Dec 12, 2017 | Blog, Blog Tour, December 2017, Samantha Chase
Samantha Chase’s installment of the 7 Brides for 7 Soldiers series, FORD, is available now! I’ve got your review, a sneak peek below and the links so be sure to grab your copy today!
If you have not read 7 Brides for 7 Soldiers series, one-click them now before they are gone! Each book was packed with details that carried over into the other books. The characters voices held strong for each book they appeared in, and with seven authors, that’s a lot of work to make that work perfectly! Each author remained true to the original characters and the collaboration shines. It’s almost impossible for a series this large to work, but it does and the reward is again, one-click worthy.
It’s time to dive into a contemporary romance with military heroes and a setting that makes you want to visit immediately. Each character’s plot is believable and has an overall vibe that’s captivating and heartwarming. Each book had the perfect balance of heat and spice and received a two pepper spicy latte.
The Whole Latte
Ford by Samantha Chase is the final chapter in the 7 Brides for 7 Soldiers series set in a town built by friends, a place where everyone knows your family and personal business, and the generations living there today, are as connected as their founders as they were.
Once again, Samantha delivered characters that have become a part of my heart and etched into my soul. The story stands on it’s own with flawless writing that’s woven with grace, humility, romance with true charm, and even a little holiday magic. I adore her holiday books and her love of the season shines, this too could be a TV movie as it has all the elements for a Hallmark event! ;).
Ford Garrison is a Navy SEAL and has avoided returning home until one event changes his world. Ford is tough, able to build just about anything, defend his country, and protect those he cares about, all admirable qualities. But his life is a million miles away and making a home and planting roots are not a priority, especially in Eagle’s Ridge. It will take his grandmother to put him on a plane headed towards Eagle’s Ridge, he will return and face the ghosts from his past. What will he do when he uncovers secrets that will change his future forever. This soldier will need to admit what he wants and open up his heart, or he might push away the one thing he secretly desires.
Callie James is trying to make it on her own and has found a path towards happiness despite her struggles. An unexpected visitor will ignite old feelings, and in a small town, that’s one secret she doesn’t want revealed. Will she be able to handle her reunion with Ford? When she uncovers his true intentions for returning home, will she open up her heart or shut him out? Sometimes the least expected love is the most treasured and Callie is about to find out that her heart has it’s limits. Is she strong enough to weather this storm?
There is nothing more satisfying that a story is about brotherhood, friendship, unconditional love, and the idea that everyone deserves to achieve their dreams. Sometimes a little push is necessary, and in Ford’s case, it will come from one moment that forever chanced his life. Ford will question everything, his reasons to leave may wind up being the very ones that keep him home for good. It doesn’t get any better than this readers!
Samantha is an master writer and every book she writes is one-click worthy. For those readers who have been devoted and devoured each book, there are a few nuggets that are a holiday gift for sure! I can’t wait for you to read! If you’re looking for a story with great characters, a plot that moves fast, the return of familiar characters from previous books in this series, and a story that has heart, one-click this book. If you haven’t read any of the other books in this series fear not, there are no spoilers as they can all be read as a standalone. However, I think reading them in order makes the journey more fun!
This two peppers spicy latte has just enough to make you tingle and is it’s for mature readers 18+. 
I received this ARC from InkSlingerPR for a fair and honest review.
Get your copy of FORD today!
Get a sneak peek of FORD
“What are you working on out here? More wreaths?”
With a soft laugh, she pulled back and stepped out of his arms. “I am. Doing something like this is normally very soothing for me. When I got home, I came right out here rather than going into the cottage.”
“And did it help?”
Callie shook her head. “Unfortunately, it was so quiet out here, and I’ve already made four of these wreaths so I didn’t even have to think about what I was doing.”
“So your mind immediately went to your mom.”
She nodded. “Exactly.”
Stepping around her, Ford examined the wreath. It looked exactly like the one she had given him for his grandmother’s front door, but now he took the time to look at the details. It seemed so simple at first glance, but when he realized how much time went into weaving the lights and how tedious that could be, he was more than a little impressed. The vine was fragile, and he knew he’d more than likely crush some of it if he tried to do it himself.
Unable to help himself, he reached for one of Callie’s hands and studied it. It was small and delicate. Her fingers were slim and smooth. No wonder she could do work like this. He looked at her face and saw her studying him, her expression serious.
And Callie rarely looked serious or intense. Her features were always relaxed or smiling. This was…different.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “I was just noticing how intricate this work is,” he said gruffly. “I’m a little in awe of what you do.”
