A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: A Home for the Holidays by Joe Cosentino and Joel Leslie (narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

a-home-for-the-holidaysAs the son of an Italian mama, Bobby knows what it is to bow from pressure from said mama, so when she suggests he spend Christmas with his Italian cousins on the isle of Capri and goes so far as to buy his ticket, he has no choice but to capitulate. Once there, he meets his extended family, which includes his gorgeous, friendly third cousin, Paolo. Over the course of the holiday, the sparks ignite and then flare between these two men, despite the fact that Paolo’s family, and his family obligations, keep his sexuality under wraps and allow him no choice but to remain behind when Bobby flies home.

I don’t know what I enjoyed more in this story: the author’s sense of humor or Joel Leslie’s delivery of it. Maybe it’s a tie? But in any event, this short holiday story is packed full of goodness. Joel’s voice for Bobby’s mama was hysterical. Perfect, in both accent and tone, the words and the way they were spoken had me laughing out loud within a few minutes of starting this story. So buyer beware: don’t listen to this in any “quiet” space, such as a library. You’ll be kicked out, for sure!

Looking back on how long (or short) this audiobook was (less than two hours) I find it hard to believe that so much occurred. The characters, including a host of secondary characters, were well-developed by the author and given unique and interesting voices by the narrator. The romance progressed quickly, but then it would have to in a short story so no points off for that, for sure. And I was tearful at the ending but suddenly surprised at the last minute by the author’s gift: a highly possible HEA.

Definitely recommended for a healthy dose of holiday cheer.

The cover by Paul Richmond is attractive, depicting two handsome young men who fit the description of the MCs.

Sales Links

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Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, Audiobook
Published November 18th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 2nd 2015)
ASINB01N0DV3FT
Edition LanguageEnglish

In Our Pre-Release Day Spotlight: Love’s Opening Night by Jeff Adams (author interview and giveaway)

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Love’s Opening Night by Jeff Adams
D
reamspinner Press

Cover Artist: AngstyG

Available for Purchase at

        

~

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Jeff Adams here today answering questions and talking about his latest release, Love’s Opening Night. Welcome, Jeff.

~

Hi! I’m Jeff Adams and I’m trilled to be here on Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words to talk about my latest novella, Love’s Opening Night, which comes from Dreamspinner Press on December 28.

Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from?  A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

Not surprisingly, I suppose, it varies from story to story. For Love’s Opening Night, I wanted to set something on Broadway and the idea of taking a ensemble cast member, Jeremy Steele, with a long-standing crush on the lead, Ty Beaumont, and turning it into something more sounded fun. I love theater as much as I do hockey and I enjoyed leaving hockey behind for at least this one story (this is one of the few stories I’ve written that has no mention of the sport in it). You’ll see my love of musicals all over the story as I make reference to several favorites.

It mirrored real life a bit too. My husband and I met while we were doing a play for a local community theatre. Over the course of rehearsals and performances we starting dating. More than twenty years later we’re still enjoying our happily ever after.

Are you a planner or a pantser when writing a story? And why?

This has changed over the course of my writing career. When I began I pantsed all the way. Over time, however, I moved more towards planning. These days I know the course of the book and what needs to happen in each scene. However there’s plenty of room for the story to grow organically as well. For example, there’s a scene where Jeremy gets a little jealous about a reporter from a local TV station. I’d planned for the jealously, but who the reporter actually turns out to be was a lot of fun to write and something I hadn’t planned up front.

Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else?  Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?

For the most part I’m drawn to contemporary stories as I like to read about romanticized real life and that’s what I tend to write. But I try to read broadly too, so I’ll give sci-fi and paranormal a go every now and then, especially if a book comes highly recommended or it’s blurb catches my eye.

I’d like to try to write something sci-fi someday if I can wrap my brain around how to do the world building correctly.

Can a author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?

Oh, yes an author can do this. It may not be nice, but I do it. For me, it’s Simon from my Hat Trick series (see, there’s hockey rearing its head). He grew so much from a closeted, but in love, high school senior in to a caring, lovingly committed adult graduating college across the three book/three short story series, that I think he’ll be my favorite character forever.

If you were to be stranded on an island or snowbound somewhere, what books/authors would you take to read?

A must would be Z.A. Maxfield’s St. Nachos books as well as Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (which is my favorite book ever) plus books from David Levithan and Geoff Knight’s Fathom’s Five series. Those, I think, could get me through anything.

