Timeless
Keepsakes:
A Collection of Christmas Stories
Ruth A. Casie, Lita Harris,
Emma Kaye, Nicole S. Patrick, Julie
Rowe
Genre: Historical, Contemporary, Time
Travel,
Military, Medical Romances
Publisher: Timeless Scribes Publishing
Date of Publication: November 11, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-09910520-0-4
Number of pages: 270
Word Count: 65,000
Cover Artist: Alchemy Book Covers and
Design
Book Description:
The
magic of Christmas is in the memories we hold dear and those
precious treasures that remind us of the past. Join us as our
Timeless Keepsakes take us on five remarkable journeys that heal old
wounds, remind us of days gone by, play matchmaker, sweep us back in
time and prove that love can conquer all.
~~~~~~~
Mistletoe and Magick ~ Ruth A. Casie
She
would give her last breath for him. He would give up everything to
guard her well and love her more.
Christmas Spirits ~ Lita Harris
A
widow's everlasting love is renewed by the memories of the holiday
season.
Granting Her Wish ~ Emma Kaye
She
doesn't belong in his time and he doesn't belong back home. Could
they belong to each other?
Letter from St. Nick ~ Nicole S. Patrick
She’s
trying to save her home and he’s never had one until now. Can an
unexpected gift lead their hearts to the same place?
Secret Santa ~ Julie Rowe
A nurse
grieving the death of her twin brother receives an usual gift at the
staff secret Santa party: the bullet that killed him along with a
message of hope and love.
Letter from St. Nick
Nicole S. Patrick
Excerpt:
Chapter One
“Last call for flight
one eighty-nine, nonstop service to Jacksonville, Florida. All seats
boarding.”
Thad
Sinclair groaned at the stiffness in his kneecap, the result of
sitting too long. Twenty-four hours ago he’d left Afghanistan,
flown to Istanbul, and was at the tail end of a six-hour layover in
New York City. God, he was beat. Plus, he was a grubby, ripe mess in
his cammies and combat boots. He grabbed his rucksack, following the
other stragglers in line to the Jetway for the last leg of his
journey home.
Wherever
that was.
The
gate agent smiled, thanking him for his service when she took his
boarding pass. Many people had stopped him to say “Thank you” or
“Welcome home” since he’d arrived at LaGuardia Airport. It was
good to be back on US soil and see friendly faces instead of watching
his back and fighting insurgents at every turn.
He
stowed his bag in the overhead compartment, settled in his seat then
took a creased and worn sheet of paper out of his shirt pocket.
Not
two weeks ago, Lieutenant Grant had kidded, “Sinclair, here’s a
bunch of mail for you. What’d you hit the jackpot, my man?”
He
sighed and shook his head.
Thad
unfolded the letter and a sharp sting hit the back of his throat. Aw,
hell. He blew out an unsteady breath as wetness seeped behind his
eyes. His gut clenched just thinking about the man who had been more
“Dad” than his own ever was.
Thad, my laddie, if you are reading this letter it means that I’m
gone. And it also means there are some things you need to be apprised
of. My good friend and attorney Rupert Green has all the information
for you about my estate.
It’s time, Thad. Stop the globe-trotting and fighting the bad
guys, and come back. Plant some roots, son. I’m just sorry I won’t
be here to greet you.
You are the son I never had. I’ve always been very proud of the
path you took. To this day I think your father was a jackass for all
the pain he caused you, rest his soul. I hate writing this
sentimental drivel, but I figured your aunt Maeve would’ve wanted
me to.
Not many people knew I was sick so don’t go beating yourself up
or getting upset over things. There was nothing you could’ve done.
No use in fighting the inevitable. I’m going to join my Maeve now,
and I’m okay and ready for it.
Semper Fidelis,
Uncle Nick.
Thad
slid up the window cover to gaze at the planes parked side by side in
the terminal.
It’d
been more than three years since he’d last seen his uncle. Yes,
three years ago at Dad’s debauchery of a funeral right here in New
York. His parents’ decision to leave what remained of their fortune
to charity had turned ugly at the reading of their will. The
Sinclairs were not a forgiving bunch. That was a fact. No, the
stuffy, upper-crust, uptown cousins he couldn’t stand looked down
their noses at the soldier in the family. He’d given up years ago
making the correction that he was, in fact, a Marine.
