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Thursday, December 6, 2018

New Release — A Christmas Visitor by Sarah J. McNeal


Matilda Barton’s broken heart may never heal. The love of her life, Sterling Thoroughgood, has been gone three years with no word. Is he dead or alive? Why should it matter to her? She’s spent the past three years trying to save her father, her ranch, and her dignity—but her heart has taken the worst battering of all. Now that her father has died, the livestock has been sold off, and the ranch is in disrepair, her life is empty. When Sterling Thoroughgood rides up to her house on Christmas Eve, is it any wonder she greets him with a shotgun instead of a kiss?

Sterling Throughgood has worked hard to build a ranch in Hazard, Wyoming. Admittedly, it took longer than he thought, but he had to have a good start for Matilda, the woman he’s always loved. Arriving at her house on Christmas Eve, he discovers a lot has changed in three years. Her father, his mentor, has passed away—and Matilda has become bitter because of what she felt were empty promises Sterling made in the past. But Sterling is not a quitter, and he will pit his determination against Matilda’s iron-clad will any day of the week—even on Christmas Eve.

He hopes that the puzzle box he made for her with his special gift inside will prove to her his ever-constant love, but is it too late for that? Can Matilda understand his three-year absence amidst all the loss she’s gone through? Is their love lost forever, or does the peculiar puzzle box hold the key to happiness for both of them? Can Sterling be more than just A CHRISTMAS VISITOR…

EXCERPT

     “Don’t you even think about stepping up on this porch, Sterling Alexander Thoroughgood, or I’ll shoot a hole in you big enough for a team of horses to jump through.” The woman wearing a faded blue calico dress aimed the shotgun straight at his heart…and sometimes his liver, since she wasn’t holding the shotgun all that steady.

     Sterling raised his hands in the air. His bare hands were practically numb from the cold. He glanced up at the slate gray sky. Snow’s comin’. Then, he grinned at the woman holding the shotgun. “Merry Christmas to you, too, Matilda.”

24 comments:

  1. Sarah, can't wait to get my copy and a snowy day to sit and read it.

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    1. Diana, THANK YOU! BTW, it turns out Charlotte is going to get lots of snow on Saturday night. I can't believe it, but I'll be looking at it from the coziness of my chair. The days of driving in it are over. If you do get a chance to read A Christmas Visitor, I hope very much that you like it.

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  2. Sarah, I loved this story so much--great name choice, btw, for "Sterling"--who I was beginning to think was anything BUT "sterling" until certain things were revealed! I really did enjoy this story--you have such a way of making your characters so true to life.

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    1. Cheryl, thank you for that. It is difficult to have a character do something that may taint his good guy reputation, but then show how that character arrived at that problem--and make them good and sorry. LOL

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  3. This was such a good book!!! I loved their interaction and Sterling just was amazing in how he fixed things with Matilda!

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    1. Michelle, I want you to know I really appreciate your comment because that was my intention for Sterling Thoroughgood and Matilda. Thank you for coming by and commenting.

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  4. Sounds wonderful, Sarah. I look forward to getting a copy.

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    1. Agnes, thank you. I hope you do read it and, most of all, I hope you like it.
      Thank you for dropping in and commenting.

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  5. I'm imagining what might be in the puzzle box. I'm hoping Sterling is the romantic that I suspect he is. Congratulations!!!!!

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    1. Kaye, if Sterling didn't get this right and I ruined his character, I may have to quit writing and burn all my work. See...I just told the biggest lie. Show me a writer who up and quits writing, 'cause they must have died or something. LOL
      Thanks for coming. It's always good to see you and hear what you have to say.

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  6. Sarah, I just love Christmas stories, I always enjoy your stories and this one sounds like a winner. Wishing you much success with this one and also a Very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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    1. Bev, I am a Christmas story addict. Everyone at PRP who just released a story for Christmas (and some that aren't holiday themed) are on my buy list. I love Kindle. I'm loadin' up for Christmas reading, too.
      Thank you for your compliment. It means a lot to me. And thank you for visiting today.

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  7. I love to read Christmas stories all during the year and this one sounds so good. I would love to read and review this one in print .

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    1. ptclayton, I hope you know that readers who review the books they read are like a writer's best friend. I hope you do get to read my story about Sterling and Matilda and I REALLY hope you love it.
      Thank you for coming to visit and commenting.

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  8. How wonderful, Sarah!! Congratulations.

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    1. Thank you, Kristy. It's really fun getting all these new releases out from my friends (you being one of them) because I'm collecting stories to read for the holidays. Reading calms the spirit and happy endings lift me up.
      Thanks for coming by today.

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  9. Sarah, I'm so happy for you having a Christmas story, my favorite time of the year. And I love second-chance-at-love stories. Congratulations!

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    1. Elizabeth, I can always count on you for a kind word. Winter is such a great time for reading. What the heck else is there to do when the roads are full of ice and snow and it's so cold the brain wants to freeze outside?
      I hope you get a chance to read Sterling and Matilda's story. Not to worry, Sterling has an Ace up his sleeve and he sure isn't about to give up no matter how stubborn Matilda gets. No sir.
      Thank you for coming. Oh, and thank you for that cold Canadian air that's going to meet up with some precipitation on Saturday and give us snow in early December for the first time probably in 100 years. LOL

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  10. love the name of your hero, Sarah! Congratulations on your latest release. Keep warm in that coming snow!

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    1. Thank you, Lindsay. I had to do some searching to get the right name for Sterling Thoroughgood so I'm happy when I get good feedback on it.
      The meteorologists haven't determined exactly how much or what kind of mess we're getting in the Charlotte area. I hope it's just snow, but I fear there will be freezing rain and I worry about losing power if that happens.
      Thank you so much for your comment, Lindsay.

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  11. Sounds like a great story, Sarah. Best of luck.

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    1. Thank you so much, J. Arlene Culiner for your kind comment and good wishes.

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  12. I'm so happy for you! Looking to find time to sit and read it. (Hey it still gets dark early *Grin*) Doris

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    1. Doris, I just loaded some more Christmas stories to my Kindle and I intend to make some time to read them because I find them so uplifting and festive.
      Thank you so much for coming by. It's always good to see you.

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