How early in your life did you begin writing?

I was published in my middle school’s literary journal in seventh grade and I poked around with creative writing through high school and college. After few years after college, a friend and I co-founded a literary magazine (The First Line, which still exists today). I left the magazine after a few years to focus on my own writing and here I am today. I love that I spend a few hours every day crafting stories.

Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?

My mom read to be a lot as a child. All the Winnie The Pooh books were wonderful (a prized possession is a first edition from the 1920s of one of the Pooh books. Charlotte’s Web was powerful and I was crushed when Charlotte dies at the end. There were a lot of Harold and the Purple Crayon stories too. He reading to me turned me into a reader. I’ve been reading ever since. Sometimes not as much as I want, but there’s always a book in progress.

Thanks so much for hanging out with me for a few minutes. If you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments and I’ll stop back to answer over the next few days.

I hope everyone enjoys Love’s Opening Night as much as I did writing it. Please check out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win an ebook copy.

About LOVE’S OPENING NIGHT

Can an onstage love story lead to a real-life romance?

Jeremy Steele is a veteran Broadway performer. For his latest role, he’s dancing alongside a man he’s fantasized about for years, TV star Ty Beaumont. Jeremy knows better than to get involved with a castmate, but when Ty has trouble learning the complicated choreography, Jeremy offers to lend a hand. When a rehearsal kiss turns into something more, Jeremy can’t help but wonder what a celebrity like Ty could ever see in a Broadway chorus boy like him. Will a relationship with his crush make it past previews, or can it become a long-running hit?

Release date: December 28, 2016

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About the Author

Jeff’s written stories since he was in middle school and became a gay romance writer in 2009 when his first short stories were published. Since then he’s written several more shorts and novels, including some in the young adult genre, and he plans to keep writing as long as wonderful readers keeping picking up his books.

Jeff lives in rural Northern California with his husband of twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musicals Rent and [title of show], the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition So You Think You Can Dance. If forced to pick his favorite book it would be a tie between Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and David Levithan’s Every Day.

Jeff is also the co-host of Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast.

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Raine O’Tierney on Writing and her release, The 12 Days of Hipster (The Avona Tales #2) (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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The 12 Days of Hipster (The Avona Tales #2) by Raine O’Tierney
D
reamspinner Press
Cover art by Paul Richmond

Available for Purchase at

        

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Raine O’Tierney here today answering questions about writing and her latest release in the Avona Tales series, The 12 Days of Hipster.  Welcome, Raine.

~

-Our Raine O’Tierney Interview-

Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from?  A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

A lot of times, I choose my plot to soothe some internal hurt. Either a regret of mine, or a story I heard in real life that didn’t quite have that HEA. I like to turn to the world of writing to “make it right.” Writing has healed a lot of wounds.

Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And  why?

Such a pantzer. I write organically and only at the very, very end do I think, “All right, let’s wrap this up — how?” Then I might do a mini plot.

Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else?  Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?

I’m a genre-jumper! Characters are my passion, so whatever genre fits those characters, that’s where you’ll find me.

If you had a character you’ve written you would write differently now at this time in your writing career, who would it be and why?

Shane Devereaux from Sweet Giordan— It’s not that I would write him differently, but I would show more of him and his hurts. I don’t think I conveyed him as well as I could have.

Can a author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?

Absolutely! My very favorite character is Isa Zaman from I’ll Always Miss You.

If you were writing your life as a romance novel, what would the title be?

Crazy Gal Gets Married Straight Out of High School… Because… I married my high school sweetheart a week after graduation! 😉

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-Blurb-

The 12 Days of Hipster

(Sequel to Bowl Full of Cherries)

Last Christmas, Tyler Lang accidentally accepted David Griffith’s invitation for dinner. Yes, it was an accident. See, hipster (don’t call him that!) Tyler doesn’t date guys, and even if he did, he certainly doesn’t date jocks. A rude and hasty exit right when the date was getting good left things awkward between them.

David Griffith isn’t really a jock. Well, he’s a former athlete who loves sports, but “jock” has a certain connotation that doesn’t quite fit the intelligent, hardworking store owner. A jock wouldn’t have given Tyler Lang the time of day. But even after that little, ahem, stunt with the fire escape, David can’t stop thinking about the hipster a year later. Which would be fine if fate didn’t keep butting her nose into their business, making it impossible for the jock and the hipster to avoid each other this Christmas.

