Victoria James

Perfect for fans of Anita Hughes and Jenny Colgan, the mistletoe is hanging and the Christmas lights twinkling in Fortune's Cove--but there are holiday secrets lurking in the far shadows. Annie Hamilton is a single mother of two and veterinarian whose family is on the verge of falling apart. Her husband has passed away, her teenage son is finding trouble at every turn, and she's desperately struggling to keep it all together. When she decides to leave the city for Fortune's Cove in a last-ditch search for peace and togetherness, she's welcomed by her late husband's best friend, Matt--a friend who swore he'd always be there for them. Surrounded by majestic ocean, the island's famous red sand dunes, and a glowing holiday spirit, Annie and her family are embraced by a warm community more than willing to welcome them. As she joins Matt's veterinary practice and her son begins to stabilize, Annie feels hopeful for the future, beginning to realize that true family is all about love and not just about blood. Annie could never have imagined that a thousand hundred miles from the city could feel the closest to home that she's ever been. But this cozy enclave harbors a trove of secrets that could undo the life of a vulnerable young woman. When the past threatens the family Annie is rebuilding, she finds the courage to fiercely protect all of them--and discovers just how far she'll go to save her family and herself.

Hope Roberts has a strict No Cowboys Allowed policy. Between raising her daughter, running her business, and trying to settle into her new ranch, Hope has no room for romance--especially when it comes to cowboys. What she needs is someone to help fix her ranch. But the only person to respond to her ad is the one man Hope still blames for her husband's death... In Wishing River, Dr. Dean Stanton is pretty much a legend. Cowboy, doctor, heir to his family's ranching empire--everyone knows and loves him...with the exception of Hope. But Dean doesn't trust a complete stranger to keep Hope and her daughter safe. And despite their troubled past, he's still the best cowboy for her job. Bit by cautious bit, Hope's little family of two is making room for the man she once thought of as her enemy. Until one day, Dean looks like the perfect exception to her "no cowboys" rule. But he's been keeping a secret from her that could destroy their newfound family... Each book in the Wishing River series is STANDALONE: * The Trouble with Cowboys* Cowboy for Hire* Wishing For A Cowboy* Mail Order Cowboy

'Tis the season at The Christmas House, and Ruby Harris is getting married--but a winter storm of emotion could derail the whole affair in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Victoria James's second Christmas House novel. Ruby Harris, longtime owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, is tying the knot--on Christmas Eve Olivia Harris is thrilled for her grandmother and can't wait to help plan the event. Newly divorced, with an adorable baby girl, Olivia has spent the last year starting a new life in Silver Springs. First on her list is to renovate the old warehouse she's purchased and launch her dance studio. Second is to find a date for the wedding. And third is to not fall for that date, because she's sworn off relationships forever. When Olivia's meets Scott, a talented contractor, she hires him for the renovation. She also tries to ignore the sparks that fly between them. Then, an unexpected Christmas guest arrives: Olivia's ex, Will, who's come to rekindle their relationship. Now, Olivia must decide if she has it in her heart to forgive Will, or if she should pursue an exciting new relationship with Scott. Packed with Christmas cheer, this "heartwarming holiday romance" (Jenny Hale, on The Christmas House) will have you believing in the magic of the season.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Victoria James is back with a heartwarming story about three generations of women trying to reconcile for the holidays. It's Christmas in the small town of Silver Springs which is bursting with holiday spirit. The downtown shops boast twinkling lights, and the town square features an enormous Christmas tree. Every Christmas Eve for the past fifty years, Ruby Harris, the owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, has opened her doors to strangers in need, showing them the compassion once denied to her. When Ruby invites her family home for the holidays, including her two adult grandchildren, Charlotte and Olivia, she hopes they will be able to put the past behind them. However, her plans for reconciliation implode as the women unravel secrets from the past that force them to confront the impact they've had on their dysfunctional family. As Charlotte grows closer to Wyatt, the neighbor next door and a friend from the past, old memories resurface that the women would rather forget. they're reminded of a man they want to forget. As the clock inches closer to the New Year, can the magic of the season bring the family closer? Or will a surprise guest threaten their tentative truce and test newly formed bonds? This light-hearted Christmas tale draws inspiration from Victoria James's own historical fixer-upper, offering plenty of warmth and holiday cheer.

