Virtual Tour & #Giveaway for The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard

Welcome to my stop on the Excerpt Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard.  Please leave a comment or question for Charlotte to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, where Charlotte will award one (1) $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can follow all of the stops on Charlotte’s tour by clicking on the banner above.  The more stops you visit, the better your chances of winning. * On a personal note - I am currently reading this book because I have loved every single story in this series.  If you have not read a book by Ms. Hubbard, you are really missing something!

The Christmas Cradle

By Charlotte Hubbard

Seasons of the Heart, Book 6

Publisher:  Zebra

Release Date:  September 29, 2015

Genre: Inspirational Romance/Amish & Mennonite

Format: eBook/Print/Audio

Length:  368 Pages (709KB)

ISBN:   978-1420133110

ASIN:  B00RRT30XG

Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play | ARe | CBD     

About this book: 

For the peaceful town of Willow Ridge, November presents an early holiday surprise. Stranded in the snow, 18-year-old Lena Esh and her boyfriend Josiah Witmer need more than a place to stay for the night. Lena defied her strict family and their judgmental beliefs to run away with Josiah and have his baby. But she’s starting to wonder if he can prove as responsible as he is passionate. And she isn’t sure how—or if—they can ever find a place to truly call home.

Expecting their own miracle baby, Miriam and Ben Hooley rally the town to help the young couple, and Lena draws strength from their unexpected support. Though trouble may come calling, in this season of joyous rebirth, a little child will lead them. And two couples will see their dreams of forever family come true….

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

As he hugged her from behind, Ben prayed for words that would lift Miriam’s spirits. She had so much on her mind, with a baby coming and a big decision to make about running her business—not to mention the two kids who’d landed on their doorstep about to have a baby of their own. Ben held her gently, inhaling the clean scent he’d always found so appealing, so Miriam.

She turned in his arms. When she rested her head on his shoulder, Ben savored the closeness of this moment as the baby shifted inside her. He glanced at the two baskets on the table and got an idea. “Sit down and finish that glass of water, honey-girl. I’ve got a present for ya.”

When her eyes sparkled with curiosity, Ben was grateful that inspiration had struck. His pulse thrummed as he grabbed his coat and jogged out to the barn. The scents of horses and manure greeted him as he hurried between the buggies and the animals in their stalls. He took the cradle he’d made from its hiding spot in the empty back stall, brushing away the clean hay. Miriam deserved a gift every day, so why wait for Christmas? Giving her presents and watching her excitement when she received them had become a special joy in his life.

Ben loped across the snowy yard with the cradle in his arms. He wrapped his coat around it so Miriam would have a few moments of anticipation. She was sitting at the table, watching him as he came inside. Ben stood in the doorway, breathing deeply. He hadn’t thought about what he’d say, and he wanted to make this a special moment.

“I—I made this for ya, honey-bug,” he murmured. “I want ya to have it now, rather than waitin’ for Christmas.”

Miriam’s bright eyes followed his every move as he approached with his gift concealed in his coat. “It’s not wigglin’, so it must not be a foal or a calf.”

“You’re right.” Ben set his bundle on the table in front of her. “And as ya can see, I took special pains to wrap it for ya.”

Miriam’s laughter made his heart dance. When her finger found a wooden rocker and the bulky bundle began to move, her face lit up. “Oh, Bennie,” she gushed as she yanked his coat away, “ya made the baby a cradle! And what a cradle it is, too! Such glossy wood and—and a hummingbird on the top of it!”

 AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community in Missouri, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her Seasons of the Heart series. Like her heroine, Miriam Lantz Hooley, Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie.

Website:  www.CharlotteHubbard.com

Facebook: facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1

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