Hello!
I have a Christmas series for you! Book 2 is out this year. The Holiday Cooking Club! This is the book I’m highlighting, but I will share a bit about the first book also. I have had a blast writing this series. It will continue next Christmas also! Here are the three books blurbs:
The Kristmas Project – Book 1 (CTR gave it 5 cups)
Kristmas Noel Holly was born in December. Her parents hated everything about the season, so why had they named her after Christmas? Kris’s childhood memories were not filled with peace and joy, more of dread. She’s ecstatic when an invitation arrives to a prestigious conference in Germany for the first week of December. Her salvation to avoid the festivities.
Nicholas Joseph Holladay loves the season, every decorated tree, carol, and Hallmark movie. Nick’s idea of a perfect Christmas for his daughter doesn’t include a business trip. He loves his job ten months out of the year, so he’ll accompany Kris. He hopes to remedy Kris’s holiday workaholic tendencies by rekindling the special magic of the season for her. He plans to take Kris to the famous holiday markets and show her how much she misses while working.
Will his plan succeed, or will he ruin their working relationship?
The Holiday Cooking Club – Book Two
Stefani Halladay can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to be a world-famous chef. Studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City is a dream come true. After that, the rest of her dreams are simple. Own a restaurant and to win the James Beard Award, the academy award of the culinary arts. The first one she’d accomplished and after struggling the first year, the Bistro was slowly making a name for itself. Her dreams were coming true, and she could almost taste the victory of winning the award. The nightmare was her nemesis, Grayson Moore, who is the head chef in a five-star restaurant and poised to steal the award away from her. Well, her Bistro may be small, but it would be a five-star also.
Grayson met Stefani at the Institute where they became very competitive. So much so that their classmates bet on who would make the best entrée or dessert. It had been fun and friendly, or so he thought. When a restaurant recruits him for their Chicago location he’s thrilled, until he finds out that Stefani considers him her nemesis and direct competition. He isn’t sure how to change her mind, or if he even should.
When he has the audacity to join her Holiday Cooking Club, things really heat up.
Grandma Gertie’s Guest Book Three – Coming soon 2026
Christmas has always been Cheryl Davis’s favorite holiday. That is until overnight her life changed. Now it was all she could do to raise her twin boys, young daughter, and maintain a high-pressure job. She needed to learn how to live and take care of herself, so she could be the best parent for her children. Her mother-in-law, Grandma Gerti, keeps hinting it’s time to find someone new to share her life, besides the kids need a dad. There’s no time or room in her life for romance. Which is fine with her.
Seth Castillo loves his laid-back life, and that includes the kids he teaches at the high school. He always asks for volunteers from one of his classes, mechanic shop, or woodwork shop, to be his helpers for his small side business doing repairs for friends and family. His mother, Claire, wants him to find a nice woman and settle down. Which is her way of saying she wants grandchildren. His life is full and satisfying the way it is, thank you very much.
When no amount of hinting or urging has results, Grandma Gerti and Claire decide to take matters into their own hands.
So there you have my three holiday books!
Here is an excerpt from The Holiday Cook Club – My new Release. This scene is from her friends wedding. The mother of the bride hired Sefani Halladay’s nemesis to be the caterer for the event.
Amy turned toward the front. Stef shrugged and followed. When they rounded the corner, a sight she had been thinking about appeared. A few overstuffed chairs with ottoman for their tired feet.
“I always knew you and I thought a lot alike. Let’s take the load off.”
Gratefully she sat, settled her feet on the ottoman laid her head back a moment and rolled her head to see her friend. Raising her flute, the twinkling lights reflected the bubbles sparkled as they danced to the top.
“To my best friend and part of the infamous three musketeers from Wintergreen High.” Amy raised hers, tipped it just enough to clink clinked the rim to Stef’s.
Darn, Stef was going to have to raise her head to sip. She leaned enough the inhale the scent, the bursting of the fizz and bubbles tickled her nose. She closed her eyes. took sip to enjoy the full experience.
“Ah, a bit of floral… Citrusy… with an undertone of earth.” She grinned at her friend. “This is a fine champagne.”
Amy gave her a smile in return. “Yes it is my friend. Now let’s see.”
She followed Stef’s example. “Mm, sweet, balanced with a hint of bitter. Yummy.”
“That’s how you describe my mother’s choice of a very fine champagne,” They both looked up to see Kim standing in front of their resting feet. “Yummy?”
“Do you have time to take a break? The three musketeers need to have a toast.” Stef pointed to the chair next to hers. “It has been way too long since we’ve been together.”
Kim almost fell into her chair. She swung her legs up to rest on the matching ottoman. As if on queue a server brought Kim a flute, the golden liquid bubbled in the lights.
