More Treats,Free Books, Winner Announcements, and Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 poinsetta clip artShort and sweet again this week!
Pretty much all announcements and the schedule for this up coming week!
  • Winner of ZA Maxfield’s Hell on Wheels contest for this blog:  Katherine Young

Publishers News:

  • 12 Days of MLR ChristmasMLR Press’ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway started yesterday.  Today’s book :Cops, Cake and Coffee by Sara York.  Don’t miss out on a day of free great stories!
  • Breathless Press giving away 2 free ebooks starting on the 13th for all their newsletter subscribers.
  • Riptide Publishing is giving away free for a limited time the following Alexis Hall story (308 pages) in the Prosperity series:

Blurb for There Will Be Phlogiston (A Prosperity Story):

An instructive story in which vice receives its just reward.

Inspired by true and scandalous tales of the Gaslight aristocracy, we present the most moral and improving tale of Lady Rosamond Wolfram.

Weep, reader, for the plight of our heroine as she descends into piteous ruin in the clutches of the notorious Phlogiston Baron, Anstruther Jones. Witness the horrors of feminine rebellion when this headstrong young lady defies her father, breaks an advantageous engagement, and slips into depravity with a social inferior. Before the last page is turned, you will have seen our heroine molested by carnival folk, snubbed at a dance, and drawn into a sinful ménage a trois by an unrepentant sodomite, the wicked and licentious Lord Mercury.

Reader, take heed. No aspect of our unfortunate heroine’s life, adventures, or conduct is at all admirable, desirable, exciting, thrilling, glamorous, or filled with heady passion and gay romance.

 

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 Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, December 15, 2014:

  • Silvia Violet’s Wild R Christmas Book Blast and Contest
  • M.A. Church’s Trouble Comes in Threes Book Tour and Contest
  • Amy Lane’s The Bells of Times Square Book Tour and Contest
  • Rory Ni Coileain and Ilya and the Wolf (Book tour and contest)
  • Owen Keehnen – Thunder Snow and author interview (giveaway)

Tuesday, December 16, 2014:

  • Vicktor Alexander ‘Delicious Mistake‘ Book Blast and Contest
  • Lane Hayes ‘The Right Words‘ Keep Me In Mind tour
  • A Mika Review: Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton
  • A MelanieM Review: The Boy With the Painful Tattoo by Josh Lanyon

Wednesday, December 17, 2014:

  • Jay Jordan Hawk’s A Scout is Brave Book Tour and contest
  • Posy Roberts ‘Tangled Minds‘ Book Tour and Contest
  • Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review:The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool #2) by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
  • A Mika Review: Loveblood by M.J. O’Shea
  • A MelanieM Review: Altered States by Laura Harner and TA Webb

Thursday, December 18, 2014:

  • The Marine by John Simpson & Robert Cummings: Keep Me In Mind Tour
  • A Sammy Review: Thunder Snow by Owen Keehnen
  • A MelanieM Review: Otter Madness by Winnie Jerome
  • A MelanieM Review: The Oracle’s Golum by Mell Eight

Friday, December 19, 2014:

  • A Paranormal Chipmunk Christmas, Author: Jackie Nacht’s Book Tour and Contest
  • Shira Anthony’s Blood and Rain Book Tour and Contest
  • A Sammy Review: Les faits accomplis by Anna Martin
  • A Mika Review:  The Devil’s Ride (Sex & Mayhem #2) by K.A. Merikan
  • A MelanieM Review: Blood and Rain by Shira Anthony
  • AJ Llewellyn’s The Mediator blog tour TB Tour

 

 

 

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – Blue Days by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Blue Days coverFrom the moment Dwyer Knolls is called into the conference room early on a Monday morning, fearing that he’s about to lose his job, his life takes an unexpected turn for the better. He’s not fired— instead he’s praised for his work, despite the fact that his former boss had criticized him for creating a huge mess on one of his projects. But his former boss is the one who is fired and when he meets the new Managing Director, Dwyer is praised for that job he once thought he screwed up. The Managing Director and others who will now be part of his team were brought in directly from Japan to bring life to their company, Sakura Industries. Among them is Hiroyuki Takeo, a stunning young man who will later become Dwyer’s friend, his boss, and the man he eventually falls in love with.

These relationship dynamics take place over the course of three years and nothing comes to a head between them until one day when Dwyer unexpectedly finds himself alone on a plane with Takeo. They’re heading to Florida to make the final decisions on a huge real estate deal which could make or break their careers. Despite how much he loves being in Takeo’s company, Dwyer knows that this long weekend will be excruciating for the simple reason that he’s grown to love the stunning, slender, young man and he’s afraid he’ll tip his hand. He’s one of the few people who know what Takeo is really like— that he’s competent and caring, smart and dedicated, but just so worried about making sure that everything is perfect for everyone else that he’s perceived as a negative perfectionist who is never happy.

Dwyer knows Takeo inside and out and he also knows that he cares deeply for the man, maybe too deeply. When the two find themselves staying at a bed and breakfast and sharing one room, Dwyer nearly turns back. He’s shocked when it becomes evident that Takeo has been harboring lustful feelings toward him, and presented with the opportunity to act on their lust, the two go at it hot and heavy.

