Book reviews: Medieval Christmas tales!

This book review is a little different, as I'm highlighting just a few stories from two of PRP's medieval Christmas anthologies.

First up is One Winter Knight.

Blurb:

Hear ye, hear ye! Looking for medieval romance? Tales of knights and their ladies abound in ONE WINTER KNIGHT, a wonderful collection of medieval holiday novellas for your reading pleasure!

You’ll be held spellbound by this boxed set of captivating stories from some of today’s top medieval authors, as well as some rising stars in this up-and-coming genre. Lindsay Townsend, Deborah Macgillivray, Cynthia Breeding, Keena Kincaid, Cheryl Pierson, Beverly Wells, Patti Sherry-Crews, and Linda Carroll-Bradd have woven eight excellent Yuletide tales of love lost and found that are sure to keep you reading far into the night. Laced with holiday traditions and the excitement of a bold, dangerous era, Prairie Rose Publications is proud to offer yet another wonderful boxed set of medieval Christmas tales for your reading pleasure.

This collection of novellas makes a wonderful holiday gift for hours of entertaining reading—for others, or for yourself! These stories are certain to keep you enthralled as you read on to find out how these knights and ladies find their very own “happily-ever-after” endings ONE WINTER KNIGHT…

My reviews:

My Forever Love by Cheryl Pierson
Logan and Noelle's story warmed me up on a cold winter's night! They were selected for each other in an arranged marriage that both initially faught against. But then after meeting, Logan fell in love with her, while Noelle wasn't aware of everything going on around her. Sweetness and excitement carry through to their happily ever after.

To Play with Cats by Patti Sherry-Crews
Giggle and swoons!! I was needing something different to knock me out of a book funk and PSC's To Play with Cats story did the trick perfectly!

First, we have a sweet and adorable heroine who reminds me alot of me... Especially in her mobility skills. Lol

Then we have the big, strong, manly hero who needed some time to get his head straightened out (what good hero doesn't have some flaw... Lol), but who still could make me swoon.

Wrap them up snug in a castle with a little bit of drama and excitement and you have a sweet Christmas happily-ever-after for a knight and his lady love.

Then there's One Yuletide Knight.

Blurb:

Find a comfortable easy chair in front of the fire and grab your copy of ONE YULETIDE KNIGHT from the authors at Prairie Rose Publications! Travel back to medieval times to celebrate Yuletide with these dashing knights and their spirited ladies in a wonderfully romantic boxed set of stories you won’t want to put down! Lose yourself in this collection of eight exciting stories of medieval days penned especially for this most joyful time of year.

With exciting tales by talented authors such as Deborah Macgillivray, Lindsay Townsend, Keena Kincaid, Cynthia Breeding, Angela Raines, Patti Sherry-Crews, Beverly Wells, and Dawn Thompson, you’ll find it hard to put this collection down until you’ve read to the very end!

Don’t miss these adventures of holiday romance spiced with medieval danger in ONE YULETIDE KNIGHT!

My reviews:

A Marriage Made in Hell by Deborah Macgillivray

Omgoodness!! This novella just BLEW ME AWAY! After I got into the swing of how Deborah uses her words to build the atmosphere of her story, I was totally immersed into Grantham and Lesslyn's story and didn't want to leave. Add in the fact that it was a short story, but yet I was able to connect to the characters, that just made this story all the better!

What started seemingly as a innocent "swap places" decision turned into something meant-to-be but figuring out the who and what to get to their HEA was quite the trip!

Grantham swept me away with just how manly he was and how he claimed and settled into his new role. Lesslyn was endearing in how she approached her new life and sweetly fell for her man. They were the perfect compliment for the other.

This was the first book I've read from Deborah Macgillivray, and it won't be my last! I definitely need more of her stories in my life! 

The Protector by Patti Sherry-Crews

A surprising amount of intrigue and twists are packed into this cute story where everyone has secrets and their own agendas. Tempers flare and stubbornness digs in amidst a swiftly growing admiration that turns into a sweet love.

Juliana finds herself frustrated with having to deal with Sir William, especially when he verbally manhandles her into something she thinks is ridiculous. Will is just following orders trying to protect her, but he can't seem to keep his attention off more fun things to do with her - even when she's stashed away safe.... maybe....

I loved watching their banter and how they connect even though they're often at odds with each other. This is a fun story if you enjoy a heroine who's determined and spunky and gives just as good as she gets.

Purchase Links:

     

Beth's Fruitcake

You probably know fruitcakes have been around for a long time. What is sometimes subjected to disparaging comments was at one time prized as a travel food, both in this life and to send with the deceased into the next.

