Category: Contemporary fiction

Check Out the Tour for “A Unique Request” by Mickie B. Ashling (new release and excerpt)

A Unique Request - Micke B. Ashling

Mickie B. Ashling has a new MMM contemporary romance out, The Basque Trilogy book one: A Unique Request. And there’s a giveaway!

Mickie has reduced the price of A Unique Request to $1.99 while the book is on tour.

Seven years have passed since Paul Alcott and Mick Henley separated, but hearing the familiar voice reinforces what Paul has known all along―he still loves Mick and wants him back.

Hope flares upon receiving a dinner invitation, but his dream evaporates when he learns that Mick is in a relationship with Basque jai alai player, Tono Garat.

To make matters worse, Paul’s services as a book editor are solicited to help Tono through the final revision of a love story he’s written.

Paul refuses until Mick reveals he’s been diagnosed with a fatal disease, and the novel is Tono’s only means of coping.

Paul and Tono resent each other, but they can’t deny the strong sexual attraction between them. Will they overcome their differences to provide the loving support necessary to sustain the man they love or will their animosity destroy Mick’s final days?

Warnings: Second chances, bittersweet, fatal disease

Get It On Amazon | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Giveaway

Mickie is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47320/

Excerpt

A Unique request meme - Mickie B. Ashling/

A Unique Request

Mickie B. Ashling © 2024

All Rights Reserved

Paul stood outside the door, debating his decision to show up. He had a bottle of red wine in one hand and a bunch of colorful wildflowers in the other. He’d given in to a moment of sentimental weakness, and now he wondered what the hell he was doing. He turned to leave when the door was yanked open by a fractious brunet with a scowl on his face. “¿Sí?”

“Hi. I’m Paul Alcott.”

The stranger scowled and scrutinized him from the top of his shining head down his designer-clad body.

Paul was unfazed. He was just as curious about the man who’d replaced him in Mick’s life. He inspected him like he would any rival, noting the chestnut-colored hair curling around his neckline. His upper body was hidden behind a loose T-shirt, but the corded muscles of his forearms were a clear indication of what was underneath. He was striking, no doubt about it. The heated gaze was bad enough, but it was his luscious mouth that sent Paul’s mind straight to the gutter. He was shocked by his body’s quick response to this stranger, despite the obvious antagonism. He brought his hand down, covering the evidence of his growing interest with the flowers.

The Spaniard blinked and rewarded Paul with a tentative smile. “I’m Tono Garat,” he announced in a heavily accented voice.

“Nice to meet you.” Paul nodded. “Is Mick around?”

“Yes, of course. Come in, please.”

Tono spun around, and Paul zeroed in on the rounded ass covered in tight white shorts. No garter lines meant he was naked underneath, and Paul couldn’t help but notice.

“Paul!” Mick called out, rushing forward and hugging Paul tightly. “God, it’s been too long.”

“I know,” Paul said, falling under Mick’s spell within seconds. It had always been so good between them, and despite the years and the distance, the sentiment remained the same. “You’re still as gorgeous as ever.

“Oh, stop. You always were good for my ego.”

“The years have been kind to you, my friend,” Paul continued, taking in every part of Mick. He did look great, trim and fit, clean-shaven. His hair was a little longer than Paul remembered, but the dark curls framed Mick’s tanned face, making the violet-tinged eyes pop.

“You don’t look half-bad either.” Mick’s voice shifted, and the words came out like a soft caress. He toyed with a lock of Paul’s silky hair, curling it around his finger. “When did you let your hair grow?”

“After my father died; no more memos about looking professional.” Paul smirked as he recalled Paul Senior’s edicts.

“Shall I take the bottle?” Tono interrupted, looking uncomfortable. Perhaps he was aware of their long history, but seeing the chemistry was a different matter altogether.

“Sure,” Paul replied, handing over the wine.

“I made a pitcher of sangria. Would you like a glass?” Tono asked, never taking his eyes off Paul.

“Sounds good. I’m assuming it’s authentic.”

“I made it from scratch,” Tono huffed.

“Come on,” Mick stepped in, trying to diffuse the situation. He took Paul by the arm and led him out to the tiny patio that had a wrought iron table for four and several wooden planters filled with assorted vegetables. The tomatoes were almost ripe and hanging from branches held up with green sticks. The Weber grill was off to one side―a tribute to summer and warm evenings.

“This is nice, Mick. I had no idea this was out here.”

“Not too many people do. I guess the owners were into gardening, so I benefit. It’s what attracted me to this unit in the first place.”

