Milla Holt's Blog, page 2

Amid the Ashes Wins!

Wow, what just happened?!

This Monday turned out to be a day to remember. My book, Amid the Ashes, won in the Short Contemporary category at the Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Awards!

I went to the awards at half past midnight UK time, thinking I’d just clap for my fellow authors and soak in the inspiration. Then, they called my book as the winner! I was totally floored—shocked, humbled, and over the moon happy. At that moment, I was too stunned to say much, so here are the thank yous I couldn’t manage then.

A huge thank you to Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers for their amazing work in supporting authors and lifting up romantic fiction written from a Christian worldview.

Thanks to all the readers who pored over so many fantastic entries. Choosing must have been a tough job from such a talented pool.

Big love to my critique partners who were there for every brainstorm and every “what-if” that helped weave this story. And to my incredible readers—your support means the world to me and then some.

Above everything, I thank God, because without Him, none of this would make sense or even be possible.

Here’s to more stories, more love, and more grace. Thank you, everyone!

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Why I wrote a “secret baby” romance

A reader, whom I now consider a friend, called me out when I first announced I was writing a romance featuring a Christian recording artist who has a one-night stand that results in a baby. My friend was concerned that my story might be glorifying physical intimacy before marriage and unwanted pregnancy.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

My heart has always been to write about Christians living out their faith when the rubber meets the road–when they’re faced with life’s toughest challenges, and, yes, when they fail. Christians are humans, and humans make mistakes. Humans fall far short of God’s standards.

But thank God for grace and redemption. That’s what Home Town Melody is about: God restoring repentant hearts.

A dear reader, who has since become a friend, called me out when I revealed that I had written a romance about a Christian recording artist who faces the consequences of a one-night stand. My friend worried that my story might glamorize premarital intimacy and unplanned pregnancy.

I want to clarify: that was never my intention.

My passion lies in exploring how Christians navigate their faith through life’s toughest moments—how they handle failures, and yes, even when they fall short of God’s expectations. Christians are humans, and humans make mistakes. Humans fall far short of God’s standards.

But here’s where the beauty of grace and redemption shines through. Home Town Melody is a celebration of God’s ability to restore and heal repentant hearts.

It’s coming out on July 24th.

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After the Frost is Here!

I’ve been super quiet online lately, and this blog has been like a ghost town since October. This book is the reason why! I’ve been labouring hard to bring After the Frost into the world, and it’s finally here!

And, yes, I know it’s a Christmas book and this is February, but it is what it is.

He’s a widower who has lost the perfect wife. So, why is he drawn to a woman who’s not the marrying kind?

Steinar is adjusting to life as a single dad of seven-year-old twins. He hoped that moving back to his home country would bring healing to his little family, but settling into their new home in a small Norwegian town is proving harder than he thought. His children struggle with the language and miss their life in England. Getting involved in the community might be the answer, and he’s happy to volunteer in the town’s Christmas festival.

Reidun bucks traditional roles and never thought of herself as wife material, nor the mothering type. But now that she’s the only single woman left in her friend group, she’s spending a lot more time alone than she’d like. She needs a new project to keep herself busy, and planning her small town’s first ever Christmas festival sounds perfect.

Amid the twinkling lights and festive preparations, Reidun doesn’t expect the single dad and his feisty twins to find the soft spot in her heart. They’re used to the perfect homemaking wife and mom, and she’s anything but.

This Christmas, they’re all about to learn that sometimes God’s perfect gifts come in the most unlikely packaging.

After the Frost is Book 5 in Milla Holt’s Seasons of Faith Christian romance series. Five friends were in the same wedding in a small Norwegian town over twenty years ago. Four bridesmaids, one bride. Now, two decades on, each woman learns that God’s timing is perfect as they find forever love later in life.

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It’s Release Day!

Amid the Ashes by Milla Holt

How do you know a risk is worth taking when you’ve tried before and faced nothing but painful and embarrassing failure?

In my latest book, Amid the Ashes, my lead characters are in their late forties, meaning they’ve been around the block a few times. Those trips have left dings and dents in their hearts.

