by: Kristen McKanagh
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Christmas Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Kensington
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The Purrfect holiday awaits…
Snowball–an aptly named bundle of feline fluff–is thankful to be spending her first Christmas in the comfort of Weber Haus, the Victorian B&B run by Miss Tilly. Emily Diemer, who cooks for the guests, dotes on Snowball, but she’s not thrilled about another new arrival at the B&B: Miss Tilly’s nephew, Lukas. Which is odd, because Snowball’s animal instincts tell her that Lukas and Emily should definitely be friends.
Everything Emily needs is in this quaint community–including, she hopes, the chance to open her own bakery one day. She doesn’t think much of Lukas for leaving his aging aunt to struggle while he jets around the world taking photographs. But now that he’s here, helping to spruce up the property and getting mixed up in Snowball’s antics, she begins to soften a little. Until she learns what he has planned…
Lukas is going to sell Weber Haus so that Miss Tilly can retire. But Snowball is certain that this B&B, and these people, are supposed to be her forever home. Somehow she has to get these stubborn humans to see things through the wisdom of a cat’s eye and a kitten’s loyal, loving heart…
Snowball
I pause in my purring to peer closer at Emily’s face. I know something is wrong because she’s squeezing me tighter. A little too tight.
I give a mewl of protest, and she blinks, her frown morphing to vague confusion as she glances down at me. Emily blinks again, then loosens her grip.
Did she forget she was holding me?
That’s strange. I look over to see what she was frowning at. Only it’s not a what. It’s a who.
That man from the place with all the white stuff and the kids laughing loudly. The one who found me in her purse. I cock my head, studying him. Why is Emily mad at him? Other than ratting me out—such an appropriate phrase I learned recently—he seems like a nice person.
The man reaches out and runs a gentle hand over my fur. I snuggle into his touch and start my motor back up. You can tell a lot from how a person pets. I like him already.
About then, Miss Tilly bustles into the room. “Excellent. You’ve met,” she says.
“Not formally,” the man says. I like his voice, too. There’s kindness and something comforting in the deep tones. I’d like to snuggle under his chin and take a nap.
“Oh,” Miss Tilly says in that floaty way she has sometimes. “Emily, I’d like you to meet my nephew, Lukas.” Tilly is glowing with pride.
I tip my head and stare at the man. This is the Lukas person she’s been talking about?
“Lukas,” Tilly continues. “This is Emily Diemer. Emily helps me run Weber Haus and is a fine baker.”
The Lukas man smiles. He has a nice smile, I decide. It reaches all the way to his eyes.
“A pleasure to formally meet you. Tilly’s told me a lot . . .” He trails off.
I glance up at Emily because she’s squeezing me again.
“You’re Tilly’s nephew?”
Her voice does not sound very pleased. What did this guy do to her? I’m the one he outed by telling her I was in her purse.
Lukas must be thinking the same thing, because his eyebrows scrunch up all funny. “Is that a bad thing?”
Emily opens her mouth, then her gaze strays to Miss Tilly. She seems to rethink her words. “I’m sure Tilly is thrilled to have you home. She’s talked of nothing and no one else for weeks,” she says. Only her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “How long are you staying? She wasn’t sure.”
Now she sounds too sweet. Not at all Emily-like. Emily is a lovely human, always quick to pet, but she’s also straightforward. At least, that’s what Miss Tilly calls her. Sweet sounds all wrong from her mouth—like too much cream, smothering her words.
I wiggle in her grasp, and she lowers me to the floor. I have instincts for humans. Maybe if I show her Lukas is a nice one, she’ll stop acting so . . . strange. I scoot over to him and wind myself around his ankles. Lukas chuckles. A deep sound that makes me happy. I like it even better when he bends over and runs a hand over my back. I arch up into his touch.
See, Emily. He’s nice.
I glance over to make sure she’s getting the message, only Emily is watching me with her lips pushing forward, kind of pinched.