“Me? But…what you do is so much more—”
Ford placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. “I’m in awe of you,” he repeated, and slowly pulled her in close again.
Callie’s lips parted on a soft gasp as her eyes met his. And those beautiful eyes seemed to have a million questions in them, and Ford only had one answer.
He kissed her.
Slowly. Sweetly. He savored her as she melted against him. She hummed as her arms wrapped around him and in that instant, Ford knew what he had to do.
He lifted his head and looked down at her. Her lips were wet and her cheeks were flushed and she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. So many nights over the last week they’d been like this, and right now, Ford knew he wanted more.
“Come home with me, Callie,” he murmured against her lips before resting his forehead against hers.
“Yes.”
Never had a single word sounded sweeter.
About Samantha Chase
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / BookBub
If you missed the other books in this series you can check them out here:
Book 1 – RYDER by Barbara Freethy
Book 2 – ADAM by Roxanne St. Claire
Book 3 – ZANE by Christie Ridgway
Book 4 – WYATT by Lynn Raye Harris
Book 5 – JACK by Julia London
Book 6 – NOAH by Cristin Harber
Dec 7, 2017 | Blog, December 2017, Samantha Chase
The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase captures the true essence of the holiday season. The plot centers around a story of a fairy tale, family traditions, what it means to experience the holiday, and the ability to find love in the most unexpected place.
If you love a friends-to-lovers story that is set in a small town, takes place during the Christmas season, has the perfect amount of amazing family history sprinkled throughout, and includes a cottage with a creative and unique ability, then one-click it now!
Lacey Quinn has one job, to assist her best friend Ava with one task before she is to be married. A job that includes ensuring all of Ava’s wishes are fulfilled. There’s just one problem, Lacey isn’t sure she can comply with some of the requests. It’s time for Lacey to set her differences aside and but when her past surprises her in the most unlikely place, will it ruin everything? Memories of the past resurface and it will prove why Samantha writes feel good romance.
Ean Callahan is the bride-to-be’s older brother, who also happens to be Lacey’s best friend. It’s been ages since Ean has visited his family. Will his reunion be stir up old feelings? One night was all it took to drive Ean away from home, but if he has the courage to confess his one regret, he might discover that the fairy tale is true. Will Santa bring him love for the holidays?.
In anticipation of the Hallmark Movie premiere this weekend, I re-read this beloved fan favorite to truly enjoy the screen adaptation of this holiday treasure. My original review was for The Christmas Cottage/ Ever After collection that I received from the publisher for a fair and honest review. I felt The Christmas Cottage deserved it’s own post. I am eagerly waiting the premiere this Saturday night. I am excited to see how they bring to life the details in each scene, the witty dialogue, and the magic of the Christmas story. It’s a captivating and charming story perfect for your holiday stash.
Add a log to the fire, make a batch of hot cocoa, and bake some cookies. The holidays are about to be sweet and full of warmth!
Excerpt:
Ean took the hint and did what she asked. True to her word, by the time he had the fire settled, she was placing two bowls on the table. He walked over, and noticed the mammoth binder on the counter. Curiosity got the better of him and he picked it up on his way to the table. “What’s this?”
Lacey let out a small laugh. “That,” she began, “is your sister’s dream of what this cottage should look like for her wedding night.”
Ean opened it and looked at the labeled tabs. “Food…flowers…lighting…” He looked at Lacey. “How many categories are there?”
“Seventeen.”
His eyes bugged out a little on that one. “Are you supposed to completely remodel this place? Does this say furniture placement?” he asked incredulously. “How does she expect you to do all of this alone?”
“Oh, you mean you didn’t get the memo?” Lacey asked, ready to witness on Ean the same exact expression she’d had when Ava told her the news.
“What memo?” he asked slowly, not liking the look of mischief on her face.
“As best man and maid of honor, it is our job to get this place ready for the newlyweds.”
“What?”
“You heard me; you and I get the great honor of setting the scene for your sister’s wedding night sex.”
Ean dropped the binder to the floor as if it had burned him and glared at Lacey as she laughed. Her face was full of merriment and innocence and she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Lacey had been a pretty girl, and even in the awkward teen years it was possible to see the woman she would become, yet none of that prepared him for the woman sitting across from him. She simply took his breath away, and right now, when she finally let her guard down, he felt like he was looking at the sun.
“I am not facilitating my sister’s sex life,” he began.
