http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cathys-Christmas-Kitchen.m4a

Have you ever provided care for a sick relative – one who had a long-term illness?

Cathy’s life has changed drastically since the death of her mom. She’s alone. Most of her friends have drifted away since she’s spent most of her time, over the last several years, caring for her mom. Her relationship with her mom was strong, and she considered it her duty to care for her. Once her mom dies, she feels a bit…off…reflective. So begins this wonderful story.

Cathy shares her mom’s love for baking. Her mom taught her how to make her first cake when she was a child. Feeling nostalgic, she recalls the church she used to attend with her dad – before his untimely death – when she was a tyke. When she sees an advertisement for a Coffee Morning at the very same church she’d visited as a child – she felt the urge to attend.

The coffee event is the catalyst that changes Cathy’s life. She finds hope, companionship, friendship. When she comes to the Coffee Morning for the first time, bringing some of her homemade baked goods…her culinary skills are recognized. Her scones, muffins, cakes and pies create a new opportunity for her to connect with others regularly.

The food in this book will make your mouth water. I wish there were recipes provided! As Cathy meets new friends, and builds emotional connections, you want to cheer for her. I kind of sensed that Cathy didn’t like being a recluse – she was practically forced into that role because of her mom’s illness.

I loved to see how she connected with other people. She makes friends through her new church connection as she shows others how to bake. She also connects with a wayward teen and there is a hint of romance in this story too.

I liked this book, but, at times, I felt that Cathy was too nice. I felt, at times, she needed more backbone. However, her sweet nature may have been developed from having to care for her mom for so long.

If you want a warm, enjoyable Christmas story then you should read this British tale. This charming British story made me smile. The mouthwatering desserts, and the baking scenes, were magnificent!

So, have you ever cared for a sick person who had a long-term illness?

Have you ever been on a Christmas cruise?

When workaholic Everly/Daisy is mistakenly sent on an Amazon Jungle Christmas cruise by her inept assistant, her life drastically changes when she meets Asher. Asher is the ship’s tour guide/wildlife expert.

I enjoyed reading the Amazon Jungle scenes. Everly is not outdoorsy. She’s the complete opposite of Asher and it’s a nice surprise when we initially see both of them get along so well. Everly manages to land into a lot of trouble and Asher is there to help her.

Everly feels somewhat estranged from her family. She hopes this holiday season will help to solidify her familial relationships. She also reflects about her workaholic life style. How can she balance her family, her workload, and her feelings for Asher?

This is a delightful, light, Christmas read that all will enjoy!

Have you ever been on a Christmas cruise? If you have, where did you travel?

If you like romances set on cruise ships, then you should order Coffee and Kisses. It’s a delightful, sweet cruise ship romance!

Here’s a mouthwatering quote from Bittersweet Dreams – The Candy Beach Series (Book 3). Bittersweet Dreams is available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited! I’m also sharing the link to my latest newsletter! Enjoy!

I hope all of you are doing well. Here’s a link to my latest newsletter.

The following book review for Milk Chocolate Kisses was posted on Amazon.com on March 30, 2020 by Kindle Customer:

I know your face…
I too live in Maryland, wow I love African American writers. Your books are places I know about, being home. You have great faith, WONDERFUL BOOKS I’m going to read The Candy Beach Series . I love Ocean City. I have a small question, why don’t you have on your cover African American people? For great reading and you being a fantastic writer, why wouldn’t you find a beautiful woman and man of Color. Just a question, I probably won’t hear from you but just think about it, thank you be blessed😇

Well, Kindle Customer in Maryland, I could not find a direct way to contact you via Amazon, so, am resorting to respond to your question via this blog post.

I’d contemplated placing an African-American couple on the cover of my novels, but, was hesitant. From my experience, SOME Caucasians MAY mistakenly feel that books with an AA couple may only be written for AA readers.

I wanted ALL folks to enjoy my books. So, in the end I decided to simply use silhouettes on my covers. I wanted to appeal to all races, so, that’s why I did that. My books are categorized as African-American, and, with the exception of Sweet Delights, my main characters are African-American. So, I’m hoping most folks who enjoy a good romance will give my books a try! I hope that explanation helps! May God bless you! Thank you for your question!

Have you ever had a broken engagement?

Movie star Mia Emerson is spending her honeymoon, alone, at the Bluebell Inn. Suffering through a broken engagement, and untrue tabloid rumors, she’s anxious to spend some time alone on her honeymoon. After all, the Bluebell Inn used to belong to her grandparents. She longs for a nice, loving family since she’s never had any strong familial roots in her life.

Innkeeper Levi is stunned when movie star Mia Emerson stays at his family’s inn. She’s beautiful and they hit it off so well…but Levi has a lot of problems – both familial and financial.

I thought that both Mia and Levi had a lot of emotional baggage to work through. Both of them had deceased (or estranged) parent(s) – and the deaths/estrangement of their parent(s) caused strife in their lives. Family problems can filter down to generations, which can prove hurtful.

A secret necklace and a diary were added twists to this lovely story. It was also different to see a famous person as a heroine. I seldom see famous folks in romance novels. From my experience, publishers tend to shy away from movie star characters. I believe they (publishers) shy away from that subject matter because readers cannot relate to being a famous person.

I felt that Mia was relatable since most of her struggles dealt with familial issues – and lots of folks have family problems.

So, have you ever suffered from a broken engagement? If so, were you able to resolve your differences?