“Traitor,” she mouths at me.
A snort from Lukas tells both Emily and me that he caught that. Her cheeks go red.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get the rest of the groceries before I get started on lunch.”
Emily hurries out of the room, the screen door closing behind her with a bang that makes me jump. Lukas straightens and watches her go, the corners of his mouth lifting.
Is it just me? Or is there something going on between these two? Like a low hum in the air.
Two humans I like should like each other, I decide. Maybe they need a little help to figure it out.
I pause in my purring to peer closer at Emily’s face. I know something is wrong because she’s squeezing me tighter. A little too tight.
I give a mewl of protest, and she blinks, her frown morphing to vague confusion as she glances down at me. Emily blinks again, then loosens her grip.
Did she forget she was holding me?
That’s strange. I look over to see what she was frowning at. Only it’s not a what. It’s a who.
That man from the place with all the white stuff and the kids laughing loudly. The one who found me in her purse. I cock my head, studying him. Why is Emily mad at him? Other than ratting me out—such an appropriate phrase I learned recently—he seems like a nice person.
The man reaches out and runs a gentle hand over my fur. I snuggle into his touch and start my motor back up. You can tell a lot from how a person pets. I like him already.
About then, Miss Tilly bustles into the room. “Excellent. You’ve met,” she says.
“Not formally,” the man says. I like his voice, too. There’s kindness and something comforting in the deep tones. I’d like to snuggle under his chin and take a nap.
“Oh,” Miss Tilly says in that floaty way she has sometimes. “Emily, I’d like you to meet my nephew, Lukas.” Tilly is glowing with pride.
I tip my head and stare at the man. This is the Lukas person she’s been talking about?
“Lukas,” Tilly continues. “This is Emily Diemer. Emily helps me run Weber Haus and is a fine baker.”
The Lukas man smiles. He has a nice smile, I decide. It reaches all the way to his eyes.
“A pleasure to formally meet you. Tilly’s told me a lot . . .” He trails off.
I glance up at Emily because she’s squeezing me again.
“You’re Tilly’s nephew?”
Her voice does not sound very pleased. What did this guy do to her? I’m the one he outed by telling her I was in her purse.
Lukas must be thinking the same thing, because his eyebrows scrunch up all funny. “Is that a bad thing?”
Emily opens her mouth, then her gaze strays to Miss Tilly. She seems to rethink her words. “I’m sure Tilly is thrilled to have you home. She’s talked of nothing and no one else for weeks,” she says. Only her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “How long are you staying? She wasn’t sure.”
Now she sounds too sweet. Not at all Emily-like. Emily is a lovely human, always quick to pet, but she’s also straightforward. At least, that’s what Miss Tilly calls her. Sweet sounds all wrong from her mouth—like too much cream, smothering her words.
I wiggle in her grasp, and she lowers me to the floor. I have instincts for humans. Maybe if I show her Lukas is a nice one, she’ll stop acting so . . . strange. I scoot over to him and wind myself around his ankles. Lukas chuckles. A deep sound that makes me happy. I like it even better when he bends over and runs a hand over my back. I arch up into his touch.
See, Emily. He’s nice.
I glance over to make sure she’s getting the message, only Emily is watching me with her lips pushing forward, kind of pinched.
“Traitor,” she mouths at me.
A snort from Lukas tells both Emily and me that he caught that. Her cheeks go red.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get the rest of the groceries before I get started on lunch.”
Emily hurries out of the room, the screen door closing behind her with a bang that makes me jump. Lukas straightens and watches her go, the corners of his mouth lifting.
Is it just me? Or is there something going on between these two? Like a low hum in the air.
Two humans I like should like each other, I decide. Maybe they need a little help to figure it out.
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love the cover!
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
I loved this book and love the cover. If I won, I would buy a print copy to set on my shelf. It's definitely my favorite cover of the year.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome cover! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable cover! The story sounds like a great read. Best wishes to the author on the book.
ReplyDelete