More Christmas in July by Vickie McDonough

I'll admit that I'm one of those people who decorate for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend. It's the perfect time. My husband and sons are off work, and my youngest is home for the holiday, so they can help. We even have leftovers from Thanksgiving, so I don't have to cook on Saturday. 😊

I do not do any Christmas decorating in July, though, because my patriotic decorations are still out. Do people really put up Christmas things in July? I'd like to hear from you if you do or know someone who does. 

I have been known to read a Christmas book in July. You've heard about some really good ones here on Sweet Romance Reads this month, but let me tell you about mine.

The Fruitcake Scandal

Pastor Clayton Parsons waited a year to bring his fiancée, Karen, to his new church post. They plan to have a Christmas wedding, but in the meantime, Karen helps the church ladies with various projects, including a bake sale. But revealing her fruitcake recipe gets the church ladies in an uproar and could spell disaster for her
future with Clay.

$2.99 on Amazon / Free KU

Beloved Enemy

As a Union sniper, killing has become easy for Captain Christmas “Chris” Haley. After four long years of fighting against his own countrymen, the once naïve farm boy is now a war-hardened soldier whose faith in God is shaken. Chris is ready to set aside his rifle and return to his Kansas farm. But will his family accept the man he’s become—angry and unsure if he still believes in God?

Chris struggles with being home. His mother's pretty caregiver catches his eye and begins to give him a reason to go on each day. In spite of his bitterness, his heart is softening. But what happens when he learns the secret Hannah is keeping?

$2.99 on Amazon / Free KU

I loved it! Very good, and quite thorough for a short story/novella. There was redemption, forgiveness, and romance. The hero had his issues, but they were understandable, with him coming from war, and he eventually overcame them. An epilogue or a longer ending would have been 5 stars, but still great! Reviewer Indie 28

The Prodigal's Shotgun Wedding

Clay left home after his brother’s death—a death for which he was responsible. After years away he’s finally returning, hoping for reconciliation with his father. But when the stagecoach he’s riding in wrecks and he is injured, he finds himself in a fight for survival. 

Jolie is fleeing a nightmare situation. She desperately hopes becoming a mail-order bride doesn’t land her in a worse place. When the stage crashes and she spends the night alone with a wounded man, she wonders if her intended will still want her. If he doesn’t, what will she do? She has no money and nowhere to go. 

When she marries a stranger, rather than fall prey to a town of woman-hungry men, Jolie can’t help wondering what she’s gotten herself into.

$2.99 on Amazon / Free KU

A sweet romance, that has a lot of fun and excitement thrown in. Sometimes we wonder what God was thinking when things happen, but if we just wait. The best is yet to come! Highly recommend this book. Reviewer Trixie

That's less than $10 for three exciting Christmas reads. I hope you'll add them to your TBR pile.

Don't forget to tell me if you decorate for Christmas in July.

Last Chance for Christmas in July!

 Cool Off with these Sweet Reads!

Veronica “Ronnie” Clark has had it up to here with her family. So she shoves her suitcase into the trunk of her car along with that billowy, lacy, monstrosity of a bridal gown and hits the road. Unfortunately, her old Volvo gives out, leaving her stranded on Christmas Eve in the nearly deserted seaside town of Ocean City, Maryland. Oh, boy, does she ever need a miracle!

Click here to buy Her Mr. Miracle for 99c

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Christmas Reunion by Laura Scott $0.99

Sarah Franklin is desperate to get her son safely to Crystal Lake, but driving off the road in a blizzard wasn't part of the plan. When a deputy comes to her rescue, she's stunned to recognize her summer crush, Ian Kramer.
Ian Kramer doesn't understand why Sarah has come back ten years after the best summer of his life, especially in the middle of a snow storm two days before Christmas. When he discovers she's on the run from her ex-husband, Ian vows to keep Sarah and her son, safe.

Amazon B&N Apple GooglePlay Kobo

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Two Christmas in July 99¢ Deals from Jean C. Gordon

Amanda Strickland wants her first Christmas as mayor of Indigo Bay to be a civic success from the animal shelter fundraiser to benefit gala to the traditional tree lighting. And movie-star acquaintance Eric Slade may be just the ingredient she needs to pull it all off.

