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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

3 Reasons Why You’ll Love Lead a Merry Dance

by Chautona Havig · 5 Comments

Trip the Light FantasticApril Hayman sat across from me at Denny’s, planning her next novella in The Christmas Lights Collection:  Making Spirits Bright.

“I think I’m going to make this year’s novella about Trip going on a cruise— a honeymoon cruise.”

The words got my attention. I mean who doesn’t love the idea of a Christmas cruise?  Who doesn’t love the idea of a Christmas honeymoon cruise?  And after her debut novella, Trip the Light Fantastic, introducing Trip Devereaux, I have been waiting for more about Trip, Landry, and the twins, Sissy and Sassy.

Now I’d actually get it.

We brainstormed titles. Do you know how hard it is to come up with “dancing” themed titles?  For the record, some of the idioms we have for dancing are not edifying.   Just sayin’.  But when we stumbled over—pun intended, of course— “lead a merry dance,” I knew we had it.  Then I just had to convince April of it.  Fortunately, she was rather easy to convince.

Did I expect to like it?  Of course.  April is a solid writer with fun ideas and interesting characters.  Did I expect to love it as much as I did?  *blush*  Nope.  I just thought I’d really like it.  Yeah.  Way undershot that one.  Sorry, April!

3 Reasons Why You'll Love Lead a Merry Dance

Note: Links may be affiliates that provide me with a small commission at no extra cost to you.

3 Reasons Why You’ll Love Lead a Merry Dance

1—The Characters

Trip:  Workaholic extraordinaire, Trip makes you want to laugh, shake your head, and shake him sometimes!  His adoration of Libby keeps you from quite going that far, but… hee hee.  Add to that him being a bit out of his element not having his gun, his badge, and the FBI resources behind him, and you’ve got a guy you can’t help but love.

Libby:  Seriously?  Is there a woman alive who hasn’t read Proverbs 31 and not felt herself come up wanting?  And if there is, may I suggest she do a word study on pride?  Just sayin’…  Add to that her ability to keep from throttling a rather clueless husband, and you’ve got quite a lot going for her!  Not to mention, who knew she was so clever?

Ms. Hayman did a wonderful job of keeping her from being too perfect or too ditzy.  So often the wives of clever crime fighters are a bit bimbo-ish.  Yeah. Not Libby Devereaux!

Sissy & Sassy:  WAAAHOOO!  The twins are back.  Yes, they stole the show now and then, but really, with such awesome characters, they really should!  I seriously got some odd looks from Denny’s patrons as I cracked up aloud during editing sessions with April.  She nailed these gals, folks.  You’ve got to read them!

Darrens: This guy is a brilliant example of how to make a character that you love to hate to love.  That’s all I’m sayin’, folks.

2—The Setting

C’mon.  A cruise ship.  How awesome is that?  Hayman’s research of the ins and outs of cruising is a perfect indicator of the author’s research abilities. I felt like I was on the ship—from “drinks packages” to the “safety briefing,” she covered it all without a lot of annoying info-dumping like you often find in books.  In fact, with the massive amount of research that I read she did, I’m amazed that there really isn’t any info-dumping in here at all.  Instead, you have … well, that’s point three.

3—The Plot/Pacing

The plot was fun, engaging, and intriguing. The best part is that she takes you through how people figured out whodunnit and why instead of laying out clues and then informing you of it.  So, for those who are good at guessing these things, the book is still a fun read.  Add to that excellent pacing which keeps the story from ever lagging, and you have one of my top five books of 2017.

April Hayman

Yep, I went there. 

I read a lot of books this year, and Lead a Merry Dance was one of my absolute favorites.  Oh, man, I laughed so hard.  Seriously, I should have made this 4 reasons you’ll love it. Because even if you hate the plot (can’t imagine how), and even if you aren’t big on boats or mysteries that don’t involve murder, you’ll laugh your way from Proverbs 31 woes to disappointment with “Christmas cheer.”

