No offense to any of the other authors I adore, but give me a Julie Lessman title any day of the week and it's a promise, nay a guarantee that you'll not see hide nor hair of me until that finished (with a groan of despair that I'm finished. ;-)
Know what else I love? The O'Connor family. So not only do I get to read this very last family episode in a drama that wasn't nearly long enough...but...
This is the family that has made Julie famous (Julie, don't you dare dispute me on that fact) and when I learned there would be a PREQUEL to Marcie and Patrick's story I just about danced a jig. And...have you seen the cover reveal?
Julie's own artist hubby put this together and her daughter is on the cover. A family affair? :-)
A Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story begins in 1895 following a decade of explosive industrial growth and immigration that Mark Twain called America’s “Gilded Age,” when the nation plummets into the worst economic depression at that time.
Marceline O’Connor and her best friend Julie O’Rourke have been selected to assist Sister Mary Frances with the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen. The play is called A Light in the Window, based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome strangers as if welcoming the Holy Family.
Doesn't the thought of another Marcie and Patrick story (two in ONE YEAR) just make your heart sigh???
Please tell me I'm not the only one... :-)
In celebration I'm giving away another one of Julie's titles. I have a copy of A Heart Revealed (where yours truly appeared as a cameo character ;-)
So tell me! Am I the only one this eager for two JL novels in 2012? And maybe if you're a new fan, then do you have another series you're eager to receive the coming novels for?
Also: please note the title I'm giving away is the fifth book in a series of six and it is best to read them all in order. US addresses only please.
I'm eager to chat when I get home from work tonight!! :-D
Amen Casey, you are not alone!
ReplyDeleteI'm a BIG J.L fan too! How special are the O'Connors? And the woman behind them?
This is a delightful way to start the day. Thanks Casey!
Forgot to add not to enter me, please.(I own a copy already.)
DeleteWhoever wins.. I hope you enjoy it! And (hopefully) become a new fan. How great is it that people are responding to J.L's Godly message!
:-)
Preach it, sista! I can't think of a better way to start (and end) a Friday then celebrating the love of Julie Lessman as a blog community!
DeleteI am a newer fan of Julie Lessman. I have a few books in my to read pile! I would love a chance to win A Heart Revealed. For me I am a huge Neta Jackson fan and cannot wait for her latest book to come out this year! I love reading your blog Casey!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Beth!! Keep on readin' and hopefully she'll just keep on writin'!
DeleteI love Julie Lessman as well!! I don't know how anyone could read one of her books and not be utterly hooked for the rest of their lives! I have A Love Surrendered on my kindle right now--but I have too many books to read before I can get into it yet. It's torture. Hopefully I can squeeze it in soon!!
ReplyDeleteGASP! Dawn, you haven't read ALS yet and you have it on your Kindle?? You're a better person than I am...good airplane read to Dallas...if you can wait that long. ;-)
DeleteOh my gosh! That Light in the Window book cover is gorgeous!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it?? Keith is SUPER talented and Amy (her daughter) is simply gorgeous.
DeleteHey, I remember seeing your name in that book! Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteA series I'm waiting for the next novel for...Susie Warren's Daughters of Fortune series. Waiting for the final book is killing me. Killing. Me!
Haha! That was fun. :-)
DeleteThat will be a great series conclusion. I expect a bang-up finish for that one. When does it release and has there been a cover reveal yet?
I have Love Surrendered on my Kindle, too, but the review books have taken over the priority right now. I'm especially excited about Marcy & Patrick's story.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on the review thing. I've got way too many on my plate right now. I think I've overbooked/extended myself. Oye. But it'll be fun!
DeleteOh Casey! I'm a new fan of Julie Lessman's! I absolutely love her books! I finished A Love Surrendered(from NetGalley) a couple of weeks ago and it was my favorite of the series. THEN I went and read A Passion Most Pure because you see, I didn't realize that THAT was the beginning of the series!!! So I still have the other two to read! I'm savoring them!!! I can't wait for A Light in the Window to come out! Love the cover, but I also can't wait to read Marcy and Patrick's story! Woo hoo!!!!
ReplyDeleteJulie @ My Favorite Pastime
Oh goodness, don't tell Julie you did that! ;-) Now you've got me super anxious to read ALS. I've decided to not get it through Netgalley just because I like to savor hers in print form. I do have a copy on preorder and one coming to review. It'll be a great day in my house when it arrives!
DeleteI love Julie's books and can't wait for the 6th in the series. How fun that we'll get to read Marcie and Patrick's story!!
ReplyDeleteI know!! I'm more than a little bit excited. I need to ask Julie if this is novella or novel length. Knowing Julie, I'm sure novel. ;)
DeleteCasey,
ReplyDeleteI'm reading A Love Revealed right now (so don't enter me) but now I have to try to find you! I'm very excited for the prequel, too.
Blessings,
Becky
Hahaha! I'm in there. I think "I" or actually my name shows up around page 56 or something...
