Magic and Midnight Mint Bars

By Iona Morrison

Months after a bitter divorce, Sally Mansfield is spending Christmas with her best friends at the Blue Iris Inn. Fifty pounds thinner than the last time they were together, she is excited for her friends to see the change. She might still be wounded, her self-esteem at rock bottom, but Sally is determined to have a fun holiday with her friends.

A recent broken engagement brought Chad Bennett back to Blue Cove. Intrigued by Sally, he is interested in learning more, but she remains a closed book and truthfully so is he. Is it possible with the help of a little Christmas magic, a winsome sprite named Elida, some chocolate goodness, and friends, two lonely souls can find friendship and the possibility of a lot more over the holidays?

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509237197

Iona Morrison

I am a multi-published, award winning Amazon best selling author who writes romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal. I enjoy writing fiction. The character development, their stories, and the twists and turns in the plot intrigue me. Once I let the characters loose I can't wait to see where they take me. I'm hooked from the first words on the paper and I have to keep writing to see how the story ends. Layer by layer I build it until I come to the happy conclusion. I live in Colorado with my husband and family. I am a member of the RMFWPAL (Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Published Authors League) and have enjoyed becoming involved in my community as one of the many authors living in Colorado. I invite you to read one of my Blue Cove Mysteries and see for yourself why Blue Cove is a special and unusual place.

Book preview

Sally was warming to her, but she had to make changes gingerly. She didn’t want to scare the girl with an overt use of magic. Sally’s life had more than enough drama to last a lifetime. Gentle reminders were best in her case. The first rule in the Intermediary Manual on page one in bold letters under line one-A says, the case subject has to believe that any decision made is their own idea. Sally couldn’t feel manipulated. Hundreds of years made Elida a pro at her job. Heck, she even taught classes on how it should be done, but occasionally even the best could mess up. In her guise as Holly, she wouldn’t leave anything to chance. All her hard work over the years had paid off with many inches added to her stature. She had always been on the tiny size from day one, known among her peers as Little Sprite quite lovingly. But with perseverance and her present rate of growth, she could be human size before long. She smiled wistfully. She hopped into Sally’s coat pocket while she dressed. Oh, how she loved the thrill of a case. Making people see the possibilities in their own life was exhilarating.

Praise for Iona Morrison

[Only a Shadow] is another fun, fast moving, entertaining mystery. I love the character development and the twists and surprises in the plot.

~ Tammy , Reader

I just can’t put this latest fantasy thriller down. I finished [Key to the Past], and I’m still willing the story to continue…

~ T

"With a compelling story line, relatable characters and mind-bending twists and turns, author, Iona Morrison, has delivered a truly remarkable book. [Key to the Past] is a page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! – Review by the Book Excellence Awards

~ Book Excellence Awards

Searching for Closure is a great book. A mystery is mixed with a great romance story and fantasy - it is excellent. The plot is compelling, the characters are interesting. I recommend.

~ Julie, BookShelf Reviewer

Finished reading Searching For Closure AWESOME!

~ Carol Beier, Reader

Check out Iona Morrison's fabulous book — Key to the Past (A Blue Cove Mystery Book 8)

~ Coffee Pot Book Club

Magic and Midnight Mint Bars

by

Iona Morrison

Christmas Cookies Series

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.

Magic and Midnight Mint Bars

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Iona Morrison

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 Debbie Taylor

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 978-1-5092-3719-7

Christmas Cookies Series

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To my husband Rob who has made each Christmas over the years magical.

Chapter 1

The snow blowing straight at her windshield seemed almost mesmerizing, a bit like a kaleidoscope without the colors. Sally found herself struggling to stay alert against its constant onslaught. Never was a mileage sign a more welcoming sight than the one telling her that the Blue Cove exit was only a few miles up the road. Her hands automatically began to relax on the steering wheel, and the tension in her shoulders slowly diminished. Over the last fifty miles, she had watched in horror as several cars had sped past her, only to almost slide out of control on the slippery roads. She glanced at the clock on the dash. Her best friends were less than a five-minute drive away or maybe slightly more at this speed. Careful was her mantra as she signaled and changed lanes. She would rather be safe than sorry.

Sally Mansfield had been anticipating this trip for weeks. Most of her memories growing up had involved Jessie and Katie in some way. Her mother used to say they were all joined at the hip. Those days were some of the most carefree ones of her life. It seemed so long ago now, and too many circumstances clouded even her happiest recollections. Why did it seem that growing older meant losing your dreams along the way? She frowned. At least in her case, it had. The jury was still out on her friends. They seemed to have moved on to rewarding and exciting lives. Maybe some of it would rub off on her. She sighed.

Turning off the highway she made the short drive into town. Blue Cove was a welcoming scene of beautiful lights and holiday decorations as the snowflakes continued to fall in a flurry from the dark sky, a nice way to be greeted as she drove Main Street toward the inn. The old-fashioned lampposts lining the street were decked out with greenery and big red bows. Her friend’s bookstore fit in perfectly with its cheery lights and awesome window display. The whole street, including the church across the street from Jessie’s store, was decorated for the holidays. Thankfully, this road was quiet with no cars speeding by, and she was free to enjoy.

Though it was true she couldn’t wait to see her friends, she was even more excited for them to see her. A lot had changed in her life since the last time they were together, the biggest change being her. Well, maybe not the biggest because Katie had married Dylan, the love of her life. It still bummed her that she couldn’t be there to celebrate with her friends. The trial of her husband went longer than expected, and she had to remain in town until the verdict was rendered. She hated missing Katie’s special day and her chance to be in the wedding. At least the next few days would give her time to catch up.

She turned onto the lane leading back to the Blue Iris Inn. Stopping for a moment she took in the view of the Christmas lights glowing against the backdrop of the heavily falling snow. It was a winter wonderland with all the makings for a perfect New England holiday. She was ready to enjoy every minute of her vacation. The brochures Katie had sent her listed all the town’s Christmas festivities. Katie coaxed and with no shame also used guilt to convince her to come. It beat spending the holidays alone. Her friend promised to save her a room because the inn would be packed for the holidays, a yearly destination for a lot of guests who loved the tradition of Christmas at the inn. When Jessie and Katie double-teamed her, she couldn’t hold out. For the most part, she hadn’t wanted to.

The last time the three of them had been together was in her hospital room. She couldn’t recall much of their visit. Blame it on the pain meds. Thankfully, Jessie had called her regularly every week after that with encouragement, updates on Blue Cove, and of course, Katie’s wedding plans. Jessie cried with her on her bad days and laughed with her on the good ones during her recovery and also the trial.

Sally wanted to thank her friends in person. Looking back, running away from home to the safety of this amazing town and her friends was the best thing that she had ever done for herself. They saved her life. Now, fresh off a divorce, her ex in prison for trying to kill her, and fifty pounds thinner, she was ready to move on with her life. But for her, moving on did not include another man. No thank you. She had made that