Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra D. Bricker
by
For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.
The author says that it was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer. “I’m a Christian woman, first and foremost,” she says. “So it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch the Love Finds You line.”
Sandie’s real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. Spearheading a series of devotionals for Summerside Press (such as the popular His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf is Not), the author has stipulated that a portion of each contributor’s proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
“Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with raising funds for my pet projects … and still pursue my writing dream,” says Bricker, “well, that’s the best of all worlds, as far as I’m concerned!”
And one of the author’s pet projects is animal rescue, evidenced by the special bond she has created with one particular formerly-abandoned puppy — a red-haired collie with “killer brown eyes and the heart of the class clown.”
Learn more about Sandra and her books on her Website .
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. — the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year.
In “Once Upon a Jingle Bell,” A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.
In “It Came Upon a Midnight Deer,” Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze, she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Merry Humbug Christmas, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
It seems as though nearly every book on my recent review list has focused on characters who struggled with an unfortunate (to say the least) childhood and whose coping methods usually consisted of building walls around their hearts. For that reason Merry Humbug Christmas was a welcome diversion with the trademark humor of author Sandra Bricker. I have always enjoyed her quirky humor and knew I would be in for a treat as soon as I saw the title on my review list. I was NOT disappointed.
Merry Humbug Christmas is actually two related novellas under one cover – each telling the Christmas tale of one of two best friends who have always made a point to spend the holidays together purposely not celebrating Christmas.
In Once Upon a Jingle Bell, Joss Snow’s plans to take a Bah, Humbug cruise for her Christmas vacation fall through and she is rebooked on another cruise. Too late, the Christmas-hating Joss finds out that the cruise is an over-the-top celebration of all things Christmas but she has no choice but to endure it after finding she cannot book a flight back home from any of the ports where the ship will dock. Things begin to look up when a handsome Irishman takes an interest in her and helps her pass the hours. Could it be love?
It Came Upon a Midnight Deer features Ross’s friend Reese who is meeting the family of her new fiance Damien and spending the holidays in their fabulous Sugarloaf home. Brought up in a quirky vegan family, Reese has never experienced what most people would consider a normal Christmas celebration so the chance to do so in such a perfect setting is the answer to her dreams. Only those dreams did not include one near disaster after another, usually because of something Reese did or failed to do as well as a family pet that took an intense dislike to her. Is there any possibility that Damien will still want to marry her once their holiday is over?
I loved Merry Humbug Christmas with all its quirky and sometimes even slapstick humor. But most of all I loved how in the midst of all the fun and games and even catastrophes, both Joss and Reese learned the true meaning of the season. Merry Humbug Christmas is a don’t miss addition to your Christmas reading list. It will become a permanent addition to my growing Christmas book box.
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Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she’s not writing, she’s a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church’s youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.
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Debra Ullrick is a New York Times, CBA, and Amazon.com bestselling author who writes Christian contemporary, historical, and romantic suspense novels. Her passions include: monster trucks, classic cars, mud-bog racing and…Want to know more about Debra? What books are available by her? Or read reviews from her fans? Discover her hobbies and more? Then cruise her website at 
This Christmas, experience learning to trust alongside the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania in this heart-warming tale of second chances.
Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of numerous works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media. She lives in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her family.