This story is fairly short, definitely sweet, with a bit of a reverse on Mary Calmes’s usual formula. Dwyer is a big guy, friendly, smart, competent and a huge support to his supervisor and teammates. Takeo is small and slender, socially inept, and the son of the company’s owner who can’t seem to do anything that pleases his father. Yet he’s the boss, the supposed alpha of the pair. Their chemistry flames when they do finally get together and their HEA is secured in a warm and loving partnership. The book takes its name from Blue Daze, a flower that grows in the Florida Panhandle, and from the fact that in Japanese culture, blue represents purity, calmness and stability.

I recommend this to fans of Mary Calmes and those who enjoy a sweet, simple M/M romance. And for those who love epilogues, there’s a brief mention of Aaron Sutter and his love, Duncan Stiel from “Parting Shot”.

The cover art by Reese Dante depicts a young man wearing a suit and gazing out over a body of blue water with a field of blue daze flowers in the background. It depicts the sweetness of the story perfectly.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook          All Romance (ARe)      amazon              Buy It here

Book Details:

book, 98 pages
Published November 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632163578
edition languageEnglish

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – The Two Gentlemen of Altona by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Two Gentlemen of Altona by coverSpecial Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness has no idea that when he meets Richard Falstaff, aka Toby Seacoal, aka Henry Page, that his life is never going to be the same again. Henry witnessed a murder in the kitchen of his patron’s home, a patron who had no idea he was a conman, but that’s okay because Henry had no idea that her nephew was an infamous mob boss.

As a witness, Henry is invaluable, but as a person, Mac finds Henry lacking in all areas except in his gorgeous body and handsome face. When Henry gets away from Mac, not once, but twice, Mac is not only humiliated, he’s incensed. Adding fuel to his anger is his withdrawal from caffeine and sugar. He’s trying to follow instructions from his doctor to lose weight and reduce stress, but that’s impossible with Henry around. Wise-cracking, donut-loving, Shakespere-quoting Henry just can’t help teasing Mac with both sweets and his body until he blows.

When Mac suspects a leak in his office, he and Henry take off with the blessing of Mac’s boss and former partner, Val. With Henry sharing how to evade capture and how to “borrow” a car in order to make their getaway in secret, Mac is ready to throttle him by the time they get to Mac’s parents’ remote vacation cabin. But within a few days, while taking advantage of their attraction and in the midst of a hot and heavy petting session, Henry breaks away when a clap of thunder scares him. Mac takes the opportunity to reevaluate his choices. He definitely isn’t ready to give up his career and jeopardize the case by having sex with the witness, but he can’t deny his fascination with this smart-mouthed, uber-talkative, sexy guy.

Disaster occurs when someone discovers their location, and to keep the concluding chapters spoiler-free, this reviewer will only say that this story is not typical of this writing team in that there is no D/s, no BDSM, no spanking, and no sex. There’s also no HEA, however we know the series will continue and the characters are so endearing and so attracted to each other that there’s no way they won’t get back together for another fun romp. And fun it was—there was just as much humor as there was chaos and the writing was fast-paced with fun quirks around every corner. Henry is witty, sweet, and sexy and Mac is gruff, taciturn, and powerfully male. We see Mac’s soft spot for Henry over and over again and we see that Henry, despite his current escapades as a con artist, has a deep soft spot for Mac, a man for whom Henry may be willing to compromise and change. We can only hope that’s true as we look forward to the next installment, “The Merchant of Death”.

I highly recommend this story if you are looking for an M/M action adventure with a couple who have great chemistry outside of the bedroom, and you’re willing to hang in there as their relationship develops into something more intimate, but undoubtedly strong and full of potential.

Cover Art by L.C. Chase depicts an almost empty donut box containing one single donut with a bite out of it. This represents MC Mac’s efforts at dieting in the face of MC Henry’s efforts to get him to eat the donut treats and lighten up. It’s a nice way to represent the underlying humor in the story.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing Pre Order       All Romance (ARe)         amazon         buy it here

Book Details:

Author: Lisa HenryJ.A. Rock
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62649-218-9
eBook release: Dec 29, 2014
eBook Formats: pdf, mobi, html, epub
Print ISBN: 978-1-62649-219-6
Print release: Dec 29, 2014
Word count: 56,500, Page count: 228
Type: Part of a Series
Cover by: L.C. Chase

This title is #1 of the Playing the Fool series.

Author Spotlight: Kenzie Cade and “Hummingbird House” (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: Hummingbird House
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Kenzie Cade

I was very happy to get Kenzie to sit a while in our author interview chair.  Check out the great interview below:

Q. I love holiday stories. What prompted you to write one?

KC: I’m exactly the same. I love holiday stories. I never had any doubt that I wanted to write one. There’s something so warm and satisfying about them. I wanted to be a part of that.