None
in the Sinclair branch of the family tree had ever pardoned him for
being the “disappointment” to his father, even after the old man
passed away.
Uncle
Nick and Aunt Maeve were the only family who’d accepted him despite
all of his faults, shortcomings, and “unrealistic”—according to
dear old Dad—aspirations. Thad never understood how unrealistic it
was to want to serve and protect the country which helped shape the
Sinclairs into their successes. Ironically, Nick had been a black
sheep in the Sinclair clan too. Maybe that was why they’d become
close before he’d shipped out to begin his stint in the Corps.
Thad
racked his brain to recall any telltale signs in Uncle Nick’s
appearance the last time they’d met. But the strapping giant had
embraced him with the same spine-cracking hug, kidding him about
making nice with the rest of the family.
Had
Uncle Nick been sick back then? Understandably, he’d been
sadder since losing Aunt Maeve, and not nearly as animated as he
normally was during the Sinclair family get-togethers. More like
battles. But nothing else had seemed different.
He
sniffed and swiped his eyes, sinking against the cool leather of his
upgraded first-class seat. Damn! Why hadn’t he reached out sooner?
Why had he chosen to be gone for so long? Perhaps the day-to-day
shit storm of war was what had held him back from at least sending
e-mail? What a lame excuse. He could’ve found the time. The
motives for staying away may have been valid at the time, but for
some reason he couldn’t recall any of them.
Now
he’d never get to say goodbye. Talk about feeling lower than a
junkyard dog. He’d wasted so much time not keeping in touch
with the family who actually cared about him. His parents, for
certain, hadn’t given a flying… Stop it, Sinclair. No use
thinking about them now.
He
clenched his jaw and swallowed hard. Anger waned into the familiar
ache of loneliness, as it always did when he thought of his parents.
He tamped down the vise of pain surrounding his insides, just as he’d
done eons ago when he was a young Marine.
He
scrubbed a hand down his face and placed Uncle Nick’s letter on the
vacant seat beside him. He closed his eyes as a headache crept up the
base of his skull.
The
thought of going back to active duty after this leave was over made
him twitchy. He had to admit, the bum knee was shot, and someday he
feared it just might get in the way of his survival. Maybe it was
time to let the younger, gung-ho guys take over. Was he actually
considering throwing in the towel?
Focus
on the now, Sinclair. Once he arrived in Florida, it would be a
quick trip to Jacksonville to get his truck from his buddy’s garage
and retrieve what remained of his scant personal belongings from the
storage unit.
“We’ll
be taking off momentarily, folks.” The pilot’s voice cut through
the speakers. The announcement, coupled with the engines firing up,
jolted Thad out of his musings.
Two
weeks ago he wondered about his next destination. Now he knew—Amelia
Island, Florida.
My Review:
★★★★★
I'm not sure which meeting I enjoyed most. When Thad met Scarlet there was instant attraction. When Thad met Riley, it showed how caring Thad can be. When Thad met Fergus, it showed off the authors humor. I love that dog.
Thad and Scarlet, in my opinion, are a wonderful match. I love how he makes her blush at everything. She is so cute with her uncertainty around him. He is so tender and caring with her and her son.
I recommend this book and this particular story especially to all that love a great quick romance that you can tell will last. Wonderful writing and great characters make this a treat to read. I am definitely looking for more to read from this author.
About
Nicole S. Patrick:
Nicole S. Patrick has always loved to
read, and in her teenage years, she “borrowed” her mom’s books
to sneak away and become lost in the world of romance. After more
than ten years in the corporate world of tech recruiting and HR
management, she decided to stay home and raise children. But with so
many romantic stories and characters floating around in her head,
when the kids napped, she was compelled to put those words on a page
and pursue this crazy dream of becoming published. Nicole writes
romantic suspense and her heroes are those alpha males in uniform.
She lives in New Jersey with her real-life hero, her husband, and her
two sons.
Tour wide giveaway
First Prize: $50 gift card (choice Amazon or Barnes & Noble)
Second Prize: eBooks – Knight of Runes by Ruth A. Casie and Ice Bound by Julie Rowe
Third Prize: eBooks – The Guardian’s Witch by Ruth A. Casie and North of Heartbreak by Julie Rowe
Dislaimer: I received a free copy for review purposes. Regardless, all opinions stated are my own. I was not required to leave a positive review.
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