“Thank you,” Kim told the server. “His tray was empty so I asked him to bring me one when he refilled. I didn’t mean for him to rush one to me.”
“Well, you are the woman of the day.” Stef smiled and raised her glass. “Friends forever, no matter how far apart we are, or how much time passes we will always be sisters.”
“Here, here,” Kim leaned forward to present her glass for the traditional click of rims. “You are correct it is Yummy.”
A few moments later everyone was asked to take their seats for dinner. “Come, I’m with the parents. I believe y’all are seated with the groomsmen.”
“I’m not going to complain, they were pretty cute.” Amy grinned.
Her friend was correct, they were cute. Why did she have to think of Grayson? Her nemesis cooking up his masterpieces for their pleasure. It better not be her recipe was all she could think.
“What is up with you?” Kim asked. “You’ve been out of it since we walked down the aisle. Before that you were fine.”
“It’s Grayson,” Amy provided.
“Who?”
Kim’s confused expression encompassed both of them. While Stef and Amy loved cooking, Kim not only hated it, couldn’t even boil an egg. So of course she wouldn’t know someone from their culinary days.
“He was at the Culinary Institute of America with us. I always thought Stef and Grayson had a thing, but apparently not,” Amy clarified.
Kim turned her attention to Stef, “Why would he put you into such a state of confusion or whatever if you don’t have the hots for him?”
“Because he betrayed my trust and I’m not sure I can forgive him.” Stef tried to keep the tears at bay, it didn’t work. “Jeez, now I have to go repair my make up.”
Kim’s mother rounded the corner, she may have had steam coming from her ears. Her frown gave away the fact she was not a happy camper.
“Here you three are, shoes off drinking champagne while dinner is waiting for the bride!”
“Hi Mom.” Kim’s calm voice seemed to smooth over her mother’s temper. “The musketeers needed to have one private moment for a toast, you understand, right? Let’s go.”
Kim looped her arm through her mothers and led the way around to the dinner room.
Stef swiped the wetness from her cheeks and hoped her makeup wasn’t too smeared.
Kim’s mother had not been exaggerating, everyone was at their seats and waiting. Heat blossomed over Stef’s cheeks. How embarrassing, to file into the room and all eyes turned their way. After they were seated Mrs. Thomas clicked her champagne glass with a spoon to draw everyone’s attention.
“Thank you for coming. I’m so proud of my daughter and everything she’s accomplished. I want to wish her and my new son-in-law, Joel, a happy new chapter of their life.”
Glasses were raised all around with various wishes called out as everyone sipped their bubbly
Maybe someday she would want to have the grand wedding, or not.
I hope you enjoy the Wintergreen Village Series as much as I did writing these. I hope you’ll read the third and final book next holiday season!
Purchase Links:
Amazon Series page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB954GXG
The Kristmas Project, Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CW1BTWNG
B&N Print only: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kristmas-project-mary-martinez/1146350696
The Holiday Cooking Club, Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DLVBNLCG
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1646623.Mary_Martinez
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mary-martinez
Meet the Author
Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with her husband, she has six grown children, and six wonderful grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters. She loves to spend time with family and friends–she includes good books as friends!
Mary and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, and Italy for the wine. And most recently she discovered she was Irish and Scottish, of course they had to visit Ireland and Scotland. Mary fell in love with both, but the green hills of Ireland felt like home. With the experience from the exotic places she has visited, she is able to fill her books with colorful descriptions of cities, painting a colorful backdrop for her characters. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett’s live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub, Putnum’s.
They are avid concert ‘Ho’s’! Yes, they pretty much want to do them all. They love outdoor amphitheaters the best and attend as many during the warmer months as possible.
Mary writes mostly romantic suspense, romance, women’s fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). During her writing career she has been a conference coordinator, workshop presenter, and chapter president for the Utah Chapter of RWA. In 2007 she was presented with the Utah RWA service award in acknowledgment and appreciation for outstanding service. Mary has also participated in numerous library panels on writing and co-presented a workshop on writing a series at the League of Utah Writers conference.
Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES, University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so much, that they were married at a tailgating in 1999.
Where You Can Find Mary
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryMartinezAKAMLFoxx/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormarymartinez/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marylmartinez3/_saved/
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marymartinezauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1646623.Mary_Martinez
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/marylmartinez
Threads: authormarymartinez
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MaryMartinez3
🎉 Giveaway Alert! 🎉
To celebrate the release of The Holiday Cookbook Club, one lucky reader will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
How to Enter:
- Comment below with the name of your favorite recipe
- Follow Mary on social media
- Share this post with your friends who love romance and food (what’s not to love!)
The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Wednesday, February 12.
Good luck, and happy reading.
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