Paul sat down and stretched out, loving the sight of Mick after so long. “So, what have you been up to?”

“Living La Vida Loca.” Mick smiled. “I’ve been writing, of course, but mostly enjoying my life.”

“Sounds great. Are you still working on your sequel?”

“Yes, as well as something new.”

“Oh?”

“I’m helping Tono with his book.”

Paul gave Tono a frosty look. “You’re a writer?”

“I’m not,” Tono replied, placing a large wineglass with chunks of fruit in front of Paul. “I’m a professional jai alai player, but I’ve written a romance, based on my relationship with Mick.”

“A romance?” Paul turned to Mick for the answer. “Why?”

“Because I’m dying.”

Author Bio

Mickie B. Ashling

MICKIE B. ASHLING is the pseudonym of a multi-published author who resides in a suburb outside Chicago. She is a product of her upbringing in various cultures, having lived in Japan, the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East. Fluent in three languages, she’s a citizen of the world and an interesting mixture of East and West. A little bit of this and a lot of that have brought a unique touch to her literary voice she could never learn from textbooks.

Since 2009, Mickie has written several dozen novels in the LGBTQ+ genre—which have been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, and German. Audiobooks and foreign translations are available at Amazon and Audible. Her award-winning novels have been described as “gut- wrenching, daring, and thought-provoking.”

Author Website: https://www.mickieashling.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/mickie.ashling

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickieashling

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217416171-a-unique-request

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/mickie-b-ashling/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mickie-B.-Ashling/author/B004QSCN3E

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Review:  The Christmas Keeper (Laurel Holidays Book 6) by V.L. Locey

Rating:  5🌈

V. L. Locey’s Laurel Holidays novels are a must read for me , and this season’s release has to be my absolute favorite of all.  The Christmas Keeper, Laurel Holidays Book 6, just resonates with me on multiple levels. 

 All the heartwarming Locey elements are here and elevated. From the realistic, beautifully crafted small Pennsylvania town and community, as well as the wonderfully layered characters and holiday traditions.  Locey weaves all these elements together to create a truly heartfelt romance that makes you feel so much a part of the season and the lives of a town and couple that you forget all are fictional.

Brann Argraves, a man whose previous relationship has soured him on romance and the holidays, is returning home from his sister’s wedding, when he helps a man in need at the small airport near home. 

Brann is a perfectly realized character, from his wounded personality with raised shields to the well drawn family who are concerned about him.  Every detail of his life fits, his great realistic rescue geese, his small sparse cabin , bare of most usual personal touches expected from someone that’s well settled and happy. It all speaks to the character Locey has built and who will evolve over the course of the story.  The excellent attention to character building continues with Kenan Gardet, a busker singer in a small airport , with a history of substance abuse, who’s trying to chart a new path for his life. Kenan is a moving character, but his equal is Brann in surprisingly strong depths of personality traits and support in terms of narrative foundation .  In short, they work as believably wounded people finding their way towards recovery and each other. During the holidays, Kenan’s Jewish traditions and those of of Breann’s he’s rediscovering, which will bring them closer together.

Honestly, The Christmas Keeper (Laurel Holidays Book 6) by V.L. Locey will be on re-read, and not only for the holidays, it’s just that comfort story that you embrace.

And one I’m highly recommending, no matter what or if any holiday you celebrate.

Laurel Holidays series:

The Easter Redemption 

The Christmas Extra 

The Christmas Oaks #1

The Christmas Pundit #2

The Christmas Tenor #3

The Christmas Rescue #4

The Christmas Keeper #6

Buy link

vllocey.comhttp://vllocey.com › the-christmas-…The Christmas Keeper (Laurel Holidays #6) 

Blurb

A grumpy pub owner is about to have his chilly heart warmed by a down-on-his-luck country singer.

Brann Argraves has never left the charming village of Whiteham before nor does he wish to. As the owner of the Whiteham Taphouse, he is content to spend his life serving drafts of beer to the locals, shooting darts with his buddies, and shutting himself away in his cabin for the duration of the holidays. Who needs all that ho-ho-ho, any who? His sister, on the other hand, not only yanked him out of his happy yet somewhat solitary bubble, but she’s also reveling in it. Planning a winter wedding was plain foolish, Brann feels, as is making people fly to some frozen wasteland in Canada to tie the knot. Now, he’s never been happier to return home after the wedding and get back to his bar, his darts, and his little home on the outskirts of town.

