All I Want for Christmas
Page 24
She walked with Mason into the cool shade of the oak trees, where the branches were so large from age that they made a natural canopy over the rows of white chairs she’d set up earlier. She took a seat and bounced Mason on her lap. He smiled, looking so much like David that it made her heart want to burst.
She turned around as she heard the crunch of feet on gravel. It was the most glorious sight: her family and friends, all walking toward her, Sadie’s pink flower girl’s dress with the satin belt billowing out with the breeze, her hair curled in ringlets. David looked amazing in his tuxedo as he locked eyes with her. He was helping Samuel down the walk. Roz took Sadie by the hand as she talked to June, laughing at something. Then, behind them, Leah got a glimpse of Louise, her veil cascading around her face and contrasting against the brick of the house as she peeked out the door to make sure everyone was ready.
“Bret’s coming around from the servants’ quarters,” Roz said. She’d taken control of everything inside today, wanting it all to be perfect for her best friend.
Leah remembered how Nan had said she’d like everyone she’d brought together that first Christmas without her to be part of each other’s lives. In true Nan form, she’d done her job better than anyone else could. Leah smiled to herself as she cooed with Mason, remembering that final letter from Nan. Support one another and spend time together, because at the end, that’s all you’ll have to take with you—the love. Love each other and everything else will fall into place.
Letter from Jenny
Thank you so much for reading All I Want for Christmas. I really hope you found it to be a heart-warming winter escape!
If you’d like me to drop you an email when my next book is out, you can sign up here:
www.itsjennyhale.com/email/jenny-hale-sign-up
I won’t share your email with anyone else, and I’ll only email you when a new book is released.
If you did enjoy All I Want for Christmas, I’d love it if you’d write a review. Getting feedback from readers is amazing, and it also helps to persuade other readers to pick up one of my books for the first time.
Until next time!
Jenny
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P.S. - If you enjoyed this story, and would like a little more winter fun, do check out my other Christmas novels—Coming Home for Christmas, A Christmas to Remember, and Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses.
@jhaleauthor
jennyhaleauthor
www.itsjennyhale.com
Acknowledgments
I am so thankful to have my husband, Justin, along with me on this journey. His constant encouragement has carried me through.
I am very blessed to have such a talented and supportive publishing team.
Thank you to my editor, Natalie Butlin, an amazing, creative talent, who works wonders for me every day.
A very special thank you to Oliver Rhodes, who first put me on this rollercoaster ride of publishing. He continues to keep me on track, and I am so grateful.
To the many friends and family who allow me to pick their brains with relentless texting to tap into their various areas of expertise, I thank you.
All I Want for Christmas
A feel-good Christmas romance to warm your heart
All I Want for Christmas is a big, cozy Christmas story about the importance of family, the strength of childhood friendships, and learning to trust your heart.
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Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Susan Mallery – and anyone who likes the glow of Christmas lights and the rustle of wrapping paper – will fall in love with this feel-good Christmas treat.
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Christmas comes once a year . . . But true love comes once in a lifetime.
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Snowflakes are falling, there’s carol singing on every corner, and Leah Evans is preparing for a family Christmas at her grandmother’s majestic plantation house in Virginia. It won’t be the same now that her beloved Nan is gone, but when Leah discovers she has inherited the mansion, she knows she can give her daughter Sadie the childhood of her dreams.
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But there’s a catch. Leah must split the house with a man called David Forester. Leah hasn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since they were kids, when Davey was always there to catch her.
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Now David is all grown up. He’s gorgeous, successful, and certain of one thing: Leah should sell him her half of the house.
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They can’t agree, but as they share memories over wine by the log fire, Leah notices a fluttering in her stomach. And by the look in his eyes, he’s starting to feel it too.
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Will it be Leah or David who must give up their dreams? Or, with a little bit of Christmas magic, will they finally understand Nan’s advice to them both about living life without regrets … and take a chance on true love?
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Buy here!
A Barefoot Summer
'You’ll love Libby’s heartwarming journey as her life changes in ways she’d never have expected… A warm, light, brilliantly romantic story.’ 5/5 GirlsLovetoRead.com
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Buy now!
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A Barefoot Summer is a beautiful, touching story about coming home, the importance of family, and the special place that first loves hold in our hearts. Fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley, Susan Mallery and Susan Wiggs – and anyone looking for a perfect, feel-good summer read will enjoy this.
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Sometimes you find perfect where you least expect it …
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Libby Potter has just lost the perfect job, the perfect apartment and the perfect boyfriend. Moving back to the home town that she couldn’t wait to escape when she was younger was definitely not on her to-do list. Especially as it means running into the man whose heart she broke when she left.
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Pete Bennett can still make Libby’s world stop with just the sound of his voice – even ten years on. Only now, she is the last person in the world that he wants to see.
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As everyone else welcomes Libby home with open arms, she realizes she’s missed that special closeness that comes from lifelong friendship. And, as Libby seeks to make amends with Pete, she begins to wonder whether she made the right choice in leaving all those years ago.
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When an amazing career opportunity gives her the chance to leave again, Libby will have to decide what her version of perfect is… and where she really belongs.
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A Barefoot Summer was previously published as Love Me for Me.
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Buy now!
Summer by the Sea
Summer by the Sea is a beautiful, heart-warming summer read about sisters, first love and not always getting what we want – but sometimes ending up with exactly what we need.
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They say there’s always one summer that changes you.
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For Faith the one summer she can’t forget is when she fell in love as a teenager – only for her sister, Casey, to steal her man. Now, at the request of her beloved ninety-year-old Grandmother, Faith has agreed to a family holiday – at their childhood beach house, where it all began.
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Faith hasn’t seen her sister in years but is finally ready to forgive and forget, enjoy the sunshine and relive happy memories. What she’s not ready for is meeting Jake Buchanan – the owner of the beach house – or the long-forgotten feelings he ignites in her.
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Can Faith overcome the hurt of the past, rekindle the close bond she had with Casey and make this summer THE ONE to remember?
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BUY HERE!
Also by Jenny Hale
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS WISHES AND MISTLETOE KISSES
COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
A BAREFOOT SUMMER
&nb
sp; SUMMER BY THE SEA
Published by Bookouture
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An imprint of StoryFire Ltd. 23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN. United Kingdom.
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Jennifer Hale 2016
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Jennifer Hale has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.