The Knight Before Christmas – Book Release Celebration!

Dear Austen Friends,

It’s been over two years since I released a new novel…but I’m absolutely thrilled to share this Austen-inspired Christmas romance with you all! I’ve wanted to write a story with a modern Emma & Knightley for ages—there’s just something deliciously fun about an independent woman who has almost everything, except for the boy next door…a boy she doesn’t initially realize is her soul mate. 🙂 This year, I finally had a chance to script my version of their love story, set in the Midwestern winter (which I know all too well!), and featuring a cast of characters from a new small town that I loved getting to create, Crystal Corners, MN.

Here’s a little bit about the book:

THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is a light, sweet contemporary holiday romance that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

When successful building contractor Austin Knightley returns to his hometown of Crystal Corners, Minnesota, after a decade away, he vows to avoid pampered and popular types like his old high-school crush Emma Westwood—the town’s biggest queen bee and self-appointed matchmaker—only to get swept into a community Christmas project she’s now organizing.

With nods to Jane Austen’s classic novel EMMA, this modern heroine may be a little “clueless” in the Midwest, but she’s got gifts to share and plenty to learn from the boy next door, who’s all grown up and handsomer than ever. Even when a snowstorm threatens to derail her plans, she’s determined to figure out how to set things right and save THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

The excerpt below is an exclusive—I’m only sharing it here (!!)—and it gives a little background into Emma & Austin’s relationship when they were teens. Hope you enjoy it. 😛

***

Emma knew she should be tired after the industriousness of her day. That tonight would be the perfect time to just kick back, relax, eat the delicious dinner Jennings had prepared, and watch a romantic Christmas movie on TV.

And she did.

But even after the final ending credits rolled on the screen, she still felt restless.

In an attempt to combat this, she answered a handful of business emails, walked for twenty minutes on the treadmill downstairs, and enjoyed a cup of hot tea on the sofa.

However, much to her annoyance, nothing seemed to keep her mind from spinning in circles and remembering tidbits of her grade school years that she hadn’t thought about in ages. She blamed seeing Austin Knightley again for activating these old memories.

She found herself wandering into the playroom that housed her childhood library—all of those beautiful books on knights and castles and pretty princesses. The gorgeous illustrations made her sigh every time.

It made her think about something that had happened when she was in eighth grade and he, a whole year older, was a freshman in high school. They were on the bus, heading home from a long day of school, but Emma always enjoyed the bus rides. Unless she had an afterschool club to attend or a get-together planned with her girlfriends, her social life came to a screeching halt once she walked into the house. Her parents were loving but busy. They were adults, not peers, after all, and they had limited time for lengthy pre-teen discussions about cute boys or popular music or whatever movie actor had recently caught her fancy. So Emma made the most of her ride home with friends.

Austin, by contrast, never seemed to like being on the bus. He looked trapped in those vinyl seats, often pressed against the window with one of his garrulous brothers typically sitting beside him and jabbering to someone across the aisle.

There was this one day, though, when no one was sitting next to him. She’d already been seated when he walked onto the bus (junior high kids were picked up before the high schoolers) and she noticed he’d looked at her when he strode past, choosing to sit in the row directly behind her and putting his backpack next to him so he could have the whole seat to himself. It had been a dress-up day for the eighth graders, and she was wearing one of her prettiest princess gowns. Yards of royal purple—she loved it! Austin was in his usual T-shirt and jeans, but his gaze lingered on her for a long moment before he chose his seat. That he decided to sit so close was encouraging to her.

He was holding something in his hands that snagged her interest, and Emma hoped that, maybe, if she asked him about the object, it might draw him out. He looked so sweet when he smiled, but that didn’t happen frequently on the way to or from school.

So, she turned in her seat and grinned at him. He looked back at her, not exactly grinning but at least not scowling.

“What did you make?” she asked.

He considered her question for a moment before exhaling and holding up a wooden plaque with very smooth edges. It was carved with the words “The Knightley Family.” He cleared his throat. “Woodworking class project.”

“Oh, that’s really lovely!” she exclaimed and very politely asked him some interested follow-up questions about it, just like her parents had taught her to do.

His responses kept getting even shorter and more curt.

After she asked, “So, do all high schoolers take that class?” He merely shook his head and stared out the window.

She tried to be even more charming and amiable. “I think it would be fascinating to learn about—”

“It’s an elective, Emma,” he said brusquely. “Anyone can choose to take it or not. Even you.” He set the plaque down next to his backpack and pulled out a thick novel. “Thanks for your interest, but if you don’t mind, I’m gonna read now.”

So she shrugged, turned back around in her seat, and started chatting with Ben Danielson in the row ahead of her, who was also in high school but not nearly so condescending about it.

It was strange that after all these years, it still rankled that she couldn’t win Austin over…

***

So, what did you think?? How long do you expect it’ll take Emma for to win over her man?

The book is live on all digital platforms:

Amazon (US)  –  Amazon (UK)  –  Amazon (CA)
Barnes & Noble  –   iBooks   –   Kobo 

It’s available both digitally and in paperback! So, if you’re looking for bookish Christmas gifts…  🙂

Have a wonderful weekend, all! And for everybody celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S. next week, I hope you have an especially happy one! I’m so grateful for each of you. Thanks for being part of our Austen community. 🙂  xox