Q. I love the title Hummingbird House. What was the inspiration behind it?

KC:  Once I finally settled on a location–and let me tell you, I globe-hopped for a while–I researched the counties, north and south Great Britain. I researched quite a bit of the culture and traditions. I visited Surrey years ago. And truly there is a beauty to the English countryside that we don’t quite have here in the States. But one thing I noticed is that the houses had names. This was long before I was a writer… well consistently anyway. I’ve since studied the history of naming homes in England. It’s pretty interesting. But I’d always wondered what I would name a house if I had the chance. Well, I had the chance with this story. The rest is pretty simple. It was almost Hummingbird Cottage, but I already had The Crooked Cottage, my fictional pub in town, so I chose Hummingbird House. I sifted through some pictures of English houses and cottages and found a home that matched Astrid perfectly. And the rest is history.

Q. Which came first? Plot or title?

KC:  Oh gosh. That’s a great question. The plot came first. I actually had about seventy percent of the story written before I decided on the title. Titles are so hard and I’ve learned not to force them, but if the story is there I’ll go ahead and write the story the work on a title later.

Q. I love “second chance” stories. What about that subject inspires you?

KC:  Truth is we all screw up and we all make mistakes. We don’t all get second chances, but there is something about the second chance that is so real and so raw. The guys already know each other’s faults, they know they’re fighting an uphill battle, and still they choose to persevere because of love or maybe-love. I am so drawn to that. I love the feeling of winning and solidity when the story is over because the main characters fought everything, possibly even one another, to be together and to find the love they knew was there. It makes for a beautiful, rewarding story.

Q. Is this a “coming out” story combined with romance?

KC:  My first instinct was to say no, but I guess in a way it is. Although not in the traditional sense. When Trent first kisses Callum, Callum is confused and in denial of his wants and desires. Even two years later when he sees Trent again, he’s still fighting it. But somewhere in the eight years they are apart, he accepts who he is. Then Trent shows back up. So is this a “coming out” story? Not exactly.

Q. How difficult is it to get that right for you as an author?

KC:  Wow. Another good one, Melanie. As an author it’s difficult and a bit daunting. But as a cousin to two out and proud, wonderfully married gay men (which I guess raises my cousin count to four) and as a friend and ally, I take that responsibility seriously. Coming out is a difficult journey for every member of the LGBT community, and in my heart of hearts I believe there’s no time frame and no wrong way to do so. But there are wrong reactions. That’s where translating reality into fiction becomes difficult. Those painful moments are set for a reason, but as an author we have to find a way for our hero to prevail and come out on top, especially in romance, because a bad coming out experience could potentially hinder a relationship. It’s an intricate weaving of pain and hurt and fear and hope and love. It takes a bit of all of them to come out anyway. It’s my goal that when I do write a coming out story that those aspects are clear and bring my hero to a new level and realization when he finds the love of his life.

Q. Are there certain stories you read or reread at during the holiday seasons? Classic or otherwise?

KC:  Yes! My BFF said this year–and it’s totally true for me as well–“Holiday stories are my crack.” I laugh but it’s so true. I devour them. They are the syrup to my pancakes, the whipped cream to my peppermint hot chocolate, the gravy on my biscuits. So yes, I read and reread several. Of course I read Twas the Night Before Christmas yearly, especially now that my niece can understand it. I’m a sucker for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Now in this genre, which is what I read the most, I reread several stories a year. I’ve already read Cardeno C’s Advent story from last year’s collection In Another Life. That one hits me in the heart every time. I love What Can Be by Mary Calmes and The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters by Amy Lane. The Dickens With Love by Josh Lanyon is another of my all-time favorites. There are so many though. If I listed them all, we’d be here all day.

Q. What myths/stories that you were told as a child do you wish were real?

KC:  I love this question. Well, of course, sticking to the theme of the season, I wish Santa was real–the North Pole, the elves, the workshops, the reindeer, the sleigh, all of it. Okay, I’ll admit that as an adult, a man sneaking down the chimney seems a bit creepy, but it’s the intent behind it, right? And could you imagine the alarms he’d set off? Ha!

Hmmm… I think when it comes to fairytales, I always had a thing for Sleeping Beauty. But in my head it’s a little different. Yes, her prince kisses her awake, but in my head Aurora took down Maleficent. She took back what the witch stole from her, then she took her prince and lived happily ever after.

But yes, pretty much anything with fairies and/or elves, I was enamored as a child by the little sprites. I’d love it they were real.

Q.   What or who has had the biggest impact on you as a writer?

KC:  There are so many people in my life who have pushed me to grow and learn and write. I have an amazing support system at my back made up of family and friends and authors who encourage me every single day. Those people make the biggest impact on me and my writing. I’m very blessed in that sense.

Thanks, Kenzie.  This was wonderful.  For all the readers, learn more about Kenzie and her story, Hummingbird House, below:

Author Bio:

Kenzie Cade was born and raised in the South where she spends her days in the sometimes stressful field of private medicine observing interesting people and committing them to memory for later use. When she isn’t reading, experimenting with recipes, or being distracted by social media, Kenzie spends time with her family, friends, and the Pomeranian/long-haired Chihuahua mix who likes to keep her company while she writes. As a young girl, Kenzie dreamed of princesses and their white knights. As an adult (or sort of adult), she dreams of princes and their proverbial white knights, which she attributes to fellow Arkansan S.E. Hinton and her novel, The Outsiders. Writing to keep the fictional voices at bay, Kenzie enjoys the journeys her characters travel to find their happy endings, and she loves the challenge of writing a great love story.

