Aloha to Marilyn Pappano and A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME by Marilyn Pappano (December 22, 2015; Forever Mass Market; Tallgrass #5)

Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it . . .

To Benita Ford, Tallgrass, Oklahoma, will always be home. It's where her beloved grandmother raised her and where she rode bikes with her two best friends-the man who became her husband and Calvin. And Tallgrass is where she stayed, even after her husband died while serving his country. Now Calvin is home from that same war, and the sensitive, mischievous boy she once knew is today a man scarred by wounds no one else can see. Falling in love with him is something Bennie never imagined.

Tallgrass still haunts Captain Calvin Sweet. Yet it's where he must go to see Bennie-the one woman he always loved but could never have. Calvin regrets so much about what happened years ago. Still he can't deny being with Bennie makes his future feel bright, like anything is possible. But the demons of his past won't be quieted that easily. As old hurts linger, threatening to pull them apart, Calvin and Bennie must take the ultimate risk for the love of a lifetime . . .

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Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

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Forever Romance offers an excerpt from A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME ...

The tires crunched a few acorns that had fallen onto the pavement, then Calvin was turning into her driveway. Mama had left two porch lights on, plus the lamp beside her recliner in the living room and probably the light over the kitchen sink. She wasn't scared of the dark, but she sure didn't want her granddaughter walking into an unwelcoming house.

"Want to come in? Mama has an amazing collection of gourmet coffees from around the world."

Calvin shifted into park, the dash lights casting shadows across his face.

"Mama, who couldn't start her day without two cups of Maxwell House coffee?"

"What can I say? The Internet has expanded her horizons." Bennie waited, her breath caught just a little in her chest. She wasn't quite ready to say goodnight to him. She didn't even know why. He wasn't home on leave. This wasn't a quick visit on his way to someplace else. The Army had assigned him here, and he would be here tomorrow and next week and next year. She could thank him for dinner tonight and spend more time with him tomorrow.

Or lure him inside tonight. Or both.

"Does she still sleep like a rock?"

"It's like all switches are off. She doesn't hear anything, see anything, feel anything."

"Then coffee sounds good."

Whew. Relief. Bennie climbed out and closed the door as carefully as she had at the restaurant. She half expected parts to fall of it the moment she exerted any real force on it, and Calvin would never let her forget that she'd damaged his ride.

Just like she would never let him forget that it was a public health nuisance and should be put out of its misery immediately.

They went inside quietly. She kicked off her shoes and went barefooted into the kitchen, flipping on the overhead light and taking three large metal baskets from the countertop. "They're divided by continent," she said quietly. "Central and South America are what we typically associate with coffee, the African beans are a little more exotic, and the Asian beans are the most complex flavors."

"I'll try something Asian." Calvin stepped back to glance around the room.

"Nothing's changed in here."

Bennie selected an African blend for herself, then measured water from a bottle in the fridge to pour into the machine. "Uh, yeah, one thing has. She traded her black dishwasher for a stainless one."

His brow wrinkled. "I don't remember her having a black dishwasher—" At the appearance of her grin, he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that old model used to whine a lot."

After a moment, a heavenly rich flavor began rising from the coffeemaker.

"'The best part of waking up,'" Calvin sang off-tune.

"That's Gran's Folgers. And Maxwell House was always—"

"'Good to the last drop,'" they said in unison before laughing, then abruptly shushing themselves.

Bennie didn't know what prompted her. Maybe it was all the memories she and Calvin shared. Maybe it was something about the complications between them that wanted to be made simple. Maybe it was nothing more than the fact that it was Friday and she was on a date and the hunger in her belly had been satisfied and she was feeling more like her old self than she had in a very long while.

Whatever the reason, when she turned to get the sugar and found herself standing only a few tiny inches from Calvin, she just naturally closed that distance and lifted her mouth to his.

She kissed him. Oh, God, she was kissing him, and he was kissing her back. Never in her whole life had she even imagined locking lips with her best old bud. Never in her whole life could she have imagined it would feel so incredibly right. Perfect. As if nothing stood between them—no past, no disagreements, no J'Myel. As if they existed, had always existed, only for this moment.

More books in the series ...

Aloha to Marilyn Pappano and A PROMISE OF FOREVER - Book Review

Sergeant First Class Avi Grant's return to Tallgrass, Oklahoma is a long-deferred wish come true. With her final tour in Afghanistan over, Avi can focus on her future-a job here at home and a family of her own. There's just one thing she has to do first: visit her beloved commanding officer's widow and share her grief. The last thing she expected was to feel an instant attraction to the woman's son. Too bad the sexy surgeon is impossible to ignore . . . and even harder to resist.