A hilarious holiday romp, set to the music of the Winter Sounds.

Excerpt-

Okay, fine. If he couldn’t get out of this with direct and sound logic, he would try the irrational. The completely, totally—did he say completely?—irrational. Tyler tightened his grip on David’s hand, leaned forward, and kissed him. But before a full second had passed, David burst out laughing against Tyler’s lips.

Tyler yanked back, heat suffusing his face.

“What?”

“That was the sourest prekiss expression I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s it, I’m leaving.”

“Tyler, you don’t have to go.”

“No sparks. Only laughter. Must leave.”

“No sparks because you looked like you were in physical pain and made me laugh. Why don’t you be a little more romantic about it?”

“Because I….” Don’t know what in the hell I’m doing. It was probably the first time in his life he really could say that. He’d learned things before. There had been a time when he hadn’t known how to knit, when he hadn’t known how to make gourmet chocolates, when he hadn’t known how to use a soldering iron—but those were just learning opportunities. But with this? He felt like he was standing out naked on the corner with only mistletoe to cover his bits.

“More like this.”

The second kiss was what Tyler would have called sweet if the word had been in his vocabulary. David’s lips were warm, soft, giving, and for a moment the kiss lingered on that edge of innocent, like a snowflake dancing through the sky. Then the world tipped and Tyler’s hands were in David’s hair and David was drawing him closer and, motherfuckinggod, they were kissing. Hard, searching lips, taking and giving, and it took him way too long to realize what he was doing. In fact, he might not have ever realized it if they hadn’t needed to breathe like humans do. It took a long moment for rational thought to come back to Tyler.

-About the Author-

Called “Queen of the Sweetness” (well, two or three people said it anyway!) Raine O’Tierney loves writing sweet stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and…friskiness?

Raine in Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author, Siôn O’Tierney. When she’s not writing, she’s either asleep, or fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job. Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers!

Raine changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about which dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!

-SOCIAL MEDIA

Website: http://raineotierney.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raineotierney
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/RaineOTierneyAuthor/
Twitter: @raineotierney
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7770350.Raine_O_Tierney

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady audiobook Review: My Christmas Present by Toni Griffin

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

my-christmas-presentAfter four years away, when Lucas finishes uni, he arrives just in time for the Christmas holiday season. All he wants is to work on his dad’s best friend’s cattle station and to capture that man’s heart for Christmas. He’s had a crush on Mitchell since he was a young teen, and though he had a few experiences with guys while in college, it’s the “almost forty” man who captures his attention and won’t let go.

Not knowing that the feeling is mutual, he decides he only has a few days to make his intentions known. But Mitchell is an expert at evading the sexy young man who captured his attention around the time he turned eighteen, so he doesn’t give Lucas many chances to try. Enter Lucas’s father Ben, who happens to be a lawman. What he does to help the ill-fated pair along makes a great Christmas present for both. After all, a father wants what’s best for his son, and if he happens to help his best friend along the way, it’s win-win.

This was a very short, very sweet, very fluffy, sexy story. Well narrated by Ryder Watkins, it would make a great stocking stuffer, birthday gift, or just a short, fun afternoon of listening. If you like cowboys, Aussies, or age gap, this one fits the bill.

The drawn cover is of a sexy cowboy sitting at a kitchen chair out by the corral. It makes sense after you read the story, but it is indeed colorful and attractive.

Sales Links

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Audiobooks Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition
Published December 18th 2013 by Mischief Corner Books, LLC (first published December 2nd 2011)
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersLucas Winters, Mitchell Morgan settingAustralia

An Ali Audiobook Review: A Fortunate Blizzard by L.C. Chase and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
a-fortunate-blizzard-audiobookThere are worse things than being stranded in a blizzard.

Artist Trevor Morrison has always appreciated the little things in life, treating each day as a gift. And with good reason: he’s been on the transplant-recipient list for too long now. When he learns just how numbered his days truly are, he resolves not to take them for granted. But he won’t be unrealistic, either—which means romantic commitments are off the table.

Marcus Roberts seems to have it all. He’s handsome, financially sound, and on the fast track to partnership at a prestigious law firm. In reality, though, his drive for success has meant no time for friends or relationships. Add in the fact that his family discarded him long ago, and he’s facing yet another holiday season alone.

