children? A thought wormed its way into her mind. An image formed. Idea gelled.
She finished her allotted one glass of wine and excused herself to depart to the ladies room. She returned to find William ready to leave. He held the jacket for her to slip on, then took her hand in his and linked arms with her.
“Where to?”
“We’ll get my car and go for a drive.” Once ensconced in the warmth of her economy sized SUV, the atmosphere nice and toasty, she headed out of the city.
“Any place special you’re taking me?”
She laughed. “Yep. Just relax, William and enjoy the drive.”
The atmosphere grew comfortable as they rode in silence. Sienna wondered if he was immersed in the same pleasant memories which warmed her. She glanced over at him and remembered with profound clarity the way she felt the first time his electric blue eyes met hers in high school. The thrill that raced through her every time their hands brushed. The pain of losing him when he said they were too young to fall in love. Her heart beat in wild jubilation that this might be a second chance at her life-long dream of marriage and children.
She slipped an instrumental CD in the disc drive and turned the volume down to where the music served as a backdrop for the scenery which unfolded before and around them. A rainbow shimmered in the sky off to the east. Clouds surrounded mountain peaks like halos to the north and west. As the car climbed upward, small waterfalls burst through rocks to splash onto the road. Icicles hung like crystal prisms and reflected sunlight in bursts of color in the air.
He reached over and took her hand in his, played with her fingers then kissed the tips. “You’re right, this is beautiful. I guess I don’t take time often enough to soak in the magnificence of everything around me.”
A swarm of excitement tightened her stomach at his touch. Sienna sucked in a soft breath. Exhaled slowly. “That’s the problem with most people today. They’re all caught up in the rat race, as you so colorfully put it, that they don’t appreciate the simple gifts God has given us.”
She stopped at a roadside vantage point on the edge of a small canyon. They disembarked and stood together where heaven and earth met in a glorious profusion of rock and sky. Sienna moved forward, leaned over the guardrail, and hollered, “Hello!” then burst into laughter when her voice echoed back in answer.
“Your turn.”
William chuckled, shook his head, and took a step back.
“C’mon, loosen up a bit and have fun.”
“I’ve had more fun so far today than I believe I’ve had in my entire life. Don’t want to overdo it. Besides, being so close to the edge makes me nervous. So, back up will you?”
She cocked her head and eyed him, so handsome hunkered down in his jacket, his breath tiny wisps of fog in the chilly air. Flakes of pristine white snow clung to his dark hair, glimmered, and left a silky shine in their wake as they melted away. “So close to the edge of what, the mountain or falling in love… With life,” she qualified as bubbles of heat burst beneath her skin.
William took her hand in his, raised it to his lips. “Both.”
She laughed, twirled away from him, and challenged him to a race.
Her feet slipped on the icy walkway. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled her against him. He lowered his eyes to her lips which quivered only inches from his then looked up to capture her gaze in a heated embrace.
William’s heart thundered in his chest. Breath clogged his throat. “Careful.” His voice sounded raspy to his own ears. “To race on this ice is sheer madness.”
Her eyes shone with laughter. She brushed her fingers through his hair and slid from his grasp. She hurried ahead of him and picked up a handful of snow then turned and began to walk backward.
“Sienna, don’t you dare,” he warned, no doubt in his mind what her plans were when she packed the snow into a firm ball.
She tossed the globe into the air, once, twice, as though considering the consequences. With a laugh she threw it at him and made a mad dash for the SUV. She wasn’t fast enough to escape retaliation when he scooped up a handful and slung it in her direction. Giggles trailed on the breeze and danced straight into his soul. He found himself laughing while they pummeled each other with snowballs and realized he was falling in love with her all over again. Breathless, he held up his hands in defeat. “No more, I surrender.”
Sienna threw one last bombshell, flung her arms open wide, and exclaimed to the heavens, “The earth declares the glory of the Lord.”
She twirled in a circle then plopped onto the ground and proceeded to make a snow angel. William watched her for a moment then walked over to where she lay, her arms and legs moving in a scissor-like motion. “C’mon and make angels with me.”
He held a hand toward her. “Why would I make angels of snow when I’m looking at one in the flesh?”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Book is on sale at introductory price of $2.99 through March 25th!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iiS4G2
All Other Online Retailers: https://books2read.com/AHintofHolidayRomance
Author Biography
Pamela S Thibodeaux is an award-winning author, life coach and spiritual mentor. Her tagline, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ defines her life, writing, and coaching style. http://pamelathibodeaux.com
Social Media Links:
Connects to ALL SM platforms except Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1268453.Pamela_S_Thibodeaux