#GIVEAWAY Review: Something About the Season by Allison Leigh #HoHoHoHarlequinHolidayExtravaganza

 

Today's Ho Ho Ho features Allison Leigh's Christmas Story, Something About the Season part of her Return to the Double C series. I'm also including her Christmas Storybook cookie recipe from her 2019 post.
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Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1335894892
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: 10-27-2020
Length: 288pp
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Harlequin

Overview:

New York Times Bestselling Author

She’ll give him the benefit of the doubt—in the spirit of Christmas.

Her Christmas guest is too good to be true!

When wealthy investor Gage Stanton arrives at Rory McAdams’s struggling guest ranch, she’s suspicious. Is he just there to learn the ranching ropes or to get her to give up the property? One thing she quickly gives up is her heart… Until Gage’s jealous brother—and Gage’s own shocking secret—threaten to derail a holiday fling that was beginning to feel like anything but.

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Return to the Double C

My Review:

Something About the Season
Allison Leigh

 

Allison Leigh’s Christmas story takes fans to the wide open spaces and all the creature comforts of a secluded guest ranch featuring beautiful settings, likeable secondary characters including a precocious little boy and even a Mother-Bridezilla for entertainment. And of course a love story staring a duo who may seem unmatched at first but as Allison peels away the layers revealing two lonely people who can fulfill each other’s dreams.

All single mom Rory McAdams wants is to run her family’s Angel River guest ranch in peace, she doesn’t need some hot shot real estate developer messing with her emotions, making her feel things she hasn’t felt in a long time and reminding her that her that being a ranch manager is not what she thought she’d end up doing.

Gage Stanton just wanted an isolated place to teach his troubled younger brother some life lessons by doing some hard work. What he couldn’t imagine was that he would also learn some life lessons of his own from a beautiful ranch manager making him feel things he can’t ever remember feeling before.

Allison's Christmas Storybook Cookie Recipe:

Today is Christmas cookie-baking day.

I have all the ingredients—I hope, since running to the store mid-recipe is always a nuisance. I have Christmas music on the radio and a very chilly day outside the windows. And I have my various recipes all lined up and ready to mix and beat and roll and cut.

Yes, today is baking day. This year, for the first time in a while, I have no particular deadline I’m racing to meet and no long lists yet to be completed while dreading the increasing crowds and decreasing time. So for once, the baking task feels again like it used to—like wrapping myself into a cozy, warm familiar blanket with a favorite book in hand. I love baking. Always have. But it is particularly rare to find myself with a day (or even two or three!) during which I can simply indulge that pleasure with nothing else pressing on my mind or my time. I have to say I’m practically giddy with anticipation.

First up—Storybook Cookies. I’ve made these since I was a child. The recipe was clipped by my mother from a Good Housekeeping magazine. They’re sugar cookies, but the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies that I’ve ever had. They’re topped with an egg-yolk “paint” which helps keep them tender throughout the holidays. The recipe as is makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookies. I always double the recipe. (I’ve even quadrupled it). They can be frozen after baking and thaw well. Otherwise, store in a covered container and enjoy!

                                    

                         

Cookie Recipe:

2 ½ C sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 C granulated sugar

¾ C softened butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Egg-Yolk Paint Recipe:

In a small cup, with a fork beat 1 egg yolk with enough food coloring to achieve desired color. Mixture thickens on standing, so beat in drop of water as needed to retain good brushing consistency.

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients together. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough can be easily handled.

Roll out on lightly floured surface to ¼” thick and cut as desired. Reshape scraps into a ball, refrigerate again if too soft before rolling out again. (Dough will get a little tougher with each roll, so try to minimize that.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare egg-yolk paint in several colors. With small, clean paintbrush, brush yolk paint onto unbaked cookies completely to edges. (As the cookies bake, a border will form around the edges as the cookies rise.) Add sprinkles, decorator sugars, etc., if desired.

Bake cookies 6-8 minutes until firm enough to remove to racks, but are not brown. Cool on wire racks. Add additional frosting as desired after baking.

About the author:

A frequent name on bestseller lists, Allison Leigh's highpoint as a writer is hearing from readers that they laughed, cried or lost sleep while reading her books. She’s blessed with an immensely patient family who doesn’t mind (much) her time spent at her computer and who gives her the kind of love she wants her readers to share in every page. Stay in touch at www.allisonleigh.comand @allisonleighbks.

 

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