By Kristy McCaffrey
Long before Santa and his magical reindeer, there were tales of a female reindeer who drew the sleigh of the sun goddess at the winter solstice. Unlike male reindeer who shed their antlers in the winter, it is the larger and stronger doe who retains hers to help forage for food for her young. And it's she who leads the herds throughout the winter months.
Santa Claus is a Christianized version of the pagan traditions of winter, which included stories of the ancient Deer Mother. She flew through the winter's darkest night with the life-giving light of the sun in her horns. There are many winter goddesses in the Nordic countries. In one tale, Saule, the Lithuanian and Latvian goddess of the sun, flew across the heavens in a sleigh pulled by a horned reindeer and threw pebbles of amber—symbolizing the sun—into chimneys.
In Finnish lore there exists the story of the Vaadin, a female reindeer crafted from bones of stone, a flesh of moss, and skin made of birch bark. She was used by shamans in journeys of knowledge to create magical items.
In my new Christmas romance release, I play with the mythology of the Vaadin. If a couple sees her, they're granted true love.
The Thatcher-Adler feud goes back generations. Despite this, Ellie Thatcher befriended Liam Adler when she was a girl. She even managed to get a job at the Adler Reindeer Farm while in high school, the very farm that had once belonged to her family. Now, with college and a stint working overseas behind her, she’s returning home to Reindeer Pass to open a photography studio. But the feud has been reignited and Ellie and Liam are about to get dragged into the middle of it.
Liam Adler has returned to the Colorado town where he grew up to take over the family business after the sudden death of his father. It wasn’t the life path he’d planned, and now he must convince old Eustace Hapgood to sell his land to the Adlers and not the Thatchers. And his opponent is none other than Ellie Thatcher—no longer the sweet and funny little girl he remembers, but all grown-up and strikingly beautiful.
Years ago, Eustace told a young Ellie and Liam about the Legend of Reindeer Pass, where a rare Arctic reindeer herd is rumored to have lived since the first Thatcher and Adler men settled in the valley in the 1800’s. When Ellie and Liam appear before the old man, Eustace tells them he will sell to the first to see the Vaadin, the largest of the elusive female reindeer. But there is more to the legend … only the pure of heart are presented with such a gift. And to a special few, true love is granted.
When Christmas comes around, everyone has their own special wish. For some, those wishes are as simple as getting the perfect gift for that special someone. For others, those wishes are much bigger. Especially, when they wish for love.
Everyone deserves the gift of love, but sometimes that's more complicated than it should be.
This year is different.
For those pure of heart, their wishes, even their wishes for true love, just might be granted.
Wishing for Love is a heartwarming series
about Christmas wishes of love coming true for those who have the purest of
hearts. If you're looking for a feel-good read this holiday season, pick up A
MIRTHFUL WISH to meet the authors of this heartwarming holiday romance series
and find your next happy ever after.
Don't miss more books in the Wishing for Love series. Check them all out here.
Without warning, Ellie kissed him, bold and hungry. Wrapping
his arms around her, Liam shifted her out of sight. There was nothing soft and
chaste about them finally coming together, the contact escalating quickly to a
heat level he was unprepared for.
He’d anticipated this going differently—slower and more
private—but nothing with Ellie ever seemed to go to plan.
Ellie broke contact first, her breath fast and hot against
his lips. A lingering taste of marinara sauce and sexy Ellie remained.
He didn’t know what to say.
“There was mistletoe,” she whispered, looking as stunned as
he felt.
Her eyes flicked upward. A green sprig hung from a hook
above their table.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, then left him standing
alone in the nook, too shocked to speak, a cold wave engulfing him after the
loss of her heat.
Liam scrubbed a hand down his face, waiting for his
heartbeat to slow to a reasonable rate.
When Ryan joined him, his brother frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I think I’ve underestimated Ellie Thatcher.”
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