Culinary lore claims that ancient Egyptians placed an early version of the fruitcake on the tombs of loved ones, perhaps as food for the afterlife. But fruitcakes were not common until Roman times, when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and barley mash were mixed together to form a ring-shaped dessert. Prized for its portability and shelf life, Roman soldiers often brought fruitcake with them to the battlefields. Later, in the Middle Ages, preserved fruit, spices and honey were added to the mix and fruitcakes gained popularity with crusaders for their portability and their longevity.

Medieval Kitchen

Fruitcakes became popular all over Europe. Recipes varied greatly in different countries throughout the ages, depending on the available ingredients. For a time in the Middle Ages, fruit cakes made with butter and sugar were banned in Europe because they were thought to be too rich and tasty. Pope Innocent VIII (1432–1492) finally granted the use of butter, in a written permission known as the ‘Butter Letter' or Butterbrief in 1490, giving permission to Saxony to use milk and butter.

Starting in the 16th century, sugar from the American Colonies (and the discovery that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits) created an excess of candied fruit, thus making fruitcakes more affordable and popular. 

My grandmother, daughter of 19^th century English immigrants, used to make fruitcake using a recipe she claimed came from England. She never gave the recipe to me while she lived since she was sure I would share it with all the ladies at church, then everyone would have her good fruitcake recipe. My aunt inherited my grandmother’s recipe box and sent me the recipe. In honor of my grandmother’s wishes, I still don’t share it outside the family.

The practice of adding alcohol to fruitcake to help preserve it started in the Victorian era. (My grandmother's parents' era. She used brandy-soaked cheesecloth to wrap her fruitcakes she made at least a month before the holiday season. She then wrapped the whole works in aluminum foil. She swore the alcohol evaporated before the cake was served. Okay, if she says so…)

From the 19th century on, fruitcake became a traditional wedding cake in England. (My grandmother made a groom’s cake for my wedding out of fruitcake. I tried to carry on the tradition with my children, but they were less than enthused.)

Typical American fruitcakes are rich in fruit and nuts. Mail-order fruitcakes in America began in 1913. The two largest producers of fruit cakes are Southern companies with inexpensive access to large nut quantities, for which the expression "nutty as a fruitcake" was derived in 1935.

Most American mass-produced fruitcakes are alcohol-free, but traditional recipes are saturated with liqueurs or brandy and covered in powdered sugar, both of which prevent mold. Brandy (or wine) soaked linens can be used to store the fruitcakes and is one method of lengthening its shelf life. Some people feel that fruitcakes improve with age.

One reason fruitcakes have become the objects of ridicule is because of their questionable age. If prepared correctly, they do preserve well. When a fruitcake contains a good deal of alcohol, it can remain edible for many years. For example, a fruitcake baked in 1878 was kept as an heirloom by a family (Morgan L. Ford) in Tecumseh, Michigan. In 2003 it was sampled byJay Leno on The Tonight Show. A 106-year-old fruitcake discovered in 2017 by the Antarctic Heritage Trust was described as in "excellent condition" and "almost" edible.

My grandmother would probably suggest that in order to make the above-mentioned fruitcake more edible again, it needs a good wrap in a brandy-soaked length of cheesecloth for a month or two.

In my book, Bridgeport Holiday Brides, to whom did Beth give a Christmas fruitcake? The answer is found in this excerpt:

             “No wedding trip first, Mrs. Dodd?” the lawyer teased.

          “I figure on takin’ care of business first, Mr. Murphy. Besides, my weddin’ trip will be to my own land.” Beth pulled her reticule onto her lap pulled the strings apart. “How much you figure I owe you?”

          “I almost hate to charge you for the satisfaction of helping put Edwin Caldwell in his place, Mrs. Dodd. But, even lawyers have to eat.”

          Beth paid him the fee he requested, although she suspected he gave her a discount. She decided she’d bring him a Christmas fruitcake at the time of her final payment.

Please CLICK HERE to find the book description and buy link for Bridgeport Holiday Brides.

Have a wonderful holiday and a very merry Christmas. Enjoy that fruitcake!

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/fruitcake1.htm

https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-secret-history-of-fruitcake

LAST DAY OF THE VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS SALE HERE AT PRP! SNAP 'EM UP BEFORE IT'S OVER!

LOOK OUT! Christmas is just around the corner! But never fear, because Prairie Rose Publications is doing our part to make this A VERY MERRY PRP CHRISTMAS with a gigantic sale--and you can do your last minute shopping for all the readers on your list right here! Yep, we are talking GIGANTIC—with many books and BOXED SETS priced at .99 and some books being offered for FREE!

