Title: WHO’S BEEN NAUGHTY OR NICE
Author: SONJA GUNTER
Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Book Blurb:
Northern Polar Printing Company’s President, Zane Ashcroft, is in love with the Vice President, Annie McGrath. From their first encounter, both knew they were destined to be together. At the annual Christmas party, Zane, who dresses up as Santa, intends to propose to Annie after dinner. A recent argument concerning Nick, the janitor, and a shocking development thwarts his intentions.
Will Annie get that long awaited chance at love and happiness and risk being on Santa’s naughty and nice list?
Excerpt:
“There’s no need for you to come inside. We need a break from each
other—time to think about our relationship.”
He heard her choke over the last words. She still didn’t look at him.
She unbuckled her seatbelt and left the car. He watched her walk to the
front door where she paused. He held his breath as he waited for her to
turn, but she didn’t. She opened the door and went inside, closing it
behind her.
Zane hit the steering wheel. Granting her request was the hardest
thing he’d done in a very long time. Light snow began to fall as he drove
across town to his home. Several ideas came to him on how to resolve
their argument.
Flowers? No, too predictable. Box of Norman Loves Chocolate? No,
too cheesy.
More things came to mind, but as the song “The Twelve Days of
Christmas” played on the radio, it triggered a plan. He’d use cards as the
twelve days before his proposal. The numbers would work if he started
tomorrow. He’d have to swing by Walgreens before work.
His two-story brick house loomed in front of him. It was not his
home any longer. He’d been spending so much time at Annie’s and
making her home theirs. Opening the door, cold greeted him. He cranked
up the thermostat and went into the kitchen, starting the Krups’ coffee
machine. It spitted and hissed. He reached for a coffee cup as the
doorbell rang.
“Coming!”
Spilling the coffee he’d just poured, he hurried to the front door,
unsure who it could be.
“Mr. North?” Zane eyeballed a red limo parked in the street. It stood
out like a beckon against the grayness.
“Zane, I hope I’m not disrupting anything.”
“No, no. Come on in.” He held open the door. “Sorry about the
chillness, I turned up the heat.”
“A little cold isn’t going to hurt me.”
“I don’t have much in the house to offer you. I haven’t been grocery
shopping in days. I just made coffee, would you like a cup?”
“That works for me.”
Zane led him into the kitchen. It wasn’t the first time Mr. North had
shown up at his doorstep, but tonight of all times was odd. He poured
another cup of coffee and wiped up the earlier spillage from the counter
top.
“I know it’s late, but I flew here right after concluding business with
Mr. Moonracer. I felt not everyone was happy at my announcement.”
“You’re right. Annie… Ms. Ashcroft, didn’t like being kept out of
the loop,” Zane confessed and sat in one the high back chairs.
“Oh, I see.”
Leaning on one elbow, Zane rested his head on his hand. “As a
matter of fact, she’s fuming.”
Mr. North laughed and went to the refrigerator. He took out a carton
of cream and poured some into his coffee.
Zane wondered when he’d gotten that. He hoped it was still good.
“She’ll understand soon. She’s been on my Nice List for a very long
time. I’ve kept an eye on her.”
Zane straighten his shoulders. “A Nice List? I’m not a kid. This
whole day has been peculiar from the start. Now it’s ending even
weirder. I’ve appreciated everything you’ve done for me, but now isn’t
the time for your—”
“Zane, the time has come for you to know the truth.”
Mr. North pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose and
laughed as he pulled his earlobe.
A delightful smell of cookies flooded the kitchen. Zane inhaled and
stared wide eyed at him.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whos-been-naughty-or-nice-sonja-gunter/1124865796?ean=2940153783871
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whos-been-naughty-or-nice-sonja-gunter/1124865796?ean=9781680463675
Share a holiday family tradition:
Setting the table with Christmas decorations.
Why is your featured book perfect to get readers in the holiday mood?
It brings the characters from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to life.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card
Open internationally.
Runs December 1 – 31
Drawing will be held on January 2, 2024.
Author Biography:
Born and raised in the cold and beautiful Minnesota, she escaped to Illinois for seventeen years to raise two boys, and now calls Florida home. She and her husband Andy, who’s always her hero, have a new family to worry about; Cookie, an Assui-Po dog and Chip, a ragdoll cat, that their sons compare to Eeyore.
She loves to travel, read, and bowl. You can catch her writing her next novel at the lanes.
Sonja encourages you to visit www.sonjagunter.com for more info and don’t be surprised if she lets her Norwegian heritage come through in her stories. You betcha!