When the biggest snowstorm to hit Colorado in decades leaves Marc and Trevor stranded at the same hotel, a chance encounter and a night of passion leads to more than either of them expected. Finding comfort in each other is a welcome surprise, but time is not on their side. Either they find a way to beat the odds, or they lose each other forever.
I really enjoyed this wonderful holiday tale.  Trevor and Marcus get caught in a blizzard and are both stranded at a hotel.  They are immediately attracted to each other and spend a magical few days getting to know each other.  Marcus wants it to be more but Trevor refuses due to his health problems.  But after going so long without anyone to care about or having someone care about him Marcus isn’t about to accept defeat and since this is a Christmas story, miracles happen.
I thought both MC’s were well done and I really felt for both of them.  I thought Trevor’s concerns were realistically done and my heart went out, not to just him, but to his family and Marcus as well.  You could feel everyone’s grief at the impending loss.  The ending was very touching and I may have gotten tears in my eyes at one point.  I think this is one of the best holiday stories I’ve read over the last few years and I really recommend it.
This was narrated by Nick J. Russo and I thought he did a very good job.  Both of his voices for the two main characters were good and I never had a hard time figuring out who was speaking.  All of the side characters were also well done, including Trevor’s mother.  I find some male narrators do don’t female voices in a way I enjoy but that was not the case here.  I enjoyed this audio alot and would really recommend this medium if you’re planning to read this story.
Cover by L.C. Chase:  I like the cover but I don’t love it.  It doesn’t stand out to me and the models on the front don’t match that well to the descriptions of the MC’s in the book.
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Audiobook Details:
Listening Length: 4 hours and 15 minutes
Audible Audio, 5 pages
Published November 8th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published August 2nd 2011)
ASINB01MQDPLN3
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersTrevor Morrison, Marc Roberts settingColorado (United States)Literary AwardsINDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards (2015)

A VVivacious Advent Calendar Review Day 26: Scrooged Over (2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug) by David Connor

Rating – 5 Stars out of 5
 
scrooged-overDeke and Dudley are radio jockeys, co-hosts of the ‘Deke and Dudley Morning Show’. When Deke starts of on his post-Thanksgiving anti-Christmas tirade Dudley the yuletide overachiever is shocked. An on-air argument leads to a wager that whoever gets more listeners on their side wins and the loser needs to spend an evening with a blind date of  the winner’s choice.
 
As Dudley gears up to prove Deke wrong, things don’t work out as planned – the Christmas lights don’t work, the cookies go bad, Dudley’s cats puke on his wrapping paper and his holiday cards don’t get sent out. As Dudley’s Christmas looks like it is headed towards disaster, he submits himself to the blind date, all the while hoping that the blind date will turn out to be Deke himself
 
This story makes for an awesome read. I loved how this story set the record straight on what Christmas is all about. I especially liked how the author managed to send out the message despite the consumerism that surrounds Christmas nowadays. I also liked the fact that this story manages to show us that Christmas means the same things to people even if they find themselves participating in its rampant consumerism, even if  they drive themselves crazy trying to get everything perfect because they work that hard because they want to make Christmas as memorable as they can for their loved ones. In this story there is a point where Deke tells Dudley that Deke and his siblings don’t let their parents buy them anything for Christmas because of the one Christmas they ruined by being very ungrateful, so nowadays they send their parents for a cruise every Christmas. This is followed by Dudley’s statement that probably Deke’s mother would love to give them gifts because that’s how she would want to spend her Christmas, making her kids happy.
 
I loved a lot of nuances in this story. I loved how Deke and Dudley end up together. I especially loved how Dudley stood up for himself and for his love when he made it clear that he wanted to be with Deke.
 
This story is really amazing. I loved the characters in this story. They were all very amazing, what with Dudley who fits the phrase yuletide overachiever to a tee and Deke who is busy rampaging against all things Christmas. Also, I loved Dudley’s grandfather he was like the cherry at the top of the cake pushing and prodding Deke and Dudley together without being subtle about it in the least.
 
I really loved Dudley. This story is written from Dudley’s perspective and by the end of the story I had fallen in love with his character, the guy who is trying so hard because he wants to make this Christmas special for the people around him.
 
This story is a splendid take on the spirit of Christmas and it will have you smiling till the very end.
 