Landing at a wintry airport smack dab in the middle of a nasty snow squall, Brann and his weary fellow flyers are entertained by a handsome, rumpled man busking outside the airport. There’s something almost magical about the man’s dark, sad gaze as well as his angelic vocals. Perhaps it’s the residual merry-merry of his sister’s nuptials, or maybe he recognizes a lonely kindred soul, but Brann steps way out of his comfort zone when he offers the man a warm place to sleep above his bar. Kenan Gardet settles into the pub with ease and Southern grace. The down-and-out singer quickly proves himself an asset to Brann’s business as a good barkeep and as a nightly draw on stage. What he didn’t expect was Kenan capturing his heart one plaintive song and gentle kiss at a time.

The Christmas Keeper is a standalone grumpy/sunshine, hurt/comfort, insta-love, gay Christmas romance with a bah-humbug bar owner, a recovering country crooner, a small town tavern chock full of unique townsfolk, two geese who are not feeling the Christmas spirit, a gingerbread house bake-off, and a sweet as plum pudding happy ending. 

Content warning: This story has references to past substance abuse.

  • Publication date: November 30, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 186 pages

Review:  Under the Mistle-Foe (Christmas Falls Season 2) by Rye Cox

Rating: 4🌈

Under the Mistle-Foe by Rye Cox is another adorable holiday romance in the multi-author series, Christmas Falls, now in its second season.  A frenemies to lovers story, it’s more a tale of a misunderstanding from school than an actual enemy relationship.  But the real theme is one of grief, mourning, and finally recognition of its impact , on families and homecoming at the holidays 

Remy returns home after learning of his father’s injury and need for him at the family diner. The loss of his mother and his grief caused him to leave his home for a job elsewhere. Jett, a man who had never left, has always had a huge crush on Remy since school, something that factored into his actions towards Remy being awkwardly inappropriate and unsolicited then. 

The story follows the men as they reconnect, as well as Remy struggles with the town and memories he left behind, including the father who loves him. 

There’s much about the story that’s beautifully heartwarming and moving. When it dwells on loss, and Remy’s realization that he was still mourning her loss, then he uses her love for the season to move forward, those moments are special and believable. 

The romance is cute, the men adorable, and if it’s a bit quickly pulled together, well, it’s the Christmas season and a small town story.  Many of the elements are lovely and the town sparks with joy and familiar characters. 

It’s another terrific tale in a heartwarming series. 

Christmas Falls, Season 2:

The Snuggle is Real by DJ Jamison Flake It til You Make It by Beth Bolden ❤️

12 Dates of Christmas by Brigham Vaughn 

Here Comes Santa Paws by Lee Blair 

Under the Mistle-Foe by Rye Cox Christmas Beau by Amy Aislin 

No Business Like Snow Business by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry 

Frost Impressions by Kelly Fox

Promise Yule Be Mine by Rhys Everly Mingle All The Way by Hayden Hall

Christmas Falls, Season 1:

Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison Snowbody Loves You by Jacki James Get Frosted by Amy Aislin 

Silent Knight by Beth Bolden 

Under the Mistle-Tome by Sammi Cee 

Clausing a Scene by Casey Cox 

No Elf-ing Way by Hayden Hall 

Ready, Set, Glow! by Rye Cox 

Scrooge You! By Brigham Vaughn

Buy link

        Under the Mistle-Foe

    

Blurb 

Under the mistletoe with my enemy? What else can we do but kiss?

A family emergency brings me back to Christmas Falls after running away from the loss of my mother six years ago. Not much has changed, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad, especially when it seems my high school enemy hasn’t gotten over his habit of circling around me.

Jett is everything I’m not, so full of confidence like he’s never done a single thing wrong in his life. He vibrates life, and I have to admit his presence distracts me from being back in Christmas Falls. What I didn’t expect is for him to take all my attention.

He’d gotten under my skin back then and he’s only dug in deeper since, and I can’t let anyone find out how much I love that fact. Now if only he’d stop stealing my heart with his crookedly perfect smiles…

Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.

  • Publication date: November 26, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 210 pages

Review:  Once Upon a Holiday Vacation (Once Upon a Holiday story) by Annabella Michaels 

Rating: 3.25🌈

Once Upon a Holiday Vacation by Annabella Michaels  is a sweet best friends to lovers holiday romance that’s got a strong start but predictable ending that’s not as satisfying.

The boyhood friends, complete opposites , dark bookish Easton Beckett, a librarian, to his outgoing , firefighter blond best friend, Weston Holt, have been so attached to each other that their nicknames are East and West. 