Author Contact:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kenziecade.author
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thekenziecade
Tumblr: http://thekenziecade.tumblr.com/
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/thekenziecade/
Google +: plus.google.com/u/1/+KenzieCade

Publisher: Dreamspinner PressHummingbirdHouseLG
Cover Artist: Catt Ford
Pages: 51 pages Words: 18,000
Sales Link:  Dreamspinner Press        amazon

Hummingbird House Blurb:

To honor his grandmother’s final request, Trenton Appleton drops everything to visit the family’s ancestral home: Hummingbird House, where he experienced his first kiss and first heartbreak with Callum Eason.

 Eight years ago, confused by his attraction to Trent, Callum reacted badly. But with help he never expected, Callum found himself and learned to accept who he was. 

Now Trent is back at Hummingbird House, and Callum has his opportunity to salvage their friendship, at least. But Trent is less receptive than he was all those years ago. Still, Callum is determined to show Trent he has changed and keep his promise to Trent’s grandmother. When past mistakes repeat themselves, Callum must break the cycle before his last chance with Trent passes him by.

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Holiday, Christmas, Romance

 Hummingbird House Excerpt:

For a house that had stood empty for the past eight years, it was surprisingly… clean… and warm and bright. The lights were on in the living room to my left, but the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen through the archway to my right drew my attention. Setting my suitcase and urn down quietly in the entryway, I pulled out an umbrella from the holder by the door. With every bit of stealth I possessed—which is not much—I crept into the kitchen, umbrella raised over my head. My heart raced and my breath sped up, until I crossed into the kitchen to find Callum at the sink.

My umbrella clanked to the wooden floor, and then I slumped over, hands to knees. Callum turned around eyes widened in surprise with an understanding smirk gracing his full lips. I wanted to hate those lips.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I panted, looking up at Callum as I stumbled over to the nearest kitchen chair and plopped myself into it.

Callum shrugged. “I’ve been taking care of the place for Astrid for the past few years.”

I hadn’t known that. Had I known that? Had Astrid ever mentioned it? No. She certainly hadn’t. Though I’d never admit it aloud, I hung on every word she shared regarding Callum. And trust me, they were few and far between, as if she had known what had happened between us.

She probably had.

Callum had kept up Hummingbird House. The pain in my chest twisted just a little more than usual. I refused to think of it as a betrayal, certain Astrid had her reasons for not telling me. But I just couldn’t imagine what they were.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here now.”

HHBadgeTour Dates/Tour Stops:

8-Dec

Love Bytes

MM Good Book Reviews

9-Dec

Bayou Book Junkie

Prism Book Alliance

10-Dec

Inked Rainbow Reads

Parker Williams

11-Dec

Rainbow Gold Reviews

The Novel Approach

12-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Molly Lolly 

 

Contest: Enter to win aRafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon or ARe Gift Card and an e-book. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

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A Sammy Review: The Right Words (Right and Wrong #1) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

“You know the saying about kissing a bunch of frogs before you meet your prince?”The Right Words cover

“I think you’re using artistic license. It’s not—”

“Hush. Just hear me out. I don’t think it’s the frog or the prince that matters much. I think it’s the journey in between. You know?”

“In between frogs?” I joked as I slung my arm around his waist and hugged him impetuously.

“Maybe. Life is full of disappointments, Luke, and you may stumble but you cannot stop. Ever. So, baby, go kiss a couple of frogs and see what happens.”

Luke is a failed poet made interior designer. In short, he’s teetering on the line of broke and homeless, living with his best friend and said best friend’s boyfriend. Needless to say, he’s a bit desperate for a job, and when he gets hooked up with some famous sport stars girlfriend to renovate a beach home, it’s the fresh start he needs.

Little does he expect the sports star, Michael Martinez, to be as shockingly handsome as he is. Nor does it ever cross Luke’s mind that he might be gay, but life’s full of surprises. Through personal struggles, injuries, blackmail, crazy exes, and love, the road to love sure as hell didn’t get paved smoothly.

Es tan corto el amor, y tan largo el olvido.

I found the first half of this book to be pure fun. The characters hold such a light and are so welcoming. They invited me to get to know them, and slowly, through words, Lane Hayes did a great job at making me become invested in each of them.

I loved the banter between Michael and Luke. It was so carefree and made me smile endlessly. They had such a way between them that made me just want to crawl up next to them and become immersed in their interactions.

And then it gradually deepened. They were steaming hot and they were passionate and damn… they were great together. I flew through their story and was left hungry for more. There was just such a lovely balance in this story. A balance between sex and story, a balance between drama and lightness, a balance between vastly different characters.

Do I think this story line is terribly original? Absolutely not. I’ve read it before. Closeted star falls in love and comes out. But it still felt fresh to me. There was nothing insanely remarkable about the story, no moment of me weeping, but it was simply so good that when I debated between a solid 4 stars and 4.5, I had to lean toward the latter. Why? It left me satisfied and so excited for the next story in this series. It left me happy and full, and for that, I am oh so pleased.