Cover Art by Bree Archer. I loved the cover; it really captures the spirit of this story.
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Book Details:
ebook, 69 pages
Published December 1st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635331889 (ISBN13: 9781635331882)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug

In the Spotlight: The Weather Baker’s Son by Peter Grover (author interview)

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The Weather Baker’s Son (World of Love) by Peter Grover
D
reamspinner Press
Release Date: December 21, 2016

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

Purchase it here

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Thank you Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Reviews for having me on your blog!  My book, The Weather Baker’s Son, second one issued in the Dreamspinner World of Love project, takes place in southern France.  I have ensured much local color is found in the book.  Here are my answers to your questions:

  • Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from?  A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

Most often from the memory of a place and the sights seen in that place.  Sometimes it does involve the journey along the way as well. The quirky things one sees in someplace new are always an inspiration. I am also working on a project that is inspired by an event that occurred 2,000 years ago, and how it impacts people today.

  • Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And  why?

I am currently a hybrid or plantzer.  I started as a pantzer as I love to dwell on certain scenes, almost as standalone and create the vibe around them, the interaction between the characters as well as add any of the local beauty that should be incorporated. As a result, and as predicted by those who are planners I have had to delete much, rearrange other things and waste a lot of time. But at the same time, I have enjoyed my distractions.  However, the advantages of planning have not been lost on me.  I have been practicing planning from day one with a new project which is now several months into writing while at the same time being a pantzer again with another project. I have found the one being planned interesting to do and have gained a great appreciation for the complexity of the process. The planning is indeed helping me but occasionally I need to break out of the process to sketch an entire chapter just for the love of it!

  • Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else?  Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?

That’s a hard question as all have attracted me over time.  I was a voracious reader of science fiction as a youth.  I also studied at university the great classics of European and Latin American literature for many years and have degrees in modern languages. Regarding my own current writing however I am mainly drawn to contemporary narratives.

  • Can an author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?

Yes and yes! In The Weather Baker’s Son I am in love with the weather baker’s son in every way and also have a more subdued affection for the weather baker herself! They are definitely my favorites characters.

  • If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list?

Authors could be any or all of Ogden Nash, Oscar Wilde, Amy Lane, Kim Fielding, Damon Suede, Anna de Noailles.

  • How early in your life did you begin writing?

Probably around the age of 9 and into my teenage years but I never did anything with the output and much of it is lost. Then came a long career as a legal wordsmith in a commercial environment. While it may sound dry I really enjoyed it and I believe my opinions were respected for their thoroughness and clarity.  Only now am I back into creating fiction for my own enjoyment and hopefully that of my readers.

  • Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?

I come from a family of voracious readers and we all read constantly and early on.  As my parents both did shift work we were not often read to, but we were always encouraged to read! I would say I especially enjoyed science fiction, notably the greats like Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury but I would also devour non-fiction, such as history and biographies.

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About The Weather Baker’s Son

Nature’s call of desire among golden fields and intoxicating red-lipped poppies seems to proclaim a path to love and healing in southern France. Yet Peter, an American university student struggling with self-doubt following a failed love affair, is determined never to be hurt again. While on a vacation with his widowed mother, Peter is smitten by Gaston, a handsome local baker. Gaston, less bold than Peter, is drawn to Peter as well but fearful of the loss of family esteem—particularly the respect of his cousin Mario, who looks up to Gaston. Their friendship grows into more as Peter continues to visit the bakery, but their increasing intimacy does not go unnoticed. The road to fulfillment becomes increasingly obscured, and internal doubts and external events spiral out of control. The arrival of a handsome stranger, suspicions of murder, and the threat of harm might spell the end of more than just their relationship.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

About the Author

Peter Grover has received no end of inspiration from his life with his husband and a gaggle of ghosts in a Gothic Victorian house.  Peter has now arisen from a pile of dusty law books to relaunch his background in languages and literature, early passions before his career. Combining these passions with his many travels for work and pleasure has allowed him to illustrate local poetry, arts and landscapes that draw the reader into other, often exotic worlds.  Peter loves to hike the deserts and mountains of the Southwest US in the winter while enjoying the lush scenery and lakes of Central Canada in the summer.

A MelanieM Advent Calendar Review Day 25: Don’t Let the Light Go Out (2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug) by L.A. Merrill

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

dont-let-the-light-go-outRay Fine would like to forget Hanukkah even exists. The holiday holds too many sad memories for the young widower. When he’s paired with new convert Josiah Wilson in a year-long welcoming program at his synagogue, he doesn’t know how he’ll get through eight days of celebration, let alone twelve months of guidance.

