Bonita Creek Series ~ JustRead Books

Welcome to the Blog Blitz for the Bonita Creek series by June McCrary Jacobs, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

There are three books we are going to highlight today: Robin’s Reward, Jorie’s Journey, and Christmas in Bonita Creek. Each will also have an excerpt for you to enjoy.

Title: Robin’s Reward

Series: Bonita Creek #1

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: May, 2021 (re-release)

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Is a relationship which began with both parties harboring secrets destined to survive?

Welcome to friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Bonita Creek’s librarian, Robin Bennett, is heartbroken after being abandoned by her husband, Thomas. Mysterious Jeff Clarke arrives in town unexpectedly and touches Robin’s life with his wit and warmth. Without warning, Jeff’s harsh words and abrasive actions scare her off, and Robin’s hope of finding true, long-lasting love withers again.

Can the couple move past their troubles and the obstacles in their path to find love and happiness together? Jeff and Robin must use their faith and their newly-forged bond with each other to remain strong and true. Will it be enough for them to embrace a life of love, trials, and blessings . . . together?

‘Robin’s Reward,‘ Book One in the Bonita Creek Series, is a contemporary Christian romance story which is completely clean in language and content.PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | BookBub (not my affiliate links)

EXCERPT From Robin’s Reward:

“I brought out some freshly-baked muffins and a bowl of strawberries I picked from my
garden this morning. Would you like a snack with your tea?”
“Sure, I could eat.”
“Help yourself. I’d like to say grace before we start to eat,” she said. He nodded as he bowed
his head.
When she murmured amen, he said, “My family always said grace before a meal when I was
growing up. I guess I’ve gotten out of the habit, being a bachelor. I eat most of my meals alone.
Not a good excuse for not expressing my gratitude, I know.”
Robin was touched by his candor and hesitated before lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. So,
he’s not married.
As they each loaded food onto their plates, Jeff spoke. “I figured out on my walk that I live
on the next block over in that direction.” He pointed toward the back of Robin’s property. “In
fact, I think I may live directly behind you.”
“Proving once again it’s a small world,” Robin said shaking her head.
“I’ll say. You have a beautiful garden out here.” He waved a hand toward her front yard. “It’s
full of all sorts of flowers and shrubs. It looks as if your lot is deep on the back side of the
cottage. What do you grow back there?”
Robin sat back in her chair and realized after a rough start, she was slowly beginning to
relax. She loved talking about her gardens to whoever would listen.
“I grow strawberries, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, and some green
beans. Later on in June, I’ll plant a small pumpkin patch with some other types of squash and
gourds, too, so they’ll be ripe and ready by October.”
“Wow,” he said. “I’m impressed.”
She took a couple of sips of her iced tea and continued, “I have some berry bushes and a few
small citrus trees. I love to take flowers to the church for the altar and to give to my friends and
extended family, so I have a large cutting garden with Shasta daisies, Gerbera daisies,
sunflowers, coneflowers, roses of all colors and sizes, peonies, irises, and gladioluses.”
After popping a juicy strawberry into her mouth she continued, “I have a section by the
fence that runs pretty natural with wildflowers such as California golden poppies, bachelor’s
buttons, blue and white lupine, and nasturtiums. My favorite summer flowers are dahlias. I have
a bed way in the back where I try to plant a different variety of dahlia each year, but my
collection is still rather small.”
Robin stopped short and looked directly at her guest. “Are you tired of hearing about my
gardens yet?”
“Absolutely not; go on.”
The genuine warmth she felt in his smile made her heart skip another beat. She ate a few
more strawberries and continued, “I have a section in back that gets a lot of sun, so I filled it with
lavender, cacti, succulents, and rocks.”
“Excuse the interruption, but don’t the rocks require a lot of water? I’ve heard California is
constantly in a state of worry about drought.”
She smiled. “Very funny . . .
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2015

Title: Jorie’s Journey

Series: Bonita Creek #2

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: May, 2022

Genre: Christian Western Contemporary Romance

After an idyllic life scarred by a traumatic event, is Jorie Woodstone ready to move forward to share her life’s journey with a man who loves her unconditionally?

Welcome back to friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Jorie Woodstone is the owner and operator of the wildly successful Cowgirl Bakery in Old Town Bonita Creek. She appears to have it all. She is musically gifted and belongs to a warm, loving, supportive family; but she’s built a brick fortress around her heart after being traumatized by an acquaintance in an unforgettable event three years earlier.