But snap them up NOW because this sale only lasts for three days---December 14-16--and today is the last day! You can find some excellent bargains--not only for yourself, but for those on your gift list, as well, and you won’t have to break the bank to give the gift of reading some fantastic stories!

We’ve got stories in all genres, for every reader on your list! Each day we’ll feature a few with their blurbs and covers, but every one of these thirty-six selections will ALL BE ON SALE FROM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16! So stock up and save – and get your gifts bought right here, right now! What a choice--and you can't get any better than .99 and FREE!

Do you love cozy mysteries? Here's one by one of the best authors around today, Livia J. Washburn! Livia writes, among other things, the Fresh Baked Mystery series, and BLACK AND BLUEBERRY DIE is a deliciously enticing story that will keep you guessing as to the mystery all the way through! AND, as an added bonus? Livia always includes the scrumptious recipes she mentions in her books so that you can make them for yourself! At only .99 this is a real steal of a deal!

In the latest from the nationally bestselling author of The Candy Cane Cupcake Killer, Phyllis Newsom returns with a blackberry and blueberry pie recipe that’s to die for…

It’s late summer in Weatherford, Texas and Mike Newsom’s childhood friend is sweltering in prison for a crime he claims he didn’t commit, murdering his wife. So instead of asking his mother to please stop investigating a murder, as he usually does, he asks her and Sam to please help his friend.

Danny Jackson, found guilty of beating his wife Roxanne to death at the ritzy hair salon where she works, was sentenced to prison for 30 years. His pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears, so it’s up to Phyllis to find what actually happened. She finds there are a lot of secrets and lies being told, and Roxanne was in the middle of them all.

Though Phyllis doesn’t want to get mixed up in another murder investigation, her son rarely asks for favors, and certainly not favors like this. She has to untangle the lies and comb out the facts to find what happened that dark night.

Includes recipes!

Do you have a historical fiction buff on your list? Sean Gabhann's HARPER'S DONELSON takes place during the Civil War--and what an exciting story it is! The first of his Shiloh Trilogy, this one will hook you and keep you reading long into the wee hours of the morning--and right now, it's only .99.

The first book of this Civil War trilogy begins in the winter of 1862, as the nation is being ripped apart, with both Federals and Rebels seeing no end in sight and hoping for victory.

Lieutenant James Harper, a junior officer in the Union army, aspires to command a company—but faces his dismal future at the hands of an officer who will vindictively do whatever he must to keep Harper at the bottom of the heap.

Katie Malloy, a young girl who has been sold by her father to the wily owner of a whorehouse, has settled into her new life as a saloon-girl—for the time being. She’s got big plans to get herself out of this predicament, and vows one day she’ll be more than the soldiers’ whore.

Corporal Gustav Magnusson, a young Quaker in Harper’s company, butts heads with Harper from the very beginning. But capture by the enemy forces them to work together to protect their men from sadistic Rebel Captain Bell—who wants nothing more than to see his Yankee prisoners dead.

Will General Grant’s campaign against Fort Donelson open the door for an ex-Federal Marshal, a Quaker farmer, and a soiled dove from Iowa to make their mark in the world—if they live through it?

Three lives intertwine against the backdrop of the battle which made Ulysses S. Grant’s reputation—a living hell where everything familiar fades, and the only thing that matters is surviving—however they can.

Are you a romantic? Or is there someone on your list who loves romance stories? Celia Yeary's TEXAS BLUE, the first in her four-book series, would be a perfect read--and it's only .99 right now!

When Buck Cameron finds Marilee Weston and her young daughter, he believes the pretty, young woman doesn't fit the character description he was given. The County Judge back home says she's not fit to raise the child he claims is his. Now Buck faces a dilemma – should he disobey orders and rescue both of them from isolation? There isn't enough money in the world to exchange for a child. All Buck has to do is convince Marilee of his good intentions – she and her daughter would be safe with him in Nacogdoches.

Rejected and abandoned by her father, Marilee Weston lets the pain of betrayal make her strong. Now she needs a way out of the forest, where she has lived for five years. But the towering pines and fear of the unknown imprison her, and loneliness and heartbreak suffocate her. How can she find a new life for herself and young daughter? She can't. Not without help.

Will this alluring stranger free her, or prove to be even more dangerous?

If you love series, here's another one to try! A HEART ON HOLD by Sara Barnard is the first of her Everlasting Heart series. Right now, it's yours for only .99!

