Please welcome Faye Robertson back to Among the Muses! This time around, she's here to talk about her latest release from Entangled Publishing, Holly's First Noel!
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Holly’s First Noel
A birthday at Christmastime...what could be worse?
For my December release from Entangled Publishing, Holly’s First Noel, I gave the two main characters—schoolteachers Holly Jones and Noel Coward—Christmas birthdays, and compounded the curse by making it the festive season from hell. Holly’s boyfriend announces the week before Christmas that he’s breaking up with her, leaving her with a tonne of Christmas food and a long holiday void of love and happiness. And Noel’s wife died on Christmas Eve from breast cancer three years ago. He’s spent the previous two Christmases alone watching mindless action movies and getting drunk. The two of them realise they can’t conform to the traditional idea of a perfect Christmas, and decide they’re going to Loch Ness in Scotland on a retreat until the season of goodwill has passed.
The idea for this story began when I was fretting as I planned the menu for Christmas Day, and I started wondering what my guests would say if I served them up beans on toast. Everyone has a stylised version of the festive season in their heads, and for many it isn’t perfect without the traditional roast dinner, the pudding and crackers, the same old films and the family around the table.
Without that idyllic festive model, can we still have an enchanting Christmas? I believe the answer is yes, because—without being too mushy—it’s what’s in your heart that counts, and love can turn any day into a celebration. Holly and Noel discover that even though there are no customary paper hats or tinsel—and their festive tea consists of chocolate spread sandwiches—magic and romance is waiting for them out in the snow.
About Holly’s First Noel:
Music teacher Holly Jones is in a festive predicament. Her boyfriend just dumped her the week before Christmas, so why is she only depressed he made off with the mince pies? When the charming science teacher next door overhears the dreaded call and suggests she accompany him on his Scottish holiday retreat, she accepts, eager to spend a quiet week rediscovering herself.
Noel Coward’s wife died on Christmas Eve three years ago. To bury the memories of that day, he spends the holidays getting drunk and watching action movies—which makes him perfect company for a fellow teacher in need of solitude. Except, instead of wallowing in his grief, Noel finds himself comforted by Holly’s presence, fascinated by her mind, and after one innocent kiss, on fire for her touch. As the snow piles up outside, the temperature inside soars, while together, they discover the human heart’s amazing capacity to heal…and love.
Enjoy Holly’s First Noel, a $2.99 Entangled Ever After!
About Faye:
Faye Robertson lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, and sexy contemporary romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and hunky but approachable heroes. She’s won several romance writing competitions and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies. She also writes romance under the name Serenity Woods.
Get your copy of Holly’s First Noel at
Snippet:
Holly stared at him. Surely she’d heard wrong. “What?” she asked stupidly. Why did he always make her feel as if he was head of Mensa and she was the forerunner for the role of village idiot?
Noel finished off his coffee and pushed his cup away. “It’s a big house. There are four bedrooms and two living rooms. It’s in the middle of beautiful countryside and it’s guaranteed to snow.”
She blinked at him. It didn’t make sense. He wanted to get away for Christmas—why would he ask her to go with him? Unless… Jeez. She had just talked about stockings and liking lots of sex. What guy wouldn’t get ideas after that sort of conversation?
“It’s not a come on,” he said as if he’d read her mind. “You don’t have to speak to me at all if you don’t want. You can spend the whole weekend in your room, or come and watch DVDs with me and get drunk. I don’t mind. You look like you need a break, that’s all.” He frowned at her smile. “It’s not a proposal or anything.”
She smiled. “You’re very sweet.”
“I’m really not. I’ll be inebriated most of the time. I’ll probably be obnoxious and insult you and fall into a coma on the sofa.” He picked up his glasses and put them on as she laughed. “Anyway, the offer’s there. We’d better get back now. Are you all right to take period six?”
She stood, surprised as he retrieved her coat, and held it up for her to slip her arms into. “Yes, I’ll be fine thanks. Wow, you really are an old-fashioned gentleman, aren’t you?”
“It’s the way I was brought up.” He held out his arm. “Allow me to escort you back to school, Miss Jones.”
Laughing, she said, “If we’re going to spend Christmas together, you’re going to have to stop calling me that.”
He looked surprised as he opened the door and popped his umbrella, gesturing for her to go out first. “You’re coming to Scotland with me?”
She placed her hand in the crook of his arm as she ducked out of the insistent rain. “Might as well. We can have a ‘Who’s going to be most miserable on Christmas Day’ competition.”
“I’ll win,” he said. “I win every year.”
“I’m sure I can give you a run for your money.”
“Well, I can drink more than you can.”
“Hah! Don’t bet on it. I’ve been known to drink copious amounts of Chardonnay at certain times of the month.”
He snorted. “Malt whisky’s what you need, girl. That’ll put hairs on your chest.”
“My breasts are perfectly nice hairless, thank you very much.”
His lips curved. “Well thank you for filling my head with that image just as I go into a lesson on voltage and electrical currents.”
“It’s the last day of term,” she said. “Put a DVD on for God’s sake like everyone else.”
