Do you believe in the magic of Christmas?

They say Christmas is the most magical time of the year, that miracles can happen on the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I don’t particularly believe in miracles, but there’s still some magic of the winter holidays left in my heart.

I loved Christmas when I was a child, even though my parents were not wealthy and we never had a pile of gifts under the tree. But we were better off than a lot of other people, and I’m grateful for that now.

As I became an adult, the practicalities and problems that come with being a grown-up took away a little of my holiday enthusiasm each year. Stretching the budget, organizing things, breaking my back in the kitchen… The real tree turned into a plastic one to avoid the hassle and the mess, buying gifts turned into a stressful process, even going shopping is less fun every year because of the growing lines and interminable city traffic.

However, this year I believe in the magic of Christmas more than I ever had. Why? Because my friends in the Authors’ Billboard practically put the most amazing present under my tree: a USA Today bestseller badge!

A little over a year ago, the seed of what seemed like a crazy dream took root in my mind: to become a USA Today bestselling author. Not only that, but I realized that if I made it, I would be the first Romanian in history to achieve this prestigious title. Since that moment, I worked relentlessly toward this goal, and I’m still amazed by how many incredible people I met on the way, people who joined me in my journey and fought hard to help me achieve my dream.

Together, we did it with the anthology Love, Christmas 2!

My story in this box set is a romantic comedy called Boyfriend Wanted for Christmas.

THE DESPERATE YET HUMOROUS QUEST OF AN AMERICAN BRIDGET JONES TO FIND A BOYFRIEND IN THE SEVEN DAYS SHE HAS LEFT UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Thirty-three-year-old librarian Andrea Sachse doesn’t have the time or skills to date. No man can ever live up to her dreamy book boyfriends, so why bother? But with her parents looking more desperate each time she shows up solo for their annual Christmas party, this year she’s determined to find herself a boyfriend by any means—fair or foul.

There are so many people I owe this accomplishment to, and who deserve a special THANK YOU:  Carmen, Mimi, my editor Sue, Jackie, all my wonderful co-authors of Love, Christmas 2 and of course, all of you, our dear readers and friends, who bought this box set.

The most meaningful THANK YOU goes to my husband, for being there for me, for believing in me, for offering moral and financial support, emergency hugs, pep talks, for playing housekeeper, tear-wiper, even chef when I was too exhausted, and never complaining when I worked twelve hours a day until 2 or 3 am, for keeping my spirits up with his endless supply of optimism, and for putting up with me – which is no easy job.

Each and every one of you who read this post, this victory is yours, as much – or even more – than it’s mine.  ♥ ♥ ♥

Now do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Here’s something that will make your holidays even more fun:  We’re looking for Santas and Reindeer! Visit our December Contest and YOU could win gift cards, paperback books, and book bundles. Click here to play! 

Wishing you the best holidays ever!

About Brianna’s Season for Miracles by @JoanReeves #mgtab

Man and woman embracing in the winter snow forms the Cover art of Brianna's Season for Miracles by Joan ReevesI’m happy today is my turn to tell you about Brianna’s Season for Miracles, my book in the wonderful Love, Christmas 2 Holiday Romance Collection.

Brianna’s Season for Miracles is a sequel in every way I suppose since it is a sequel to Last Christmas, Book 1 of my Small Town Texas Romance series which appeared in the all first Love, Christmas Collection: Songs of the Heart.

Brianna Walker was introduced in Love, Christmas 1, and she was–well, let’s say she wasn’t a very nice woman. In fact, just about everyone in the small town of New Estacado disliked her.

Redeeming a Hated Character

I actually received email about Brianna after Last Christmas came out. Everyone hated her. When I decided to make her the heroine of my romance for Love, Christmas 2 Holiday Romance Collection, I knew I had a tough job ahead.

I wanted my romance for LC2 to be an homage to one of my favorite Christmas movies, Season for Miracles. At first, I thought it would be a miracle if I could make Brianna liked and understood, but I knew the underlying truth about Brianna: why she acted the way she did and what her facade hid from the world.

I don’t want to spoil what I built up in the story to be a surprise, but I will tell you why I chose to write this kind of story. Because so many people have something they’ve struggled with all their lives–something they’re hesitant to confess except to the closest of friends. Sometimes this something is so shameful IN THEIR OPINION that they don’t want anyone to know.

Some Secrets Can Damage

The more powerful the secret; the more it rules one’s life.

In Brianna’s mind, her secret is the bane of her existence. She’s always done everything she could to hide it.

Even when she finally confronts the issue and does something about it, she still feels the need to hide. She still sees herself as this imperfect woman.

Like many smart people, Brianna found ways to cope that don’t reflect who she really is, but she finally realizes the woman the world knows is not her authentic self.

Last Christmas was the last straw for Brianna Walker. She hated her life and decided if she wanted her life to be different, she had to change. She ditched her so-called friends and the seductive persona she hid behind. She knew changing her habits and behavior patterns wouldn’t “fix” her, but she had to start somewhere.

When her father demands she come home for the holidays, she’s afraid she’ll revert to old habits to deal with social situations that always terrified her. Then she meets Daniel Kelly.

His warmth and kindness—qualities she’d never found in any of the men she’d dated—attract her. To her surprise, she finds his intelligence, courtesy, and niceness enormously appealing—and sexy. She usually avoids men like him for fear she might want forever out of the relationship. Daniel would never want forever with her if he truly knew her, but knowing that doesn’t stop her from falling for him.