The sting of his parents' divorce still niggles at Ben Noble. So when a warm, funny, and beautiful young sergeant arrives, mourning his stepfather's loss as strongly as his mother does, Ben can't help but feel conflicted. If his parents taught him anything, it's that love doesn't last-especially with a career soldier. But try as he might to keep his distance, Ben begins to see that Avi-and the spark she brings to his life-is the stuff forever is made of. As Avi's leave ticks away, can Ben convince her to take a chance on forever with him?

Fort Sill, Oklahoma, 1930s
Public Domain (link)

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.  - Mahatma Gandhi

A PROMISE OF FOREVER is Book 4 in the Tallgrass, Oklahoma, series.  Tallgrass is home to the fictional Fort Murphy where a group of Army widows have formed the Tuesday Night Margarita Club to find solace among their own. Sergeant First Class Avery (Avi) Grants arrives in Tallgrass to visit the widow of her commanding officer who died during her recent deployment to Afghanistan.  She does not expect to meet, let alone find herself attracted to, the widow's estranged son.

Ben Noble holds onto his resentment towards his mother, who left her husband, his sisters, and him to marry an Army officer. He reluctantly leaves his lucrative surgery (and bachelor life) on the weekends to rebuild a relationship with his widowed mother.   Ben is surprised by his instant attraction to the Army soldier who holds his mother - and the man who broke apart his family - in high esteem.

Pappano delivers a quiet drama of family, romance, and grief.   The title plays upon Ben's feelings towards towards the broken promise of forever as he comes to grips with his mother's abandonment.  In contrast, Avi relishes her parents' long marriage.  She looks forward to finding her own promise of forever once she returns to Fort Gordon, Georgia.  She plans to finish her military service and start a family.  If only she wasn't distracted by Ben who is solidly planted in Oklahoma with his medical practice and his tight knit sisters. 

Pappano hits the target by painting a realistic picture of military life - the rewards, the challenges, and the unexpected. I commend Pappano for creating two honorable characters whose careers and families impeded their relationship ... or so it seems.   

Pappano also depicts Tallgrass as a comfy small town to delight readers.  She brings out the splendors of Oklahoma in contrast to the recent news of tornadoes and floods.  Pappano makes it a desirable place to live and love.   

I have not read the previous novels in the series but felt right at home in A PROMISE OF FOREVER.

Recommended read for fans of sweet contemporary romance, unlikely lovers, and military life.  

I received an ARC from Forever Romance for my honest review.

Fort Sill Change of Command
Public Domain (link)

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Oklahoma - what do you know about it?  I grew up in Miami and often attended the Orange Ball Parade.  I remember the Oklahoma University Sooner band marching proudly in the parade. 

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, July 11, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 12.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Marilyn and her books at marilynpappano.net.

Check out my interview with Marilyn at this link.

Wednesday's Warrior - Aloha to Marilyn Pappano and A PROMISE OF FOREVER

Today I am honored to host Marilyn Pappano - a military spouse who writes military heroes.  From her bio,

Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

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Marilyn joins me for a cozy chat ... 

Kim:  Thank you for husband's service, and yours, too, as a military spouse. Can you share one favorite memory from Navy life?

Marilyn:  You're welcome, and the same to you! One of my favorite memories came when we were stationed in Charleston SC. Bob was assigned to the USS Sierra, and they were returning from a brief cruise. The families, including our infant son and I, were waiting on the pier, all excited and anticipating a wonderful reunion. Arrival time came and went, people started getting restless, kids running in circles. To make matters even worse, our son, who'd woken with a cough, was quickly getting sicker. Finally, word spread: the ship had run aground in the channel just a few miles away. It took forever for them to reach the pier, everyone was cranky, and instead of enjoying a wonderfully romantic reunion (it would have been our first), we wound up taking our son to the ER at the naval hospital, where we found out he had pneumonia! In the end, it was all good: the baby recovered, and Bob and I had a little quiet time together. It was a good lesson for a new Navy wife: be prepared for anything.

Kim:  Who or what helped you along the path to publishing?

Marilyn:  A long-gone editor at Silhouette (now part of Harlequin) helped me in an unusual way: she told me I had no talent for storytelling. I wanted to prove her wrong, so I finished my second book and submitted it to Leslie Wainger at the same house, who bought it right away. Leslie was a huge help; she spent a lot of time, not just telling me what I did wrong but why it was wrong and showing me how to fix it. I learned more working with her than any courses could ever have taught me.