A nice narrative touch.  

The main characters, Easton’s fellow librarian, and his family, who are all introduced into the storyline as important to Easton and also to West, as he’s been a integral member of their family as well. It’s all lovely, sweet and real. 

The middle section of the story where Easton and West re-evaluate their relationship from friends to lovers while on a cruise is also a very sweet, sexy element. Michaels uses established couples around them to show our main characters exactly what their bond and relationship is like or could be.  Really the cruise is just a relatable experience until the end. Then it falls completely flat for me.

The last fourth of the story just doesn’t work for me on multiple levels , and while the author delivers the anticipated happy holiday finish in terms of the romance relationship, how that was achieved felt contrived and juvenile.  It went against what the author had created in terms of a long term history between the two characters and the type of unspoken communication that existed between them. 

So a sweet story that was relatable most of the book only to be undone by the dramatic thread towards the end. 

Nice holiday story if this doesn’t bother you.

Cover design by Kelly York

Once Upon a Holiday series – 8 books:

Once Upon a Second Chance by Davidson King

Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss by Sammi Cee

Once Upon a Holiday Vacation by Annabella Michaels 

Once Upon a Lullaby Lane by K York

Once Upon a Christmas Con by Skylar M Cates

Once Upon A Christmas Song by Mary Calmes

Once Upon a Yuletide Romance by RJ Peterson

Once Upon A Goth Dog Solstice by R L Merrill 

Buy link

        Once Upon a Holiday Vacation

    

Blurb 

One Bed, Two Best Friends.

Easton Beckett has always cherished the Christmas season, but this year, his parents are off to help his aunt in Wyoming, leaving him to celebrate alone. But his best friend, Weston Holt—his outgoing and popular opposite—has a surprise: tickets to an all-expense-paid Holiday Cruise he won through a local radio station.

Excitement builds as they leave for a week in the Caribbean, celebrating Christmas at sea and stopping in the Bahamas. Their adventure takes a turn, however, when they discover they’ve been assigned to the honeymoon suite. Easton is about to correct the misunderstanding when Weston convinces him to pretend they’re a couple.

As they navigate their week together, the tension between them grows palpable—each stolen glance and playful touch igniting a longing that neither dares to acknowledge. With only one bed and mounting emotions, both grapple with their feelings. As New Year’s Eve approaches, will they find the courage to admit their true feelings, or will fear keep them apart?

Once Upon A Holiday Vacation is part of a multi-author series, Once Upon A Holiday Story. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library on wheels owned by two old ladies in love.

  • Publication date: November 22, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 151 pages

Review:  His Until Christmas (Con Riley’s Christmas Collection) by Con Riley

Rating: 4.5🌈

His Until Christmas is another of Con Riley’s Christmas Collection that involves a group of people from various stories and similar circles of friends.  It’s fabulously seasonal, deeply rooted in the special Christmas traditions of the people of the stories and locations they love so dearly.  Whether it’s any of the many well known attractions or off the beaten path finds in London or small well trodden pathways in places in Cornwall, Riley makes us see them through the eyes of the characters, as though we look at them with the same vision of knowledge, history, and abiding affection that’s carrying them to those places again and again.  We see them in depth , the details sparkling with Christmas lights and lore, magical moments for us and them.

And as the characters, here it’s a torn PA, Jack, fleeing the changes at his office as his beloved boss , Rex , leaves for Cornwall.  Rex is leaving London for Cornwall where his husband, grandfather, and new part of their business will expand.  He’s been in other stories and is a remarkable man as is his grandfather. 

Jack’s upending his life for many reasons, some of which will not be revealed until the end of the story. It’s an emotional, layered tale of grief, remembrance, and love in many respects.  And how we deal with those things. 

While it helps to have read the other books and know the background history of the foundation and the issues that’s talked about, a reader can pick up enough not to be confused here.  

As someone who has read them, it will send me back to read them once more.  I remember loving them so much.  And I want to remember meeting Rex and his grandfather again.

But this wonderful romantic journey for Jack and Reece ( of the three Trelawney brothers) isn’t to be missed.  It’s warmhearted, funny, poignant, and often moving. 

And we get to see favorite characters once again at Christmas. 

We also get a glimpse at who has the next Christmas story.  I can’t wait.

His Until Christmas (Con Riley’s Christmas Collection) by Con Riley is a definite must and a holiday recommendation! Check out all the stories below.

Cover artist: Natasha Snow. Gorgeous cover. 

