MUSE MONDAY
This is what we need this time of year...a doggie and romance. Oh wait! Add some Christmas cookies, and we've got a perfect holiday combination. Thanks, Wendy.
Phil is a beagle, an unlikely
therapy animal, but in Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams Phil has
his own heartwarming backstory that reveals why he is a great candidate. He
completed the training and is now part of the therapy team with his owner
George. It's not part of the definition of a therapy dog, but Phil is also a
therapeutic influence for George. It's so intriguing to read the impact of Phil
on the unlikely, growing relationship between George and Liz.
Phil is an inspiration from Leela,
a husky/german shepherd dog owned by one of my sons, Brad. His dog, Leela has a
personality that seems compatible for therapy animal training.
Brad is also gourmet chef. Think of the treats for Leela! When I plotted this beautiful romance novel, it was inspired initially by a vision I had of what a delicious Heart of Christmas cookie could mean. I shared my inspiration with my son and he created the completely original, melt-your-soul, delectable cookies. These cookies are all I'd hoped for, just like the story. Brad Riggs' shares his original recipe, included in the book.
Blurb -
Liz buried her hopes three years ago
when she buried her husband. She hides under a corporate desk, struggling for
time with her young son and his grandmother Violet.
George is chef at the assisted living
facility where Violet recovers from an accident. He loves his adopted beagle,
Phil. This tail wagger is George's only family. They are a therapy animal team
for the patients.
Juggling work, her son, and Violet is
complicated for Liz. Continual collisions with meddling George irritate, and
intrigue her.
Violet plots a cookie bake, as
matchmaker and to reunite her family. She conspires with George as chef, not
realizing it puts his job at risk. Could baking together soften Liz's heart?
Phil's sudden disappearance interrupts plans. George is desperate to find his dog. The search leads him into a surprising twist of fate, and accidentally pulls Liz along with him.
Excerpt
-
George
took off his black chef shirt, putting it on the front seat of the car. He
rolled up the sleeves of his blue shirt, revealing toned forearms. Liz's glance
lingered. She called her assistant to have the VP of Sales step in to host the
client. Disaster avoided. Someone else could help. She felt like celebrating.
She scratched Phil's tummy, talked nonstop to George about his cooking, baking,
and recipes, while she stole admiring glances at his physique, including his
broad shoulders and flat stomach. When he finished, he put the jack and flat
tire into the trunk. “You're all set to drive.”
“I
don't know how I can thank you, but I'll find a way. This was really nice of
you.” Impulsively she hugged him. The warmth of his arms wrapped around, then
her phone rang. They broke apart, and Phil barked. She looked into George's
brown eyes.
He
grabbed his shirt off the driver's seat. “I'm happy to help.” He turned toward
the building and called Phil.
She
glanced at her phone screen and let it go to voicemail. Had she misjudged George?
She'd actually felt comfortable talking with him She hadn't talked about baking
in years. It felt good. When she hugged him, she'd surprised herself. What a
pleasant embrace.
She drove across the lot to the exit, smiling to have all tires turning. She waited for a chance to turn onto the road, one problem solved. Maybe today she could dream of a little dream? In the rear-view mirror, her back window was fogged. She turned onto the road with an unfamiliar feeling of hope, although she had no idea what might be around the corner.
Buy Links -
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Christmas-Cookies-Dreams-Kendall-ebook/dp/B0BGCRBNDJ
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-christmas-cookies-dreams-wendy-kendall/1142332243?ean=2940186597766
Website – WendyWritesBooks.com
Website url - https://sites.google.com/site/wendywriteshere/
Facebook – WendyKendallMysteries
Twitter - @wendywrites1
Instagram – wendyekendall
Bio -
Purse-Suit Mysteries. Kat Out of the Bag introduces Katherine Watson purse designer/sleuth. As Kat moves from designer bags to body bags, she's uncovering clues to a murder. The prequel, Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash delves into a chilling cold case. Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense at Killer Nashville, Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For creates a tangle of mystery and love and raises suspicions about Desiree's romantic new sweetheart, Leo. A read that will keep you on the edge of your beach towel, Cherry Shakes In The Park blends danger, divas, and frothy delights. And ribbons of love run through Wendy's newest book, Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams. Wendy enjoys investigating the Pacific Northwest life, and she leaves a trail of her own clues as a blogger, YouTube podcaster, speaker, project manager, and syndicated columnist.