Kim:  I know Leslie!  She is awesome!  I'll share the story of how I met Leslie in a future blog.  What inspired the Tallgrass series and A PROMISE OF FOREVER?

Marilyn:  An editor I'd worked with before asked if I was interested in doing a military-themed series for her. It took five or six months, but suddenly, on the 4th of July, it all came together. There are authors with military backgrounds writing from that view, but I was a Navy wife and an Army mom, so the natural focus for me is from that angle. A PROMISE OF FOREVER was one of those lucky books that just grew. Ben and Lucy appeared in previous books; Avi and Calvin just naturally filled in the blanks. Avi's my first active-duty female character, and I love her.

Mahalo, Marilyn, for sharing A PROMISE OF FOREVER.  I'll post my review on the 4th of July.

Sergeant First Class Avi Grant's return to Tallgrass, Oklahoma is a long-deferred wish come true. With her final tour in Afghanistan over, Avi can focus on her future-a job here at home and a family of her own. There's just one thing she has to do first: visit her beloved commanding officer's widow and share her grief. The last thing she expected was to feel an instant attraction to the woman's son. Too bad the sexy surgeon is impossible to ignore . . . and even harder to resist.

The sting of his parents' divorce still niggles at Ben Noble. So when a warm, funny, and beautiful young sergeant arrives, mourning his stepfather's loss as strongly as his mother does, Ben can't help but feel conflicted. If his parents taught him anything, it's that love doesn't last-especially with a career soldier. But try as he might to keep his distance, Ben begins to see that Avi-and the spark she brings to his life-is the stuff forever is made of. As Avi's leave ticks away, can Ben convince her to take a chance on forever with him?

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Forever Romance offers a giveaway at this link ... and an excerpt from A PROMISE OF FOREVER:

Outside, the sounds of children playing were louder, the splashes indicating that the kids across the street were enjoying one of the last swims of the summer. Avi and Ben walked silently to her car, parked in the driveway.

She nestled the pie plate into the passenger seat, tucked her purse around to hold it in place, then closed the door before turning to him.

So . . . Would he ask for her cell number? Offer his? Make firm plans to see her again before driving away?

For the first time in a long time, the answers mattered.

Linking his fingers with hers, he pulled her to the driver’s side of the car, then stood, invading her personal She liked it.

“Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?”

Yes! “Not a single one.”

He combed his fingers through his hair. “Would you like to go out to dinner?”

She wanted to blurt out the affirmative as quickly as it had echoed in her head, but he went on. “You would have to drive to Tulsa. Tuesday is surgery day, so if I come here, I can’t get here before seven, and I’ll have to head back before nine.”

Drive to Tulsa? An hour or less. No big deal. She’d had commutes between apartments and forts that took longer, and that was just to work. An evening with Ben was such a nicer payoff. “I don’t mind.”

“I usually get out of clinic around six. We could meet at my house around six thirty?”

A smile spread across her face. “I can handle that.”

“Good.” He wasn’t smiling, but his eyes showed something just as encouraging. Relief, maybe, or satisfaction. Hmm. She could show him satisfaction.

He leaned closer, just slightly, and lowered his voice. “I’d kiss you good night, but we have an audience.”

Glancing over her shoulder toward the house, she caught just a glimpse of Patricia before the blinds at the living room window settled. Looking back at Ben, she smiled. “Kiss me anyway.”

He closed the last of the distance between them, lowering his mouth to hers, giving her a sweet, gentle, tender kiss that set her blood on fire. It was impressive and surprising and just a bit scary, considering she’d had tons of kisses that were a whole lot more passionate and evoked a whole lot less of a response.

When he lifted his head, her fingers curled, wanting to wrap around the back of his neck and pull him down again. Her heart skipped a beat or two, and something deep inside her felt deprived.

In the dim light, Ben looked impressed and surprised and a bit scared, too. For a moment, he stared at her, all intense and searching, then he gave a rueful shake of his head. Stepping back, he asked for her cell phone, input his number, and texted it to himself to get her number.

“Six thirty,” he said when he handed it back, his voice rough-edged. “I’ll send you the address.”

“I’ll be there.”