The cover art by Aaron Anderson is a nice compliment to the story. Taking place on a beach with a couple of hot hunks, check, you get that in the cover. The soccer/football pattern? Yep. It fits. It’s a simple but nice cover that fits the story well. My only complaint? Not so sure guy on the cover is the Latin lover described, but he’s delicious nonetheless.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback    All Romance (ARe)   amazon  buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 204 pages
Expected publication: December 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleThe Right Words
ISBN139781632164292
edition languageEnglish
series Right and Wrong #1

On Tour with Lissa Kasey & Sam Kadence – Two Sides of the Same Coin (book tour and contest)

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One Person, Two Authors, Three Books!

Book Names: Hidden Gem, Unicorns and Rainbow Poop, On The Right Track (Audio Book)
Goodreads Link:  On The Right Track     Unicorns and Rainbow Poop          Hidden Gem

Author Name: Lissa Kasey/Sam Kadence

 A Short Conversation with Lissa Kasey…

Q – Do you remember your first story? What was it about?

Yes. It was a story called Ship Wrecked. It was about a bunch of kids who get stranded on an island with a house full of horrors (yeah i was in the sixth grade when I wrote it. I was always sort of twisted)

Q – What sequel are you most looking forward to writing in the upcoming twelve months?

The sequel to Hidden Gem. Title unknown as of yet, but it’s started and I love it.

Q- What is your most requested sequel?

Gabe’s story which I will write someday. Second to that was Bas’ story which just came out.

Q – Aki loves shoes. Do you have a fetish of your own?

Fetish as in sexualized no. But I love ball joint dolls and action figures. I have shelves of action figures.

Q- What is the most emotional scene you ever wrote?

The beginning of Reclamation when Sei is running from his memory of stabbing Gabe, which is second only to watching Bas come apart in front of Dane in Unicorns and Rainbow Poop.

Author Bio:

Sam Kadence has always dreamed about being someone else, somewhere else. With very little musical talent, Sam decided the only way to make those dreams come true was to try everything from cosplay at the local anime conventions to writing novels about pretending to run away to become a musician.

Sam has a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, sells textbooks for a living, enjoys taking photographs of Asian Ball Joint Dolls to tell more stories, and has eclectic taste in music from J-pop to rock and country. All of which finds its way into the books eventually.

Email: samkadence.author@gmail.com;

Lissa Kasey lives in St. Paul, MN, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, and collects Asian Ball Joint Dolls who look like her characters. She has three cats who enjoy waking her up an hour before her alarm every morning and sitting on her lap to help her write. She can often be found at Anime Conventions masquerading as random characters when she’s not writing about boy romance.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/lissa.kasey; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008292783586&fref=ts; parisbvamp@yahoo.com; samkadence.author@gmail.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press & Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Hidden Gem – Siobhan,
Sales Links:

1.  Hidden Gem:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance(ARe)         amazon

2. Unicorns and Rainbow Poop:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)    amazon

3.  On The Right Track:  Book:       Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)     amazon

                                                 Audio:      Dreamspinner Press    Amazon On the Right Track (Audible Audio Edition): Sam Kadence, Michael Stellman: Books

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UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP COVEROn the Right Track cover

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Blurb(s):

Categories: Alternate Universe, BDSM, Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, New Adult, Paranormal (Please note: Not all books contain all elements.)

Excerpts:

HIDDEN GEM:  First Glimpse by Lissa Kasey

Aki swept up a bottle of McNaughton’s favorite scotch and headed toward the broad Irishman. The man’s shoulders were arched forward, back tense, hair a sexy mess, and face covered with a couple days’ growth. Obviously the cop was on a difficult case. The detective hadn’t yet asked for him, just for his usual meal—almost bloody steak with a baked potato.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Aki told him as he slid into the chair beside him. He turned an empty glass over and poured three fingers of the golden liquid.

McNaughton sighed, his dark eyes roaming over Aki’s small body, platinum blond hair pulled up and styled with sparkling pins, see-thru knit top, and super-short skirt, then over his bare legs down to the gleaming heels. The shoes were a silver mesh of crystals that slid up just past his ankles. A gift from McNaughton. The cop sucked in a deep breath and slid his hand over the covered part of Aki’s thigh. He knew better than to touch bare flesh to bare flesh. Aki was a cognitive psi, could see entire lives of horrors with a single touch, and he was sure McNaughton’s past was filled with a lot of nasty memories.

“Wish you had time for me tonight. But I’ve got a feeling you’re booked up tight.” He glanced back at the room bustling with companions and potential customers. Aki was the only psi in the room, his pale-pupiled blue eyes telling the world that he was different.

“I’m sure Bart can fit you in.” Aki’s eyes scanned the room until he found his boss, who was engaged with negotiations with another client. “Looks like you need some trouble eased tonight.” He leaned in close enough his breath ran across McNaughton’s cheek.

McNaughton turned his head, lips nearly close enough to touch. “Would love a bit of time with your shine.”
“Words like honey, McNaughton.”

The cop flashed him one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles then nodded as Bart appeared beside them. “Table seven is ready, Aki. Number one.” Bart told him.

Aki grabbed Bart’s wrist with a gloved hand. “The cop needs some time tonight. You can make that happen, right?”

