christian romance

Friday Feature: Substitute Family

/ Carol Underhill / Leave a comment

Recently I published an updated version of my full-length Christian romance, Substitute Family. This was previously published under the title, No Longer a Substitute. If you read the first version, you will find this one almost completely different. The characters and story line are the same, but it has been revised and updated throughout the whole book, with a surprise ending.

Even if you haven’t read the previous version, I think you will enjoy this one. Substitute Family is a story about adorable twin toddlers and their widowed father, and the nanny who steps into their lives and falls for all of them.

About the book:

Kindergarten teacher Emily Riley volunteers to babysit her late cousin’s twin toddlers for the summer. She doesn’t count on falling in love with their daddy, Garret.

When Garret transfers across country for a three-month trial period to set up a new office, he decides to leave the twins behind until he gets settled. Emily takes a leave of absence from her teaching job to become the 24/7 nanny while he is gone.

Garret decides not to tell his new employees that he is a widowed father of two. At first he calls home every week, but then a month goes by without a phone call, and he won’t return Emily’s messages.

She worries that Garret might like his freedom so much that he will decide to leave the twins, and Emily, behind permanently.

This book is available for purchase on Amazon as a Kindle book or in paperback.

Friday Feature: Christmas Novellas

/ Carol Underhill / 1 Comment

Today I’m featuring author Katy Eeten’s three Christmas novellas. They are unrelated to each other, but each is a heartwarming holiday story. You can find out more about the books in the details below:

Wrong Turn Christmas (Anaiah Press 2021)

April is desperate to eliminate her dad’s cancer bills so her family can enjoy the holidays. But, on her way to get legal assistance, she ends up at the wrong house. There, she finds a warm and caring soul… but a boyfriend won’t solve her family’s financial issues.

Jake is surprised to find a beautiful woman on his doorstep asking for help. It’s a case of mistaken identity, but after spending just a little time with April, he knows they are perfect for each other—even if she does have bad taste in football teams. Except April is facing an uphill battle, and he believes he has nothing of real value to offer. Or does he?

One wrong turn might just end up turning a Christmas crisis into a Christmas miracle.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Turn-Christmas-Anaiah-Romance-ebook/dp/B09L4J3PDZ/

First Class Christmas (Pelican Book Group, 2020)

When Mandy Brockman flies home from her friend’s destination wedding, her heart is on empty at the thought of spending Christmas alone. It doesn’t help that her ex is on the plane, seemingly unaffected by their breakup. But the kind-hearted man seated next to her seems to have it all together—and he’s handsome to boot. She knows her emotional healing won’t come in the form of another guy, but will the source of this man’s peace and joy help Mandy find the Christmas she’s looking for?

CJ Hawkins is captivated by the beautiful, feisty woman he meets on his flight. The only thing is, she’s fresh out of a relationship, and he has no interest in being anyone’s rebound. But the more he learns about Mandy, the more he’s drawn to her unique mixture of compassion and spunk.

Can he figure out how to make their relationship take off before this First Class Christmas is grounded forever?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/First-Class-Christmas-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B08KSJHMW4/

Christmas In Meadow Creek (Anaiah Press, 2018)

Sarah Laughlin left her big-city life and dead-end relationship behind for a fresh start as a fourth-grade teacher in the small, Wisconsin town of Meadow Creek. And it feels like home, too, despite the persistent troublemaker in her class and the lack of familiar faces. But the holidays are going to be lonely this year. Until she meets firefighter Lincoln Thompson. Suddenly, the hope of spending Christmas with someone she cares about is within reach.

Lincoln loves his home town of Meadow Creek, but ever since his long-time girlfriend left him for a better life in the city, he wonders if he’ll ever find love in this small town where everyone knows everyone. Then he meets Sarah during her class’s field trip to his firehouse, and a spark is lit. But when they discover that Sarah’s troublemaking student is none other than Lincoln’s beloved nephew, their newfound relationship is put to the test. Can they navigate through the complexities of family dynamics to find a love that will last?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Meadow-Anaiah-Romance-Novella/dp/1947327305/

Friday Feature: Courage to Trust

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With harvest season behind us and the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, I thought this would be a good time to introduce book 2 of my historical series, Legacy of Courage. Courage to Trust is the second book in this story about a young widow and the hired hand who befriends her.

Here is a summary of the story:

Adam’s dreams are changing.

Instead of going away to the university, he decides he wants to be a farmer after all.

His family isn’t happy with his decision, but it feels right to Adam. He asks Cara if he can continue working as her hired hand after harvest.