Josiah has enough on his plate—school, conversion, the holiday concert season—without becoming someone’s shoulder to cry on. But when he discovers there’s more to his new synagogue buddy’s sadness than a case of the “Hanukkah Blues,” he sets out to show Ray how much there is to live for.

The first blizzard of the season has other plans, though, and Hanukkah might be a lost cause if Ray and Josiah can’t plow through the snow—and their differences. Determined not to lose Ray to his own darkness, Josiah plans to teach him a lesson about the real Miracle of Light—and love.

I loved this story by L.A. Merrill.  A man mourning the death of his husband has lost all hope and withdrawn from life.  Now as the beginning of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, one his husband enjoyed deeply, the pain is felt all the more grievously. Ray Fine’s not just withdrawn, he’s depressed and barely surviving from day to day.  Merrill does  an excellent job of letting us into what’s left of Fine’s life.  We see the dust that spread over his furniture, the two room’s he’s withdrawn into, and the menorah collection of his husband’s that he’s grown resentful of to the point of hate.  Its wonderful writing, it sets the man, the emotion and the theme for the story.

Josiah Wilson is a welcome and warm presence when he appears. Josiah is a convert to  Judaism, he’s has his own holiday schedule and he’s trying to understand and fit into a new congregation. Then he meets Ray and sees Ray floundering just as he’s been assigned to Ray as a ‘synagogue buddy’ by their Rabbi.  Josiah is a wonderful character.  He’s young, compassionate but not a doormat.  He’ll take only so much rejection before he too will give up.

Merrill understands that grief is something that has to be worked through.  Merrill goes through the stages realistically.  There’s no magic button here.  But all the wondlerful touches and great characters flow together, within the framework of the Jewish religion and the celebration of Hanukkah to bring readers a story of joy, recovery, hope and love.

Its doesn’t matter what religion or holiday you celebrate for you to recognize the wonders and joys that await you in this one.  I recommend it to you all.

I wish in this case that another cover would have been chosen other than the series cover by Paul Richmond.

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Book Details:

ebook, 34 pages
Published December 1st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1635331870 (ISBN13: 9781635331875)
Edition Language English

 

 

 

 

Cover art by Paul Richmond

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Book Details:

ebook, 34 pages
Published December 1st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635331870 (ISBN13: 9781635331875)
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttps://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/dont-let-the-light-go-out-by-la-merrill-7981-b
Series2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Saving Jason by K.C. Wells

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

saving-jason-by-kc-wellsI have to be very honest here—I most definitely chose to read this book because of the cover. I’m not often motivated by covers; I’m more likely to buy based on an author or blurb. In this case, I got it all: stunning cover; gorgeous silver fox; sweet, smart, sexy younger man; an author I love; and a story that fulfills its promise. Happy holidays to me!

David is a marketing exec at a large law firm. Constantly oversleeping, his favorite stop on the way to work is a coffee shop where he gets incredible bagels and perfect coffee, along with a good look at the shop’s silver-haired, sexy owner. When he is assigned the task of finding a homeless shelter his firm can adopt for promotion, he immediately thinks of his silver fox—the man who he’s seen passing coffee and a bagel to men who are apparently homeless. If his suspicion is correct, this is the man who can help.

Jason is a divorced father of one, and though he’s happy he finally came out to his family, he spends most of his time alone, not having gotten up the nerve to pursue another man. But this David guy is so cute and personable that he’s happy to accept the challenge of helping him and having something, and someone, new in his life.

Even after Jason introduces David to the staff at the shelter where he volunteers his time, the two find reasons to spend time together and quickly develop a friendship. Over the course of the few months between their initial meeting and the holiday season, they find that friendship has developed into a relationship, which from Jason’s perspective, fulfills his dreams of having a man in his life. The fact that it’s a younger man who is smart and sexy and kisses like there’s no tomorrow is a huge bonus.

Over time it’s noticeable to his staff and son and other friends that Jason is no longer the sad and lonely man he once was. And David couldn’t be happier than when he’s in Jason’s arms. Because their attraction developed slowly and didn’t leap into immediate sex, this story turned out to be even more enjoyable to me. Don’t get me wrong: there is sex—really good sex—but not until the latter part of the story. Slow burn romance is so delicious—it’s like letting an M&M melt in your mouth—you get more of the flavor one layer at a time. The fact that this story takes place in the holiday season is a bonus, especially if you read it now, but it is appropriate any time of the year.

