Click on image to enlarge.

Category: Romance/Fantasy
Description: Maurice- the exiled, shrunken Fae with wings even Tinkerbell would scorn--has one wish: to be real for Holly, the librarian. In her dreams, they are in love, but she doesn't remember or see or hear him when she's awake. He is only allowed is one day, four times a year, to be full-sized, able to talk with her and try to win her heart. Christmas is coming, and his next day as an ordinary man. As he waits impatiently for his rendezvous with Holly, life goes on in Neighborlee, Ohio. Albeit, life in Neighborlee isn't what most people would call normal. Especially when three couples come to town with various magical dilemmas to resolve. Bethany is a local girl who became a Hollywood starlet. All she wants is an ordinary Christmas, sans paparazzi. With the help of Harry and his malfunctioning invisibility spell, she just might get it. And a lot more. Wilfred and Philomena are best buddies, and their Fae relatives want them separated so each one can find their true love. But what happens when your true love is under your nose, and you can't convince him -- or her -- of that important little fact? Lori is allergic to mistletoe, and on the run from her aristocratic relatives who want to pair her with an "appropriate" Fae man. She hides out in Neighborlee and meets Brick, who has some romantic interference problems of his own. He believes in magic -- but can he believe in Fae or think she's insane when she tells him the truth? Christmas is the most magical time of the year -- especially for Fae in search of love in Neighborlee, Ohio.
eBook Publisher: Uncial Press, 2010
eBookwise Release Date: December 2010

2 Reader Ratings:

Great	Good	OK	Poor

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [337 KB]
Words: 75430
Reading time: 215-301 min.

"... not set in any particular season. In fact it spans a whole year and more. Despite this I felt as if the Christmas spirit was on every page, infusing the whole book with goodwill and the spirit of giving. I could even taste Christmas when customers stood at the counter talking to Angela or her staff. At the end I felt Maurice had earned his freedom at least twice, but do his probation officer and the court agree? Ms. Levigne has written a glorious book which left me with a feeling of goodwill and satisfaction."--Orchid, Long and Short Reviews

After two blocks, with their steps synchronized, perfectly content with silent walking, they came to a dead-end street. A big gold and olive and cream Victorian house looked down over the slope, like a guardian. Oil lanterns glowed in a dozen windows. The huge wraparound porch was hung with icicles and garlands of ribbons, gold beads, and white-berried sprigs of mistletoe and holly. The wrought iron fence surrounding the house nearly groaned audibly with the weight of matching decorations. Lori felt her skin itch at the mere volume of the unfriendly greenery so close to her. And getting closer every minute.

"Umm, so where is this place we're going?" she asked, and cringed back a little. Brick wasn't leading her up through that archway just dripping with mistletoe and holly, was he?

"Getting cold? Sorry. Guess I should have offered to drive." He wrapped his arm tighter around her and quickened their pace. "We're right here."

Before she knew it, Lori was through the gate--and not a hive appeared. She was sure she'd get a big, ugly red one on the end of her nose, at the very least. Maybe Brick was magic and protected her from the malign influence in the air? Stranger things had happened.

She blinked, and he had her up the steps and onto the porch. Still no itching, no watering eyes, no shortness of breath. What were her chances this was plastic mistletoe and holly? That hadn't protected her in the past, unfortunately. Some of her worst allergic reactions came from the cheapest, ugliest plastic mistletoe and holly she had ever seen. Maybe the cold slowed down the malicious effects?

Brick let go of her to reach ahead and open the big, stained glass door with the sign above it that welcomed them to Divine's Emporium.

Lori felt a prickle on the end of her nose and on the palms of her hands the minute Brick let go of her. She gasped and almost stopped short. Survival instincts kicked in and she hurried through the door, hunching her shoulders to keep as far away from the garland of mistletoe and holly framing the doorway.

"Here we are." Brick gestured for her to look around the store, which filled every room of the house-turned-shop. He took hold of her hand. The itching vanished.

Just my luck--he's the cure. What am I supposed to do? Hold his hand for the rest of my life? Lori looked up at Brick, who smiled as if he shared a treasure with her. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

"Welcome." The woman who appeared from thin air--Lori saw the dimensional slit heal up--wore a long, loose gown of emerald velvet with heavy gold braid on her high collar, the cuffs of her wide sleeves, and the hem of her full skirts. More braid wove through her long hair in a dozen shades of gold, holding it in place. Her misty blue eyes widened a little when her gaze met Lori's.

She knows, Lori decided, as Brick opened his mouth to greet her.

Indeed, I do. Be welcome. This is a safe haven. She winked, and turned to Brick. "Done so soon?"

"I had help." Brick slid his arm around Lori's shoulders again. "Angela, this is Lori. I drafted her to help me with the tree at Eden II, and hopefully with the rest of the trees."

"How many are you going to decorate today?" Lori blurted, blushing and laughing with Angela a moment later.

"Not decorate. Just deliver."

"Just deliver." Angela shook her head. "Let me see your hands. And roll up your sleeves, while you're at it." She glared, barely managing to conceal the mischief sparkling in her eyes, when Brick hesitated to comply.

He rolled his eyes, tugged back his coat sleeves and rolled up his sweatshirt sleeves. Red spots dotted the palms of his hands, on the webbing of his fingers, and ringed his wrists like bracelets. Lori couldn't decide if the itching across her palms was real, because Brick no longer touched her, or if it was sympathy pains. He hadn't gotten those killer hives from her, had he?

Could he be allergic to her?

No, wait a minute. Angela expected to see those hives. What was going on?

"What are you allergic to?" Lori asked, when Angela just shook her head and Brick grinned like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Pine trees," Angela said. She beckoned with a jerk of her head. "Come with me. Now," she added in an implacable tone, when he hesitated.

He shrugged, gave Lori a "What can you do?" look, and followed Angela away from the front counter. In moments, she was alone, looking around at all the old-fashioned toys and penny candy in big glass jars filling the front counter and the shelves behind it, the old-fashioned brass cash register, and the enormous tree decked with silver garland and rainbow-hued metallic balls.

A shimmer of magic in the air made the hair stand up at the nape of her neck. Lori turned around. Her mouth dropped open when the angel at the top of the tree jumped off, doing a triple twist on the way down. It swooped across the room to land on the counter in front of her, and turned into her cousin, Maurice. Albeit, Maurice dressed in G.I. Joe camouflage fatigues and five inches tall. With glittery, unreasonable wings. Fae hadn't had wings in centuries.