Cara wants Adam to stay, but for the wrong reason. Her feelings for Adam are growing, and she is afraid he will discover what she holds in her heart. Yet she needs help for the winter months, so she agrees to keep Adam employed.

Then tragedy strikes, altering their plans.

Courage to Trust is only available on Kindle right now but I hope to have it published in paperback in the near future.

Meet the Author: Katy Eeten

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Today I’m interviewing Katy Eeten, author of five published books including her recently released Christmas novella, Wrong Turn Christmas. Katy, thank you for joining me today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

 I am a wife of 19 years, a mom of two boys, Team Lead of the Account Administration Department at my company, and an author of five published books. I love to write, read, go for walks and bike rides, dine out with my family, and play board games with my kids. I live in southeast Wisconsin, where I hibernate for most of the winter. I also love to travel and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.

What is your book about?

April is desperate to eliminate her dad’s cancer bills so her family can enjoy the holidays. But, on her way to get legal assistance, she ends up at the wrong house. There, she finds a warm and caring soul… but a boyfriend won’t solve her family’s financial issues.

Jake is surprised to find a beautiful woman on his doorstep asking for help. It’s a case of mistaken identity, but after spending just a little time with April, he knows they are perfect for each other—even if she does have bad taste in football teams. Except April is facing an uphill battle, and he believes he has nothing of real value to offer. Or does he?

One wrong turn might just end up turning a Christmas crisis into a Christmas miracle.

What is the inspiration behind your story?

I can’t remember where I first got the overall story idea from, but after it started taking shape, I definitely drew from my own experiences with my dad, who also battled cancer when I was around April’s age. The way April felt, the issues her parents faced, the frequent hospital visits – it was all something I was very familiar with.

Are you a night owl or morning person?

I like to say that I’m neither but that as a working mom, I’m forced to be both. That said, I am much more likely to be alert and productive early in the morning than I am late at night!

Who was your favorite character to create?

I really enjoyed creating April. She finds herself in an uncomfortable situation a few times throughout this book, so I had fun showing how she responds. But I also related to her as a new adult dealing with some serious family health issues.

How did you come up with the names of your hero and/or heroine?

The name of the hero was actually an important element in this book, as there is a case of mistaken identity that revolves around his name. I had to use a name that could be shortened so that the mix-up was more likely and so that there weren’t two characters with the exact same name. That’s how I decided on Jake (aka Jacob).

Are you a plotter or a panster?

I’m a mixture of both. I typically have one scene or concept prepared ahead of time, and then start typing to see where the story takes me. Once I’m in the flow, I start to think ahead to where I want the story to go and will type out a general outline of sorts. But I’m flexible in changing things up as the plot develops.

Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book?

I sent it to my mom and sister at the same time. They’re great about offering honest but non-judgmental feedback and encouragement, and they are my target audience. I also had my brother read it, and believe it or not I even read it to my kids!

What’s next for you as an author?

I have a completed manuscript that’s a little different from my norm. It’s still a contemporary Christian romance, but it follows four intertwining love stories from six points of view (all former college friends) instead of the standard two. I haven’t yet submitted it to any publishers, but I hope to soon. We’ll see how that goes!

Where can readers find you online?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyEeten

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/

Website: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Katy-Eeten/e/B0796L1CVK

BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L4J3PDZ/

3 Weeks to Release Day

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My novella, Serena’s New Year’s Wish, will be released in three weeks on Friday, November 5.

I am so excited about this book! It’s a sequel to my Christmas Wish novella.

Serena’s New Year’s Wish will arrive just in time for the holidays.

Serena came to Chicago for a fresh start. She never imagined that her new boss was the father of the little girl she saved, or the man that she is falling in love with. Her heart has room for Mark and his daughter, but she wants more than he is willing to give.

Mark didn’t expect a second chance at love, but he is certain that he and Serena are a perfect match. Only they can’t agree on one very important thing. Is he willing to let go of his fear to give Serena the desire of her heart? Or will his decision to stick with his plan drive her away?

On Monday, November 8, I will be co-hosting a launch party with author Katy Eeten, who also has a Christmas novella releasing. We will have guest authors, games and prizes. Stay tuned for a Facebook invitation to the party.

For local readers, I will be giving a talk on Tuesday, November 9 and sharing my journey from the first story I wrote in second grade to the release of my new books. A Q&A will follow after the talk.

I will have print copies of my books available to purchase and sign at the event.

A second local booksigning is planned for later in November, which I will be co-hosting with another local author.

There are exciting things in store for my writing, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Coming November 5:

Serena’s New Year’s Wish

She found an unexpected love, but will she be able to give up her wish in order to keep the relationship alive