The Spite Before Christmas
Jessica Booth
Margie Murphy is fifty-two and doing just fine on her own, thank you very much. She never needed, nor wanted a man. After all, they have only ever hurt or left her. Between Amelia, the niece she raised to adulthood, and her viral YouTube channel that reflects her colorful personality and skills in the kitchen, Margie has everything she ever needed. Almost.
After three years, Frank Campbell, is still grieving the wife he lost to cancer. His sons want him to grow and heal, and urge him to downsize and move out of their family home. When Frank agrees, he finds himself living in a country house, ripe for extreme Christmas decorating–something he does to honor his late wife each year. Things seem to be working out, until his new next door neighbor, Margie, comes charging over and tries to shut down his Christmas joy.
Tension only grows when the two learn they are co-sponsors for the small town Christmas Market, and will have to put their differences aside in order to make it a success. But it’s hard to collaborate, when the top seller at the Christmas Market will take home a prize for the charity of their choice. And Frank’s charity could have a very real impact on his sick granddaughter.
Soon the two are battling both at home and in pursuit of the charity prize. Between trying to sabotage each other’s efforts, Margie and Frank don’t know how they will survive as neighbors. But one enthusiastic little girl, an aging basset hound, a weather disaster, and a little Christmas magic will force them to put their differences aside and learn that life can still begin anew after fifty.
This small-town, enemies-to-lovers, Christmas romance is part of the Ruston Festival series, but can be read as a standalone. This is an open door romance and contains themes of grief, childhood illness, and references to domestic abuse, but has a guaranteed HEA.
Duration - 9h 8m.
Author - Jessica Booth.
Narrator - Andria Mae.
Published Date - Monday, 13 January 2025.
Copyright - © 2024 Jessica Booth ©.
Location:
United States
Description:
Margie Murphy is fifty-two and doing just fine on her own, thank you very much. She never needed, nor wanted a man. After all, they have only ever hurt or left her. Between Amelia, the niece she raised to adulthood, and her viral YouTube channel that reflects her colorful personality and skills in the kitchen, Margie has everything she ever needed. Almost. After three years, Frank Campbell, is still grieving the wife he lost to cancer. His sons want him to grow and heal, and urge him to downsize and move out of their family home. When Frank agrees, he finds himself living in a country house, ripe for extreme Christmas decorating–something he does to honor his late wife each year. Things seem to be working out, until his new next door neighbor, Margie, comes charging over and tries to shut down his Christmas joy. Tension only grows when the two learn they are co-sponsors for the small town Christmas Market, and will have to put their differences aside in order to make it a success. But it’s hard to collaborate, when the top seller at the Christmas Market will take home a prize for the charity of their choice. And Frank’s charity could have a very real impact on his sick granddaughter. Soon the two are battling both at home and in pursuit of the charity prize. Between trying to sabotage each other’s efforts, Margie and Frank don’t know how they will survive as neighbors. But one enthusiastic little girl, an aging basset hound, a weather disaster, and a little Christmas magic will force them to put their differences aside and learn that life can still begin anew after fifty. This small-town, enemies-to-lovers, Christmas romance is part of the Ruston Festival series, but can be read as a standalone. This is an open door romance and contains themes of grief, childhood illness, and references to domestic abuse, but has a guaranteed HEA. Duration - 9h 8m. Author - Jessica Booth. Narrator - Andria Mae. Published Date - Monday, 13 January 2025. Copyright - © 2024 Jessica Booth ©.
Language:
English
Opening Credits
Duration:00:00:21
Dedication
Duration:00:00:12
Author's Note
Duration:00:00:58
Chapter 1: Margie
Duration:00:09:41
Chapter 2: Frank
Duration:00:07:26
Chapter 3: Margie
Duration:00:08:50
Chapter 4: Frank
Duration:00:08:21
Chapter 5: Margie
Duration:00:08:51
Chapter 6: Frank
Duration:00:05:02
Chapter 7: Margie
Duration:00:10:57
Chapter 8: Margie
Duration:00:09:09
Chapter 9: Frank
Duration:00:07:06
Chapter 10: Margie
Duration:00:07:23
Chapter 11: Frank
Duration:00:12:23
Chapter 12: Margie
Duration:00:12:34
Chapter 13: Margie
Duration:00:06:27
Chapter 14: Frank
Duration:00:08:06
Chapter 15: Margie
Duration:00:09:44
Chapter 16: Margie
Duration:00:12:13
Chapter 17: Frank
Duration:00:12:49
Chapter 18: Margie
Duration:00:12:08
Chapter 19: Frank
Duration:00:13:51
Chapter 20: Margie
Duration:00:07:27
Chapter 21: Margie
Duration:00:22:01
Chapter 22: Frank
Duration:00:14:32
Chapter 23: Margie
Duration:00:11:15
Chapter 24: Frank
Duration:00:13:07
Chapter 25: Margie
Duration:00:17:47
Chapter 26: Frank
Duration:00:14:43
Chapter 27: Margie
Duration:00:16:25
Chapter 28: Margie
Duration:00:10:58
Chapter 29: Frank
Duration:00:21:03
Chapter 30: Margie
Duration:00:19:20
Chapter 31: Frank
Duration:00:18:25
Chapter 32: Margie
Duration:00:08:42
Chapter 33: Margie
Duration:00:07:14
Chapter 34: Margie
Duration:00:15:48
Chapter 35: Frank
Duration:00:22:16
Chapter 36: Margie
Duration:00:17:48
Chapter 37: Margie
Duration:00:06:37
Chapter 38: Margie
Duration:00:09:37
Chapter 39: Margie
Duration:00:10:48
Chapter 40: Frank
Duration:00:05:41
Chapter 41: Margie
Duration:00:06:05
Chapter 42: Frank
Duration:00:12:36
Chapter 43: Margie
Duration:00:09:55
Chapter 44: Margie
Duration:00:03:05
Chapter 45: Margie
Duration:00:11:02
Chapter 46: Frank
Duration:00:03:26
Chapter 47: Margie
Duration:00:11:37
Epilogue: Frank
Duration:00:13:40
More to Experience
Duration:00:00:14
Ending Credits
Duration:00:00:51