How Santa Gets His Christmas Spirit Backâ¦
James Claussen has played Santa for years, but now that heâs a widower, heâs lost interestâin everything. So his daughter, Brooke, kidnaps him from the mall (in his Santa suit!) and takes him to Icicle Falls. Sheâs arranged a special Christmas at the lodge owned by long-widowed Olivia Wallace and her son, Eric. And yetâ¦Brooke wants Dad to be happy, but sheâs not ready to see someone elseâs mommy kissing Santa Claus.
Single mom Missy Monroe brings her kids to the lodge, too. Lalla wants a grandma for Christmas, and her brother, Carlos, wants a dog. Missy canât provide either one. What sheâd like is an attractive, dependable man. A man like John Truman⦠But Johnâs girlfriend will be joining him in Icicle Falls, and heâs going to propose.
Of course not everything goes as planned. But sometimes the best gifts are the ones you donât expect!
Praise for Sheila Roberts and her Christmas novels
âThis amusing holiday tale about love lost and found again is heartwarming. Quirky characters, snappy dialogue and sexy chemistry all combine to keep you laughing, as well as shedding a few tears.â¦â
âRT Book Reviews on Merry Ex-mas
âMerry Ex-mas is the absolute perfect holiday book! It has everything great womenâs contemporary fiction should haveâa great storyline filled with romance, humor and a bit of mystery tucked in here and there, fabulous personable characters filled with charmâ¦â
âSharonâs Garden of Book Reviews
âAn engaging humorous tale of three sets of ex-couples coming together over the holidays. The ensemble cast makes for a fun frothy frolic as the ghosts of Christmas past reuniteâ¦â
âHarriet Klausner on Merry Ex-mas
âRobertsâ witty and effervescently funny holiday novel will warm hearts. Realistic characters populate the pages of this captivating story.â
âRT Book Reviews (Top Pick) on On Strike for Christmas
âRobertsâ charming holiday-themed contemporary story set in the Seattle area offers hope, comfort, and a second chance for those who believe, and a nudge to change the minds of those who donât.â
âBooklist on The Snow Globe
âWithin minutes of cracking open the book, my mood was lifted.⦠The warm, glowing feeling it gave me lasted for days.â
âFirst for Women on The Snow Globe
âThis lighthearted and charming read will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannahâs magical, light romances and readers who enjoyed Robertsâs previous holiday offerings.â
âLibrary Journal on The Snow Globe (starred review)
âWitty characterizations, slapstick mishaps, and plenty of holiday cheer.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Nine Lives of Christmas
For Sandy Hamilton, aka Santa Colorado
Dear Reader,
Can you remember the thrill of coming downstairs as a child on Christmas morning and rushing to see what Santa left for you under the tree? I can! Good old Santa Claus, a kidâs best friend. And you see him everywhere: at shopping malls, in parades, at family holiday gatherings. There he is, ho-ho-ho-ing, handing out treats and generally making everyone feel good.
Except everyone doesnât always feel good during the holidays. Strained relationships, hard times, grief and loss can steal our holiday joy. With that reality in mind, I got to wondering what would happen if Santa were to lose his Christmas spirit. What if a man who once loved to play Santa Claus was coping with grief and didnât want to be jolly anymore? And what about the people heâd find himself interacting with? What if they were having problems, too? If several people who were facing holiday challenges all found themselves gathered together in one spot for Christmas, how would they cope?
Well, just to see, I gathered a bunch of people together at the Icicle Creek Lodge in Icicle Falls and asked them to help each other figure out how to have a merry Christmas. I hope I succeeded and I hope youâll enjoy this holiday tale of love and laughter.
You can always find me on Facebook. And please visit my website, www.sheilasplace.com, to find out more about Icicle Falls, the Hallmark Channel original movie based on my Christmas novel, The Nine Lives of Christmas, my contests and more. And let me know what you do to make Christmas special.
Merry Christmas to you, your family and friends!
Sheila
Chapter One
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
The toddler wasnât simply crying. Oh, no. These were the kind of earsplitting screams that would make the strongest department-store Santa want to run for his sleigh. Her face was a perfect match for James Claussenâs red Santa suit, and both her eyes and her nose had the spigot turned on full blast.