“Of course.” Bart nodded to them and took Aki’s vacated seat and Aki made his way to his next client of the evening. There were only two services Aki performed. A hand job and a blow job, one and two. This client wanted number one—which meant he was cheap since rarely did anyone ask for a hand job from him. But his prices were astronomical anyway.

“Hello,” Aki smiled at the man as he slid into the chair opposite him. The client was dressed nice, button down shirt, pressed pants, but he was bald and a little heavier around the waist. A politician probably. “If you’re ready we can head upstairs.”

The man barely spoke, but he leered, eyes tracing over Aki’s form more like he was cattle than a night of entertainment. Even in his worst moments McNaughton had never done that. It wasn’t appreciation, but something darker. Aki sighed internally and hoped this would be fast. He knew a thousand ways to get a man off in minutes. Something about him just set off Aki’s creep radar.

“I hear some wait months for the pleasure of your time,” the man said with slightly accented speech.
Not usually. The only ones who waited weeks were because their schedule and Aki’s conflicted or because they’d done something to upset him or Bart. Most clients got in within a few days if not the same day of requesting Aki’s time. And regulars were always given precedence over someone not yet vetted like this client.

“If I don’t please you I can see if Preston or Royce is available.”

“I was hoping for Candy originally.”

Was always good to be told he was second choice. Aki gritted his teeth. “Candy only serves a special kind of client. And he does have a wait list.” Mostly because he took clients who wanted a little more kink than any of the other male companions preferred. Aki was going to recommend this client be removed from the premises after the service was over.

“I guess you’ll have to do then. Won’t you?” He gave Aki a chilling smile.

Bastard. Aki got up from his seat and offered his gloved hand to the man who followed closely. They’d reached the stairs when the man grabbed him, yanked Aki against him and shoved his hand up Aki’s skirt, groping him and sending him into a spiral of nightmares.

A dark room. The metallic stink of blood. Screams. The sound of knives being sharpened. Metal bars clanking. Crying. Pain. The music of an ice cream truck. How odd. It was all ripped away a moment later, but Aki’s stomach was already heaving. The small plate of fruit and yogurt he’d had for dinner was not going to stay down.

Someone carried him unceremoniously to the private companion bathroom near the kitchen and set him in front of the toilet just as the mash of fruits and dairy came up. Aki heaved a couple of minutes, his brain swirling with the images that thankfully began to fade just as quickly as they’d come. With any luck he’d be able to brush his teeth, wash his face and go about his work day.

He glanced up to find Manny, the head of security standing at the door. McNaughton knelt beside Aki. Had held his hair back and even used his jacket to cover Aki’s bottom. The skirts really were too short.
“Bart is already having the guy removed. He should never have touched you like that. Sorry I didn’t get to you quicker,” Manny told Aki. “Grateful to you, Detective, for responding so quickly.”

McNaughton stroked Aki’s back, using the soft material of the sweater to run circles over his spine. “Want to talk about it?”

Aki sighed. “Same crap. Just weird. Darkness, crying, smelled blood. Heard knives.” He shook his head. “The guy could work at a butcher for all I know. The memories get so jumbled.” Often with his own horrific past.
“Thought I heard a kid. And bars rattling like in a jail. And the music from an ice cream truck.”

McNaughton nodded like it made perfect sense to him and helped Aki get up and make his way to the sink where there were spare toothbrushes and endless varieties of paste. The cop leaned over and kissed Aki’s hair.

“Gotta go. I’ll have Bart reschedule me sometime this week though. Love that you wore my shoes.” He was gone a moment later.

Aki cleaned up and made his way back to work. At least the night was almost over. He was sad that McNaughton hadn’t stayed. Would have liked to see that smile another time or two. At least the rest of the night flew by without incident, even if the detective didn’t return.

“Sleeping with me tonight?” Candy asked as he stripped out of their work clothes, leaving just a pair of bright pink underwear and crawled into bed. His purple hair was already brushed and eyes heavy with sleep.

“Please,” Aki whispered. He stripped off everything but his underwear too. After putting his shoes and pins away, he washed his face.

“Heard that guy touched you. What a jerk.”

“He wanted you to begin with.” Aki curled up beside his best friend.

Candy flicked off the light. “I would have brought him down a few pegs.”

Aki smiled, but he didn’t want to think of the horrible man at all. Those memories just needed to go away. He had enough of his own to battle with each day. He fell asleep hoping to wake up with less nasty memories each day.

The next afternoon Aki was up early and at Artie’s for breakfast—best 24/7 diner in the area—when McNaughton arrived. The man sat down at his table without asking and pushed a pair of slim, jeweled, yellow flat sandals into Aki’s hands. “What’s this for?” Aki asked.

He just shook his head. He threw a stack of cash on the table and motioned to the waitress. “Anything he wants is on me.” He then got up from the table and headed for the door.

“Well that was weird,” Aki said to LuAnn, the waitress.

She pointed at the Vid screen. “He had a rough night. Caught the guy who was killing kids.” The Vidscreen was turned to the news. Something about a man named the “Ice Cream Killer” had been captured. Apparently he used an ice cream truck to lure kids in, kidnapped them, raped them and killed them. Real monster.