DeleteGreat covers on these and all her books! Love what the hubby did. :)
ReplyDeleteDoreen
priviesandprims at yahoo dot com
I'm with you there! ♥
DeleteI've never read one of her books. Time for me to change that status with the praise I'm seeing here. The covers are beautiful.I'd love to win one too, lol. Thanks Casey.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, let's get you HOOKED, Susan. Your wallet might not thank me, but you will! ;-)
DeleteOh my, this makes me so happy! I've been holding off on reading A Heart Revealed because I want to have more Julie Lessman books to read after it. :) I fell in love with Marcie and Patrick in the first Daughters of Boston series and I've been waiting to finally hear their story. Cannot wait!
ReplyDeleteYou're a better person than I am, Sara! It's going to be a great year for you! I remember when I first got started, I read the first two and then the third came out that fall. Then it was ANOTHER year before the new series started. I had to remind myself I was late to the game and had the benefit of not waiting a long time between reading any of the titles. ;)
DeleteI too LOVE Julie's books and was super excited when I learned that there would be TWO of her books released this year! I can hardly wait to read A Love Surrendered and A Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story!
ReplyDeleteI know, I know!! That's why I thought it totally deserved it's own blog post. ;)
DeleteWow! I've never read anything by that author. Thanks for posting this! I'm going to try her out.
ReplyDeleteYou need to, Fawn. Totally worth it in so many ways.
DeleteI would love to read this series. It sounds good. Please enter me in contest.
ReplyDeleteOh yes ma'am!
DeleteI'm really looking forward to these books as well. My book club read A Passion Most Pure so I got hooked on them and read all the rest of the books. I have a copy of A Heart Revealed so don't put my name in for the drawing.
ReplyDeleteWay to go for your book club! I bet that made for some "passionate" discussion. ;)
DeleteOMIGOSH, CASE!!! You must have read my Journal Jots this morning because I was having a blue day today and then I saw THIS!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are simply a total blessing from God, and I thank Him that our paths have crossed and a beautiful LIFETIME friendship has been forged!!
Thank you SO much for your support, your love and your friendship. You are one in a million my friend.
And guess what??!! Keith and I were out to dinner tonight with Amy and her beau and the waitress looked EXACTLY like you!! I wanted to jump up and hug her, but I restrained myself and just told her she looked like a VERY pretty friend of mine. :)
Love you!
Julie
Nope, Julie I never did. And I wrote this post LAST NIGHT. So there. That's a total God-moment. :D
DeleteAh, how sweet that you thought of me! Save that hug for me though, don't go giving it away to anyone else. ;-)
♥ ♥
Who doesn't love Julie Lessman and her books. More is definitely better in this case. Thanks for the post!!! Don't enter me, though, Casey, as we'll all be reading Julie's new releases at Overcoming Through Time. This is NEXT on my TBR stack!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! And Carrie..thanks SO Much for the promo! Working at work all day, I don't have time to send out tweets during the day. SUPER appreciate it. :D
DeleteYes, yes, yes! I'd love to win this book. I love Julie's work and absolutely adore the O'Connor clan!
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in the drawing: pthib07@gmail.com
Thanks & God Bless!
PamT
Yay, another O'Connor lover!
DeleteCasey, I LOVE her books! I can't wait to read these new books. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHow far into the series are you, Ladette? I have a feeling the best is still yet to come...though I hate to think of saying good bye!
DeleteI'm a huge fan toooooo, enough that I thought I'd already read her new book...oops...so yes I'd love to read it!!!!!!!!!! love the info on the cover, husband and daughter...awesome and beautiful....vrush729@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that her family took part in the creation. Great, great design. YAY! I love meeting enthusiastic fans. :D
DeleteI'm sighing right along with you, Casey!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait! And I'm really looking forward to the new series early next year! Do you think Julie can keep up this pace? 3 books a year! LOL.
Don't enter me in the draw b/c I have the book and I'm not in the U.S.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Cheers,
Sue
Oh good, another sigh-er! ;-)
DeleteOh she could totally keep up this pace. *wink, wink*
Julie Lessman's books are among my favorites. I'd also love the chance to own this--it was one of the best, in my opinion. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI agree!! It pushed A Passion Most Pure out of the favorite seat and THAT was no easy task!
DeleteI haven't read any of her books but am always liking for new authors. I would like to win even if it is the 5th of 6 books if I win I will propably get the other 5
ReplyDeleteOh Debbie, then we need to get you started. Julie is too good of an author to NOT read. :D
DeleteYou are most definitely not the only one! I just re-read the first 3 since I own them and then put the other 2 on hold at the library and got #5 before we left for our trip so I just finished re-reading that yesterday. I read this series at least once a year :-)
ReplyDeleteAh, bliss! If I had the time to do that, I think I'd read all six every year too. You go, girl!