MILITARY MUSCLE BLOG TOUR with Rebecca Zanetti, Jessica Scott, and Marilyn Pappano

Thirty years ago, I attended the Super Bowl in Tampa.  Actually, I worked at the concession stand to rasie funds for our Air Force ROTC Detachment.    Kudos to last night's Super Bowl for spotlighting military personnel ... and to Hawaii's own Bruno Mars for singing "Just the Way You Are" to their families.

Quick picture in concession uniform before
Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa (1984)

Today Forever is kicking off the Military Muscle Blog tour with Rebecca Zanetti, Jessica Scott, and Marilyn Pappano:

FORGOTTEN SINS by Rebecca Zanetti (January 28, 2014; Forever Mass Market; 9781455574445; $6.00)

His Secrets Can Destroy Her
From the moment Josie laid eyes on sexy, mysterious Shane Dean, she was in love. Their desire ignited a passionate affair, and within weeks, Shane had slipped a ring on her finger. It seemed her every fantasy was coming true . . . until her new husband disappeared without a trace. Now, two years and one broken heart later, Josie is shocked by the hospital calls: Shane has been found . . . at a crime scene with no memory of how he got there.

Her Love Can Save Him
Shane can't remember the blue-eyed angel at his bedside-or who he even is-but he knows something isn't right. His hearing is razor sharp, his physical strength incredible, and the urge to protect Josie overwhelming. For powerful enemies are hunting him, and Josie is the key to discovering why. As Shane struggles to unravel his past, dangerous new truths come to light. Can he protect the only woman he's ever loved? And can Josie trust a man she thought she knew-one who carries such a deadly secret? 

USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho. 

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

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ALL FOR YOU by Jessica Scott (February 4, 2014; Forever E-Book; 9781455553778; $2.99)

Can a battle-scarred warrior . . .
Stay sober. Get deployed. Lead his platoon. Those are the only things that matter to Sergeant First Class Reza Iaconelli. What he wants is for everyone to stay out of his way; what he gets is Captain Emily Lindberg telling him how to deal with his men. Fort Hood's newest shrink is smart as a whip and sexy as hell. She's also full of questions-about the army, its soldiers, and the agony etched on Reza's body and soul.

. . . open his heart to love?
Emily has devoted her life to giving soldiers the care they need-and deserve. Little does she know that means facing down the fierce wall of muscle that is Sergeant Iaconelli like it's just another day at the office. When Reza agrees to help her understand what makes a soldier tick, she's thrilled. Too bad it doesn't help her unravel the sexy warrior in front of her who stokes her desire and touches a part of her she thought long dead. He's the man who thinks combat is the only escape from the demons that haunt him. The man who needs her most of all . . .

USA Today bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer; mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs; wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well-adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View: Regarding War Blog, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and has served as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas.

She's pursuing a PhD in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

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A MAN TO HOLD ON TO by Marilyn Pappano (February 25, 2014; Forever Mass Market; 9781455520060; $8.00)

Therese Matheson doesn't know if she'll ever get over losing her husband in Afghanistan. Surviving Paul's death has been hard, but raising his sullen son and his thirteen-going-on-thirty daughter alone has been even harder. All they need is a fresh start, and Tallgrass, Oklahoma, could be the perfect new beginning . . . especially when Therese meets Sergeant Keegan Logan. The sexy combat medic and single dad soon awakens a desire she'd thought long buried.

Keegan always wanted to be a father . . . someday. So when his ex-girlfriend disappears, leaving her daughter in his care, Keegan's hands are tied. He has to find the girl's father. His search leads him to Tallgrass and to a beautiful brunette widow who has no idea her husband was ever unfaithful. What begins as a friendship soon ignites into something far more and gives him the courage to be the kind of man-and father-he always dreamt he could be. But his secret still stands between them. Can Keegan reveal the truth and convince Therese they share something too special to lose-a love that can bring two families together?

Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

Social Media Links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Buy Links:
Amazon
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Bookish
IndieBound

Mahalo, Rebecca, Jessica and Marilyn, for honoring military heroes!  What's the biggest sporting event you have attended? 

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

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Aloha to Forever's 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour with Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano

Forever is counting down the 12 days leading up to the release of the anthology A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER with Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano (link).

On the fifth day of Christmas, my favorite authors gave to me ....

..... 5 Best Holiday Stories!

Marilyn:  One year when we lived in Georgia, we decided to surprise my mom for Christmas. The rest of the family knew we were coming, so they all found an excuse to show up at Mom's house the evening we were due to arrive. The surprise was on us, though, when we hit an ice storm in Arkansas and had to spend an extra night on the road. The family went home without saying anything to Mom, so she was shocked when we finally got there the next day. Oh, and despite my sisters' best efforts to stop her, she'd shipped our gifts to Georgia anyway. 

