BREATH OF CHRISTMAS
Tag
line:
Can love overcome his competitive
spirit, or will the desire to win leave him breathless?
Back
Cover Blurb:
When Esther Beauchamp agrees to drive a snowmobile during
the Santa Snow Challenge, she expects a problem-free weekend of transporting
snowboarders. What she gets is the task of transporting a single snowboarder
and babysitting his service dog while he’s on the slope.
Robbie Kendrick is instantly attracted to the pretty
staffer who volunteered to help him during the competition. While she’s
clueless about asthma, he appreciates her efforts to understand how it affects
him and his snowboarding. Best of all, she treats him like a man who isn’t
disabled and gets along great with his medical alert dog.
But when Robbie’s ability to compete is called into
question, is it in God’s plan for him to give up the career he loves, or will
his competitive spirit cause him to lose his chance at a future with Esther?
Excerpt:
Early
morning sunlight sparkled off the fresh snow making Esther Beauchamp thankful
she’d remembered her sunglasses.
The
brisk air invigorated her as she watched the crowd arriving at Cedar Valley
Resort for the Santa Snow Challenge and added to the festive atmosphere created
by Christmas decorations on every building, a few trees, and the resort’s lone
ski lift.
Esther’s
heart thumped with anticipation. This was her first big event since moving to
the small Colorado resort town. Never mind the fact that she’d never skied a
day in her life; she knew how to drive a snowmobile, which was enough to
qualify her for the position of competitor transportation at the slopestyle
course.
She
adjusted the safety orange jacket she’d been given and wondered how many people
it would blind when the sun hit her. Black letters on the left front labeled
her as “Staff,” as did the large black letters across the back. So far, she’d
only been asked for directions by a few parents herding exuberant preteens, but
she should soon meet the competitors.
“Hey, Esther!”
Her
boss and neighbor, Leonard Morris, approached from the left. The clipboard in
his hand had seen better days, and it looked as if he’d tried to cram every
paper from his overcrowded desk onto the thing. However,
his cheerful personality more than made up for his lack of organizational
skills.
“Hey,
Leonard,” Esther said as he joined her. “What’s up?”
“You
get light duty for the competition.” He cocked his head to the side, one bushy
gray eyebrow lifted in question. “By the way, do you like dogs?”
“Yeah,
they’re great. Why?”
“Because
you’re going to be spending a lot of time with one this weekend.” He shuffled
through his papers and unearthed a photo. “This is Molly.”
Esther accepted the picture and studied the large black Lab
seated beside a handsome blond man in his mid-twenties with hazel eyes and an
athletic build. Try as she might, she couldn’t figure out what a dog had to do
with shuttling competitors to the top of the course. She handed the photo back
and studied her boss. “Cute dog, but why are you telling me about her?”
“The
man in the picture is Robbie Kendrick.” Leonard tucked the photo into the pile
on his clipboard. “He’s one of the snowboarders, and you’ll need to keep an eye
on his dog while he’s doing his runs.”
What was so special about this guy that his dog warranted a
babysitter? “What about the other competitors? I thought I was going to be busy
running people up to the top of the slope.”
“That
was the original plan, but it changed.” Leonard led her away from the growing
crowd. “Look, Esther, Molly is Robbie’s service dog. When he’s not on the
course, he’ll need her by his side. That’s where you come in. You’ll take them
both up to the top, and then you’ll come back down here with Molly and meet
Robbie when he finishes his run. I’ve been assured his coach will be at the top
to help him out if necessary between the time you drop him off and the time he
joins you at the bottom.”
“Wait,
one of the snowboarders needs a service dog?”
Buy
Links:
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017QL63EC
Barnes &
Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breath-of-christmas-ea-west/1113879516?ean=9781611162479
CHRISTMAS
HARMONY
Tagline:
Honesty
may be the best policy, but will it ruin Christmas?
Blurb:
After a long
semester, college student Tawny Beschen is more than ready for a relaxing
winter break. Hanging out at rehearsals for her dad’s metal band is just what she
needs. Familiar people, familiar music, and a familiar routine... It’s an
overwhelmed autistic’s dream. Then the new guitarist walks in, and her safe,
predictable world implodes.
Malachi Vandermeer
is grateful for the opportunity to play guitar for Death Pardon. After a rough
few years, the family-like relationship of the band is what he needs. Then he
meets Tawny. Her sweet innocence creates an instant attraction, but his past
makes him afraid to let it grow.