DeleteLOL I wrote a comment on a blog a few weeks ago expressing the overwhelming joy I felt that there were so many Julie books coming out in such a sort period of time so I totally love this post! It's nice to know I'm not alone even though her books are ALWAYS worth the wait!
ReplyDeletexoxo~ Renee C.
Please don't enter me, I already have this book.
AND we get the first of NEW series first of 2013. How do ya like them apples? I can't think of a better way to spend my time than with one of her books.
DeleteI'm new to Julie's books (I'm just now reading APMP). A series I love that I'm hoping there will be more books in is the River of Time series by Lisa Bergren. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteFrequentreader19 at gmail dot com
Oooh, I LOVED APMP. It was only slightly unseated by A Heart Revealed. I hope you fall in love as hard as the rest of us!
DeleteDear Casey,
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in your book giveaway for Julie Lessman's latest book. I've never read her books and am eager to start reading on the first one.
Happy Labor Day!
Janet Estridge
von1janet(@)gmail.com
Oh yes, do read them in order! Each one packs special surprises all through those jam-packed 500 pages. :D
DeleteI would love to fall in love with Julie's books! I also love a series with several books so I don't have to let go! I'm a missionary that loves to read as we travel!
ReplyDeleteA book for the road is the best gift anyone can give me! Julie's would be so great on a cross-country road trip. ;)
DeleteA HUGE hug to CASE and ALL my favorite reader friends who support me with all the "passion" with which I write for them -- you guys ROCK!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, Case, A Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story was pitched as a novella to Revell two years ago, but my agent and I decided to take it off the table and do it ourselves, so true to form, it turned into a 379-page book. Sigh. At least it's not 500 pages ... ;)
And NO, I doubt I can keep up the 3-books-in-year pace -- I'm not Mary Connealy, after all -- but I sure hope to crank out at least two a year, and the lower page count is realllllllly helping there!!
Thanks again, Case, for the blog feature -- you even got ME excited about these books coming out ... ;)
Hugs and more hugs,
Julie
LOL! That's okay, longer is better...that way I never have to let go of these characters! The only thing I'm sad about in the novella is that none of the kids will be in the story yet.
DeleteEven one a year, Julie, makes each one super precious to those anxious for the release. Don't kill yourself (or your hubby! ;-)
I haven't read any of Julie's books but have heard so much about them that I want to read them. Please enter in the book giveaway.
ReplyDeleteBlessing,s
Jo
azladijo(at)aoL(dot)com
Oh yep, you're in the right place to learn a bit more from some of the best Julie Lessman junkies. ;)
DeleteLove this beautiful website! My compliments to the designer.
ReplyDeleteI have not read any of Julie's books. They all look good. Thank you for the offer to enter to win one.
Those are some beautiful covers on the books. That is really special that her husband did the cover with their daughter featured. Perfect!
Blessings, Janice jsmithg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks Janice! Welcome to Writing for Christ! Have you seen the covers for any of Julie's other books? Definitely worth checking out! www.julielessman.com
DeleteI LOVE JL as well and can't wait to read her upcoming release. So jealous that it is available on Kindle already!!
ReplyDeleteBattles2001@hotmail.com
And...AND I just found ALITW up for preorder on Amazon!! Oh Happy Day!!
DeleteSigh! Maybe I need to trade my Nook in! ;). So excited there are 2 books in 1 year.
DeleteCasey, I agree! Once I have one of Julie's novels in my hands, the rest of the world fades away! I love the O'Connor family, especially the way Charity does all those things I'm too afraid to do!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, ma'am! Faith has always been a bit of my "role model" and my favorite character, but Charity gets a lot of the good lines!
DeleteI'm just discovering Julie Lessman! I haven't read any of her books, but I'm going to rectify that very soon. :) Thanks for spotlighting these novels - they look lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou've made a good discovery Gabrielle!
DeleteA Heart Revealed has been on my to-read list for a while now. I just haven't had the chance to start it yet. I have to get back on track so I can find out how the O'Connor story concludes!!
ReplyDeleteOoo, get thee to your book stack, Carly! It's a MUST read!!!
DeleteI am excited to get into this series. I have some of the books already but haven't started it yet. I need to!
ReplyDeleteWendy
Wsmarple/at/gmail/dot/com
Isn't it sad to think this series is going to be closed for good this year?? Sniff.
DeleteI love Julie Lessman's writing, too, and can't wait to read this one, plus I would love to read your giveaway book as I am only on #3 in the series right now. Glad Julie writes fast! Another series I like is the Mitford series by Jan Karon, but it has been so Looong since the author wrote anything new that I think she is losing her following. crmcc at setel dot com
ReplyDeleteYou'll want to get the other three books, Rose! The entire series is one that just so tightly resounds with the reader.
DeleteYou aren't alone!! super excited!!! tammyredd@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteUm, yes please!!!! Count me in as SUPER excited!!! Cannot wait for these books!!! LOVE Julie and her books!!! :D
ReplyDelete***not an entry***
I haven't read any of these books, but would like to. They sound interesting.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com