Spotlight and Giveaway: Two Christmas Novels

Today we are excited to share two Christmas-themed novels: The Ex-Mas Holidays by Zoe Allison and A Kentucky Hug for Christmas by Judith Natelli McLaughlin. The covers are adorable and the stories inside sound perfect for getting into the holiday mood. Thanks to Berkley and Judith Natelli McLaughlin, we have THREE sets of both books to give away!

The Ex-Mas Holidays synopsis:
Maya Bashir is dreading her drive home for Christmas and having to explain that she's just left her high-paying job and a long-term relationship, so a brief detour to her friend’s festive party doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Until Maya walks in to find the last person she wants to see: Sam, the boy who broke her heart eight years ago. And he’s serving drinks. Naked.

Sam Holland is working an extra job on the sly to help his friend get by. But little did he expect Maya Bashir to come barreling back into his life, learning about his secret side hustle and taking back her old job alongside him at his daytime role as a ski instructor on the slopes of the Scottish Highlands.

As both Sam and Maya realize that the reason for their heartbreak so many years ago wasn’t entirely as it seemed, they must learn to stand up for what they want the most . . . or else miss their second chance at love.

“The Ex-Mas Holidays has all the Christmas trimmings: snowy ski slopes, sparkling lights, and family drama, not to mention all the hot cocoa you can drink!”

—Amy E. Reichert, author of Once Upon a December

Credit: Zoe Allison

Zoe Allison is a graduate of the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme. Alongside her day jobs as a doctor and a writer, she started a TikTok account in 2021 where she regularly shares comedic sketches based on writing, and the romance genre in particular.

Visit Zoe online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

A Kentucky Hug for Christmas synopsis:
After dumping her dead-end boyfriend, Madeline Jane Simcox leaves Nashville and an unsuccessful songwriting career to move back home. She vows to give up both men and music forever. Life in Crowns Grove, Connecticut with her mother and sister Jane will be quieter. Simpler. 
 
But she can’t escape the music. Not when she’s hired as a substitute music teacher at the local elementary school, and not when a radio station announces a contest to find a new Christmas song. Even better, it’s organized by handsome Kentucky transplant and fellow teacher Travis Montgomery, whose twang is warm enough to melt the winter snow. But Maddy didn’t move home to meet a man, especially one tied to her old nemesis. Her head tells her to stay away, but her heart speaks a different language. 
 
After an unexpected burst of creative energy, Maddy writes a catchy Christmas song. Against her better judgement, she enters it in the contest, forcing her to risk it all. 
 
Can she handle the spotlight one more time?

"A festively spun warm, sweet love story that emits Hallmark holiday movie feels! Your heart will sing with holiday cheer." 

—Kristina Rienzi, Bestselling and Award-Winning Author, 5 Happy Choices

Judith Natelli McLaughlin has been writing for as long as she can remember. The first book she ever wrote she bound with masking tape and for six-year-old Judy that was exactly how a "real" book was supposed to look. 

She still loves to write and illustrate books but she no longer uses masking tape to bind them. She publishes across genres, including children's chapter books, poetry books, middle grade, women's fiction and romance.

A native of New Jersey, Judy and her husband, Brian, call the sandy beaches of the Jersey Shore home. She has three grown, city-dwelling daughters, Katie, Lindsay, and Maggie, as well as her faithful writing companion, a West Highland White Terrier named Duke.

Visit Judith online:

Website * Twitter * Instagram

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends December 17th at midnight EST.

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