#blogtour – Winter at Cedarwood Lodge by Rebecca Raisin @jaxandwillsmum #guestpost

I’m so pleased to be on the blog tour today for Winter at Cedarwood Lodge by Rebecca Raisin. Thank you, Rebecca, for asking me to be involved.

Rebecca has written a lovely guest post about Christmas films and I have an extract from the book for you as well, but first let’s see what the book is about:

Includes bonus material!

This winter it’s time to fall in love at Cedarwood Lodge…

After years of dreaming, Clio Winters is finally fulfilling her childhood dream of renovating the gorgeous old Cedarwood Lodge in Evergreen and turning it into the perfect destination for celebrations, weddings and extravagant birthday parties. The huge property used to be a bustling holiday camp, now Clio wants to bring it back to its halcyon days – which will be a lot of hard work!

Returning back to the small town of her youth she’s glad to have one of her best friends still around to lean on, Micah who is just as solid as he used to be. But with her own secrets pushing her to run from her glamorous life in New York, she’ll have to tread carefully, especially when the far-too-handsome-for-his-own-good contractor, Kai, shows up on her doorstep…

Sure she’s here in Evergreen to change her life, but there is no way she’s falling in love! 

Previously published as three novellas.

Like the sound of it? Then here are all the buying links you need:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS | GooglePlay | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Christmas Movies by Rebecca Raisin

When I wrote Winter at Cedarwood Lodge I envisaged the lodge as a real place, somewhere you go to for the holidays, switch off your phone and disconnect from the outside world. I had so much fun imagining what sort of activities the guests would partake in, from ice skating on the frozen lake, to tango lessons, still life drawing classes, you name it, the girls had it on their list!

But of course the best part of the festive season is settling down with your all-time favorite movies, warm cup of cocoa in hand and enough gingerbread cookies to last through an apocalypse.

So…to get your festive season started I’ve compiled a list of the ten best go-to Christmas movies of all time!

1. Home Alone. You just cannot beat it! I don’t care what age you are, this classic always makes me smile. I love the soundtrack, the wallpaper in the house (have loved this since I was a child!) Kevin, and even the robbers have their own charm.
2. Love Actually. You simply cannot call it Christmas until you’ve watched this movie and ugly cried your little heart out.
3. The Holiday. Who doesn’t want to swap lives for a little while? The grass is always greener, right? Kate Winslet is just divine and I especially love her in this.
4. Elf. This has grown on me after my kids have watched in on repeat the last few years! It has welded its way into my heart, and Buddy has become part of our Christmas every year!
5. Polar Express! A magical ride that tugs on the heartstrings. A kid’s movie but one I think anyone can enjoy!
6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Hilarious old school humor! Accidents galore, creepy uncles, you name it. Lighthearted fun.
7. Bad Santa because we all need a little naughty with our nice! Wait until the kids are in bed to watch this one…
8. Miracle on 34^th Street. For those who’ve started to doubt, a great movie about the true meaning of Christmas and a fun ol’ classic to boot.
9. The Santa Clause. Cheesy, funny, easy to watch!
10. And finally A Bad Moms Christmas! I haven’t seen this as yet, but I’m hoping it’s funny and fabulous and makes it on to our annual Christmas movie binge-fest!

What are your favorite Christmas movies? I hope you have a wonderful festive season and get lots of time to relax with your family and friends! All the best, Bec xxx

Plumping a candy cane-festooned cushion she said, “Darling, that might be the normal progression of things for people who are willing to settle down, but that’s not me! They’ll expect some perfect Stepford type, won’t they?”

“What do you care? You don’t normally let anyone intimidate you.” I had the sneaking suspicion she cared more than usual about what they’d think of her because she really did love Cruz, despite trying to act flippant about the whole relationship.

She folded her arms. “I’m not willing to pretend I’m ready for marriage and babies, just because I’m at the age where it’s deemed I should be. Don’t you see? He’s expecting one thing to lead to the next, and I’m not interested in all of that. Next minute I’ll be pregnant with triplets, and living in a cottage without Wi-Fi.” She shuddered. Amory really didn’t like being without the internet and I had to laugh.

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as all that. It sounds romantic, like Cruz was trying to show you he’s committed, and most men in New York would run a mile rather than do that. What happened next? Surely that isn’t why you left town?”

She took a deep breath. “Well, then he circled the table, and bent down. On one knee!”

I dropped the reindeer bunting about the same time my jaw fell open. “Oh my God, he PROPOSED?”

Color rose up her cheeks and she averted her eyes. “Not exactly.”

“What do you mean, not exactly?”

“Well…” She put the cushion in place on the chaise and then flopped beside it. “Obviously, I freaked out, didn’t I? He knows I don’t want the whole meet-the-parents, marriage-and-children, live-in-suburbia thing. I haven’t kept it a secret!”

I held up a hand. “But did he or did he not say the words: Will you marry me?”

She let out a high-pitched squeal. “I don’t know! I blinked rapidly, and pretended I had something in my eye! An eyelash emergency… I told him I’d be back in a minute – I just had to rinse my face…”

I cupped my mouth and said, “Oh, Amory! You didn’t!”

“I did, and I went through the bedroom and plunged down the fire escape, and half-ran, half-hobbled off into the night.”

“The fire escape!” I let out a groan. “Amory! But you’re scared of heights!”

“I’m scared of marriage proposals more! And my poor Manolos will never be the same.” She blinked back tears. I only hoped they weren’t for her expensive designer heels, but for her predicament with Cruz.

“Forget about the Manolos. What did he do?”

Rebecca Raisin is a true bibliophile. This love of books morphed into the desire to write them. She’s been published in various short story anthologies and in in fiction magazines, and is now focusing on writing romance. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships, and most importantly believe in true love.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads