Madison County Series: Book 2
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Liz Bradford learned caution the hard way. Having been burnt once in love’s game, the successful business woman isn’t interested in playing again. Brave and independent, Liz is also well aware of the dangers offered to a woman traveling alone through the modern world. So, when she meets a handsome stranger on the train home, she’s perfectly willing to talk and even flirt… under a name that isn’t her own.
Max Harvelle’s first marriage soured him on the entire institution, but it didn’t turn him into a monk. Meeting the beautiful and intriguing “Sarah” on the train soon has him reconsidering his anti-woman sentiments. The thought of spending more time with her makes the obligatory family Christmas at the Bradford Inn – a place with painful memories for him – look almost promising.
But when conniving ex’s, meddling mothers and a seriously misguided bellhop turned wanna-be detective intrude on the budding relationship, can the romance survive the comedy of errors that follows?
From mistaken identities and greedy former love interests to false murder accusations and interfering, grandbaby-fever driven moms, Max and Liz will have to fight hard, face their fears, and overcome their past pain to find each other and the love they both deserve.
Get your copy now to Max and Liz for Christmas in Madison County. You’ll be glad you did.
Mary Buchanan’s What a Christmas Kerfuffle! is a rollicking free-for-all from start to finish as Liz Bradford makes a mad dash to catch the train north from Florida to Vermont and home at The Bradford Inn. Amusedly watching Liz’s whirlwind progress, Max Harville finds himself on the same train north and at the same table with Liz in the dining car.
Even after finding an immediate rapport with Max, Liz still uses the name “Sarah,” which she typically uses for safety when traveling. This seemingly innocent diversion wreaks multifold havoc at The Bradford Inn, where Max’s family, much to his dismay, surprises him by bringing his ex-wife, Becca, with them. To add to the chaos, the singing group, originally scheduled to perform at The Inn, has canceled, and Liz’s ex-boyfriend, Jake Jones, whom she has purposefully and happily not spoken to in years, has been booked to play.
Taking a while to sort out and find the mysterious “Sarah,” Max and Liz eventually find themselves enjoying each other’s company at the inn, in spite of interference from their parents, ex-wife, and ex-boyfriend. Exes Becca and Jake each put on a good act attempting to return to the lives of their ex, supposedly wanting to reconnect for true love, but each just might have a different goal in mind.
What a Christmas Kerfuffle! by Mary Buchanan is a kerfuffle indeed, with interference and mayhem at every turn. While the plot has tremendous potential and the main two characters are well-developed, the story’s overall telling would have benefitted from a strong editor’s perusal. The use of the first-person narrative of a character followed in the same paragraph by the same character being discussed in the third person gets a bit confusing. Some of the outlandishness antics by the secondary characters are sometimes a little too outlandish. Perhaps this is by the author’s design to make the two main characters more grounded and believable?
What a Christmas Kerfuffle! begs to discover if true love can overcome mayhem, chaos, and interference or will love be lost and Christmas end up being a true kerfuffle indeed.
Mary is a retired educator. She graduated from Florida State University and Nova Southeastern University. She worked at the primary, middle, and high school levels. She served as adjunct faculty at the community college and university levels. Throughout her career, she motivated students to follow their dreams and “Make an A every day!”.
When she retired, she focused on her personal goal of writing. Since she lacked culinary skills, Mary created a cookbook designed for people who don’t know how to cook. After its publication, she tackled her next goal. The Wildflowers of Madison County is her first novel. The sweet romance story is the first in the Madison County series.