Now next door neighbours, they clash over Johanna’s sassy cat, a feline who has a mind of its own.

When circumstances lead them to work together, how will Johanna and Gunnar see past their differences and recognize what could be?

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Two Days to Go!

Amid the Ashes by Milla Holt

Incoming book alert!

How do you know a risk is worth taking when you’ve tried before and faced nothing but painful and embarrassing failure?

In my latest book, Amid the Ashes, my lead characters are in their late forties, meaning they’ve been around the block a few times. Those trips have left dings and dents in their hearts.

Now next door neighbours, they clash over Johanna’s sassy cat, a feline who has a mind of its own.

When circumstances lead them to work together, how will Johanna and Gunnar see past their differences and recognize what could be?

The post Two Days to Go! appeared first on Milla Holt: Inspirational Christian Romance.

Preorder Available!

Amid the Ashes, Book 4 in my Seasons of Faith series, releases on October 18th and is available to preorder. I’m looking forward to sharing my first book of 2023. It’s been a while!

This enemies-to-more story is about two neighbours at loggerheads over a cat. Find out more here.

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Back to School BookstaWin Giveaway!

Just a few of the prizes up for grabs

I’ve joined with over 50 other Christian authors to bring you a massive book giveaway.

There are SO many prizes to win! To join, click here.

Just to whet your appetite, these are the prizes up for grabs:

One Grand Prize Winner will receive 1 AUTOGRAPHED paperback featured title from each author in this giveaway. Two 2nd Place Winners will get 4 randomly selected paperbacks from the featured titles.Twelve 3rd Place Winners will receive 1 randomly selected paperback from the featured titles.

Terms: The giveaway will run from 12:00AM CT 8/28/2023- 11:59PM CT 9/8/2023.

Open to *USA MAILING ADDRESSES ONLY

Entrants must be 18 yrs or older to win.

No purchase necessary to enter the giveaway. Entrants submitting their email address agree to be subscribed to the participating authors newsletter list and understand they can unsubscribe at any time.

Prizes will be mailed to the winners within 4-6 weeks of the contest end date.

Contest participants are not responsible for lost or stolen items during the shipping process.

Interested? Enter the giveaway here.

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Join the Launch Team!

It’s nearly time for the release of the Mosaic Collection’s 2023 summer anthology. Dancing in the Rain comes out on June 7th. But if you want to grab an early copy, you could join our launch team!

We’re looking for keen readers who will read advance copies, and perhaps leave an honest review.

Interested? Apply here!

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Christian Fiction 99 Cent Sale

From May 1st until May 7th, Christian romance author Toni Shiloh has put together a 99 cent book sale featuring several other authors, including yours truly.

My book Lessons Learned in Love is on sale for the first time ever, so it’s a great time to grab it if you haven’t read it yet.

Check out the other contemporary Christian romance titles on sale, and hopefully you’ll discover a favourite new read.

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99 Cents for a Limited Time

Lessons Learned in Love

For the first time ever, and only for a limited time, Lessons Learned in Love is only 99 cents!

The boss’s daughter is off-limits. Especially when she steals the job that should have been his.

Vanya has never measured up to her parents’ demanding standards. After a crushing humiliation at her last job, she jumps at the chance to prove herself when her father entrusts her with a leadership role in his company.

Tendo has had nothing handed to him on a silver platter. The son of a refugee, he’s had to claw his way up every rung of the career ladder. Then the CEO’s daughter swoops in to take the job that should have been his. Tendo wants to resent the pampered princess, making his growing attraction unexpected—and entirely unwelcome.

Vanya feels grossly unqualified to manage the brilliant and ambitious Tendo, especially when she realizes that she’s beginning to admire him for a lot more than his professional qualities. And although he knows he’s falling hard and fast, Tendo is proud of being a self-made man. A relationship with the boss’s daughter is exactly the sort of special treatment he despises.

But as Vanya’s and Tendo’s worlds collide, they discover the power of honesty, grace, and trust—and the possibilities of a future built together.

Dive into this Christian inspirational romance today.

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