Christmas Wishes by Livia Quinn is a Salute Military Bookish Event pick #militaryromance #romance #salutemilitary #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- May 27
- 5 min read
Title: Christmas Wishes
Author: Livia Quinn
Genre: Contemporary Military Romance, Holiday Romance
Book Blurb:
It's a Christmas weekend full of love.
Beau hates Christmas. It reminds him of what he can't have. He's been avoiding homecomings and the biggest reason is unavoidable this Christmas – Madison Hart, who has loved Beau for most of her adult life. Whenever rumors surface about him returning home, Madison is nervous about seeing him again.
Samantha Larue's baby is overdue and everyone is hovering including Jed, who ended their relationship last summer because kids weren't "in his future".
Bad guys don't scare Delilah Burke but Luc's mother and five sisters have her stalling on setting a date to marry the man she loves.
A Christmas Eve miracle confirms what Buffy Calloway already knows – that with a little nudge, all her love ones' happily ever afters will happen in the not so distant future.
Not just a Christmas book!
When the Calloways and Larues gather for Christmas reunion things just happen. Revel in the ongoing lives of couples from the first three books and new characters from books 5-7.
"A feel good romance you'll fall in love with."
If you love Robyn Carr, Barbara Freethy or Bella Andre, try Livia Quinn.
Excerpt:
“Are you okay?”
“Jed, you’re becoming kind of a mother hen. I’m just using the john,” she said in her best Lieutenant Larue tone. There was a long silence while she continued to look for the lever and wondered if he’d left. Then she heard his foot scrape against the door. “Jed. Are you still out there?”
“Do you need me?” he asked quickly.
“No, and…” she tried to think of something that would make him go. “You’re kind of cramping my style.”
“Did you say you’re cramping?” He asked a little louder.
“Sshh, you’ll have everyone—OO… Oh!” The pain hit so suddenly that she doubled over. Or she would have if she hadn’t had a fifty-pound baby in her lap. It hit again, and this time, she moaned.
“Samantha, open this door.” His voice was too loud. She knew what that was going to mean. The horde. Her mother and two of her older sisters were outside somewhere, waiting…
Sam grit her teeth, panting. “Go away, Jed.” She concentrated on small breaths.
“I’m not leaving until you open this door and I see that you’re okay.”
Breathing rapidly to quell the spasms, Sam said, “Can’t you leave me alone? Get Buffy or my Mom if you want to be helpful.”
She could almost hear him thinking on the other side of the wooden barrier. “If you need your mother, you need me. I’m trained in this. No one else here is. Unlock the door before I break in.”
“There’s no room to bust in, Stern. Me and this kid are taking up the entire bathroom.” She sighed and scooted to the edge of the toilet. “Hold on, hold on, don’t go causing a ruckus. I wouldn’t put it past the women in my family to rush over here and try to fit into this dime-sized bathroom.” She reached over and twisted the button on the knob. The door swung out.
A frowning and obviously concerned Jed rushed in and knelt in front of her, squeezing his wide shoulders in between her and the sink. His golden brown eyes bore into hers looking for clues, just like a detective. “Be honest with me, Samantha. Are you having contractions?”
“No! At least… I don’t… I don’t think so. I just couldn’t find the lever to flush the toilet.”
Jed frowned in disbelief, rocked back on his heels. “That’s all? You couldn’t flush?” His eyes widened and his nose quivered. “What have you been eating?”
She glared at him even as she caught the sparkle in his eyes. “Jalapeños, shrimp dip, banana pudding… and some other stuff.”
He chuckled making the same search she had while she sat there taking shallow breaths. If she took a deep breath she would take in his manly scent. He worked out a lot and had probably come straight from the gym. The smell was intoxicating, mesmerizing, arousing—damn these hormones.
She shook herself. He was still tinkering with something over her left shoulder. Then the sound and vibration of the toilet flushing gave her a small sense of relief. She looked up at him as he straightened. “Where was it?”
He scratched his head looking confused. “Uh, oh, against the wall. The toilet was installed backwards.”
“That’s crazy,” she said as her mother and Buffy appeared in the doorway.
“What’s wrong?” asked Buffy.
“Samantha, are you in labor?” her mother demanded.
She rolled her eyes. “No, I needed to use the restroom and—ahh.” The cry was ripped from her throat.
Jed wasted no time asking for permission. He leaned down and helped her get to her feet, then scooped her into his arms. “Jed,” she protested, then softer, she asked, “Why are you doing this? You didn’t want me… or children.”
“So you decided to flirt with the quarterback,” he gritted.
“Flirt with— oh, forget it. Why don’t you just call 911? It isn’t an emergency.” Her eyes went wide as a warm gush of liquid spread down Jed’s right arm and onto his trousers.
He gave a grim smile and arched a brow. “You don’t think so? Hush, now. I need all my concentration to carry you.” He angled her feet through the door. She knew he wasn’t going to drop her.
Then he said, “Damn, Samantha. You’re heavy.”
Samantha met his eyes. “It’s the shoes. And thank you, darling, you’re such a charmer. It’s what I love about you.”
Their eyes met and time seemed to tick one second for every ten. Her gaze went to his mouth, their last kiss coming to mind and the desire that streaked through her made a lie of what she’d been told pregnant women could feel.
After telling her their relationship was over, he’d said he’d be there if she needed him. She’d thought, Right, but then he’d shown up with the distractions, brought her that lovely lullaby CD and told her she should sit on the porch in the swing and listen to it… while she knitted.
Wait. Had she just said, “love”?
She shook herself mentally. “Or hate,” she muttered. “Please put me down.”
“No chance, Doc.” He made it out of the bathroom, carefully avoiding… the crowd of spectators in the hall.
Sam groaned. “Oh, God, kill me now.”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
All retailers: https://books2read.com/b/Christmas-wish
What makes your featured book a must-read?
The romance, suspense and connections between the Calloways, a big surprising family of veterans who know what's important: protecting and serving the ones they love and their community. As one of my readers put it, "Alpha hero, kick-ass heroine, what's not to like."
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs May 20 – May 28, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on May 29, 2025.
Author Biography:
DC native, Livia Quinn moved to Louisiana where the weather and culture inspired her books. Her jobs as mail carrier, plant manager and business owner provided fodder for her stories, she finished her first novel the summer of Katrina. Widowed, she moved to Virginia where she now enjoys the ancient beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As an only child, she longed to be part of a large family so you'll find deeply emotional themes of love, honor and service in the communities she created.
Social Media Links:
Goodreads http://bit.ly/22VXuev
Amazon Author page http://amazon.com/author/liviaquinn
Books2Read author page: https://books2read.com/ap/x2gD7R/Livia-Quinn
Instagram http://instagram.com/liviaquinnwrites