Charlotte Adamsland is separated from her husband, Sanderson Redding, the day after their marriage. A captain in the Confederate Army, Sanderson must return to his unit, leaving Charlotte alone on their Arkansas homestead to fend for herself. Yankees camp around the town of Altrose, bringing their own kind of lawless danger. And then, one dark day, a Southern soldier arrives with terrible news…Sanderson has been killed trying to escape a Yankee prison.

Sanderson has found salvation and hell in a single turn of events he could never have imagined—his much-younger brother, Jackson, is his Yankee guard. When Jackson’s cruel commanding officer learns of the brothers’ family ties, he devises a wicked plan to see them both dead. Jackson is determined to get his brother to safety—but a last-minute betrayal by another prisoner could be the death of both brothers.

Charlotte can’t accept the news of Sanderson’s death—he promised to come back to her. She heads north armed with only her faith in God and her beloved horse to bring her love home—one way or the other. Will she be able to rescue him? Or will her love remained locked forever in A HEART ON HOLD…

If you love contemporary romance, try Nan O'Berry's PRINCE CHARMING WORE SPURS--the first in her Indigo Springs trilogy about three very hunkish brothers. Yep, it's just .99! Can't beat that!

Fairy tales do exist—just ask Gillian Malone!

When rancher Logan Malone drags his feet on finding love, his five-year-old daughter, Gillian, persuades a local matchmaker to help her find a new mother.

Enter Delaney Holmes, a Washington socialite fleeing from the press after being left at the altar. Swearing off men, she takes the job as a nanny to a precocious five-year-old in a backwoods Texas town called Indigo Springs.

But Logan Malone is a six-foot cowboy hero complete with white hat and a swagger that puts John Wayne to shame. Can he put away the ghost of Gillian's mother to follow the rules of the Fairy Tale Code in order to win Delaney's heart? Or will Delaney's secret past keep him from proposing?

With true love at stake, there’s only one thing for sure—in this real life fairy tale, PRINCE CHARMING WORE SPURS—and it’s going to take some powerful magic to ensure a “happily ever after” ending!

Got a YA reader on your list? Try Jack Bates's COLT BUCHANAN AND THE DASTARDLY DESERT DEVILS, a smashing-good steam punk type novel that readers young and old will enjoy! You guessed it! Only .99!

Colt Buchanan’s life changes in a matter of minutes when his mother and father are ripped away from him during a surprise dust storm that leaves their Wyoming cabin in nothing but splinters. It’s a moment they’ve prepared for all his life, but at ten years old, he’s not sure what comes next. When he climbs from the cellar, he realizes that this was no ordinary dust storm. The devastation was done by something more powerful…more sinister. Something man-made.

But Colt is rescued before any further harm can come to him by Captain Conrad Givens who pilots an amazing invention that flies in the air. Givens takes Colt to the safety of Fort Discovery, a place where Colt learns how important his parents’ scientific work has been—and that he’s not alone. There are many other brilliant children there, as well—children whose parents had extraordinary scientific skills just like Colt’s parents did. And someone is making orphans of them all.

When danger threatens Fort Discovery, there’s only one choice Colt can make. He has to do whatever it takes to protect the enlightened community that exists there—teachers, scientists, and students alike. But how can he defeat the formidable enemy, Anvil Smith? With the help of his friends and Pecos Bill, Colt realizes he’s more than “just a kid”—and saving Fort Discovery is the only way to find out where his parents are!

Here's another wonderful fantasy story by Angela Crider Neary. LI'L TOM AND THE PUSSYFOOT DETECTIVE BUREAU: THE CASE OF THE PARROTS DESAPARECIDOS is only .99 right now, and just a fun read for all ages!

Someone is stealing the parrots of Telegraph Hill! San Francisco is plagued with a rash of exotic birdnappings, and it's up to Li'l Tom and Lola of the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau to track down the culprits and put an end to this sinister scheme. With the help of a motley crew of cats, one rat, and a dog, they'll venture into the dangerous back alleys of Chinatown to rescue the brilliantly plumaged captives!

LI'L TOM AND THE PUSSYFOOT DETECTIVE BUREAU: THE CASE OF THE PARROTS DESAPARECIDOS is a whimsical, all-ages mystery featuring a pair of charming feline detectives. Packed with action, humor, colorful characters, and vivid settings, it's a delightful reading experience for young and old!

Got a reader on your list who loves the "weirder" side of western reading? Try Jackson Lowry's first book in his PUNISHED series, UNDEAD! Right now, it's FREE!

The day the Yankees came and took everything from wealthy landowner Vincent Bayonne was a day he’d never forget—how could he live with the uncertainty of not knowing what happened to his wife and children? Forced to watch as his plantation was burned to the ground by one of the slaves, Bayonne has sunk to the bottom of the barrel. A drunkard who has only his consuming hatred to sustain him, he makes his way from Louisiana to San Francisco, barely managing to survive on the Barbary Coast.

