Thursday, December 1, 2016

Guest Post Sarah Morgan - Miracle on 5th Avenue review-showcase #Giveaway


I'm so excite to welcome you to the first post of my annual Ho Ho Ho Harlequin Holiday 
Extravaganza. Each author is sharing a guest post about something special to them about the holidays.  
There is also a Harlequin sponsored giveaway that will be running through the entire event and I'll add that contest widget on every post.
I'm starting with a go-to author who I've been reading for years Sarah Morgan and showcasing plus sharing my review of her holiday novel Miracle on 5th Avenue. 
Sarah is also sponsoring a giveaway of Miracle on 5th Avenue.
So enjoy Sarah's guest post and my review then stop by and enter for your chance to win a copy of her new novel!


Overview:

It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York! 

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner. 

Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?

Buy a copy from the publisher



Sarah is sponsoring a giveaway of one copy
of her novel Miracle on 5th Avenue
Open Internationally
Thanks Sarah!
Good Luck!



Ho-ho-Holiday Movies.
Sarah Morgan

I love the holiday season and every year since I was first published (I’m not counting) I’ve written a holiday story.  My current release, Miracle on 5th Avenue, set in the snowy wonderland of New York City, is one of my favorites. I always start writing my snowy, holiday story a month or so before Christmas, so part of my preparation to get me in the right mood is to rewatch festive movies.

Here, in no particular order, are my top picks (in some cases with some additional edits from me!)

While You Were Sleeping – I know I’m not alone in loving this film.  Sandra Bullock plays Lucy, a lonely ticket collector who rescues a man when he’s pushed onto the train tracks on Christmas Eve and ends up pretending to be his fiancĂ©e.  It has humour, warmth, gorgeous family scenes, tears and best of all Bill Pullman as sexy Jack. And lots of snow. It’s perfect. And here’s how I know it’s perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Not a thing.

It’s a Wonderful Life – an angel shows a despairing businessman what a difference he has made to other people’s lives.  No Christmas would be complete without at least one showing of Frank Capra’s classic, which was nominated by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 top American films ever made.

Love Actually – eight stories in one film, some of which work for me and some that don’t (I cannot believe that Laura Linney would let the divine Rodrigo Santoro slip through her fingers, I mean why? I definitely wouldn’t have written it that way), but it always puts me in a Christmas mood. I love the scene where Colin Firth stumbles his way through a Portuguese lesson so that he can tell the girl her he loves her.

Die Hard – yes, I know it’s a weird choice but it is a Christmas movie.  Sort of.  It has snow and Christmas carols and the incredible Alan Rickman. My edits? I might have washed some of the blood off half naked Bruce Willis before he hugs Holly at the end. He definitely ruined her coat.

A Christmas Carol – I love the Dickens story in almost any version.

The Family Man – Nicholas Cage as a driven, workaholic investment banker who gets to see what his life might have been had he taken a different path.  He goes to bed on Christmas Eve (in an incredible New York apartment) and wakes up in the life he would have had if he’d chosen to marry his girlfriend instead of putting his career first.  Tea Leonie is gorgeous as his ‘wife’, the kids and the slobbering dog are sweet and yes – there’s snow.

The Holiday – this movie fascinates me because somehow I love it, even though I don’t like many of its component parts.  What I do love is the real estate. Nancy Myers has a knack for making a movie that makes you want to move house. I still drool over the kitchen in Something’s Gotta Give, and her choice of setting for The Holiday was the same. I think it’s the combination of idyllic snowy cottage, incredible Californian real estate that makes this one of my holiday favorites. Whenever I watch this movie I have serious house envy, even though I know that the realities of living in a rural cottage deep in the English countryside and commuting into London in the snow would be hell on earth. I confess I want to slap Kate Winslet (well not Kate herself, obviously, but her character) for the first two thirds of this movie and I’m probably a lone voice in not loving Jude Law (and I especially don’t love him when he’s fake crying). Cameron Diaz somehow manages to survive driving around icy country lanes, even though she does it with her eyes closed. But I still love the ‘feel’ of this movie. It’s perfect viewing for a snowy winter day snuggled in front of the fire.


Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?



My Review courtesy RT Magazine
Here's the UK cover of the book
isn't it cool!



Connect with Sarah - Website - Facebook - Twitter
Meet Sarah:
USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as ‘a magician with words’ by RT Book Reviews, she has sold over 14 million copies of her books. She has been nominated four years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice; in 2012 for her book ‘Doukakis’s Apprentice’and 2013 for ‘A Night of No Return’. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their ‘Top Pick’ slot.



Today's Gonereading item is:
a 2017 Hot Dudes Reading
Wall calendar
Click HERE for the buy page










a Rafflecopter giveaway



a Rafflecopter giveaway

18 comments:

  1. Love Sarah's books. My favourite Christmas movie is Santa Claus the movie. My favourite Christmas book is Sarah's Maybe This Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Debra I too love Sarah's novels. Thanks for sharing your favorite holiday movie!!

      Delete
    2. Hi Debra, thank you so much for your kind words xxxxx

      Delete
  2. Love Sarah's books. My favourite Christmas movie is Santa Claus the movie. My favourite Christmas book is Sarah's Maybe This Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the list of movies! We always watch Christmas Vacation and Elf no matter what and if we remember we squeeze in Christmas Carol and Christmas Story too. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. My favorite Christmas movie is It's a Wonderful Life.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmm now I want to see While You Were Sleeping, I am going to look out for it. I enjoyed Love Actually and watch it every so often. Lovely review Debbie and Sarah Morgan is so generous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She is, thanks for the comment and for all your support of my blog Kathryn! <3

      Delete
  6. It's a Wonderful Life is always a favorite and I love A Christmas Carol too. Wonderful post ladies!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Debbie, thanks to one of your book recommendations last year, I discovered Sarah Morgan! I fell in love with Sleighbells in The Snow and I've been reading and sharing her books, too!
    Hope you have a wonderful month and happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so happy you discovered me Lorelei! Lucky me to have such a wonderful special reader as you. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season xxx

      Delete
    2. Lorelei you have turned me on to a few new authors so I'm glad I could return the favor!
      You have a very Merry Christmas too!

      Delete
  8. Thank you so much for having me back Debbie! You're wonder-woman! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome Sarah I can't wait to see what you've got cooked up for my next trip to the big apple coming in May 2017 :)

      Delete