Join this talented, spirited cowgirl as she journeys on through life’s joys and sorrows with faith, strength, courage, and love on the road to true happiness.

‘Jorie’s Journey,’ Book Two in the Bonita Creek Series, is a contemporary Christian Western romance story which is completely clean in language and content.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub (not my affiliate links)

EXCERPT From Jorie’s Journey:

As she approached the front counter in her Cowgirl Bakery shop located on Main Street
in old town Bonita Creek, California, Jorie Woodstone wiped her wet hands on the fluffy towel
buttoned to her crisp white apron. Her long, thick hair was pulled into a ponytail peeking out
from beneath her red gingham scarf. An urge to make a detour to check her reflection in the
nearby mirror kicked in when the man standing at the counter turned to face her. His emerald
green eyes were set off by a head of thick, wavy dark brown hair.
Jorie recited her usual greeting, “Hi, may I help you?” in a slightly more-friendly-than-
usual tone. To her surprise, the newcomer was so busy checking her out that he hesitated for
nearly thirty seconds before responding. When he spoke, his rich southern baritone vibrated
through her ears.
“Hello, miss. I need to pick up a couple of pies to take over to my friend’s house for
Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. The Cowgirl Bakery was highly recommended to me by my
hostess at the bed and breakfast inn where I’m staying. Please don’t let me down by telling me it’s
too late to order pies for the occasion.” His mouth settled into a sweet pout.
“What flavors did you have in mind?” Jorie tried to sound thrilled to have his business at
this late hour. In truth, she was exhausted from the multitude of Thanksgiving orders for pies and
other baked goods she’d received from her ultra-supportive hometown. She dreamed of going
home early tonight to soak her exhausted body in a luxurious bubble bath and watch a couple of
episodes of her favorite Masterpiece Mystery series.
“What do you recommend? I mean, you’re the one who works in a bakery and all.”
“I think it’s always nice to offer an assortment of pies. How about one organic apple
cinnamon and one organic pumpkin nutmeg? Most people seem to like one or both of those
flavors.”
“I’m from New Orleans, so I was dreaming of a pecan pie . . .”
“No can do,” Jorie clipped off. “We don’t usually do pecan pie here in California. Well, I
mean we don’t do pecan pie without some advance notice. It’s too late to order organic pecans for
tomorrow.”
“What a shame,” the customer shook his head sadly. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to accept
the fact tomorrow will be my first Thanksgiving feast ever without a slice or two or three of
pecan pie.”
He looked as if he were already grieving the loss of pecan pie on his Thanksgiving menu.
Jorie felt a twinge of regret for his loss, but the line of customers behind him was stacking up and
she was short-handed today. Her most-experienced employee, Connie, had requested the day off
so that she and her husband could travel to spend the holiday with their family in Idaho. Her
other experienced employee, James, was home nursing a bad case of strep throat and was unable
to serve the public.
She wanted nothing more than to hurry this man along. However, she accepted long ago
the reality that a large part of being a successful small business owner was to project the image
that said owner actually enjoyed working with the public. She always attempted to give the
illusion of being the queen of customer service in Bonita Creek.
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2022

Title: Christmas in Bonita Creek

Series: Bonita Creek #3

Author: June McCrary Jacobs

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: December, 2022

Genre: Christian Historical Romance with Military Elements

After seeing more than two years of combat in the Korean War, will the homecoming of two men from Bonita Creek be filled with the joy and romance they are yearning for or will it bring them even more heartache?

It’s late summer, 1952, in friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .

Estelle Vincent is missing her older brother, Sam, and her fiancé, John Chaplin, who are far away fighting for the US Army in the Korean War. They’ve been gone for more than two long years, and she is feeling out of sorts.

When she has a frank discussion with her mother, Estelle realizes that she is not the only one who has been moody and bored with her uneventful life. Her mother’s words inspire Estelle and catapult her into action organizing a community holiday project for the children and teens whose parents work for Mountainside Ranch outside of town.

As the story deepens, Estelle learns that several people close to her are harboring secrets—including her mother, her brother, and her best friend. She learns to be flexible and understanding as she looks outside of her own life and examines the impact of unforeseen events on those closest to her heart.

Join this intelligent, strong-willed hometown young woman as she navigates the obstacles and challenges of life with hope, perseverance, faith, courage, and love on her road to a brighter future filled with dreams come true.

‘Christmas in Bonita Creek,’ Book Three in the Bonita Creek Series, is a historical Christian holiday romance story which is completely clean in language and content.