Christmas Collection :

His Last Christmas in London 

We Only Kiss at Christmas 

His Until Christmas

A Loser By Christmas – Nov 14,2025

His Series:

His Horizon 

His Compass 

His Haven 

Learning to Love:

Charles 

Sol 

Luke 

Austin 

Heppel Ever After 

Second Chance School:

Second Song 

Second Shot 

Second Story 

Shared-World Novels :

Finding Mr. Fabulous – Rex’s story 

A Wedding in a Week 

True Brit

Be My Best Man 

Buy link:

        His Until Christmas (Con Riley’s Christmas Collection)

    

Blurb 

Welcome back to London for another snow-dusted and super-emotional holiday romance from Con Riley’s Christmas collection.

“What do you mean I’ll be someone else’s PA?” I slump, the bell on my Santa hat tinkling. “For how long?”

“Just until Christmas,” Rex promises. “Don’t worry, Jack. You’ll like him.”

Set in a shared world and gift-wrapped with sweet and steamy first times, His Until Christmas is a low-angst friends-to-lovers workplace romance set in London and Cornwall. Each book in this festive collection can stand alone, starting with the much-loved His Last Christmas in London.

  • Publisher: Figment Ink (November 20, 2024)
  • Publication date: November 20, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 190 pages

Review:  Here Comes Santa Paws (Christmas Falls Season 2 ) by Lee Blair 

Rating: 4.5🌈

Lee Blair’s Here Comes Santa Paws , an adorable holiday romance in this year’s Christmas Falls series, is a story guaranteed to entertain and make your Christmas reading lists merry.

It’s got rescue dogs and puppies, matchmaking grandfathers, a sweet/grumpy couple, and a small town full of the spirit of Christmas. 

Elias, the Director of the Santa’s Helper Animal Shelter in Christmas Falls,Illinois is the sweet, kind man who is fully committed to the town he lives in, along with his grandfather who raised him. He lives in a duplex, the other half of which is occupied by Roman, a physical therapist whose nomadic upbringing has made him afraid to commit to anything other than his career. 

I like that Blair’s characterizations are well written and their histories are realistic rather than drama oriented. It makes for a balanced narrative and men whose relationship with each other and their personal growth within the story a journey we can relate to.

It’s the author using a person’s misinterpretations, or just adolescent’s perspective on a past reality that impacted their life in a way that feels believable. 

The characters are charming and their own romance heartfelt, especially when it comes with adorable dogs. And a grandfather to love as well. 

I’m really enjoying the second season of Christmas Falls, and this is another winner.  It’s a definite recommendation.

Cover art by Morningstar Ashley Designs 

And check out all the books in the Christmas Falls series, both 1 and 2.

❄️Christmas Falls, Season 2:

❤️The Snuggle is Real by DJ Jamison 

❤️Flake It til You Make It by Beth Bolden 

12 Dates of Christmas by Brigham Vaughn 

❤️Here Comes Santa Paws by Lee Blair 

Under the Mistle-Foe by Rye Cox Christmas Beau by Amy Aislin

No Business Like Snow Business by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry 

Frost Impressions by Kelly Fox

Promise Yule Be Mine by Rhys Everly Mingle All The Way by Hayden Hall

❄️Christmas Falls, Season 1:

Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison Snowbody Loves You by Jacki James Get Frosted by Amy Aislin 

Silent Knight by Beth Bolden 

Under the Mistle-Tome by Sammi Cee 

Clausing a Scene by Casey Cox 

No Elf-ing Way by Hayden Hall 

Ready, Set, Glow! by Rye Cox 

Scrooge You! By Brigham Vaughn

Buy link

        Here Comes Santa Paws

    

Blurb

When a sunshiny cinnamon stick with paws-itively purrfect holiday plans meets a grumpy Grinch neighbor with a smokin’ hot… chimney, bells aren’t the only thing jingling.

I spend all year gearing up for the Christmas Falls festival season. Those five weeks are showtime for the animal shelter, and I’ve got it down to a science to help all my four-legged friends find their furever homes.

My well-oiled machine goes off track when I discover a massive leak at the shelter. And Grandpa, my only family, is recovering from a hip replacement, and I can’t stop worrying about our latest shelter dog. To put a star on the top of my anxiety tree, Roman, my Scrooge neighbor, is giving me a hard time about the festive decor on my half of our duplex. It’s not my fault I’ve got more Christmas spirit in my pinky than he does in his entire broad-shouldered body.