I recommend Lead a Merry Dance to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery with lots of humor and a varied cast of characters who will keep your interest.  There’s even a drop or three of romance… just enough between Trip and Libby to keep pittering hearts pattering without the need for cooling freezers… unlike other “Spicy” authors I won’t mention.

Ahem.

To connect with April online, visit her:

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*Stay tuned for my top books of 2017 and my most anticipated 2018 reads on New Year’s Eve.

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Comments

  1. NZ Filbruns says

    December 28, 2017 at 10:22 am

    I loved this book, too–and was sad when it ended. So fun!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      December 28, 2017 at 2:06 pm

      I keep trying to talk her into Sissy and Sassy on a Christmas train since they’re banned from the cruise line…

      Reply
      • NZ Filbruns says

        December 30, 2017 at 11:43 pm

        That would be fun!

        Reply
  2. April says

    December 28, 2017 at 7:20 am

    Well thank you, Chautona! I’m glad you liked it but I had no idea it was one of your top 5 of the year. You’ve made me blush *and* want get to writing my next Christmas Lights book!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      December 28, 2017 at 2:06 pm

      You really did knock it out of the park. It was awesome!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
byChautona Havig

Hey, we’re back after a couple of weeks of vacation, and boy did I need it. And, have I got a fabulous interview for you. Nancy Naigle and I talked about her books, her most recent release, What Remains True as well as her Christmas books and the one I’m most anxious to read, The Shell Collector. Listen in and learn about what Nancy says about this bet she has going on in What Remains True. Great stuff!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Need a Great Romantic Read to Wind Up Your Summer Reads?

As I said in the podcast, a while back, someone told me I’d LOVE The Shell Collector–one of those people who recommends books you HAVE to read if they say you do.  So I bought it and it’s been sitting on my shelf ever since. Well, now it’s on my GoodReads shelf, and I’m about to start it (and I optimistically thought I’d be done with it by the time this episode released. Oh, me of too much faith in myself and my time management!)

Author of over thirty books, not to mention a bestselling author who also has movies made of her novels (And The Shell Collector has been optioned! EEEP!), Nancy loves to write Christmas books and small-town stories. Seriously, as we talked, I felt like she was talking about me half the time. We’re so very alike in so many ways. It was fun.

Nancy also pointed out that her first books (if you go WAY back) are not Christian fiction and are a bit spicier than she prefers to write and definitely more than she writes today. So be warned there, but she did assure us that they are all closed-door books.

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

One woman wants to win a bet. One man wants to become a rodeo champion. One little girl may give them both something even better—from USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle.

“A commitment-phobic rodeo star and a divorcée with secrets find love in this wholesome romance. . . . As uplifting as it is sweet.”—Publishers Weekly

Working at a little shop on Main Street in a small town is exactly the break that executive Merry Anna Foster needs following her divorce. She’s made a bet with her ex-husband that she can live on the amount of money she’s giving him in alimony. If she can do it, then Kevin will have to stop complaining and leave her alone. But after three months of this new life, will she even want to leave Antler Creek?

Adam Locklear, bull rider and owner of the local feedstore, is having the best year of his rodeo career. He’s also a bit distracted by the pretty new neighbor living in his old bunkhouse. But Adam has no time for matters of the heart. He’s got his future all mapped out, and that future doesn’t involve a woman just yet. It doesn’t involve parenting a little girl either. However, Carly Fowler still suddenly leaves five-year-old Zan—the daughter Adam didn’t know he had—in his care.

Is it possible that the future holds a life even better than what Merry Anna and Adam had each dreamed of? One that includes both tenderness and even love—not just for each other but for Zan too?

You can learn more about Nancy’s books and movies on her WEBSITE.

Oh, and PSST… I’m loving the audiobook of this one!

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Episode 162: A Chat with Author, Nancy Naigle
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