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | BookBub (not my affiliate links)

EXCERPT From Christmas In Bonita Creek:

Bonita Creek, California
August, 1952
Estelle carefully cut out another construction paper leaf as she prepared the decorations
for the Back-to-School window display she was designing for the Bonita Creek Drugstore where
she had worked since graduating from high school six years earlier. She loved her job serving
customers, stocking shelves, and helping the pharmacist and owner, Mr. Randall, in any way she
could. By far, her favorite job duty was decorating the store for the various holidays and seasons
throughout the year.
She had enjoyed making arts and crafts in school. Since kindergarten, her favorite
subjects had been reading and art. As she grew older she also enjoyed creative writing and
history, especially world history. She dreamed that someday she’d be able to travel to the
faraway places she loved to read about. Greece, Egypt, Australia, South America, and other
exotic places appealed to her sense of adventure.
For now, she was content to work in the drugstore and live at home with her parents
while she waited—not so patiently—for her someone special to return from his military service
in Korea. She had been writing faithfully to John Chaplin since he left for Korea with her
brother, Sam, two long years ago.
John and Sam, who were both World War II combat veterans, had been placed on active
reserve rather than being discharged when the war was over in early September, 1945. They
were both reactivated and assigned to serve in South Korea in this new conflict that President
Truman felt the United States should enter at the end of June, 1950. Two years was far too long
to go without seeing her brother or her beau.
Estelle stopped what she was doing, sighed deeply, and looked out the front window of
the drugstore to see what was happening on Main Street in her small coastal mountain hometown
of Bonita Creek, California.
She didn’t know how long she had been staring into space when the service bell on the
counter dinged. She looked up to see her best friend, Gloria Marino, snickering in Estelle’s
direction.
“Earth to Ellie, come in,” Gloria said with a big grin.
“Oh, hi, Glo. I didn’t see you come in. Sorry.”
“You looked like you were a million miles away in—let me guess—South Korea, right?”
“You got it. You’re so lucky you don’t have a fiancé or a brother in South Korea. It’s a
real drag. What brings you in today?”
Estelle noticed her friend was no longer smiling. The color had drained from Gloria’s
cheeks, and she looked as if she might cry. Estelle quickly rushed around the counter and took
Gloria’s hand.
“What is it, Glo? What’s happened?”
“Nothing. I just felt like seeing my best friend for a minute. I came to town to pick up a
few things at the market for my mother, and while I was here I . . .”
Estelle’s friend’s fidgeted with the Peter Pan collar on her blouse and swiped a hand down
her silken black ponytail. Gloria looked directly into Estelle’s concerned eyes. She took a deep breath before saying, “Someday soon you’ll know everything, and then you’ll understand why I’m
so moody sometimes.”
“Why don’t you just tell me everything now so I can help you?” Estelle pleaded with her
best friend.
“No. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Is someone hurting you or bothering you?” Estelle asked firmly.
Gloria blinked her eyes a few times in surprise. “No one is hurting me or bothering
me. I’m fine. I’d better go.”
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2022

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About the Author

June McCrary Jacobs‘s debut novella, ‘A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom‘, was the winner of Cedar Fort Publishing’s 2013 Holiday Tale Contest. ‘Robin’s Reward‘, a Christian contemporary romance, is set in the Mendocino coastal region of California. It is Book One in the ‘Bonita Creek Series‘ and was originally released in 2015; the second edition of the book was released in July, 2022. The second book in the series, ‘Jorie’s Journey‘, was released in late May of 2022. The third book in the series a Christian historical romance, ‘Christmas in Bonita Creek‘, was released in December, 2022. ‘Romance By Proxy‘ is a later-in-life clean, wholesome romance set in Humboldt County on the Northern Coast of San Francisco which was released in August, 2021. June’s Christian historical romance short story, ‘Handmade Hearts‘, was inspired by the true story of how June’s aunt and uncle met in New Orleans during World War II and was released in December, 2018. June’s debut middle-grade novel, ‘RES-Q Tyler Stop‘, a historical novel set in Sonoma County, California, in 1968, was released in the spring of 2019. In early 2022 she published two short story collections for children entitled, ‘Carter’s Cookies & More Family Stories for Children‘ and ‘Banjo & More Pet Stories for Children‘. As a retired elementary school teacher and literacy mentor, June finds writing for children to be a rewarding and challenging experience.Connect with June by visiting authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift card + Bonita Creek Series e-books!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!