But something about Roman tells me he could love Christmas and this town as much as I do if he just gave them a chance. I don’t care if I’ve got a thousand other priorities on my list, I’m making it my holiday mission to get him to let down his guard and show me the wonderful and caring man behind the terse talk and award-winning RBF. It’s like opening a present on Christmas morning and seeing exactly what you wanted from Santa.

It’s all tinsel and sugar cookies until my heart decides it wants Roman under the tree. But his New Year’s resolution is to leave town, and I can’t let myself fall for a man who doesn’t plan to stick around.

Christmas Falls is my forever home. How do I convince him it could be his?

Christmas Falls: Season 2 revisits a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie. It’s a multi-author M/M romance series.

  • Publisher: Bosta Books (November 22, 2024)
  • Publication date: November 22, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 252 pages

Review:  Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss (Once Upon a Holiday story) by Sammi Cee

Rating: 4🌈

Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss by Sammi Cee is another story in the Christmas series, Once Upon a Holiday, a 8-novel multi author holiday offering.

Cee’s story is low angst, sweet, full of found family and holiday romance, wrapped up in about 95 pages.

Grumpy work from home IT guy gets new neighbors, divorced dad with adorable kids, great ex wife, and cute dog. A reluctant relationship develops between them and it turns into a happy family, finally at Christmas.

The connection to all the books in this series is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library or bookstore ,depending on the book , on wheels owned by Jane and Cybil, two old ladies in love. It’s a brief element here. Didn’t need it except that’s it’s part of the series theme.

Cee’s got a lovely story and warmhearted ending.  A win for the season.

Cover design by Kelly York

Once Upon a Holiday series – 8 books:

Once Upon a Second Chance by Davidson King

Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss by Sammi Cee

Once Upon a Holiday Vacation by Annabella Michaels 

Once Upon a Lullaby Lane by K York

Once Upon a Christmas Con by Skylar M Cates

Once Upon A Christmas Song by Mary Calmes

Once Upon a Yuletide Romance by RJ Peterson

Once Upon A Goth Dog Solstice by R L Merrill 

Buy link

        Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss

    

Blurb 

There’s no place like home for the holidays…

Especially if you hate them and want to pretend they don’t exist.

When the older man moves in next door with his two loud children and irritating pets, I ignore them. I don’t want my life to change.

Except it does. Between him and his kids, someone’s always knocking on my door needing something.

Or wanting to share delicious baked goods or a meal. I don’t need nice neighbors. I don’t want people in my space—especially ones with small, dirty fingers and a million questions.

But there’s something about his smile. The twinkle in his eyes and his merry laugh when it comes to all things festive…

He’s making me wish and dream and hope for holiday magic and mistletoe kisses. He’s making me believe in family.

Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss is a part of the multi-author series Once Upon a Holiday Story. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library on wheels owned by two old ladies in love.

  • Publication date: November 19, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 95 pages

Review:  The Snuggle is Real (Christmas Falls Season 2) by DJ Jamison

Rating: 4.5🌈

Tis’ the season for holiday stories and series and I’ve dived into Season 2 of a holiday favorite, Christmas Falls.  

Christmas Falls, that small town in Illinois whose residents lives for all things Christmas.  It’s alive in every aspect of the town’s culture, from the names on its streets to the shops to the festivals it’s renowned for. 

Through each book, different authors have been building a sense of community and connected relationships.  Shops and couples from prior stories pop up in current books and romances under development. 

DJ Jamison’s couple starts with Mason of the Holiday Hope Foundation (coat drive, angel tree, raising awareness of the needs of the community). He’s a good man, still finding his way into the community and with the Foundation, as he’s given new funding and support for expansion. And it’s Christmas.

Into his path comes a man in need of help in every way possible. Ford has lost his job, is barely coping when his ex-wife’s lawyer calls unexpectedly, asking him to come pick up Charlie his young stepdaughter .  His ex wife is going to rehab and Charlie needs a guardian and a safe place to stay.

An adorable child at Christmas, a proud overwhelmed man who loves his kid deeply even if she’s not his biological child, a foster dog even, and a magical town. And a giving heart in a man who lives to help others.

Yes, definitely a heartwarming, holiday story that I absolutely loved.  Even the ex-wife wasn’t a terrible person but one of a layered personality who loved a child she couldn’t care for. 

There are a few quibbles but this is a terrific story and one I definitely enjoyed. Add it to your holiday reading list!

And check out all the books in the Christmas Falls series, both 1 and 2.