Click here to buy for 99c

Could Caro and Simon granting a child's simple wish change a family's future? 

Welcome to Snowflake, Colorado—a small town where wishes can come true!

Click here to buy for 99c

Celebrate Christmas in July with 99¢ eBooks!

 Download Today!

Three Sweet Romances ~ 99¢ Each! ~ Save $7 Off The Regular Price

Her Mr. Miracle

An Almost Perfect Christmas

Grown-Up Christmas List

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Save $3 on These Two Heartwarming Holiday Stories

Sweet Tidings

Caro's Gift

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Have you read my Crystal Lake Series? Christmas Reunion is only $0.99

Sarah Franklin is desperate to get her son safely to Crystal Lake, but driving off the road in a blizzard wasn't part of the plan. When a deputy comes to her rescue, she's stunned to recognize her summer crush, Ian Kramer.
Ian Kramer doesn't understand why Sarah has come back ten years after the best summer of his life, especially in the middle of a snow storm two days before Christmas. When he discovers she's on the run from her ex-husband, Ian vows to keep Sarah and her son, safe.

Amazon B&N Apple GooglePlay Kobo 

Christmas In July Bargain Books by Kristin Wallace

Even though temps are in the 90s (at least where I live) we have this fun tradition of celebrating  Christmas In July. Hallmark Channel runs their Christmas movies. Stores have holiday specials. I thought I'd get in on the act by putting a couple of my Christmas-themed books on sale for $.99 cents. This month you can download the Christmas In Shellwater Key and Second Chance Christmas.


You can get them both for 99 cents on Amazon. HOWEVER, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can get them for free.


Christmas in Shellwater Key (Boxset) - Now on sale for .99 cents!
Shellwater Key Tales

This boxset contains 3 Shellwater Key Christmas novellas. The main stories in the series center around three childhood friends who revive the old Paradise Dinner Theatre. The holiday novellas venture beyond the theatre.

Finding You At Christmas

After years of looking out for everyone else, preacher’s daughter Janie Worthy is ready to get a life of her own. But on the way to her first date, her car decides to quit, and a stranger on a motorcycle becomes her savior. The short time she spends with Caleb Montgomery on the side of the road might be the most romantic interlude Janie can remember. Of course, it’s all a fantasy, and soon Caleb is riding off into the night.

Until he shows up again in Shellwater Key. When Caleb decides to stay in town for Christmas, Janie can’t help but wonder if she is the reason. Except people don’t fall in love in one night…Right?

Falling For You At Christmas

Pregnant and alone at Christmas, Cassie Stevens decides to take a holiday vacation in Shellwater Key before her baby girl is born. Then she discovers her reservation is lost and there is literally no room left at the inn. Thankfully, single inkeeper, Jared Lathem, offers to let Cassie stay with him and his young daughter. She won't have to sleep in a manger, but being in close poximity to the gorgeous Jared might be dangerous t her piece of mind...and heart.

But the magic of the season can change everything. Cassie is suddenly surrounded by a group of friends, who all seem to have names relating to another important birth long ago. And when Christmas Eve brings an unexpected delivery, Cassie will discover that miracles are still possible even in modern times. 

Loving You At Christmas

Annaliese Matheson once had a perfect life, with a successful career on Broadway and a loving husband. Then her husband died. Devastated, she left the stage behind and only returned when her best friend, Grayson Kendall, asked her to perform at The Paradise Dinner Theatre in tiny Shellwater Key, Florida.

Annaliese is convinced she’ll never love again, but when she steps in to direct to Middle School Christmas Show, nothing will ever be the same. A man unlike any she’s known awakens her buried heart, giving her a second chance at forever with the last person she would have expected. It will take a miracle for Annaliese to let someone else in and embrace happiness again...but then it is Christmas.

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

Second Chance Christmas - Now on sale for .99 cents!

Palm Cove Tales

This book is part of my Palm Cove Tales series. It’s the follow-up to the Heiress Games trilogy. It features desperate single mom, Mia Reynolds, the cousin of security expert Damon Grant (who appeared in the Heiress Games books).