A picture popped up of the guy. It was the client from the Gem. Maybe that’s why McNaughton was at the Gem. No matter what he hoped the detective visited him tonight. The new yellow shoes would need a new skirt to match…

 

UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP EXCERPT:

“So I was thinking since you and I both care about Tommy, we have something in common. See, Tommy is stressed, and I thought we could do something nice for him.”

Dane sat but glared at the man suspiciously. “What sort of nice thing?”

Bas motioned to the bags. “We’re going to make him cookies.”

Dane gulped. “I don’t like food.”

“You won’t be eating it. Tommy will. He canceled a class to come here. Did he tell you? He was taking a theater class at the community college back in Minnesota. Had to withdraw to be here. And with college, you know that means giving up any money paid. Not that money matters much to you guys. Though as young as you all are, I hope you’re well invested.”

Bas shrugged at him and began taking things out of the bags. Flour, eggs, sugar—both white and brown—food coloring, butter, vanilla, and lemons.

“I didn’t know,” Dane said quietly. He’d thought Tommy would be the least affected by his problems. Of course he’d been wrong about that too. Couldn’t he do anything right? “I don’t know anything about cooking.”

“That’s okay. I got this recipe online. It’s pretty easy. We’re making unicorn poop cookies.”

“What?”

“They are sugar cookies with food coloring in them to make them all rainbow-like. Unicorns are good luck and all that. Supposed to be the embodiment of goodness and purity.” Bas picked up his tablet, tapped the screen, and flipped it so Dane could see. The cookies really did look like a big pile of rainbow poop.

“Looks tasty,” Dane grumbled.

“We shall see, right? Think you can measure for me?” He pulled out a couple of cookie sheets and turned on one of the many ovens. “I got permission to use the kitchen here, but we can’t get too rowdy or they’ll kick me out.” He winked at Dane. “I’m pretty sure the orderlies outside are to make sure I’m not burning the place down.”

Dane got up and moved around the counter to stare at the list of ingredients. Bas plugged in a big mixer and took the mixing bowl out of it, bringing it to the counter for them to fill.

“This is really for Tommy?”

“Sure. We can send some to Ru and Adam too if you’d like. I heard they are only an hour or so away.”

“I don’t want Ru to know I’m here,” Dane said immediately. He didn’t need to mess up anyone else’s life.

“No worries. We need tell them nothing other than that they are from you.”

 

EXCERPT FOR ON THE RIGHT TRACK

RU’S phone pinged with a new message from Tommy.

Looks like another one, sorry.

The text was attached to a photo of the cover of a magazine featuring Ru kissing his ex-boyfriend Kris and then a smaller picture of Kris kissing another guy. Headline for that one was Vocal Growth Star Jilted! Six months and still front page news.

He sighed. Even leaving California hadn’t helped. Here he was in the cold autumn of Minnesota, alone, but still stalked by the conservative media who thought anyone under eighteen didn’t deserve to recognize their sexuality. Sure he was gay. He’d known for years. Had even made the mistake of telling his father when he was eleven. Why did that make him a bad guy?

As part of a boy band that had traveled the world a few times and won a hefty number of awards, he was required to maintain a wholesome image. At least that’s what his former recording studio had told him. And wholesome didn’t mean kissing another guy, even when he and Kris had been exclusive for almost two years. So, while it was okay for other celebrities to come out and show pride, anyone under the magical age of eighteen was ridiculed, cast out, and treated as a pariah of the community.

Do you need me to come stay with you? Tommy texted again. He was a former bandmate but still a good friend. Tommy hadn’t cared when Ru told him he was gay. He did offer to kick the crap out of Kris after the guy had set them up to be photographed together, outing Ru to the whole world, only to then cheat on him. Would Ru’s heart ever stop breaking at the memory?

Ru texted back He never really loved me, did he?

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Love is Sweet with Raine O’Tierney’s Bowl Full of Cherries (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: Bowl Full of Cherries
Author Name: Raine O’Tierney

Author Bio:

Raine O’Tierney, a passionate believer in what she calls The Sweetness, writes positive stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and.friskiness? When she’s not writing, Raine can be found 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. She changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Raine lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author and sometimes writing partner, Siôn O’Tierney.

Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about what kinds dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!

Author Contact:

BowlFullofCherriesLGPublisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

Blurb:

Porker, Fatty, Tons-of-Fun: Crowley Fredericks has heard it all. He’s dropped a lot of weight since his high school days, but he’s still a big guy, and the painful words and bullying follow him. Rejected—again—because of his size, Crowley is starting to think that maybe love just isn’t meant for huskier men.

Averell Lang and his twin are so different they might as well not even be related. So when Rell’s brother brings his roommate home to snowy Susset for the holidays, Rell expects the worst—another uptight, pretentious hipster. What he discovers instead is Crowley. Nerdy, fascinating, attractive, Crowley. Rell never expected to look at a man this way, and what he sees in Crowley Fredericks is something he didn’t even know he was looking for. If both men can overcome their hang-ups, they might unwrap more than presents this holiday season.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Holiday

Excerpt:

Even through the snow, Rell didn’t feel the cold. His face burned with the excitement of escaping the Livery and absconding with his brother’s best friend. He clasped Crowley’s hand, pulling him through the street. They ran and skidded and laughed, moving farther and farther away from the club.

