Her Candy Cane Christmas, by Bonnie Engstrom

Devastated by her fiancé’s abrasive treatment, Noelle cancels her wedding, including the flowers from florist Braydon Lovejoy. Can love bloom again in California? Will a Santa propose to her?

Noelle Day finally has the courage to break off her ill-fated engagement with her volatile fiancé and cancel their Christmas wedding. It’s embarrassing, and she has to share the humiliating reason with her friends The Candy Canes. The other five girls were to be her attendants in red taffeta gowns.

When she faints and falls into the arms of Braydon Lovejoy, the now former wedding florist, Braydon is confused by her abrupt manner. Who is this beautiful woman with the sepia hair and the huge brown eyes? Is she a damsel in distress as he suspects? He prays for an opportunity to find out.

Then he backs his delivery van into her precious red car, and he’s sure she would never go out with him, especially since he was hired to deliver a huge bouquet of roses to her from a secret admirer.

Noelle is confused how to respond when Bruce, the school principal, physically forces himself on her. After all, he is her boss, and she’s just a first year English teacher.

She finally accepts a lunch date with Braydon, and he takes her to Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar, California where she learns he is the local rose expert. But, Noelle worries their friendship is happening too fast and calls a respite.

One of the Candy Canes has a tragic accident, and the women bond together. But Braydon, who is not sure why he is involved, becomes their anchor.

Will Braydon’s prayers heal the hurts, physically and emotionally? Will the injured Candy Cane forgive the woman who caused her accident, the woman who is related to Bruce the principal? Will Noelle ever have her California Candy Cane Christmas?

A little bit about this book: Her Candy Cane Christmas has been festering in my heart for over five years. It started out as a possible story in a novella collection. The primary author dropped out because she didn’t like that I wrote about abuse, even though it is all off stage and gets resolved. Thus, the collection did not happen. However, I like to write about real problems that often happen in real life. So, what began as Candy Cane Roses became Her Candy Cane Christmas. It is still set in Newport Beach, California where it began. And, it does have a happy ending with all problems and distress resolved. It is a story that I believe needed to be told. I hope you do, too. Life has many struggles, but with God, faith can overcome them.

Please give me personal feedback, especially in my email. Just put BOOK in the subject line. Thank you.

My email address is: bengstrom@hotmail.com.

Please read my other stories on Amazon.com using my name Bonnie Engstrom to bring them up, or the titles of my stories:

• Butterfly Dreams


• A Winning Recipe


• A Cup of Love


• Her Culinary Catch


• Her Candy Cane Christmas

Most of them are FREE if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited. A great value.

About Bonnie:



Bonnie Engstrom and her psychologist husband, Dave, live in Arizona near four of their six grandchildren. The other two live in Costa Rica where they surf. But, they share their Arizona home with Sam and Lola, their two rescued mutts in charge of the household.

She used to bake dozens of Christmas cookies in November and freeze them so she would have a lot to pass out to neighbors. Now … well, that was a long time ago. Instead of cookies for Christmas, she writes. Her Candy Cane Christmas story set in Newport Beach, California, where her family was raised and where they have many fond Christmas memories, is perfect for gift giving. Or, for just cuddling up by the fire for an inspiring romance read.

She hopes you enjoy it and also gift it to special women in your life. Don’t forget to leave an honest review on Amazon.