Well, the holiday season is upon us and it's time to get inspired!
by Cynthia DiTiberio

I always find the holidays a perfect time to remember the things that really matter--family, faith, and being with people that you love. As it turns out, our new line of inspirational fiction at Avon, Avon Inspire, focuses on just those things.

So, as the founding acquiring editor, I thought I'd send you a holiday reading list. When you're getting ready to settle down in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, these are books that will help you kick back and remember the spirit of the season.

Why don't you start with WEDDING BELL BLUES by Linda Windsor? A contemporary romance that follows interior designer Alex as she plans her little sister's wedding in the midst of her one true love rolling back into town.

You'll love Alex's three best friends, who dub themselves "the Bosom Buddies," dishing up lots of laughs and tenderhearted advice as Alex tries to figure out whether faith and forgiveness can give her love a second chance. Book two in the series (THE PIPER COVE CHRONICLES, named for the sweet little bayside town the friends live in) comes out in April so make sure you're ready!




If historical romance is your true love, you won't be able to get enough of Tracey Bateman's Westward Hearts series which follows three strong women as they struggle on the Oregon Trail.

With feisty heroines, to-die-for rugged heroes, and page-turning suspense, you'll love this three book series.


DEFIANT HEART is available now with DISTANT HEART hitting stores in January!






For fans of Meg Cabot and what used to be called "chick lit," let me introduce you to Kristin Billerbeck.

Her first book with Avon Inspire, THE TROPHY WIVES CLUB, follows Haley, whose role as an LA princess is canceled when her producer husband finds someone younger for the part. This is a hilarious, relatable story of trying to stand on your own two feet and the important realization that sometimes in losing, we find the real reward.

Kristin was the pioneer in Christian chick lit with her 2004 WHAT A GIRL WANTS.

Visit her website at www.kristinbillerbeck.com.


When you really want to get lost in a saga, pick up Lyn Cote's historical BLESSED ASSURANCE, which includes three novels following three generations of Wagstaff women.

Book one follows Civil War widow Jessie Wagstaff and her son Linc fighting the Great Chicago fire, book two finds Linc a social activist in high-society San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake, and book three finds Linc's daughter Meg fighting racial barriers in 1920's New Orleans.

Lyn includes such precise historical detail cloaked in riveting, dramatic stories of love that you'll be forever indebted to us for including all three books in one volume so you don't have to go out in the snow to get the next book!

In the coming months we'll have lots more to inspire you because, let's face it, in our world today we need all the inspiration we can get! So I hope some of these selections brighten your season and help you remember that, at the end of the day, we have so much to be thankful for.

Cynthia DiTiberio
Acquiring Editor
Avon Inspire