Janie Adams has been a single parent to her nephew since he was a baby. Fifteen years later, she's finally found out who his father might be, so the two of them travel across the country to find him. She'd do anything for this kid. But when they arrive in the small town of Wishing River, Montana, and Janie finally meets the ruggedly handsome cowboy she'd been told had abandoned his son, his shocked response changes everything. Aiden Rivers can't dispute this is his kid when he sees his own features staring back at him, but he had no idea Janie's sister was pregnant when she left him. He didn't even know she had a sister--clearly they'd all been lied to. Now he has fifteen years of fatherhood to make up for and no idea how to be a dad. This was never in his plans. Janie sticks around to help him ease into parenting, everything from showing him how to lure a sulky kid out of his bedroom to keeping up with the latest teen-speak. Together, they surprisingly make a good team, this city girl and country boy. But when the past catches up with them, Aiden and Janie must decide what's best for the boy who's connecting them, not only for each other...which could mean splitting them apart. Each book in the Wishing River series is STANDALONE: * The Trouble with Cowboys* Cowboy for Hire* Wishing For A Cowboy

Winner of the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards Drink Book Award 2021Longlisted for the André Simon Food & Drink Book Awards 2020'Hugely entertaining' Jay Rayner'A brilliantly Bourdain-ish tale of a young woman making her way through the sexist American fine-dining world' ObserverAged twenty-one, Victoria James was named the US's youngest sommelier, working in Michelin-starred restaurants, serving the finest wines. The groping patrons she learned to handle, but, behind the scenes, the world of high-end dining was a mess of fractious relationships and unacknowledged abuse. It would take hitting rock-bottom for Victoria to find her way back to the industry she adores. Wine Girl is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from her traumatic childhood. It's the story of overcoming a notoriously misogynistic business, and of the restorative power of a glass of wine with friends.'Addictive' Stylist 'A must-read' Daily Telegraph'I glugged at the gossipy bits and sipped at the sad parts . . . you'll raise a glass to her extraordinary resilience' Sunday Times**NOW WITH EXCLUSIVE ADDITIONAL CONTENT: WINE PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH CHAPTER OF THE BOOK**

An affecting memoir from the country's youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the country's youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even as Victoria was selling bottles worth hundreds and thousands of dollars during the day, passing sommelier certification exams with flying colors, and receiving distinction from all kinds of press, there were still groping patrons, bosses who abused their role and status, and a trip to the hospital emergency room. It would take hitting bottom at a new restaurant and restorative trips to the vineyards where she could feel closest to the wine she loved for Victoria to re-emerge, clear-eyed and passionate, and a proud leader of her own Michelin-starred restaurant.Exhilarating and inspiring, Wine Girl is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from an abusive and traumatic childhood on her own terms; an ethnography of the glittering, high-octane, but notoriously corrosive restaurant industry; and above all, a love letter to the restorative and life-changing effects of good wine and good hospitality.

The Water dancer is about a hip-hop dancer named Zulaya that can control water through her dance moves. It will be a series that follows a high school girl growing into her powers and abilities. Along the way she will know friendships, pain, and love in her life. The character is relatable because she deals with not knowing how she fits into this world. I like the fact that she's not this cool girl that has life all figured out.

An affecting memoir from the country's youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the country's youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even as Victoria was selling bottles worth hundreds and thousands of dollars during the day, passing sommelier certification exams with flying colors, and receiving distinction from all kinds of press, there were still groping patrons, bosses who abused their role and status, and a trip to the hospital emergency room. It would take hitting bottom at a new restaurant and restorative trips to the vineyards where she could feel closest to the wine she loved for Victoria to re-emerge, clear-eyed and passionate, and a proud leader of her own Michelin-starred restaurant.Exhilarating and inspiring, Wine Girl is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from an abusive and traumatic childhood on her own terms; an ethnography of the glittering, high-octane, but notoriously corrosive restaurant industry; and above all, a love letter to the restorative and life-changing effects of good wine and good hospitality.

An affecting memoir from the country's youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the country's youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even as Victoria was selling bottles worth hundreds and thousands of dollars during the day, passing sommelier certification exams with flying colors, and receiving distinction from all kinds of press, there were still groping patrons, bosses who abused their role and status, and a trip to the hospital emergency room. It would take hitting bottom at a new restaurant and restorative trips to the vineyards where she could feel closest to the wine she loved for Victoria to re-emerge, clear-eyed and passionate, and a proud leader of her own Michelin-starred restaurant.Exhilarating and inspiring, Wine Girl is the memoir of a young woman breaking free from an abusive and traumatic childhood on her own terms; an ethnography of the glittering, high-octane, but notoriously corrosive restaurant industry; and above all, a love letter to the restorative and life-changing effects of good wine and good hospitality.

