Lisa Lickel’s is one of the founding members and mentors with the Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp. She is the model of a great literary citizen, always there to help when one needs it, always ready to read and review books. She’s written and published many novels both traditionally and indie ranging from inspirational to cozy mystery genres. Some of my favorites include Understory, Meander Scar, and Parhelion. All contain romance which I am partial to, but if you’re looking for a straight-out romance, Crazy Creek Christmas is fantastic. Here’s my review:
Lisa Lickel knows how to write romance. Some would call it sweet romance and they would be correct. No graphic bedroom scenes. Some would call it Christian romance, the shelf where you’d find her books in the bookstore. Those categories don’t do her stories justice. Lickel writes powerful romance, stories steeped in deeply emotional love and redemption. Crazy Creek Christmas is a great example of how Lickel spins a tale of two damaged people, seemingly alone in the world, who find each other, lower their shields, and share their hearts. It’s not an easy road to love, but then if it were easy, it wouldn’t be so, so satisfying in the end. I hope Leah and Noel’s love story is the first of many to come from the Johansen family and Crazy Creek. This is a perfect holiday read. Five Stars!
And here’s the Amazon description: Crazy Creek, Wyoming saves Leah Hanes’s life. Running on fumes and bald tires, she thanks heaven for the Wimmers who recommend her to the Rocking J Ranch as a winter cook. Leah arrives to discover the ranch and the people need more than a cook.
Noel Johansen, heir of the Rocking J, happily left for the big city years ago. When he loses his family in a terrible accident, the best thing for everyone is to sell the place, ditch the memories, and move on. But his brother-in-law has other plans, and the beautiful new cook they’ve hired for the season threatens Noel’s desire to remain detached.
The ranch represents Noel’s future and selling it becomes more important than ever when one more tragedy leaves him with nothing. But memories can’t be bought and sold, nor can a broken conscience heal itself. Home, heart, and future are irrevocably tied in Crazy Creek.
