The Christmas Swap

The Christmas Swap
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493426656

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year. West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house's caretaker. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get . . . messy. Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another delightful Christmas tale to warm your heart on those cold winter evenings.

The Christmas Swap

The Christmas Swap
Author: Talia Samuels
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2023-10-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1639106030

Perfect for fans of Alison Cochrun and Helena Greer, Talia Samuels’ debut sapphic romcom is about one woman who fake dates her friend…only to fall for his sister. Margot Murray is a newly single, successful businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance after her breakup with her long-term girlfriend. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets two blissful weeks away from London in a picture-perfect manor, and Ben gets a fake girlfriend for his holiday at home with his family. Upon arriving to the manor, Margot meets Ben’s sister, Ellie, who is suspicious of the supposed relationship right from the start. Ellie intends to get to the bottom of their relationship, not being able to see how the two of them work as a couple. As Ellie and Margot grow closer, will Ben and Margot be able to keep the charade up, or will Margot and Ellie risk the chance at something real?

Swept Away by the Seductive Stranger

Swept Away by the Seductive Stranger
Author: Amy Andrews
Publisher: Harlequin
Total Pages: 143
Release: 2016-10-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1488009910

When that guy on the train turns out to be your boss! Nurse Felicity Mitchell's train journey of a lifetime is even more unforgettable when she meets Callum Hollingsworth. Neither is looking for temptation, but that doesn't stop them from sharing one hot, wild night! Except when they disembark, they learn that what happened on the train won't stay on the train. Because the gorgeous stranger is Flick's new boss…and it's increasingly difficult to keep their chemistry under control and leave it at just one night!

A Quilt for Christmas

A Quilt for Christmas
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2022-09-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493438816

Christmas should be celebrated with family. But for Vera Swanson, that's not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one--until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town, Fiona enlists Vera's help, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has a special request--a Christmas quilt for Mama. Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all--and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way. Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites you to cuddle up this holiday season with this cozy story of giving, forgiving, and a little bit of romance.

The Christmas Tree Farm

The Christmas Tree Farm
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 187
Release: 2024-09-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493447114

When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family's Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie's unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison's heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter. With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there's only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work--and some help from an unlikely ally--to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister. Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson charms and delights with this uplifting Christmas story full of old memories and new beginnings.

A Christmas in the Alps

A Christmas in the Alps
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2021-09-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493431951

After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth. During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who's on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure . . . and so much more. For anyone who is wearying of staying home, Melody Carlson invites you to spend Christmas with her in the beautiful French Alps this year. So pull on your mittens, tie your scarf tight, and prepare yourself for a magical mountain holiday.

A Royal Christmas

A Royal Christmas
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2023-09-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493443453

Adelaide Smith is too busy for fairy tales. She's been working hard to put herself through law school and now that the end is in sight, she's determined to stay focused on her goals. Then she receives a letter notifying her that she has been found through a DNA registry to be a direct descendant of King Maximillian V, the ruler of a small Eastern European principality called Montovia. She's understandably skeptical. This is the stuff of cheesy made-for-TV movies, not real life. Although the pieces of this surprising family puzzle seem too good to be true, curiosity gets the best of her. At the king's invitation, Adelaide embarks on a Christmas break trip that is chock-full of surprises, including a charming village, an opulent palace, family mysteries, royal jealousies, a handsome young member of Parliament--and the chance at a real fairy tale romance with a happily-ever-after ending. Spend this Christmas with bestselling author Melody Carlson as she whisks you away to a royal holiday you'll never forget!

My Very Own Gender Swap: A Branching Choices Gender Transformation Romance

My Very Own Gender Swap: A Branching Choices Gender Transformation Romance
Author: Alyson Belle
Publisher: Alyson Belle Productions
Total Pages: 208
Release:
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

What would you do if you had just one day to experience being a young, gorgeous woman? Where would you go? Who would you talk to? And how would the rest of your life turn out? In My Very Own Gender Swap, YOU get to make all of these choices and more as you join Chris Scalatore, a young man in his early 20s, on the romantic transformation adventure of a lifetime. When his friend Kayla presents him with a unique opportunity to transform himself into the woman he might have been, Chris gets to spend an entire day as Natalie—the hot, female version of himself. Not only can you pick what Chris looks like as Natalie, but you also get to decide what she does: Do you go to the lingerie store or stay home to play with Kayla? Will you spend your evening chatting up the cute, artsy lesbian in the corner, or yield yourself to the brash, aggressive billionaire who wants to own and control you? With over 300 pages of possibilities and sixteen completely unique endings, the choices you make on this fateful day will affect Chris in very real ways that will stick with him for the rest of his life. Can Chris learn to find true happiness during his day as a woman, or will he end up even worse off than he would have been otherwise? Only you can decide! Unlike traditional books, this is a branching narrative story that can be read multiple times with different events throughout. At the end of each section there are several hyperlinks indicating choices you can make for Chris, almost like a game. You can tap your e-reader/tablet or click the link in your browser (depending on where you’re reading this) to make the selection you want, and you’ll be transported to that section to continue the story. While it’s possible to use your back buttons to go back a step, you’ll probably have the most fun if you treat the decisions as permanent until your next read-through, just like Chris would have to do!

Analyzing Christmas in Film

Analyzing Christmas in Film
Author: Lauren Rosewarne
Publisher: Lexington Books
Total Pages: 559
Release: 2017-12-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1498541828

Film plays a vital role in the celebration of Christmas. For decades, it has taught audiences about what the celebration of the season looks like – from the decorations to the costumes and to the expected snowy weather – as well as mirrors our own festivities back to us. Films like It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone have come to play key roles in real-life domestic celebrations: watching such titles has become, for many families, every bit as important as tree-trimming and leaving cookies out for Santa. These films have exported the American take on the holiday far and wide and helped us conjure an image of the perfect holiday. Rather than settling the ‘what is a Christmas film?’ debate – indeed, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are discussed within – Analyzing Christmas in Film: Santa to the Supernatural focuses on the how Christmas is presented on the deluge of occasions when it appears. While most Christmas films are secular, religion makes many cameos, appearing through Nativity references, storylines involving spiritual rebirth, the framing of Santa as a Christ-like figure and the all-importance of family, be it the Holy family or just those gathered around the dining table. Also explored are popular narratives involving battles with stress and melancholy, single parents and Christmas martyrs, visits from ghosts and angels, big cities and small towns, break-ups and make-ups and the ticking clock of mortality. Nearly 1000 films are analyzed in this volume to determine what the portrayal of Christmas reveals about culture, society and faith as well as sex roles, consumerism, aesthetics and aspiration.

Just for the Summer

Just for the Summer
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2024-03-19
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1493444751

Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She's grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she's just not going to find in this backwoods town. The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they'll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . . In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there's more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.