“Oh, lighten up. She’ll be married and she wants the cottage and her wedding night to be perfect. There are diagrams…”
“Please tell me they’re of the floor plan and not anything…else.” His appetite was slowly fading at that disturbing thought, but then Lacey laughed again.
“The floor plan, color schemes, foods…she’s clipped things out of magazines, she’s very organized. Part of me loves her for it and another part of me wants to beat her with the binder. She’s fixated on this place.” Lacey nodded towards his bowl. “Eat, please, before it gets cold.”
Ean took a spoonful and felt the flavors burst to life on his tongue. This simple, quickly thrown together chili was a culinary delight. “This is amazing,” he said finally. “I can’t believe you just whipped this up.”
Blushing at his compliment, she took her own first spoonful, realizing that she’d waited for him to taste it first, anxious for his opinion. He didn’t disappoint. “Cooking is second nature, but back to Ava. She’s turned into a bit of a bridezilla.”
“Mom’s told me,” he said around another mouthful of chili. “She was the last person I’d thought would be that way.”
“I guess you don’t know until it’s your turn.”
“What about you, Lace? Any trip down the aisle in your future?”
Her blush this time was out of embarrassment. “No,” she said. “So now that you know you need to be a part of this, I guess we can go through the book and divide and conquer.” The change of subject was swift and luckily well received.
Ean merely nodded, wondering why someone as beautiful as Lacey wasn’t attached. Was she just getting over a break up? Was she jealous of Ava? That thought was dismissed before it even took hold. Lacey wasn’t the jealous type; she had no reason to be. Ean loved his sister dearly, but she lacked the confidence that Lacey always had. Truth be known, he had been a little dismayed that Ava and Mason were marrying so quickly, but he knew his sister had always been a little obsessed with the idea of following the family tradition and marrying on Christmas. “True, she could wait until next Christmas…”
He didn’t realize he’d spoken that last part out loud until Lacey dropped her spoon and said, “Exactly! Why does it have to be this Christmas? What harm could waiting another year cause?”
“So you think this was a little rushed too,” he urged.
“I do! I asked her about it and it seems that Mason is just anxious to get himself settled with his law firm and having a wife and baby would make him extremely happy. Add that to the fact that Ava wants nothing more than to be part of the Callahan Christmas wedding tradition and it’s like a feeding frenzy.”
Ean stood so quickly that his chair fell over. “Wait a minute, wait a minute,” he snapped. “Are you telling me that Ava’s pregnant? Do my parents know?”
Oh, boy. Awkward. “Ean, sit down. Your sister is not pregnant.” Lacey explained to him the conversation she’d had with Ava a week ago. There was a little feeling that maybe she was betraying Ava’s confidence, but hey, this was Ean. He was Ava’s brother and maybe he was the key to helping Lacey figure out how to convince her friend to do some serious soul searching before the wedding.
“So he wants Ava to give up everything and do exactly what he wants?” Ean was pacing the kitchen, his dinner momentarily forgotten. “I’ll kill him! There’s no way my sister is going to…”
Lacey stood and placed a hand gently on his arm to stop him. “You’re not going to kill Mason. That would be ridiculous.”
“He can’t force Ava to get pregnant and drop out of school, Lacey. I won’t allow it!”
She sighed. He was obviously thinking along the same lines she was. She was really worried about Ava’s decision. “It just seems like they need to have an honest heart to heart conversation. I think Ava is scared to rock the boat because she wants this wedding so badly. She believes in the fairy tale of this house and feels that if they spend their wedding night here, their marriage will be perfect and all of their issues will be resolved.”
Ean looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “Well, that explains it; we need to get her checked in to a psych ward because clearly she’s crazy!”
Get your copy here: 
Author Info:
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Website – https://www.chasing-romance.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/samanthachaseromance/
Newsletter – http://bit.ly/2xU05xE
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/samantha-chase
Nov 15, 2017 | Blog, November 2017, Samantha Chase
A Very Married Christmas by Samantha Chase is the third installment in the Silver Bell Falls series. If you love all things Christmas from the decorations to the friendly cheer, than you don’t want to miss this series.
Melanie Harper is ready to take the next step in her relationship with Josiah Stone and set a wedding date. Will she find a way to make them both happy? It takes a strong man to ease someone into a town that lives and breathes Christmas all year long. What will happen when he suggests a date that sets her into a panic?
Samantha Chase writes books that tackle tough issues in relationships and truly dissects it so fluidly that the reader is invested from the first page. Samantha gets it, and that’s why I love reading her books.