Just when he thinks he has nothing to live for, he discovers that William Sherman, the former slave who torched his home, is alive and well—and Sherman bears a hatred for his former master to match Bayonne’s. When Sherman bests Bayonne in a fight, the once-wealthy Southerner wakes up in a coffin, prepared for a fate he could never have imagined.

Hatred fuels Bayonne’s survival, but Sherman has cursed his nemesis with powerful voodoo magic that dooms him to an eternity of only half-living in the twilight existence of a zombie. Can an old Chinaman provide the answers Bayonne needs to survive in the world of the UNDEAD?

For something a little "tamer" try SAVED BY THE BELLE by Isabella Norse! It's the first of her "Kudzu Korners" series and just a fun, delightful read that will make you smile--YEP, it's FREE right now!

Dot Habersham spent the first half of her life traveling the world, meeting new people, and trying to make a difference in the lives of others. Now middle-aged, she has settled in Kudzu Korners, a small town filled with Southern charm and good friends.

But the arrival of Russell Phillips, widower, father, and the spitting image of Dot’s favorite actor, stirs emotions that she hasn’t felt in many years. Could love come knocking at this point in her life—and his?


Just when their friendship begins to blossom into “more”, Russell says something that might be impossible to fix. Will the memories of those they have lost keep each of them tied to their pasts, or can their budding relationship be SAVED BY THE BELLE…

If you love witty historical romance stories, try Meg Mims's DOUBLE CROSSING, the first of her two-book set. Right now, it's FREE!

WINNER of the 2012 BEST FIRST NOVEL Spur Award from Western Writers of America AND a 2012 FINALIST for the USA BOOK NEWS Awards – for Fiction: Western

August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father’s murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed — both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the hunter but the prey. As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust–the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

One more FREEBIE! Zina Abbott's Christmas book in her Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, BRIDGEPORT HOLIDAY BRIDES, is FREE right now! Give it a try!

With the arrival of Beth Dodd’s sister, Hazel, in California, Beth and her fiancé, Val Caldwell, are now able to make wedding plans. Thanksgiving seems to be a good time to tie the knot and bring the Caldwell family together, as well, but when Val’s older half-brother, Edwin, and his family show up for the wedding, things fall apart. Edwin’s advice to Val to wrest control of Beth’s holdings and absorb them into the Caldwell Ranch leads to bad blood and fisticuffs between the brothers. Will Beth call the wedding off to protect what she’s worked so hard to gain?

As Beth’s younger sister, Hazel, realizes she’s falling in love with Val’s younger brother, Luther, she learns the feeling is mutual. Luther has bought a ring and plans to announce their engagement at Thanksgiving, as well. But Beth has a stormy relationship with her future brother-in-law, and believes her sister is too young to marry. Headstrong and determined to control their own destinies, will happiness also be possible for these BRIDGEPORT HOLIDAY BRIDES?

And our last featured book for today is COWBOY CRAVINGS--a collection of toe-curling western historical romance stories that are guaranteed to keep you turning the pages with one hand and fanning yourself with the other. It's only .99! Snap it up!

Craving a cowboy on these hot summer nights? Here are four stories that are sure to turn up the heat! If you love tall, dark, and handsome cowboys with a touch of danger thrown in, and the ladies that show them they've met their match, COWBOY CRAVINGS is a must have! Fast guns, smooth action, and hot love sizzle in one delicious recipe for these spicy stories! The summer has never been hotter in the old west than it is when you have to satisfy those COWBOY CRAVINGS!

HEARTS AND DIAMONDS—Cheryl Pierson
Revenge sets Nick Diamond after a bride, and nothing will stand in his way. But when that bride happens to be outspoken firebrand Liberty Blankenship, all bets are off. Anything can happen when Hearts and Diamonds collide!

STARR BRIGHT—Celia Yeary
A stubborn rancher, a Spanish beauty...and the Texas summer heats up.

LILY AND MESQUITE JOE—Kristy McCaffrey
Lily Kingston has long loved Mesquite Joe Riordan. Facing the truth of his past will test her resolve, but only her stubbornness can win his heart.

MAKING PEACE—Kathleen Rice Adams
A Confederate soldier. A Jayhawker’s widow. An accidental passion that could mend the wounds of war.

Be sure to look back over the posts for the last two days to read about the rest of our sale books. Today is the last day to snap any or all of these .99 bargains and FREE books up for yourself or others, and we hope you will! See the list of links below!