Postcards at Christmas by Julie Carobini-- A Cup of Christmas Cheer Blog Hop!

First things first, I want to announce the winner of the Christmas mug featured on Anita Mae Draper's blog last week is Katie J! Congratulations, Katie!

On the blog today, I'm so happy to be reviewing Julie Carobini's "Postcards at Christmas," which can be found in the A Cup of Christmas Cheer collection, Volume 2. I think you're going to really enjoy this story! Be sure to read the end of the blog for details on how you can WIN a copy of Julie's book, Fade to Blue! And if you'd like a chance to win the GRAND prize, be sure you stop at each blog on the tour and leave comment!

If you're a fan of Julie's other work, you won't want to miss this charming Christmas story. As usual, Julie has created a host of colorful, charming characters. Put that together with a small town at Christmas, and you've got the setting of "Postcards at Christmas." 

What would you do if you discovered an elderly woman is missing at Christmastime, and her son might not even know she's gone? 

That's exactly the situation Olivia, the main character in "Postcards at Christmas," finds herself in.

The story starts off when Olivia, who runs a thrift shop and longs to travel the world, discovers a box full of classic books and postcards from beautiful locales. When she sees the signatures on the backs of the postcards, she realizes the donation must be a mistake . . .  or is it?

Her search for the box's owner soon turns into an even greater investigation as she realizes the elderly woman whom the box belongs to is missing. What follows is a search involving everyone from Olivia's mother, to a neighbor, and even the postman, in a story sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.

But when Olivia does find the box's owner, she's in for an even greater surprise when the woman's son turns out to be quite different from what she expected. And, in the end, Olivia gets her own sort of Christmas gift as a result of all the work she's done to help others.

You'll just have to read it to see how it all turns out!

I thought Julie's story was such a fun read because the pacing was quick, the setting and characters were quaint, and it really had that wonderful Christmas feel! I always love a story with a happy ending.

Have you ever done something to help someone else, only to find yourself the one helped?

To be eligible to win a copy of Fade to Blue (B&H Books), be sure you leave a comment as well as an e-mail address where I can contact you next week in case you win. 

Fade to Blue is set on the California coast, in the shadow of the famed Hearst Castle overlooking the sea. The local is not unlike those depicted on the postcards that Olivia finds in "Postcards at Christmas." You'll definitely want a chance to snag this book right up if you don't already have a copy!

Julie Carobini is a fiction writer living in a non-fiction world. By day she shepherds non-fiction titles through the editorial and production process for Gospel Light/Regal Books. By night she writes novels set by the sea--five published to date. Romantic Times says, "Carobini has a talent for creating characters that come alive ..." Married to Dan and mom to three, she loves all things coastal (except sharks). www.juliecarobini.com

Now for a little more about our blog hope and the prizes! Each blog "hop" or stop will have a giveaway. And at the end of all the hops there will be a Grand Prize to someone who has visited and commented on every blog stop.  A $70.00 porcelain tea set from Yorktown's Victory Center will be part of the Grand Prize along with other gifts such as a $10 Amazon card, special hot cocoa packets, the two-book set of "A Cup of Christmas Cheer" and more!
Here's the complete Blog Hop schedule:
Friday, November 8th, Carla Olson Gade is on Carrie Fancett Pagels' blog 
Saturday, November 9th,   Ashley Clark is on Anita Mae Draper's blog.Saturday, November 16th, Anita Mae Draper is on Johnnie Alexander Donley's blog.
Sunday Nov 17th  Julie Carobini on Ashley Clark's blog
Friday, November 22nd,  Carrie Fancett Pagels is on Carla Olson Gade's blog.
Saturday, November 23rd,  Johnnie Alexander Donley is on Julie Carobini's blog 
Friday, November 29th,  Colonial Quills Blog to announce Grand Prize winner.

The Grand Prize winner must have left a comment on each of the Blog Hop blogs.
A $70 porcelain tea set from Yorktown Victory Center, a $10 Amazon gift card, special cocoa packets and more will be given away. So be sure you stop at each blog and say hello!