Josiah can’t wait to live the rest of his life with Melanie, will she go along with his plan? I love that our hero is the one so with a wedding vision, and with strong convictions. It’s a nice change and sets the book apart from all the other holiday adventures.
A well crafted town is not complete without secrets, holiday tragedies, and last minute changes. It’s the journey we are on and how we are navigated throughout the book that makes this so memorable and heart-warming. This holiday romance made me laugh, cry and get in the mood for the winter season of holiday merriment. It doesn’t matter what holiday you celebrate, after reading this story, you’ll be ready to bake, decorate, and wrap those presents. Fill up your mug with warm cider, spike the eggnog, brew the coffee, and curl up with a tasty novella.
I received an advanced copy from the author for a fair and honest review.
Get your copy here:
Author Info:
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Website – https://www.chasing-romance.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/samanthachaseromance/
Newsletter – http://bit.ly/2xU05xE
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/samantha-chase
Nov 15, 2017 | Blog, November 2017, Samantha Chase
Silver Bell Falls by Samantha Chase is about hope, forgiveness and family. I’ve read a few holiday stories from Samantha and have enjoyed each and everyone. While it might be the middle of the summer and most of us are spending our days relaxing at the beach or lounging by the pool Samantha’s stories will cool you off wishing it was the beginning of Christmas season ;).
Melanie Harper didn’t always dislike Christmas and now all the things that are associated with the festive time of the year are not helping her to finish her latest work assignment. Under deadline Melanie, a romance author, must turn in her next book and she has writers block in the worst way.
A request from her father sends Melanie to Silver Bell Falls to her Grandmother’s house. One little wish will change her life forever, and hopefully help her believe and find a little holiday magic.
As soon as I read the first paragraph I was hooked. The town is amazing, the cast of characters loveable, and the meet cute between Melanie and Josiah, unforgettable. There is nothing better than a town filled with happy residents who are kind, and especially one that includes a sexy Sheriff. Who couldn’t use a little of that right now?
The holidays are about giving, spending time with loved ones, and lots of merriment. Can Melanie finally celebrate Christmas without hate and resentment? We are rooting for Josiah to be the one to figure out why she dislikes it so much, and open her eyes to the beauty and magic of Silver Bell Falls. If Melanie can trust him there is so much out there to keep her in Silver Bell Falls.
Do you love stories that have lots of flirty and tense scenes between the hero and heroine, a story with a plot that stands on its own, and set during Christmas? Then add this book to your e-reader now. From the first page to the last, this book will leave you satisfied. If you’ve never read a book by Samantha, then dive right in with this one and then check out her backlist. There are so many to choose from that you will thank me :). Including the second installment in this holiday series which released today! My review will post this afternoon.
I received this book from the author for a fair and honest review. I hope that we will see more from the other characters in Silver Bell Falls. With a large family there are plenty of siblings Samantha, I hope we meet one soon!
**originally posted July 18, 2016. Updated.
Author Info:
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
For more information, please visit Samantha’s website – www.chasing-romance.com
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook – www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/samanthachase31/
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Chase/e/B006CZWRGC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Instagram – https://instagram.com/samanthachaseromance/
Oct 2, 2017 | Blog, October 2017, Samantha Chase
Samantha Chase is a master story-teller transporting readers into a book adventure with a supportive and reliable family, relationships built on a love that comes from acceptance and trust, and no matter how many curves the path towards that finish line takes, if you stay true to yourself you will get there.
Every book in The Shaughnessy series has swept us up into romance. It’s the same feeling I had after watching Mary Poppins, I wanted to hop into the chalk painting on the sidewalk. Oh, if that were only possible. Holiday Spice is the latest installment in The Shaughnessy family. While I hope that there is more from Samantha Chase and these fabulous characters, I raise my glass and pray that Hallmark or Passionflix picks this up and brings it to the big screen for more enjoyment. It can’t be the end of this journey.
Throughout this series, Darcy has been the one character to link everyone together. With five overbearing brothers and a protective father, she has been a constant amidst the sea of chaos. Now it’s her turn to find love, without interference, and oh is it ever so sweet!
Darcy finds herself helping out a friend of her sister-in-laws while waiting for her “real” job to come along. Perhaps she will find her true passion, what she really wants. Darcy is emotionally vulnerable and still searching for answers. Can she find the one thing she’s desperate to have at a snowy cabin?
Benjamin Tanner is an artist working at his own pace, honing his craft, and desperately needs an assistant for his next project. Fate will bring it in the form of Darcy Shaughnessy, and she’s about to turn his world upside down like a beautiful snow globe. Secrets are never healthy, and for Ben, they have prevented him from truly finding love.
