Title: My Darling Christmas
Series: Willow Valley Series #4
Author: S.L. Sterling
Release Date: October 19, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance (can be read as a standalone)
Tropes: Small Town Romance, Second Chance at Love, Brothers best friend, Widower
Cover Design: Thunderstruck Cover Design
Goodreads: https://geni.us/MyDarlingChristmasGR
Blurb:
Darling Ranch. It was a family name in this town, a family business and a family way of life.
Over the past year, the place hadnโt felt like family, or home, and I was barely staying in business.
My wife had died from an aneurysm while pregnant with our first child. It happened one morning while I was out in the field tending to the animals. The doctors told me it wouldnโt have mattered had I been by her side, the outcome would have been the same. Still, I beat myself up. My best friend and neighbor, Gabe Bentley knew this. He let me mourn my own way, but now heโs pushing me harder than ever.
โWhatโs the rush?โ I asked him one morning.
โIโm being deployed. I need to know my sister and the farm are taken care ofโฆ.by the only man I trust in this townโฆyou.โ
Iโd known the army was recruiting again but I didnโt know heโd been called upon. I also didnโt know Cadence was back in town. I really didnโt know if I could be the man, the friend, the rancher that he needed me to be.
What I did know?
No matter how much it pained me, Iโd try to do whatever it took to make sure that I didnโt let Gabe down.
Then I saw Cadence and for the first time since my wife died I actually thought I could heal. She made me feel alive, made the pain go away. So why did I feel so guilty? One minute I was longing to hold her, the next I was pushing her away, until I finally pushed too hard and sent her running.
I didnโt want to fail my best friend, and I didnโt want to fail Cadence. We all needed our Christmas wish and I decided to do whatever it took to make sure we got it.
Buy Links:
Universal: https://geni.us/MyDarlingChristmasWV4
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48o1hIt
B&N: https://bit.ly/45ZAWiz
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3RtVRFN
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3Ruev0q
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/3ZpzMu8
Review Quotes:
Excerpt:
We both grew quiet as we looked out over the farmland. Iโd help my friend, he knew it. I owed him after everything heโd done for me. There wasnโt much more to say. Gabe knew Iโd been struggling. That was why heโd been here daily since Ella had passedโto check on me. He may not know that I noticed, but I did. I couldnโt get mad either. He was being a friend. The friend I needed.
โAre you going to be okay?โ he questioned.
โWhat do you mean?โ
โIf I leave, are you going to be okay?โ
I leaned back in my chair and nodded. โDo I have any other choice? Sheโs been gone for over a year. Itโs time that I pick up the pieces and move on. I know youโre worried. Itโs written all over your face, but Iโll be fine.โ
โI know. I just feel like Iโm abandoning you in your time of need. Itโs justโฆโ
โItโs just you have to do this for you. I get it, Gabe, I really do. Why do you think I do nothing but work? Itโs my way of coping. This is yours.โ
โI just wish your way of coping had changed.โ
โWhat is that supposed to mean?โ I asked, emptying my beer.
โOh, I donโt know, perhaps you could cope by, getting involved with a woman. A relationship may do you good.โ
I looked off into the distance. โNah, I donโt think so,โ I muttered, getting up and returning with two more beers. The last thing I needed right now was to have a conversation about my personal life. Gabe should know better than to start on me about dating again.
โSorry man, I just thought that it may help you cope with things.โ
I passed him another beer and sat back down. โNow Iโll do what I can to help you out, but you say you are trying to figure something else out? Care to shed a little light on that subject?โ I asked.
โIโm heading out to see Cadence, to see if I can convince her to return home. If she does, I know sheโll need help. Our farm is twice the size of our grandparentsโ.โ
First, he started with my personal life and then he mentioned Cadence in the same sentence. He better not be thinking what I thought he was. I took another mouthful of beer and cleared my throat.
โYou arenโt suggesting that Cadence and Iโฆโ
Gabe shrugged and sort of smirked as he tipped the bottle back.
There had been a time that Iโd had a crush on her, but she gave no hints. Then Gabe made it very clear to me and some other guys at school she was off-limits. In fact, I remembered him muttering something about the bro code after he gave another kid in town a black eye for hitting on his sister. After that, I knew better than to think about touching his sister, as did every guy in town. I enjoyed having my balls intact. Since I hadnโt been willing to ruin our friendship, I pushed my feelings to the back of my mind and gotten involved with her friend Ella.
โCadence, from what I remember, can look after herself,โ I muttered. โSheโs looked after your grandparentsโ farm just fine with no help from anyone. She doesnโt need my help.โ
โYeah, but itโs different here. More moving parts, bigger operation, and Iโd just feel better knowing that I can count on the only man I trust here to be there if she needs something,โ Gabe said, looking at me.
I chuckled.
โPlease, Connor.โ
I hated seeing my friend beg, but at least he was begging me and not some woman who would only slap him across the face when he got close enough. I drank back the rest of my beer and nodded my head.
โFine. Let me know once you figure it all out. Iโll help her for a bit, but once Cadence is all settled in and things are going well, Iโm done.โ
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
***
In The Series:
Book 1: Memories of the Past โ https://geni.us/MemoriesofthePastWV1
Book 2: The Holiday Dilemma โ https://geni.us/TheHolidayDilemmaWV2
Book 3: Letters from the Heart โ https://geni.us/LettersfromtheHeartWV3
*Please note all books can be read as standalone, but recommended you read all the books in the series.*
Author Bio:
S.L. Sterling was born and raised in southern Ontario. She now lives in Northern Ontario Canada and is married to her best friend and soul mate and their two dogs.
An avid reader all her life, S.L. Sterling dreamt of becoming an author. She decided to give writing a try after one of her favorite authors launched a course on how to write your novel. This course gave her the push she needed to put pen to paper and her debut novel “It Was Always You” was born.
When S.L. Sterling isn’t writing or plotting her next novel she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee, blanket and the newest romance novel from one of her favorite authors on her e-reader. Her favorite authors include Kendall Ryan, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Lauren Blakely, Alessandra Torre and Willow Winters.
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, sunny destinations, spending quality time with family and friends and of course reading.
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