Molly:  One year early in our marriage we went to Houston to spend the holidays with my mother and stepdad. My mother was gone to the grocery store, and we were sitting in the living room talking and waiting for her return. The backdoor opened and she came in and put the groceries down and came in to say hello. As we were getting up to greet her, she got a funny look on her face and started frantically taking her pants off. Then she started yelling, “I’ve got ants in my pants.” She got them off before they bit her too badly, thank goodness! And my poor husband got to see a whole new side of his mother-in-law. 

Hope:  Every Christmas for the last few decades, since my kids were little, I’ve made gingerbread cookies. The kids always had a lot of fun rolling out the dough and cutting the cookies with festive cookie cutters. But the best part of making gingerbread is decorating and icing the cookies. I use royal icing in a number of colors that kids can paint on using brushes. Well, one year my husband’s Aunt Frances came visiting for the holidays. She was in her 80s, but she was spry as a spring chicken. She was also an award-wining watercolor artist. She wasn’t about to be left out of the decorating cookies with a watercolor brush. What she did to those cookies was truly amazing. We had gingerbread women wearing fancy bridal gowns, and their consorts in tuxes. These were the most gorgeous gingerbread men and women you ever saw in your life. No one wanted to eat the cookies they were so beautiful. Aunt Frances lived to be 94. She passed away last year. But every year, when we bake cookies, the family gathers around the table to ice the ginger bread men and we all remember Frances and the year she made cookies that were too beautiful to eat. 

Kristen:  Holidays have much to do with tradition and even as a very untraditional person, I still love the tradition of holidays.

I had long been away from my close family at Christmas having lived in England for nearly a decade and travel being too expensive during the holidays. So when I moved back to The States, I was excited to jump back into family holidays and their traditions. For us, this included Christmas morning opening of presents and the feeding frenzy and movie orgy that would go through the day.

Alas, last year, my brother-in-law, who’s a pilot, found out that he was going to be flying Christmas Day so Christmas morning was out. We were going to have to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve.

It was a little shocking how sad this was for all of us. Mostly that John wouldn’t be with us, of course, but also bucking tradition that had stood strong for the “adults” for over four decades.

But the most important part of the celebration of Christmas is doing it with family. So Christmas Eve it was, in order that we could be with John.

And…it…was…a…BLAST!

First, if you open up presents Christmas Eve night, you have absolutely no qualms downing a bottle and a half of prosecco all by yourself. This will lead you to being very tipsy which will lead you to being quite emotional during some present openings and, finally, when your family gives you an awesome pink Schwinn as the final present of the night, you will get on it in your jammies and ride down the street after midnight.

It was phenomenal. We loved it. Every one of us. We even talked about doing the same this year, just because it was so awesome.

The thing we all knew, though, was that it was awesome because we were all together. Christmas present giving can happen in the morning, in the night, the day before, the day after, a week later, in your living room, in your sister’s living room, on the moon and it would be awesome.

Just as long as the people you love are there.

Jill:  One year we all got stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve (ever been stuck in an airport with three little kids?). We got home cranky and tired and annoyed at 4 in the morning, with no one in a holiday mood. The house was frozen (we'd forgotten to leave heat on) and it took awhile for the wood stove to heat up so we all huddled around it and ended up staying up to watch the sunrise and open gifts and make breakfast together. It turned out to be the Best Morning Ever. 

Mahalo, Forever, for sharing holiday cheer with us!  I am giving away an ecopy of A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER to one randomly selected commenter:

Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite food from yesterday - perhaps you celebrated Thanksgiving or perhaps you just had a delicious meal!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, November 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Check out the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour:

12 Best gifts (11/22): Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
11 Worst/funniest gifts (11/23): Smexy Books

10 Quotes from your novellas (11/24): Bookish Escape

9 Items on your Holiday List (11/25):  Hesperia Loves Books 

8 Favorite holiday movies (11/26): Book Bliss

7 Things on your holiday wish list (11/27): Tiffany Talks Books

6 New Year’s resolution (11/28): Cocktails And Books 

5 Best Holiday Stories (11/29):  SOS Aloha

4 Holiday favorite foods (11/30): Stitch Read Cook

3 Books to read during the holidays (12/1):  The Window Seat

2 Holiday songs (12/2:  Kindles And Wine

1 Holiday recipe (12/3):  Taking Time For Mommy