Reading Ahead: October 2016, part 5

Ok, I'll say it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that two of the titles mentioned in today's post are holiday books, and that it's not even October yet. To be fair, I've held them back as long as I can. Also, I ordered both of them back in April, so if you think I'm pushing it? Trust me, I feel your pain here. Then again, you might be really excited about the prospect of cozy holiday stories, in which case, have at it!

Winter Storms, by Elin Hilderbrand. There was a time when Ms. Hilderbrand was the Queen of Summer, each new book from her a sunny romp along the shore. While she retains this title, this makes her third holiday story about the Quinn family in three years (following Winter Street, 2014, and Winter Stroll, 2015), so she may also become the Winter Queen in fairly short order. Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn's old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there's hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan. If there's one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it's Christmas. Also available in Large Print.

Twelve Days of Christmas, by Debbie Macomber. Continuing her festive annual tradition of a holiday romance, Macomber returns with a new novel about finding love in the most unexpected of places.
Friendly and bubbly, Julia Padden likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor, Cain Maddox, presents a particular challenge. No matter how hard she’s tried to be nice, Cain rudely rebuffs her at every turn, preferring to keep to himself. But when Julia catches Cain stealing her newspaper from the lobby of their apartment building, that’s the last straw. She’s going to break through Cain’s Scrooge-like exterior the only way she knows how: by killing him with kindness. In for a penny, in for a pound, Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas to chronicle her project, becoming an overnight online success. Eventually she may have to choose between her growing feelings for Cain and her internet super-stardom. Also available in Large Print.

The Boy Is Back, by Meg Cabot. Reed Stewart thought he’d left all his small town troubles—including a broken heart—behind when he ditched tiny Bloomville, Indiana, ten years ago to become rich and famous on the professional golf circuit.  Then one tiny post on the Internet causes all of those troubles to return . . . with a vengeance. Becky Flowers has worked hard to build her successful senior relocation business, but she’s worked even harder to forget Reed Stewart ever existed. She has absolutely no intention of seeing him when he returns—until his family hires her to save his parents. Now they can't avoid each other, and it may be the best thing that could have happened to either of them.