When Ben’s family legacy is at risk of crumbling, he’s left with a heavy weight of obligation. It comes with a price, is he willing to negotiate the terms to find someone who will walk with him on that path? Will Santa bring him what he truly desires this Christmas season?
If you are looking for a story with a rich history in family, clarification of faint memories, and a holiday season that ends with love, laughter, and one last squeeze of your heart, one-click this book. If you are a reader who likes to wait and read holiday romance closer to the season, pre-order and save this. It will make your holidays one to remember.
Click on the cover and start reading it tomorrow! If this truly is the last book in the series then I bid adieu as I have laughed, cried, and celebrated along with each member of the Shaughnessy family. The ending will satisfy fans and while this can be read as a standalone, consider reading Samantha’s backlist and get to know those sexy brothers of Darcy.
I receive this ARC from the publisher for a fair and honest review. Holiday Spice is out tomorrow. Click on the cover and pre-order your copy now:
Coffee With The Shaughnessy Crew – Holiday Spice
Coffee With Samantha Chase and The Shaughnessy Crew
Coffee With Samantha Chase
Author Info:
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
For more information, please visit Samantha’s website – www.chasing-romance.com
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook – www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub
Twitter – https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/samanthachase31/
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Chase/e/B006CZWRGC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Instagram – https://instagram.com/samanthachaseromance/
Oct 2, 2017 | Blog, Coffee With, October 2017, Samantha Chase
Rae: Good morning guys, let’s just jump right in. What’s your favorite Christmas Memory?
Darcy: Oh my goodness! There are so many! Christmas morning is one of my favorite days of the year!
Quinn: That’s because you always got the most stuff…
Darcy: (rolls eyes hard) That’s not even a little bit true.
Riley: Actually…
Aidan: Hold on. Before this turns into some sort of argument, I think we can all agree that Darcy did get the most stuff because she was the youngest…
Quinn: And the only girl…
Aidan: (sighs wearily) Yes, she was the only girl, but because of the age difference, it just seemed like there was more for her.
Quinn: Or she was just spoiled…
Darcy: Any-way…My favorite Christmas memory is making breakfast on Christmas morning with my dad. As soon as I was old enough to help him, we’d stand side-by-side in the kitchen while my brothers would clean up all of the wrapping paper from our gifts and Dad would share stories about Mom and how much she loved Christmas.
Hugh: Yeah. She really did. But Christmas breakfast was always the best. Mom had a way of making each of us feel special and she was able to have a one on one conversation with us even over all of the other conversations going around.
Everyone nods in agreement.
Rae: What’s your favorite Christmas Recipe? Darcy you love to bake – where do you find your inspiration for your
unique ingredient combinations.
Darcy: Baking is a serious obsession. I love following a recipe and thanks to Pinterest, I find all kinds of inspiration for baking. Some recipes are keepers, others I just chalk up to curiosity.
Riley: But we are all seriously thankful for her baking skills. Dad has never been a great cook, but we all knew we could choke down a home cooked meal as long as Darcy baked dessert.
Darcy: Awww…it’s official. You’re my favorite brother.
Hugh, Aidan, Quinn and Owen: Hey!
Quinn: How is that fair?
Hugh: I was just going to say…you know…all the stuff Riley said.
Darcy: (laughing) So my favorite Christmas recipe? Hmm…I don’t know if I have one yet. I love making cookies the most. All kinds of cookies. I have the most fun with a simple sugar cookie but I make them in different shapes and then decorate them. Decorating makes everything better.
Quinn: And more delicious.
Rae: When it’s time to find a tree, do you head out to a special place or the street vendor down the road?
Aidan: We are creatures of habit and there’s one particular tree lot that we’ve gone to for easily the last twenty years. It’s a family-owned lot and we always have good luck there.
Hugh: It was hard when Aubrey and I finally settled into our place and I had to find a lot to get a tree since we live a little over an hour away from all of you.
Darcy: Admit it. You considered driving the hour to look though.
Riley: Don’t even try to deny it!
Hugh: What can I say? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Owen: I don’t think that phrase particularly fits in this instance. And I don’t think ‘ain’t’ is what you meant to say and…
Darcy: Moving on!!
Rae: Darcy, how do you select your ornaments? Is there a theme each year?
