Spotlight on the Bonita Creek Series by June McCrary Jacobs

Happy Wednesday!

What better way to celebrate the middle of the week than with a post featuring an entire series! The Bonita Creek series by June McCrary Jacobs is a a contemporary romance series that is sure to tug on your heartstrings. There are excerpts for each book included below, and be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom and enter to win the series for yourself!

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for the Bonita Creek series by June McCrary Jacobs, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Books

Title: Robin's Reward

Series: Bonita Creek #1

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: May, 2021 (re-release)

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Is a relationship which began with both parties harboring secrets destined to survive?

Welcome to friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Bonita Creek’s librarian, Robin Bennett, is heartbroken after being abandoned by her husband, Thomas. Mysterious Jeff Clarke arrives in town unexpectedly and touches Robin’s life with his wit and warmth. Without warning, Jeff’s harsh words and abrasive actions scare her off, and Robin’s hope of finding true, long-lasting love withers again.

Can the couple move past their troubles and the obstacles in their path to find love and happiness together? Jeff and Robin must use their faith and their newly-forged bond with each other to remain strong and true. Will it be enough for them to embrace a life of love, trials, and blessings . . . together?

'Robin's Reward,' Book One in the Bonita Creek Series, is a contemporary Christian romance story which is completely clean in language and content.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | BookBub

Excerpt

"I brought out some freshly-baked muffins and a bowl of strawberries I picked from my garden this morning. Would you like a snack with your tea?"

"Sure, I could eat."

"Help yourself. I'd like to say grace before we start to eat," she said. He nodded as he bowed his head.

When she murmured amen, he said, "My family always said grace before a meal when I was growing up. I guess I've gotten out of the habit, being a bachelor. I eat most of my meals alone. Not a good excuse for not expressing my gratitude, I know."

Robin was touched by his candor and hesitated before lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. So, he's not married.

As they each loaded food onto their plates, Jeff spoke. "I figured out on my walk that I live on the next block over in that direction." He pointed toward the back of Robin's property. "In fact, I think I may live directly behind you."

"Proving once again it's a small world," Robin said shaking her head.

"I'll say. You have a beautiful garden out here." He waved a hand toward her front yard. "It's full of all sorts of flowers and shrubs. It looks as if your lot is deep on the back side of the cottage. What do you grow back there?"

Robin sat back in her chair and realized after a rough start, she was slowly beginning to relax. She loved talking about her gardens to whoever would listen.

"I grow strawberries, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, and some green beans. Later on in June, I'll plant a small pumpkin patch with some other types of squash and gourds, too, so they'll be ripe and ready by October."

"Wow," he said. "I'm impressed."

She took a couple of sips of her iced tea and continued, "I have some berry bushes and a few small citrus trees. I love to take flowers to the church for the altar and to give to my friends and extended family, so I have a large cutting garden with Shasta daisies, Gerbera daisies, sunflowers, coneflowers, roses of all colors and sizes, peonies, irises, and gladioluses."

After popping a juicy strawberry into her mouth she continued, "I have a section by the fence that runs pretty natural with wildflowers such as California golden poppies, bachelor's buttons, blue and white lupine, and nasturtiums. My favorite summer flowers are dahlias. I have a bed way in the back where I try to plant a different variety of dahlia each year, but my collection is still rather small."

Robin stopped short and looked directly at her guest. "Are you tired of hearing about my gardens yet?"

"Absolutely not; go on."

The genuine warmth she felt in his smile made her heart skip another beat. She ate a few more strawberries and continued, "I have a section in back that gets a lot of sun, so I filled it with lavender, cacti, succulents, and rocks."

"Excuse the interruption, but don't the rocks require a lot of water? I've heard California is constantly in a state of worry about drought."

She smiled. "Very funny . . .

Title: Jorie's Journey

Series: Bonita Creek #2

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: May, 2022

Genre: Christian Western Contemporary Romance

After an idyllic life scarred by a traumatic event, is Jorie Woodstone ready to move forward to share her life's journey with a man who loves her unconditionally?

Welcome back to friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Jorie Woodstone is the owner and operator of the wildly successful Cowgirl Bakery in Old Town Bonita Creek. She appears to have it all. She is musically gifted and belongs to a warm, loving, supportive family; but she's built a brick fortress around her heart after being traumatized by an acquaintance in an unforgettable event three years earlier.

Join this talented, spirited cowgirl as she journeys on through life's joys and sorrows with faith, strength, courage, and love on the road to true happiness.

'Jorie's Journey,' Book Two in the Bonita Creek Series, is a contemporary Christian Western romance story which is completely clean in language and content.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Excerpt

As she approached the front counter in her Cowgirl Bakery shop located on Main Street in old town Bonita Creek, California, Jorie Woodstone wiped her wet hands on the fluffy towel buttoned to her crisp white apron. Her long, thick hair was pulled into a ponytail peeking out from beneath her red gingham scarf. An urge to make a detour to check her reflection in the nearby mirror kicked in when the man standing at the counter turned to face her. His emerald green eyes were set off by a head of thick, wavy dark brown hair.

Jorie recited her usual greeting, "Hi, may I help you?" in a slightly more-friendly-than- usual tone. To her surprise, the newcomer was so busy checking her out that he hesitated for nearly thirty seconds before responding. When he spoke, his rich southern baritone vibrated through her ears.

"Hello, miss. I need to pick up a couple of pies to take over to my friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. The Cowgirl Bakery was highly recommended to me by my hostess at the bed and breakfast inn where I'm staying. Please don't let me down by telling me it's too late to order pies for the occasion." His mouth settled into a sweet pout.