❄️Christmas Falls, Season 2:

The Snuggle is Real by DJ Jamison ❤️

Flake It til You Make It by Beth Bolden ❤️

12 Dates of Christmas by Brigham Vaughn Here Comes Santa Paws by Lee Blair Under the Mistle-Foe by Rye Cox Christmas Beau by Amy Aislin No Business Like Snow Business by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry Frost Impressions by Kelly Fox

Promise Yule Be Mine by Rhys Everly Mingle All The Way by Hayden Hall

❄️Christmas Falls, Season 1:

Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison Snowbody Loves You by Jacki James Get Frosted by Amy Aislin 

Silent Knight by Beth Bolden 

Under the Mistle-Tome by Sammi Cee 

Clausing a Scene by Casey Cox 

No Elf-ing Way by Hayden Hall 

Ready, Set, Glow! by Rye Cox 

Scrooge You! By Brigham Vaughn

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        The Snuggle is Real

    

Description:

I never saw this Christmas gift coming…

When my ex-wife lands in rehab, I get a surprise for the holidays. A 7-year-old girl who’s got no place to go. I love my former stepdaughter like she’s my own, but I have no idea how to give her everything she needs.

In a holiday-crazed town like Christmas Falls, it seems inevitable I’ll let her down.

Unless I finally let go of my pride and accept help from the new director of the Holiday Hope Foundation. Mason West is eager to lend support however he can. And when I let him, he goes above and beyond.

For Charlie’s sake. Not mine. Even if I maybe, kind of, wish that it was for me.

I’ve never been into men before, but Mason is so sweet, so giving, so…perfectly sized to snuggle in against my holiday sweater. Maybe if I can figure out what all this means, I can gain more than a daughter for the holidays.

Maybe I can keep the gift I’ve always wanted most—a family of my own.

Christmas Falls: Season 2 revisits a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie. It’s a multi-author M/M romance series.

  • Publication date: November 12, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 262 pages

Review:  Once Upon a Second Chance (Once Upon a Holiday Story Book 1) by Davidson King

Rating: 4.5🌈

Once Upon a Holiday Story is a new multi author holiday series that has some of my favorite writers as contributors.  It starts out with a warmhearted story, Once Upon a Second Chance by Davidson King, a lovely age gap small town Christmas tale of two lonely people finding love at a time both had given up on love. 

Daniel Laverton lives alone, with the exception of his cat, in Everlasting Springs, a town founded by his family and whose care and responsibility for Daniel still shoulders with love.  He’s grown up there and doesn’t intend to ever leave. That has come at a cost. 

But in this lovely emotional holiday story, it also brings him and a desperate young man together in a time of crisis and seasonal change.

The younger man is Aaron Darwin, someone familiar with loss and survival.  A snowy night brings him to Everlasting Springs, Daniel, and a new journey ahead.

This is a gentle story, with no high angst but the reality of how a person’s life changes quickly. For worse and for the better. The men feel grounded in their circumstances, their lives and the world around them. The community there has the distinct small town feel and the story wraps up in a believable, satisfying way.

I wasn’t sure until I read the description but the connection between all the books will be a traveling library, owned by a older pair of women, clearly in love, The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library. I would have liked a little more information about them in this story. 

I think this idea as a theme and a connective element is so interesting and look forward to see how each author introduces it in their stories.

If you’re a fan of this author and holiday novels, this is a great book to dive into! Check it out and the entire series listed below.

Great covers, every single one.

Cover design by: Sleepy Fox Studio

Once Upon a Holiday series – 8 books:

Once Upon a Second Chance by Davidson King

Once Upon A Mistletoe Kiss by Sammi Cee

Once Upon a Holiday Vacation by Annabella Michaels 

Once Upon a Lullaby Lane by K York

Once Upon a Christmas Con by Skylar M Cates

Once Upon A Christmas Song by Mary Calmes

Once Upon a Yuletide Romance by RJ Peterson

Once Upon A Goth Dog Solstice by R L Merrill 

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        Once Upon a Second Chance (Once Upon a Holiday Story Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Can two men weighed down by their pasts find a future with each other?

Daniel Laverton is a wealthy man who was born into privilege. His family helped build Everlasting Springs, and he spends his days ensuring it prospers. The town is in his veins, the love he has for it keeping him there, happily. In his big house on the top of a hill he resides—just him, his cat, and his past. With middle age knocking at his door and the holidays approaching, loneliness is creeping in.