Daniel already knows the secret Brianna is hiding. He also knows he shouldn’t complicate the situation he’s in, but the attraction between them is hot and sizzling.
What will happen when Brianna realizes Daniel has a secret too?

This was a hard story to write, but I really loved the characters and it seems readers do too. I hope you’ll love it and all the other stories in Love, Christmas 2 Holiday Romance Collection.Favorite Holiday Recipes Cookbook

Our Gift to You

Remember, to pick up your free copy of Favorite Holiday Recipes. Each recipe appeared in one of our books in Love, Christmas 2.

Thanks, Readers, for helping us hit the USA Today Bestsellers list with Love, Christmas 2 Holiday Romance Collection.

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Did you know we are running a giveaway? Are you interested in winning a gift card or a free book? Click here to find out more details on this month’s contest.

Can a conman save Christmas?

For those of you who haven’t seen the 1994 bittersweet Christmas comedy THE REF starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey, I recommend you rent it immediately. Prepare to spend a couple of hours laughing and crying at what is sure to become one of your favorite Christmas movies.

Denis Leary plays an unfortunate cat burglar, who is abandoned by his partner in the middle of a heist, and is forced to take an irritating Connecticut couple (Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis) hostage. He soon finds that he took more than he bargained for when the couple’s blackmailing son and despicable in-laws step into the picture. Before long they’re driving him nuts with their petty bickering and family problems. The only way for him to survive is to be their referee and resolve their differences, before he can be nabbed by the police.

I hope you enjoy my take on the movie that I loved. In my novella, The Re-er-ee, Christmas had become such a chore for the dysfunctional Starr Family that their Christmas tree was drying in a corner in the garage– on Christmas Eve, no less. Logan and Aly Starr were always crazy about each other but allowed work, kids and arguments to invade their once-loving relationship. It didn’t help that their beloved daughter was turning into a sullen teenager complete with eye-rolls and unintelligible mumbles. And her younger brother was so sweet, he made them all feel guilty.

Into their lives comes an unexpected lifesaver. Dylan, who says he’s an eighteen year old entrepreneur is actually fifteen and an accomplished conman. Every mall cop in the city is after him. Dylan loves Christmas. It’s when he makes his biggest scores. He decides the Starr family will be his next target. It could have been a disaster for all concerned. But with the unintended help of the accomplished young thief and conman, the Starr family rediscovers the love and happiness they’d allowed to seep out of their lives. In the process they save the life of an abused kid and celebrate their best Christmas ever.

Want more memorable Christmas stories built on your favorite Holiday movies? Grab Love Christmas 2! Twenty-four never before published novellas that will remind why you Love Christmas. Only $0.99!

Available from Amazon

And if undercover agents and rookie cops are your thing, be sure to grab JARED: Book 1; The Justice Brothers Series. On her first mission, Officer Hailey Michels confronts the leader of a dangerous Cartel–only to discover he’s an undercover agent. The rookie cop learns the hard way that when tangling with the Justice Brothers, Justice–like Love– isn’t always fair or easy.


Available from Amazon

Kissy, Kissy by @JoanReeves #mgtab

The First Kiss is very important in a romance novel—actually, all kisses are important to a Romance Author. They’re important in real life too, aren’t they?

A kiss has been called many things through the years. In years past, people called a kiss a buss, i.e., buss her on the cheek.

Whether you call it kiss, smack,  buss, or kissy kissy—defined by Urban Dictionary as, “A cute way to say it would be nice to kiss you because I want to”—kisses are a lot more popular today than they were centuries ago.

Hard To Believe

Most of the world never heard of kissing until the beginning of European exploration of the rest of the world. Explorers tried to kiss the indigenous people of the countries they entered. According to many journals, native people either endured it or ran in terror.

As late as the 19th century, the Chinese thought kissing was perverted. Some even thought it expressed cannibalistic tendencies. According to one journal, when a nonkissing African tribe first saw two Europeans kissing intimately, they laughed hysterically.

Of course, there were some exceptions. The Kama Sutra had an entire chapter on The Kiss.

Subject of Songs

The Kiss figures prominently in popular songs: This Kiss, Kiss on My List, Shut Up and Kiss Me, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, Kiss an Angel Good Morning, Kiss and Say Goodbye, Shoop Shoop Song aka It’s In His Kiss, I Wanna Kiss You All Over, Sealed With a Kiss, and Kiss From a Rose just to name a few.

The Things We Kiss

Dice and lottery tickets for luck. The Blarney Stone for eloquence.  The Pop’s ring as a sign of obedience and respect. The Pope kisses the ground when he arrives in a new country. People kiss their dogs and cats.

Parents kiss a child’s boo boo to make it better. We kiss those we love—best friends, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, parents, grandparents, husbands, wives, and lovers.

The First Kiss in Romance NovelsCover Art for Brianna Season of Miracles and Love, Christmas 2

In my latest romance, Brianna’s Season for Miracles, written for the Love, Christmas 2: Movies You Love Holiday Collection, Brianna wants to kiss the hero, but she resists. She has a really good reason for her reluctance which you’ll learn when you read my story.

So sprinkle a little Christmas magic into your life with 26 brand new, never-before-released romances and order your copy today!

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