My only problem with it is this: throughout the whole story I kept mixing up the characters in my mind. And I mean the whole story! I had to constantly stop and think about which character was doing which action, and it was all because of their names. I felt that Jason was the younger man and David the older one. Why? Because David is an “older” name that’s been around forever, and the name Jason has only been popular since the end of the 20th century and I associate it with younger persons. I admit that this could just be me, but it created a real problem for me so I have to mark this as 4.5 stars. Other than that, it’s a wonderful story of romance.

One last word on the cover by Meredith Russell—it fulfilled its promise, big time. The cover models actually look like the characters and the scene actually takes place. And the look in David’s eyes as he gazes at Jason is just so full of love and adoration it makes my heart tingle. Perfect!

Sales Links

c60a7-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 117 pages
Published November 30th 2016 by Island Tales Press
ASINB01MYUL6EG
Edition LanguageEnglish

Merry Christmas, More Announcements and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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Merry Christmas and More Announcements

Merry Christmas all.  This will be a short post this morning as I’m busy with  all things family and the holidays.  I hope you all are having a safe, happy, and wonderful holiday as well, no matter where you are.

Announcements

✒︎Our first major announcement is that the author with the most votes of our poll is Ross Common who wrote Christopher.  If you want to read Christopher or any of the other stories, go to our Flash Fiction header in the menu and you can find them all there.  Congratulations to Ross Common for his amazing story.  Our thanks to all the authors and for their wonderful flash fiction.  We intend to do this again next next.  Stay tuned!

✒︎Second announcement.  The reader randomly chosen to receive the $10 Dreamspinner Press gift card after voting and leaving a comment was Suze294. Congratulations to suze294.  

Merry  Christmas everyone and here’s our schedule.

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This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, December 25:

  • A Melanie Advent Calendar Review Day 25: Don’t Let the Light Go Out by L.A. Merrill
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Saving Jason by KC Wells
  • Merry Christmas, More Announcements and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, December 26:

  • DSP GUEST POST Peter Grover
  • An Alisa Review: Russian Blau by Emily Carrington
  • An Ali Audiobook Review A Fortunate Blizzard by LC Chase
  • A Caryn Review: Boots by Angel Martinez
  • A Melanie Release Day Review: Chosen Pride by Mary Calmes
  • A VVivacious Advent Calendar Review Day 26: Title Surprise

Tuesday, December 27:

  • DSP GUEST POST Raine O’Tierney on The 12 Days of Hipster
  • DSP GUEST POST Jeff Adams
  • An Ali Review: The Road To Frosty Hollow – RJ Scott & Meredith Russell
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Joe Cosentino and Narrated by Joel Leslie
  • A Barb the  Zany Old Lady Advent Calendar Review Day Review Day 27: Title Surprise
  • A Caryn Review: Wild Rose, Silent Snow by Angel Martinez
  • A VVivacious Review The House Guest by Asta Idonea

Wednesday, December 28:

  • DSP GUEST POST BA Tortuga on Catch and Release
  • DSP GUEST POST David Connor and E.F. Mulder
  • Cover Reveal for Hipster Brothel by K.A. Merikan
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Deefur And The Great Mistletoe Incident by RJ Scott
  • A Stella Release Day Review: Jackass Flats by Julia Talbot
  • An Ali Release Day Review:  Whiskey Business by Avon Gale
  • A VVivacious Advent Calendar Review Day 28: Title Surprise

Thursday, December 29:

  • DSP GUEST POST Paul Comeau on More Things in Heaven and Earth
  • Review Tour – Posy Roberts – Analog to Digital
  • A Caryn Review: Bridge Over Troubled Water by Vivien Dean
  • A VVivacious Review: Under my Bed by T. A. Chase
  • A Lila Audio Review Fish Out of Water by Amy Lane
  • A Paul B Release Day Review: Analog to Digital

Friday, December 30:

  • Blog Tour: “Accused” by Leona Windwalker
  • Cover Reveal Regeneration by Louise Lyons
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Champagne Kisses by Lynda Aicher
  • A Lila Release Day Review: More Things in Heaven and Earth By Paul Comeau
  • A Melanie Release Day Review: In Enemy Hands by MA Church
  • A VVivacious Advent Calendar Review: Title Surprise

Saturday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve):

  • A Stella Advent Calendar Review Last Day:  First New Year’s After the Apocalypse by Jessica Payseur

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