Candlelight Christmas. Сьюзен Виггс

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      #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR SUSAN WIGGS INVITES YOU TO AN UNFORGETTABLE CHRISTMAS IN THE CATSKILLS

      A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O’Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O’Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season.

      One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake—Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she’s the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas.

      Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expected—a love to last a lifetime.

      Candlelight Christmas

      The Lakeshore Chronicles

      Susan Wiggs

       www.mirabooks.co.uk

      For Carter.

      May the spark of your imagination take you wherever you wish to go.

      Contents

       Part 1

       No-Process Pickles

       Prologue

       Part 2

       Massive Spaghetti Feed

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Part 3

       Beer-Cheese Spread

       Chapter Four

       Part 4

       Eggnog Pancakes with Whiskey Butter

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Part 5

       Maple Bacon Bread Pudding

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Part 6

       Walking Dead Sugar Cookies

       Chapter Twelve

       Part 7

       Seductive Hot Chocolate

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Epilogue

       Excerpt

      Part 1

      Christmas Pickles

      The origin of the Christmas pickle is steeped in mystery. It seems no one knows the real truth. The hand-blown glass pickle ornaments from Lauscha in Germany can date back as far as 1847, and are treasured by families everywhere. The first child to spy the ornament on the tree Christmas morning gets an extra gift from Santa, and the first adult enjoys good luck all the year through. It’s probably just a marketing hook, but who doesn’t like presents and good luck?

      The pickle prize inspired this recipe for jars of colorful pickles. Since these are no-process pickles, they are a) easy and b) perishable.

      Much like a woman’s heart.

      No-Process Pickles

      1 cup water

       1 cup white vinegar

       2 teaspoons salt

       1 tablespoon sugar

       Handful of fresh dill

       Whole peppercorns and peeled garlic cloves

       Kirby cucumbers (or regular cucumbers, cut into quarters lengthwise)

       Red radishes, sliced thin

      Fill clear glass jars with the pickles and radishes, creating a nice color palette of red and green. Add the herbs and spices. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a jar with a lid, and shake to dissolve. Pour over pickles in the jars. Seal and refrigerate. These will be ready the next morning and can last up to a month—after that, please discard for safety’s sake. The longer the cucumbers pickle, the softer they will get, and if you don’t grasp that metaphor, I can’t help you. Anyway, if you like things fresh and crisp, don’t wait too long to eat these.

      [Source: Original; adapted from Ohio State University Extension guidelines, 2009]

      Prologue

      Christmas Past

      There were worse things than spending Christmas with your ex-husband, thought Darcy Fitzgerald as she pulled up in front of the house.

      A root canal without novocaine, for example. That was probably worse. A crash landing in a