"What flavors did you have in mind?" Jorie tried to sound thrilled to have his business at this late hour. In truth, she was exhausted from the multitude of Thanksgiving orders for pies and other baked goods she'd received from her ultra-supportive hometown. She dreamed of going home early tonight to soak her exhausted body in a luxurious bubble bath and watch a couple of episodes of her favorite Masterpiece Mystery series.

"What do you recommend? I mean, you're the one who works in a bakery and all."

"I think it's always nice to offer an assortment of pies. How about one organic apple cinnamon and one organic pumpkin nutmeg? Most people seem to like one or both of those flavors."

"I'm from New Orleans, so I was dreaming of a pecan pie . . ."

"No can do," Jorie clipped off. "We don't usually do pecan pie here in California. Well, I mean we don't do pecan pie without some advance notice. It's too late to order organic pecans for tomorrow."

"What a shame," the customer shook his head sadly. "Well, I guess I'll just have to accept the fact tomorrow will be my first Thanksgiving feast ever without a slice or two or three of pecan pie."

He looked as if he were already grieving the loss of pecan pie on his Thanksgiving menu. Jorie felt a twinge of regret for his loss, but the line of customers behind him was stacking up and she was short-handed today. Her most-experienced employee, Connie, had requested the day off so that she and her husband could travel to spend the holiday with their family in Idaho. Her other experienced employee, James, was home nursing a bad case of strep throat and was unable to serve the public.

She wanted nothing more than to hurry this man along. However, she accepted long ago the reality that a large part of being a successful small business owner was to project the image that said owner actually enjoyed working with the public. She always attempted to give the illusion of being the queen of customer service in Bonita Creek.

Title: Christmas in Bonita Creek

Series: Bonita Creek #3

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: December, 2022

Genre: Christian Historical Romance with Military Elements

After seeing more than two years of combat in the Korean War, will the homecoming of two men from Bonita Creek be filled with the joy and romance they are yearning for or will it bring them even more heartache?

It's late summer, 1952, in friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Estelle Vincent is missing her older brother, Sam, and her fiancé, John Chaplin, who are far away fighting for the US Army in the Korean War. They've been gone for more than two long years, and she is feeling out of sorts.

When she has a frank discussion with her mother, Estelle realizes that she is not the only one who has been moody and bored with her uneventful life. Her mother's words inspire Estelle and catapult her into action organizing a community holiday project for the children and teens whose parents work for Mountainside Ranch outside of town.

As the story deepens, Estelle learns that several people close to her are harboring secrets—including her mother, her brother, and her best friend. She learns to be flexible and understanding as she looks outside of her own life and examines the impact of unforeseen events on those closest to her heart.

Join this intelligent, strong-willed hometown young woman as she navigates the obstacles and challenges of life with hope, perseverance, faith, courage, and love on her road to a brighter future filled with dreams come true.

'Christmas in Bonita Creek,' Book Three in the Bonita Creek Series, is a historical Christian holiday romance story which is completely clean in language and content.

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | BookBub

Excerpt

Estelle sat quietly for a few moments before she smiled. She had been in love with John

since she was barely seventeen, much too young to marry according to her mother. At that time, Sam and John were serving in Europe in World War II. Since John had been her brother's best

friend since childhood, Estelle felt like she knew him well even though he was five and a half

years older than she. Now at the ripe old age of twenty-four, Estelle knew her mother had been

right all along.

By the time both men returned from Europe in mid-1945, Estelle had blossomed from a

lanky teen into a pretty young woman. When she turned eighteen, John asked Mr. Vincent's

permission to date his only daughter. The Vincents trusted John completely, so he and Estelle

began dating.

It didn't take either of them long to discover that they were meant for each other. Estelle's

spirited, independent, outgoing personality perfectly complemented John's serious, intelligent,

reserved nature. They enjoyed going on long walks, fishing, swimming, going to the theater to

see movies and plays, and attending church services and events together.

When Estelle turned twenty-one in 1949, John proposed to her at Evergreen Pond where

they liked to go to picnic and fish. She was taken completely by surprise when he proposed.

Without hesitation, she accepted; and John gave her a modest diamond ring set in gold. They

agreed to wait until the autumn of 1950 to marry.

Unfortunately, like many young couples across the nation, fate had other plans for the

pair. In late June of 1950, President Truman entered the United States into the Korean War after

North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. Sam and John were reactivated into the US

Army and were swiftly sent to Korea to join the military ranks fighting against the threat of

Communism.

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About the Author

June McCrary Jacobs's debut novella, 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom', was the winner of Cedar Fort Publishing's 2013 Holiday Tale Contest. 'Robin's Reward', a Christian contemporary romance, is set in the Mendocino coastal region of California. It is Book One in the 'Bonita Creek Series' and was originally released in 2015; the second edition of the book was released in July, 2022. The second book in the series, 'Jorie's Journey', was released in late May of 2022. The third book in the series a Christian historical romance, 'Christmas in Bonita Creek', was released in December, 2022. 'Romance By Proxy' is a later-in-life clean, wholesome romance set in Humboldt County on the Northern Coast of San Francisco which was released in August, 2021. June's Christian historical romance short story, 'Handmade Hearts', was inspired by the true story of how June's aunt and uncle met in New Orleans during World War II and was released in December, 2018. June's debut middle-grade novel, 'RES-Q Tyler Stop', a historical novel set in Sonoma County, California, in 1968, was released in the spring of 2019. In early 2022 she published two short story collections for children entitled, 'Carter's Cookies & More Family Stories for Children' and 'Banjo & More Pet Stories for Children'. As a retired elementary school teacher and literacy mentor, June finds writing for children to be a rewarding and challenging experience.

Connect with June by visiting authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift card + Bonita Creek Series e-books!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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