It’s release day for Cathryn Hein’s
Santa and the Saddler
…
We have the story blurb, and below that, you’ll find an excerpt.
Enjoy your first taste of Christmas!
~
Will these two chance-met strangers find the courage to gamble on their love? Or will the girl Danny’s been looking for all his life leave nothing behind but a sweet Christmas memory?
~
He’s found the girl of his dreams, but she’s just passing through. Can he turn fleeting Christmas magic into forever?
Windmill fabricator Danny Burroughs doesn’t have time to wait in line at the local saddler—no matter how pretty the girl behind the counter—he’s juggling two jobs as it is. But his little sister has her heart set on a special piece of saddlery for Christmas and he can’t let her down.
Expert saddler Beth Wells has no idea that when she comes to small town Levenham to look after her grandfather’s shop she’ll be swamped with customers. Overrun by day, Beth is forced to work late into the night on Christmas orders. The last thing she needs is another.
When super-cute Danny arrives at the saddlery after midnight wearing a Santa suit, a broad grin and pleading she make his sister’s present, Beth makes a deal—she will take the order in exchange for Danny’s help. Except this flirty Santa’s idea of helping involves more than stacking shelves, and in the confines of the saddlery their smouldering attraction soon becomes a blaze. But no matter how hopelessly drawn she is, Beth has a job interstate and a mum who needs her. Anything more than friendship is pointless.
Will these two chance-met strangers find the courage to gamble on their love? Or will the girl Danny’s been looking for all his life leave nothing behind but a sweet Christmas memory?
Excerpt from Santa and the Saddler by Cathryn Hein
…
There was a crazy man at the shop door. Or a drunk, given his offer. Beth couldn’t quite figure out which. Danny Burroughs was cute though, as his sister Ebony had mentioned every time she’d come into the shop.
‘You want to help me.’ It was more a statement of disbelief than a question.
‘Yeah.’ He scratched the back of his neck and grimaced. ‘Like I said, stupid.’
Stupid? Maybe. It really depended on his motives, but from his embarrassment Beth was sure he’d meant well. She’d met his sister and mum Judy several times now and they seemed like nice people. Solid country folk, friendly and no-nonsense. Ebony was horse crazy. Beth could remember being the same at her age, and hadn’t minded indulging the young girl’s obsession.
She frowned at him, still uncertain. ‘You mean . . . now?’
‘What? No!’ He cleared his throat. ‘I mean, not unless you’re really desperate.’
Oh, Beth was desperate all right. She hadn’t been joking about sleeping only when she could squeeze it in. With the backlog of orders, repairs, and five hundred other things that needed doing, she’d be fortunate to get a few hours between now and close of business Christmas Eve.
She gnawed her lip, a habit she’d had from childhood when hit by indecision. ‘Do you have any saddlery experience?’
‘Only with Ebony’s stuff.’
‘Use a sewing machine?’
Danny shook his head then, grinning. He lifted an arm to strike a muscle-man pose, and wiggled an eyebrow. ‘I can lift heavy things.’
Beth looked dubiously from Danny to his arm and back again. At her nonplussed reaction, Danny’s grin faltered. Glancing at his arm, he caught the unflattering droop of his Santa suit sleeve and, reddening, jammed his arm back to his side.
He really was cute. Slightly bonkers, but cute.
‘Lifting heavy things could be a handy skill.’ And she did have stock that needed checking and shelving. Boxes of the stuff.
Beth rubbed her mouth, considering. The shelves wouldn’t repack themselves, and empty shelves didn’t sell goods. This time of year even the most determined list-following shopper could be tempted into an impulse buy if items were displayed properly. Takings were definitely up — Grandpop had told her so when she phoned the cash reconciliation through at each close of day — but she needed to keep it that way. Her grandparents were having a hard enough time as it was. Beth couldn’t let them down.
‘Do you seriously want to help?’
Danny held her gaze with soft brown eyes that were made even lovelier by the darkness of his lashes. Eyes that made her think of delicious things, like chocolate and coffee and the rich dark soil of home.
‘I seriously want to help.’
She broke into a smile. ‘An offer from Santa. How could a girl refuse?’
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Oh my gosh, can’t wait to get my hands on this, sounds good good good
Wishing you great fun with Danny and Beth, Trisha!
Thanks Cathryn, I am going over to Warrnambool on the weekend so I will be on the lookout for it but I think I will wait and read it when I go on my cruise
I’m sorry to say it’s not available in print yet, Trisha, only ebook. I will have personally signed print copies available in a couple of weeks, and they’ll hit Booktopia, Bookdepository and Amazon after that. If you want notice of when they’ll be available you can sign up to my newsletter at http://www.cathrynhein.com/newsletter/
A cruise… very jealous! Hope you have a wonderful time.
Thank you Cathryn have just subscribed to your newsletter, and thank you for the well wishes for my cruise and hope I do have a good time have never been on one before so hopefully I dont get seasick