Aaron Darwin is used to struggling. He lives a moment at a time, traveling in his not-so-trusty car, going from place to place and looking for work. When a huge storm looms, Aaron’s luck goes from bad to worse and his vehicle decides to die. With no shelter, very little money, and a town ahead that is closing down, Aaron has no idea how he will get through this impending disaster.

Perhaps it’s the jingle bells in the air or his own solitude, but there’s no way Daniel can leave the man stranded. When he takes a reluctant Aaron in to hunker down and ride out the storm, the two get more than they bargained for. It is easy for them to see all the reasons they shouldn’t work and overlook all the ways they do, but it is holiday season in Everlasting Springs, a time for miracles and second chances. A time for two lonely men to realize they’ve already received the best gift for Christmas: each other.

Once Upon a Second Chance is a part of the multi-author series Once Upon a Holiday Story. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library on wheels owned by two old ladies in love.

  • Publication date: November 15, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 136 pages

Review:  Flake It Til You Make It (Christmas Falls 2 ) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 5🌈

How I live for the Morettis! Doesn’t matter what series or circumstances Bolden is putting them in on their way to a HEA, it’s a culinary Italian fabulous journey. 

Christmas Falls that imaginary small town that’s all things Christmas is now getting the Bolden touch again in it’s second season as a Moretti has moved to town!

This story was everything. I’m a huge fan of Bolden’s, her ability to create real life stories and relatable characters, pulling the reader into their relationships and circumstances.   But here? It’s a holiday story, where we get familiar characters, heartwarming themes, a wonderful romance,mouthwatering food (wanted that lasagna so bad), and the fabulous Moretti clan.  Be still my heart!

Rocco Moretti has moved to Christmas Falls to carve out his own niche in the Moretti family of chefs and restaurateurs.  He’s bought out a longtime favorite coffee shop, Jolly Java, to make his own and settle down. But things go wrong almost immediately.

Bolden sets up a faked boyfriend story during the holidays but with a twist when the Deputy Mayor Taylor Hall, needs a boyfriend for his interview and Rocco needs helps winning the town back after a goat cheese fiasco.  Let a lovely heartwarming romance and relationship between these wonderful men begin. With the town fully invested.

This romance and the development of the men’s relationship made my night. It’s a holiday hug and a cosy evening reading with the drink of choice. 

Highly recommended any time of the year but especially at Christmas.Don’t miss out on the recipe at the end. 

Christmas Falls, Season 2:

The Snuggle is Real by DJ Jamison Flake It til You Make It by Beth Bolden ❤️

12 Dates of Christmas by Brigham Vaughn Here Comes Santa Paws by Lee Blair Under the Mistle-Foe by Rye Cox Christmas Beau by Amy Aislin No Business Like Snow Business by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry Frost Impressions by Kelly Fox

Promise Yule Be Mine by Rhys Everly Mingle All The Way by Hayden Hall

Christmas Falls, Season 1:

Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison Snowbody Loves You by Jacki James Get Frosted by Amy Aislin 

Silent Knight by Beth Bolden 

Under the Mistle-Tome by Sammi Cee 

Clausing a Scene by Casey Cox 

No Elf-ing Way by Hayden Hall 

Ready, Set, Glow! by Rye Cox 

Scrooge You! By Brigham Vaughn

Buy link

        Flake It Til You Make It

    

Blurb 

It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas . . .

When Rocco Moretti gets the chance to buy a coffee shop in a small Illinois town, it feels like a miracle. And in true Christmas Falls tradition, Jolly Java is a holiday-flavored one.

He sets up shop and starts experimenting with recipes. The only problem? His changes go over like a piece of coal on Christmas morning. Instead of serving up cups of holiday cheer, he’s getting a solid “bah humbug” vibe from the town.

He needs another miracle, stat.

Enter Deputy Mayor Taylor Hall.

With the town’s city manager retiring, Taylor is looking to make a leadership move, but his dream is melting because the city council still sees him as an outsider. He needs to prove he’s in Christmas Falls to stay, and what better way than by getting a boyfriend?

Even a fake one.

Rocco needs the town’s acceptance, so why not date the deputy mayor? Faking it till they make it will be a means to an end. That’s all.

But sharing the holiday season wins over more than the town’s hearts. With each date, each mistletoe kiss, and every steamy night in front of the fire, it wins over theirs as well.

Come Christmas morning, there’s really only one miracle Rocco wants under his tree.

For the love they’ve been faking to become real.

Christmas Falls: Season 2 revisits a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie. It’s a multi-author M/M romance series.

  • Publication date: November 15, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 307 pages