He glanced down at her. His glasses had misted up as they came out into the cold air, so he looked over the top of them at her. Why did that give her the shivers? “Holly, I’ll say it one last time and then I won’t say it again. I didn’t ask you to Scotland for any other reason than that I thought you could do with somewhere quiet to go.”
“Shucks,” she said. “And there’s me hoping it was for the sex.”
Holly stared at him. Surely she’d heard wrong. “What?” she asked stupidly. Why did he always make her feel as if he was head of Mensa and she was the forerunner for the role of village idiot?
Noel finished off his coffee and pushed his cup away. “It’s a big house. There are four bedrooms and two living rooms. It’s in the middle of beautiful countryside and it’s guaranteed to snow.”
She blinked at him. It didn’t make sense. He wanted to get away for Christmas—why would he ask her to go with him? Unless… Jeez. She had just talked about stockings and liking lots of sex. What guy wouldn’t get ideas after that sort of conversation?
“It’s not a come on,” he said as if he’d read her mind. “You don’t have to speak to me at all if you don’t want. You can spend the whole weekend in your room, or come and watch DVDs with me and get drunk. I don’t mind. You look like you need a break, that’s all.” He frowned at her smile. “It’s not a proposal or anything.”
She smiled. “You’re very sweet.”
“I’m really not. I’ll be inebriated most of the time. I’ll probably be obnoxious and insult you and fall into a coma on the sofa.” He picked up his glasses and put them on as she laughed. “Anyway, the offer’s there. We’d better get back now. Are you all right to take period six?”
She stood, surprised as he retrieved her coat, and held it up for her to slip her arms into. “Yes, I’ll be fine thanks. Wow, you really are an old-fashioned gentleman, aren’t you?”
“It’s the way I was brought up.” He held out his arm. “Allow me to escort you back to school, Miss Jones.”
Laughing, she said, “If we’re going to spend Christmas together, you’re going to have to stop calling me that.”
He looked surprised as he opened the door and popped his umbrella, gesturing for her to go out first. “You’re coming to Scotland with me?”
She placed her hand in the crook of his arm as she ducked out of the insistent rain. “Might as well. We can have a ‘Who’s going to be most miserable on Christmas Day’ competition.”
“I’ll win,” he said. “I win every year.”
“I’m sure I can give you a run for your money.”
“Well, I can drink more than you can.”
“Hah! Don’t bet on it. I’ve been known to drink copious amounts of Chardonnay at certain times of the month.”
He snorted. “Malt whisky’s what you need, girl. That’ll put hairs on your chest.”
“My breasts are perfectly nice hairless, thank you very much.”
His lips curved. “Well thank you for filling my head with that image just as I go into a lesson on voltage and electrical currents.”
“It’s the last day of term,” she said. “Put a DVD on for God’s sake like everyone else.”
He glanced down at her. His glasses had misted up as they came out into the cold air, so he looked over the top of them at her. Why did that give her the shivers? “Holly, I’ll say it one last time and then I won’t say it again. I didn’t ask you to Scotland for any other reason than that I thought you could do with somewhere quiet to go.”
“Shucks,” she said. “And there’s me hoping it was for the sex.”
Giveaway Details:
- Faye is generously offering an e-copy of HOLLY'S FIRST NOEL to one lucky commenter.
- Please leave a comment, or question for Faye, along with your email addy.
- Contest will run from 12/15 - 12/17
- Winner will be randomly selected and notified.
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12 comments:
Hey Tanya! Thanks for having me back again with yet another Christmas release! I have a thing about Christmas stories, you might have guessed :)
I'm actually off to bed now as it's 10pm in NZ, but I'll be back in the morning to say hi :) Welcome to everyone, and best wishes for a very merry Christmas!
Another one for my santa list :-) Sounds fab, Faye!
The book sounds good! :) I liked the excerpt. :)
elvenspirit at gmail dot com
Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me in contest.I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com
A lovely read. I loved Holly's' character and I loved the book!
I would love another copy to give as A Christmas gift!
Annie Seaton
Enjoyed the author's thoughts behind the book- suppose it would be difficult to do the traditional snow white Christmas stuff in NZ at this time of the year. (-;
The storyline sounds interesting. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
sophiarose1816@gmail.com
I don't believe that I have read anything by a NZ author! That would be a first...and I'd love a good escapist Christmas read!
Catherine Lee
catherinelee100@gmail.com
I added this book to my to be bought list about a week ago when I spotted it on another site. I bet Holly can give him a run for his money when it comes to drinking. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for a great post and giveaway! This book sounds awesome!
Congrats on the new release and I wish you all the success you're dreaming of :)
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi everyone! Nice to see some familiar faces here *waves to Doris and Annie* and to make some new friends too. Lisa, I think you're probably right about Holly being able to drink Noel under the table ;) And Erin, thank you for that lovely comment! Merry Christmas to you all!
Sounds like a fun book! Enter me please.
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
That sounds like a fantastic read!
Please enter me and thanks for the giveaway!!
kewinkler at gmail dot com
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