Candles and Honey Cookies: A Tale of Hanukkah

By Shari Elder

Tamara is trapped. Her father betrothed her to a man she does not like, let alone love. And she can't forget the brazen shepherd who dared to look in her eyes.

Natan fell in love with Tamara the first moment he saw her. But the daughter of the high priest cannot marry a shepherd.

When Natan is arrested for practicing their religion, forbidden by the new king, he escapes and asks Tamara to hide him. After stealing a night with him, she helps him escape to join the brewing rebellion fighting for their freedom to worship. Tamara leaves a candle in her window to light his way home and sneaks honey cookies to him to sweeten his burden, her own small rebellion to her arranged marriage.

Only a miracle can save the rag-tag rebels from the conquering army and change a culture to allow Natan and Tamara to be together.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509237043

Shari Elder

Hello, I’m Shari. By day, I crawl out of bed, mainline coffee, walk the dog, get my kid to class, and save cities within the four walls of my office. Usually by email. At night, the other Shari emerges. With a glass of wine by side, I curl up on the couch with my computer nestled in my lap and let my imagination play until stories take shape. I also periodically check on my teen-ager, hiding out in the bedroom. Once I’ve reassured myself she’s not plotting world domination, I pull out my alter ego, who definitely is. As my alter ego, I save cities in a cape and spangled tights, wander space and time on a surfboard, fly over the Himalayas on feathered wings, make six-toed footprints in indigo talc snow on the sixth planet in the Andromeda galaxy or eavesdrop on Olympian gods while pretending to whip up a bowl of ambrosia. In all these wondrous worlds, romance and passion blossom. I can't resist a happy ending. And I am particularly prone to writing happy endings for those who have given up on ever getting one. Check out my two romance series - Green Rising, science fiction erotic romance set in the future where corporations rule, a rebellion is brewing and romance flourishes and Shifting Alliances, where shifter predator and prey must ally to fight a common foe, enabling unusual romances to bloom.

Book preview

Natan—if she could choose her husband… But her father would never accept a shepherd who also had to work as a lowly temple guard to help feed his family. The high priest’s daughter married a priest.

She saw him glance around, then he faded into the wall. She heard pounding on the door. Without thinking, she grabbed a candle and ran downstairs, wanting to be the first one to answer. The servants were in bed, but they would waken to the racket. She picked up the pace, reached the door first, and opened it quietly.

Natan’s eyes narrowed into slits. You live here? This is the house of Boaz?

She nodded, scorched by the anger in his gaze. What are you doing here?

She heard the slap of sandals against the ground. We’re close, a gruff voice shouted in the distance.

Hide me. Those eyes, black as midnight, drilled into hers until she squirmed. Her heart beat faster. He stank of sweat, rotted food, and the copper of blood. She breathed through her mouth to prevent herself from gagging. She should say no. Her father would never allow it. She would put her father and everyone in the house in danger.

Please, he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. She shivered, even though it was summer.

Praise for Shari Elder and…

THE SCENT OF MEMORY

January Book of the Month at The TBR Pile.

Five-Star Rating.

This book hit all of my buttons! Futuristic Sci-Fi, Steamy-hot romance, and strong independent heroine meets strong, sexy hero.

~*~

RACE TO REDEMPTION

Five-Star Rating. Whiskey with My Book:

Ms. Elder really knows her craft. In other words, she can write. Well.

~

Five-Star Rating. The TBR Pile:

"I can’t wait to ready more from this author! Race to Redemption is a must read erotic sci-fi."

~

Uncaged Reviews:

If you like a sci-fi with suspense, action, danger and a hot romance, you should pick this one up.

~*~

SHIFTER TRIALS

The TBR Pile:

"Love Shifters? Then you have to read Shifter Trials."

~

The Romance Reviews:

I definitely recommend this book.

Candles and Honey Cookies

A Tale of Hanukkah

by

Shari Elder

Christmas Cookies

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Candles and Honey Cookies

A Tale of Hanukkah

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Shari Elder

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Jennifer Greeff

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2021

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3704-3

Christmas Cookies

Published in the United States of America

Acknowledgments

No story is written without support. I would like to thank the amazing women in my Monday writers' group. Diana, Molly, Monica, Tassey, and Victoria keep me accountable and inspired all through the ups and down of the writing process. I also owe my gratitude to Lara Parker, my editor at the Wild Rose Press, and the Wild Rose Press staff, who make our stories better.

Chapter One

From his window, Natan ben Ephraim watched the glint of metal in the moonlight as the Syrian soldiers goose-stepped through the village, marching in two unending lines toward the temple. Two sentinels, faces hidden by spiked metal helmets, swerved from the ranks and headed to his home.

Everyone in place, Natan whispered through clenched teeth. He grabbed a dreidel from the bowl they kept by the door, dropped to the ground, and sent