Mistletoe and Malice: Read an Excerpt + Enter to Win

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Mistletoe and Malice by Lori DeJong, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Mistletoe and Malice 
Series: Guarded Hearts Series #1 
Author: Lori DeJong 
Publisher: Scrivenings Press 
Release Date: October 21, 2025 
Genre: Romantic Suspense

He’s sworn to protect her life … but guarding his heart may be his biggest challenge. 

After barely escaping an attempted abduction, Houston attorney Riley Hudson is forced to accept her wealthy father's demand for private security. The last thing she wants is a bodyguard—especially one as maddeningly arrogant, bossy … and handsome as Colton Blankenship. Yet as the threat against her escalates, she begins to rely not only on his skills, but his steadfast presence. 

Colton isn’t thrilled about giving up his hard-earned holiday vacation to protect a spoiled heiress. But he soon learns Riley is nothing like he expected. Fierce, independent, and unwavering in her faith, she’s everything he thought he’d left behind after tragedy shattered his own beliefs. As the unknown threat circles closer, the tension between them ignites into something deeper ... and far more perilous. 

When a second attempt on Riley’s life nearly succeeds, Colton faces a terrifying truth. Protecting her means risking more than just his life. Haunted by a past he can't outrun, and a faith he’s all but lost, he must decide if he can trust God again ... before he loses Riley—and his heart—for good.  

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Book Excerpt

“I’m scared, Colton.” Her whispered confession squeezed his heart. “And I don’t want to be. I don’t like to be afraid. I don’t like feeling out of control of my own life.”

“I understand. I do. But it’s probably good you’re finally scared. Fear puts you on alert if used effectively. Don’t let it paralyze you. Let it galvanize you. Be ultra-aware of your surroundings, the people around you. You can be your own best weapon in keeping yourself alive. I’d almost rather have you a bit scared than indifferent.”

“I’m not used to that. Being afraid. I always trust God is in control. That He’s on top of things, so I don’t need to worry. But this …” She swallowed hard. “Thinking somebody may want me dead? That’s a lot to take in. And my faith suddenly feels very small.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. Who was he to judge another’s faith after his own had shattered in the face of tragedy?

Yet from what he’d witnessed in the week he’d been with Riley, her faith was not small or weak. Not in the slightest.

But she was being tested now, in a way few people ever were. Would God act?

Or would He stand back and let another young woman die?

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About the Author

Lori DeJong is a contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and two fur-babies, with a daughter and son-in-love in DFW. Lori's debut novel, Love's True Calling, was the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, and was named the 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year. Love’s True Home, Book 2 of the True Calling Series, was a 2025 Selah finalist. Love’s True Measure released in June. Lori's Christmas novella, Jingle Bell Matchmakers, a part of A Match Made at Christmas novella collection, was named a 2025 ACFW Carol Award finalist.

Connect with Lori by visiting loridejongwrites.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of Mistletoe and Malice, and a signed copy of A Match Made at Christmas novella collection (released in Oct 2024)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 3, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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