Ten years ago, Mia Reynolds and Winthrop Barrington spent one magical Christmas together. Until lies and manipulation at the hands of Win’s wealthy family tore them apart and left Mia to raise a daughter on her own. Now, both of them have returned to their hometown of Palm Cove, Florida. Once they uncover the truth, can Mia and Win rediscover the love they lost and celebrate a Second Chance Christmas with their daughter?

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. 

Christmas in July - #Free and #99cents - By Donna Fasano, Josie Riviera, and Alicia Street

Celebrate Christmas In July!

HER MR. MIRACLE

Ocean City Boardwalk, Book 8

A stand-alone holiday romance for 99¢

Veronica “Ronnie” Clark has had it up to here with her family. So she shoves her suitcase into the trunk of her car along with that billowy, lacy, monstrosity of a bridal gown and hits the road. Unfortunately, her old Volvo gives out, leaving her stranded on Christmas Eve in the nearly deserted seaside town of Ocean City, Maryland. Oh, boy, does she ever need a miracle!

Reader reviews:

“A must read for anyone looking to curl up with a good book and be warmed from the inside!” ~Em & M Book Reviews

“Love the book, the touching story line. I could not put the book down.” ~B. Phillips, Kindle Reader

Find this book in the Kindle Store

Available at regular price in paperback

This book is a free read for Kindle Unlimited members

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Candleglow and Mistletoe
A Sweet and Wholesome Holiday Romance

Kindle Countdown Deal and only $.99 for a limited time!

Gabe Waters is usually prepared for anything—as a professional stuntman, his life depends on it—but nothing prepared him for Noelle, the unattainable high school crush whose bravery saved him from more than just a bully’s flying fist. There’s no hint she recognizes him, but Gabe knows that face, those eyes…and he sees something that wasn’t there before. Distrust and apprehension.

Their unexpected attraction kindles something as warm and sweet as a holiday candle.
But the weight of their pasts could turn the promise of love to ashes.

Available on Amazon:
Ebook, Paperback, Audiobook, and Large Print Paperback 
Free on Kindle Unlimited

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The Christmas Honeymoon
A stand-alone Sweet Holiday Romance for 99¢

Quiet librarian Serena always loved Christmas, until she was jilted before her December wedding. A year later, while trying to rekindle her tarnished holiday spirit, she meets Damien, handsome daredevil—and a total Scrooge. Their unlikely mutual attraction brings on a challenge that leads to one very romantic holiday. 

“I laughed and cried and just loved this book.”

~Reader review of The Christmas Honeymoon

Available on Amazon
Also free with Kindle Unlimited

How To Sharpen Your Mind by Donna Fasano @DonnaFaz

Do you forget where you put your car keys? Or the name of the person you just met five minutes ago? Stay calm! It happens to all of us. As we age, our brains tend to shrink and not work as well. But there are things you can do to boost your hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory.

·        Learn new things—Memorize quotes. Balance your checkbook without a calculator. Take dancing or violin or piano lessons. Learn a new language. Challenging yourself will help keep your memory strong.

·        Eat flavonoids—Consuming dark-colored berries, grapes, beets, dark chocolate and cocoa will improve brain function. A Harvard study showed that people who drank two cups of hot chocolate a day for a month had better memory performance than those who did not. 

·        Move—When you work out hard enough to break a sweat, you grow new brain cells in your hippocampus. How? Increased blood flow and a crucial protein called BDNF. Spending thirty minutes doing aerobic exercise and fifteen minutes of strength training four times a week is a great way to sharpen our memory.

·        Feed your brain—DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish that can increase the size of your hippocampus. The trouble is, you can’t get enough from your diet. So buy a supplement. Take 1 gram of this super brain food every day.

·        Decrease blood sugar and blood pressure—A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine states that elevated blood sugar puts you at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s. And even borderline blood pressure increases your risk of stroke and makes your brain sluggish. See your doctor to have your blood sugar and blood pressure levels tested.

Here’s an extra tip: Stress can stimulate chemical changes in the brain that can lead to memory problems. Practice deep breathing or other methods that calm your mind and your level of frustration.

Following these simple suggestions will help you sharpen your mind at any age!

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Celebrate Christmas in July with these holiday romances, reduced to 99¢ for a limited time only.

          

About the author: USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written over 40 romance and women's fiction novels. Learn more about her at her website.