About the Books
Book: Mistletoe Melody and Mistletoe Mission
Author: Stacey Weeks
Genre: Contemporary inspirational romance
Release Date: Book 1 (December 1, 2018) Book 2 (December 1, 2019)
Mistletoe Melody:
Former musician, Melody Staff, spends Christmas at a bed and breakfast in the village of Mistletoe Meadows. While everyone sings familiar carols of Christ drawing near, Melody stumbles over misplaced notes. Her recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has scared off her fiancé and thrust her life into a grand pause. She’s not sure her heart will ever sing again.
Quentin Oxford has endured a devastating year. His preteen daughter suffered a stroke, and they’ve grieved his wife’s sudden death, but the Lord coaxes a surprising refrain from Quentin’s heart as God rewrites his and Melody’s score into a holiday love song that will last for Christmases to come.
Mistletoe Mission: 
While her own relationships always end up doomed, Emily Colt is still determined to create happily-ever-afters through her wedding and event planning business. In hopes of expanding her business, she enters her latest project–staging the Christmas wedding of the year–into a town-wide contest. But between crossing paths with the first man to break her heart and dodging a saboteur, she doubts even career success is within her grasp.
Jilted pastor, Luca Wilson, fled to the mission field to escape a broken heart. All the hurt rushes back when he returns home to officiate his cousin’s wedding, and he finds Emily, the girl to whom he once promised forever, organizing the celebration. Despite his lost faith in love, their unforeseen reunion rekindles a spark, and Luca vows to help her save her struggling business. But to succeed, they will have to learn what it means to trust each other and believe in the God of Christmas miracles.
About the Author
Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016) and Chasing Holiness(2020), inspirational romances The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), Mistletoe Mission (Dec 2019) and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women’s conferences, teaches writing and bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com
More from Stacey
It is strange, sometimes, what inspires a story. At the time of writing Mistletoe Melody, the ten-year-old daughter of a good friend was on the recovery side of a massive stroke. This young girl inspired Janie, and she gave the character her contagious smile, a mischievous pre-teen sense of humor, and a fierce love for family. You don’t read all of Janie’s story in Mistletoe Melody, but perhaps you will in a later novella.
Melody was the result of my lovely twenty-something niece receiving a shocking diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. She endured painful tests, had hopes raised and dashed, and was blessed when the Lord saw fit to work through a drug trial to ease her suffering. Watching her life, her plans, and the things she assumed were a given for her future get shaken to their core sent me to the Scriptures.
Not too long before drafting Mistletoe Mission (book two set in Mistletoe Meadows), my husband and I travelled to Haiti. As our driver transported us from the airport to the compound on which we stayed for the duration of our trip, he pointed in the general direction of the beach that receives cruise ships and tourists. He said that portion of Haiti is separated from the rest and is considered by some to be the most beautiful section of Haiti. I disagree.
To be fair, I didn’t visit the cleaned-up beach just around the other side of the mountain, but I saw something most tourists do not get to see. I met the people and visited several in their homes. I witnessed the determination and hard work that life requires from them. I observed a light in their eyes, fueled by a love for Jesus. There is nothing more beautiful than a person on fire for the Lord, a person who is ready to be a light in a dark land.
Luca’s character is loosely based on the Director of Missions and Compassion at Hope Bible Church in Oakville, Ontario. He arranged our trip – my first overseas mission trip – and it changed my life. I have huge respect for the work he is doing, and I am thrilled to see how God is blessing the work.
Another real-life connection that made its way into Mistletoe Mission is a business that inspired the fictional start-up I called One Village. Little by Little is a business for mission committed to empowering Haitian parents. Little by Little sells the Morse Code bracelet featured in Mistletoe Mission. I fell in love with the concept of this business, and it was my delight to write a fictional version into the story. You can visit Little by Little’s website and order a bracelet like the one featured in the book (or maybe you’ll win the one I am giving away on this tour!). http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html
Be blessed this holiday as you seek the Lord who has done and is doing great things.
Stacey
Gift From Stacey
Here are a few fun coloring items from Stacey!
Mistletoe Mission Coloring page
Mistletoe Melody
Melody has a lot going on in her life. It made me think of how life throws us curves and God is watching to see what we do with those curves. Sometimes we can get angry at our circumstances and close ourselves off from everyone. I think Melody was trying to do that so people wouldn't find out about her diagnosis of MS. She is so afraid that Quentin will reject her that she keeps her distance from him. It is sad how she feels that she can't trust him enough to tell him how she feels or about her illness.
I did like learning about mistletoe and all the different kinds there were. I had no idea you could make tea from mistletoe. All I knew about it was when you stand under one, you are suppose to kiss the person standing under it with you. The author really did her research on mistletoe and it intrigued me to study more about it.
Quentin is a wonderful character who is raising his daughter by himself. She has health issues as well that is hard to deal with. I was surprised at how young his daughter was to have such intense health problems. His back story about his ex-wife helps readers understand why he is so protective of his heart. His faith has carried him through some difficult days and made him stronger to face whatever comes his way.
Their story is filled with trust, secrets and learning to let go and allow God to heal wounds. I loved how each character found their strength in faith and it makes for a great lesson in being set free from things that hold you back from God's blessings and to remember our hope is in the Lord.
Mistletoe Mission
One of the things I liked about this story was getting to know more details about the town. I would jump at the chance to visit a town like this and tour each shop. I loved that the author included characters from Mistletoe Melody in this story. Emily is determined to get her shop off the ground. All she needs is to win the contest and get a shop on Mission Main Street.
It is a bit ironic that Emily has a business dealing with weddings and event planning. After all, she is doesn't have the best track record in the marriage department. Okay maybe she doesn't have the best record in the love department either. Everything is riding on the Christmas Eve wedding she is in charge of. Not everyone in the town wants her to win so she has to really trust God to open doors for her.
I laughed when her ex fiance Luca shows up to perform the wedding Emily is in charge of. I have heard that brides can be difficult, but in this story it is the brides mother. What a handful this lady is with all her superstitions and nasty attitude. I think I would have to tell her to go away and show up only on the day of the wedding. It is hard to believe that Emily hasn't pulled her hair out with all the chaos going on.
Emily and Luca are both having trust issues and it makes for a great story. Luca feels like he may have wandered from God a bit and it was interesting to read how he deals with it. I loved learning about Morse code bracelets. What a unique gift to give someone or get one for yourself. The author does a great job of giving us a look into Luca's mission work. His overwhelming feeling of failure is written all over his face.
The story is a reminder to not run away from our problems but to trust God in everything. The ending is wonderful and I loved how Emily and Luca find a way to work together. The details of the wedding Emily has been in charge of is inspiring and shows how God knits people together .
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Blog Stops
Just the Write Escape, December 20
My Devotional Thoughts, December 20
Blossoms and Blessings, December 21
Blogging With Carol , December 22
A Reader’s Brain, December 23
mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 23
Emily Yager, December 24
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 25
Deanne’s Book Thoughts, December 26
Genesis 5020, December 26
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 27
Remembrancy, December 28
Inklings and notions, December 28
Quiet Quilter, December 29
For the Love of Literature, December 29
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 30
Texas Book-aholic, December 31
janicesbookreviews, January 1
Reading Is My SuperPower, January 2
Batya’s Bits, January 2
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Stacey is giving away the grand prize of the winner’s choice of a Morse Code Bracelet!! (found here: http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Thank you for the great review!
ReplyDeleteI like reading your reviews, Deana! Thank you for your great work and sharing!
ReplyDelete