Darcy: There really isn’t! I tend to find ornaments a lot of times when I’m traveling to visit one of my brothers – or at least that’s how it used to be – so most of the ornaments represented places I’d been to. I have a real thing for snowmen, though. I love a good snowman ornament! (adds a wink) Because I am just fascinated – for lack of a better word – with ornaments, if I find a shop that is selling them, I try and look for ones that have a special meaning or reflect something about my life or my family.
Rae: What is it about ornaments that makes the holidays so special?
Darcy: For as long as I can remember, whenever we put up our Christmas tree, my dad and my brothers would share some sort of story or memory for so many of the ornaments on the tree. I used to love sitting and listening to them talk about them and couldn’t wait for the year when there was a story about me to include. Those few hours while we decorated, no one fought, no one argued, it was just a great time to sit and share some happy thoughts. Plus, it was another time where they would talk about my mom and it made me feel a little bit closer to her.
Rae: You have a tree in your room that you decorate. How come you don’t include your ornaments on the family tree?
Darcy: (Laughs) To be honest, the first few I collected did make it onto the tree. That’s how I got to have a story about me when we decorated. But then I sort of got a little…shall we say…obsessed with collecting them and my dad is very particular about our family Christmas tree. He likes that he’s carrying on the tradition that my mom started with one new ornament a year and having these sentimental ones, and there I was coming up with things that didn’t go! So in order to make me happy, he surprised me with a tree of my own that I could decorate however I wanted. That first year that I did that, I had so many lights on it and there was maybe only a dozen ornaments, but to me it was the most beautiful tree in the world!
Rae: Any new traditions for the brothers now that you are all married? How do you find the time to visit all the family?
Riley: Christmas has always been a bit chaotic for us and now that we’re all married with kids, it’s gotten a little crazier. Luckily with Aidan and Quinn both still living close to Dad’s, we can spread out and still be at home for Christmas morning.
Darcy: I still have my own room so not much has changed for me. Except I sometimes sneak one of the kiddos in with me to snuggle and read Christmas stories.
Aidan: Like with the tree, we’re big on keeping with tradition. I know there’s going to come a time when someone’s not going to make it for Christmas – especially since we all have in-laws now – but even if we don’t get to celebrate all together on Christmas Day, I know we’ll find time to do it on another date.
Darcy: And then we’ll all get to celebrate twice! How cool is that?
Rae: How has Christmas changed the most now that you are all grown? 
Aidan: As the oldest, I think I can answer that the best.
Riley: For the love of it…
Quinn: You’re not that much older, Aidan. It’s not like we haven’t noticed the changes.
Hugh: And you and I are close enough in age that I think I’m a pretty good authority too.
Darcy: I think we can all agree that Christmas got way better with the addition of all the girl stuff, right?
Owen: I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much pink in one place as we had on Christmas mornings after you were born. 
Aidan: You have no idea how clueless we all were about that. The girl stuff. When you were old enough to give us a list, it helped. But before that, I think Dad would break out in a cold sweat when he prepared to go shopping.
Darcy: Okay, dramatic much?
Hugh: it’s true. Dad was great about picking out sports equipment and video games, but he had no clue about dolls.
Darcy: I didn’t only play with dolls…
Aidan: Well, that’s what he thought.
Quinn: And who knew there were so many of them.
Owen: I think what’s changed the most about Christmas as we’ve grown up is…nothing.
Aidan: What does that mean? Of course things have changed!
Owen: (Shakes his head) Christmas has always been about spending time together. Just us. Mom, Dad and the six of us. That hasn’t changed. We still have a traditional Irish dinner on Christmas Eve…
Quinn: Thank God Zoe and Anna took over cooking it though.
Owen: We still all get together on Christmas morning to open gifts, then we clean up while Dad makes breakfast…
Hugh: And our lovely wives assist with that now too…
Owen: And even though Mom isn’t there with us…she is. We spend the day not only making memories, but remembering all of the Christmas’s we had with her.
(Everyone grows quiet)
Aidan: There weren’t enough of them.
(They all nod)
Darcy: I think what’s changed is that we all appreciate one another more. I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have such an amazing family and even though they all share memories of a time that I never got to experience, they have made sure that I always had a great Christmas. (looks at her brothers) And I love you all for it. So…thank you.
Rae: Thank you all. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and can’t wait to meet up again soon.
Holiday Spice is out tomorrow. Click on the cover and pre-order your copy now:
Coffee With Samantha Chase and The Shaughnessy Crew
Coffee With Samantha Chase
Author Info:
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
For more information, please visit Samantha’s website – www.chasing-romance.com
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