Can Tawny and
Malachi overcome their challenges and have a merry Christmas together?
Excerpt:
“Hey, Tawny,” Alan said, “you mind
if I take the mic now?”
She
lifted her fingers from the smooth metal of the stand and stepped back. “Oh,
sorry.”
“No worries. Long semester?”
“I think I’m brain dead,” she
said, shoving her hands in the front pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.
Alan
chuckled and adjusted the microphone. “You must be glad you’re on winter break,
then.”
“Yeah.” She wandered away as the
men prepared to start their rehearsal. Minutes after she stretched out on the
floor and stared up at the ceiling with its recessed lights, someone else
entered the room.
A
stranger around her age. He was cute with his dark brown hair and a day’s
growth of beard shadowing his jaw.
The
sudden change in routine broke through her relaxed state. A rush of anxiety
immobilized her. She curled into a ball on the carpet and pressed her
sleeve-covered fist to her mouth to muffle the crying.
“Hey, Tawny, are you all right?”
Her father’s quiet voice meant she hadn’t done a great job of hiding her tears.
“You want to tell me about it?”
She
squeezed her eyes shut. After a few breaths, she rolled halfway over and looked
directly into her father’s face. “That’s not Jimmy.”
Dad’s
features filled with sympathy, and he smoothed her hair back. “Oh, honey, I’m
sorry. I thought you knew.”
Dread
washed over her. “He’s not dead, is he?”
“No! He’s still going strong.” Dad
rubbed her shoulder. “He decided it was time to move on to other things, so we
found ourselves a new guitarist a few months ago.”
“I...I think you told me about
that when I was working on that paper that drove me nuts. Some guy with a Bible
name or something.”
“That’s right. His name is Malachi
Vandermeer. Would you like to meet him?”
Tawny
nodded.
Dale
was talking to the new guy on the far side of the room.
Insecurity
slammed into her. Would he want to meet her?
Her
dad held his hand out. “It’s a little hard to introduce you if you don’t come
with me.”
“He probably thinks I’m an idiot
or a psycho.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Dad gave her a
brief yet soothing hug. “When I came to see about you, Dale said he’d explain
to Malachi.”
“I feel like an idiot.”
Humiliation threatened to make her cry again.
“There’s no need for it. A lot of
college students get stressed out with their classes, and they don’t have the
added struggles you do. You rock, girl, for overcoming that and making the
dean’s list anyway. Now, let’s go introduce you to the newbie so you can quit
worrying.”
She
dropped her gaze to the floor, more comfortable looking at the ugly utilitarian
carpet than risking seeing what was in anyone’s eyes. Dale’s familiar skater
shoes and an unfamiliar pair of sneakers came into view. They looked as if
they’d walked across the country and back. Tawny stole a glance at their owner.
Malachi
offered a smile.
Tawny
looked back down.
“Malachi, this is my daughter,
Tawny. Tawny, meet Malachi Vandermeer, our new guitarist.”
“Hi.” She managed to make eye
contact just long enough to discover he had the most gorgeous brown eyes she’d
ever seen.
“Hey, Tawny, it’s nice to meet
you.” Malachi’s smooth, rich voice sent tingles racing through her. “Your dad’s
been bragging on you since I joined the band. How’d your grades turn out?”
“All A’s.” She glanced at her
father as curiosity formed. How many others that she’d never met had heard
about her college career?
“Awesome!” Malachi’s exclamation
broke into her ponderings. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Tawny’s nerves jumped.
“I’m gonna go back to the floor now. Have a good rehearsal.”
Malachi’s
voice followed her. “Hey, Tawny, I have a cousin who’s an Aspie, and his
daughter is autistic. Just thought you might like to know that I get it.”
She
gave a single nod and stretched out on the floor again. Maybe she didn’t have
to worry about him thinking she was crazy or stupid after all.
Buy links:
Amazon
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016TX3VR0
Barnes
& Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-harmony-ea-west/1122822732?ean=9781611165371
Pelican
Book Group:
http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_41&products_id=709
Author
Bio:
E.A. West, award-winning author of
sweet and inspirational romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling.
In high school, she picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t
laid it down yet. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and
crocheting. She lives in Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets.
Where
to Find Me:
Website: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
Blog:
http://thewestcorner.wordpress.com
Facebook Author Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/EAWestAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eawest
Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/authoreawest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/eawest
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