Emily Birmingham has had it up to here with men. Growing up with an overbearing father and then her brother inherits everything she's worked her whole life to build. Now she's living in her grandmother's dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere Canada, jobless, and dealing with the most annoyingly sexy contractor on the planet. Exactly when did her life become an anti-Hallmark movie? Cooper Merrick learned the hard way that love is definitely not worth the risk. He's happy running the family contracting business alongside his well-meaning but overly-opinionated brothers...happy enough until polished and perfect Emily enters his world. Nothing prepared him for the ways she turns his life upside down and reaches the parts of himself he's closed off from the world.But when he finally gets up the nerve to ask Emily out, she says her next date will need to come with a written contract and some very particular ground rules. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but why does he find himself wanting to sign on the dotted line?

Fall in love this holiday season with this heartwarming story about finding romance, the magic of Christmas, and the importance of family... Children's bookstore owner Addie Mayberry believes in the magic of Christmas. Or at least, she used to. So when a young customer needs some seasonal optimism, Addie sets out to give the vulnerable, heartbroken little girl the best Christmas ever. Which means helping the hottest man in Shadow Creek, Bella's surgeon father, find his holiday spirit. Addie's up to the challenge, but between tree decorating and late night talks, she realizes she's starting to fall hard for the one man she definitely shouldn't. Drew Barrett drastically changed his fast-paced life when he moved back to Shadow Creek, but it was all worth it to give his daughter a better life. He wasn't exactly winning dad-of-the-year awards before, so he's determined to make it up to Bella. And with Addie's help, he's slowly repairing his relationship with his daughter. The last thing he wants is to fall in love, since that road only leads to pain, but he can't stop thinking about Addie. Not only is she gorgeous, sweet, and great with Bella, she fills something in him he never knew was missing. But Addie wants forever, which is more than Drew can offer...

Leaving Shadow Creek was the hardest thing Molly Mayberry's ever had to do. A chance of a lifetime position at the local hospital means going home and facing her past, including the fianc she ran out on. Ben Matthews is still the sexy, sweet man she left behind...and apparently still her fianc . Ben has been pursuing the position of fire chief since he was a teenager. There's just one problem-he has to show his boss he's ready to settle down. He'll do anything to get this job. And apparently so will his brother when he decides to help by telling everyone Ben and Molly are engaged. Now the one woman he never stopped loving is living with him in a fake relationship, driving him crazy.

Connor O'Leary knows nothing about babies, families, or good women, yet he's up to his ears in all three. Coming to Shadow Creek, Montana was meant to be a new start for this former oil rigger, but he had no idea that fresh beginning would include a baby on his doorstep and a hot nanny he can't stop thinking about. Diapers, feedings, and late nights soothing his little bundle of surprise were definitely not on his itinerary.The last thing Haley Thomson expected to see is the reclusive Connor with a baby in his arms. Before she knows it, she's volunteered as nanny

Discover one of the most popular yet misunderstood wines-rose-in this full-color guide and history from an award-winning sommelier, filled with advice on which producers to try, fun information on how it's made, and a collection of recipes to wet your whistle and whet the taste buds. For years, rose has struggled to achieve a serious place at the dinner table. Overshadowed by low-quality pink wines, rose's reputation and style diminished. But within the past five years, Americans have begun to rediscover the vintage's myriad pleasures. In this enchanting book, author, sommelier, and restaurant-professional Victoria James offers a spirited look at where rose comes from and how it's made, and provides expert insight on what bottles to try (and what bottles to absolutely avoid). She also provides easy traditional and seasonal recipes using this versatile, flavorful wine. Combining delightful stories with whimsical and clever illustrations, Drink Pink is a clever, captivating, and unpretentious look at rose for novices and connoisseurs and alike. Get in the pink with Drink Pink!

Discover the true meaning of Christmas with this beautiful, poignant story about overcoming loss, the strength of family, and finding love again... It's been five long years since Julia Bailey lost everything. Returning to Shadow Creek is every bit as hard and painful as she expected, but she's determined to finally face her fear, which also means spending Christmas with her former in-laws. For the first time in forever, Julia begins to feel the twinges of holiday spirit, especially as she spends more time with an old friend, the irresistible town sheriff, and his adorable daughter. Single dad and county Sheriff Chase Donovan was secretly in love with his best friend's wife for years. But after her traumatic loss, he knew Julia needed to go, even though helping her leave was the last thing he wanted to do. Now she's home and he doesn't intend to lose her a second time. Chase is going to prove to Julia just how good they can be together this Christmas...and forever.