“It’s beautiful tonight,” Crowley breathed and Rell squeezed tighter. “Doesn’t it weird you out though?”

“Nope.”

Rell knew what Crowley was asking—didn’t even pretend that he didn’t. Stopping, he tugged lightly so Crowley came stumbling up beside him. He twined his arms around Crowley’s waist and held him for a moment, right there in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Does it weird you out? I’m your best friend’s brother.”

“Not weirded out at all.” Crowley shook his head. His dark eyes shimmered with concern. “But for you… I mean, it was loud in there and hot and fun and there was alcohol and… sometimes… things just happen and—”

“Yeah, things happen,” Rell agreed. “Except I’ve been to a lot of stupid hipster clubs with a lot of Tyler’s friends and….” He leaned forward and kissed Crowley again, letting the experience linger, melting the chill between them. He tasted like nogtini. “And nothing like that has ever happened.”

“But… do you even like guys?”

“Owl. You’re a guy. I like you.”

“But have you been with a guy?”

“Why are you over-thinking this?” Rell asked, gently cupping the side of Crowley’s face.

Words: 60,000


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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: The Bells of Times Square by Amy Lane

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

TheBellsOfTimesSquare_500x750What does it say about a story when I admit that I started to cry as I was reading the blurb? Knowing that my favorite “Queen of Angst” was likely to pull out all stops on this one, I went into it with a box of tissues in hand. And I was not disappointed. And yes, the tissues were needed. This story is a beautiful, poignant, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and bittersweet look at a romance that transcends time.

Nate Meyer, a nice, sweet, young Jewish man decides to enlist in the Air Force in World War II, in part because he knows he’s a disappointment to his father, a fact more evident after his brother passed away at a young age. His brother was the one who got all the pride and affection his father could give out, and Nate just feels that it’s time to get away from the stifling environment. The son of a clockworker, he’s surprised to find that his knowledge of cameras and photography are not only appreciated, but needed for the war effort. He’s promoted to Second Lieutenant and together with his pilot, assigned the role of taking photos of potential targets during night missions over France and Germany. On one such mission, he spots a suspicious series of smokestacks and they move in to get a closer look, but the flare he and his pilot use to light the area for the photos is seen by Messerschmitt pilots who give chase. Their plane crashes in a wooded area over Nazi-occupied France, and though the pilot is killed, Nate survives.

He’s rescued by Walter, a diminutive redhead from Iowa who is an escaped POW, and fortunately for Nate, a medic as well. Walter has been living in an abandoned cottage in the woods for several months. He’s resourceful and self-sufficient and the cutest little man Nate has ever had the pleasure of seeing. However, at this point in our history, it’s extremely dangerous to reveal any attraction to another man so Nate hides it until one day when Walter is bathing his extremities and “Little Nate” is too obvious for Walter to ignore.

They confess their mutual attraction and act out on it slowly, engaging mostly in kissing, handjobs, blowjobs, and frottage. Nate doesn’t consider himself deeply religious, nevertheless, he knows that committing the act of mishkav zakhar, “the one act between men that was considered unforgivable”, will guarantee that he won’t find his way to heaven. But when the time comes for them to prepare to leave their nest in the woods, they finally do have sex, and Nate forgets his worries about heaven. Though they don’t verbalize the words “I love you”, they do make the promise to meet at Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve after the war is over, with or without the church bells ringing. They know they’ll be separated as soon as they are rescued since Walter is an enlisted man and Nate is an officer, and they have no choice about leaving their cottage, because a Nazi soldier has been using it for a tryst with a local Frenchwoman and they’re fortunate they haven’t been discovered yet. What the Nazi doesn’t know is that the Frenchwoman is working with the resistance and plans to help the men escape.

Circumstances never go according to plan, however, and ….(spoilers) click for hidden paragraph that contains spoilers for the ending of the story.

I have chills right now as I write this review. Amy Lane is an excellent author, her grammar and punctuation are perfect, but what really makes her books stand out among the rest is her ability as a storyteller. I am in awe. This story should have more than 5 stars. Superb is a mild word. By all means, do not miss the chance to read this book. And if you love historical romances, consider it a bonus. I think I may go hide out for a while and reread this story right now. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe how amazing this outstanding story is. Don’t hesitate to buy it.

Cover Art by Reese Dante. At first sight, the cover appears to be a faded collection of random objects, however, it actually tells the story contained within the book. Representations of the plane, the photography equipment, the clock at Times Square are all present and the brown-white rotogravure effect is reminiscent of the early days of photography in the 20th century. Beautifully done.

Sales LInks:  Preorder at Riptide Publishing    amazon    buy it here

Book Details:

Author: Amy Lane
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62649-185-4
eBook release: Dec 15, 2014
eBook Formats: pdf, mobi, html, epub
Print ISBN: 978-1-62649-186-1
Print release: Dec 15, 2014
Word count: 65,300, Page count: 236
Type: Standalone

– See more at:

In the Book Spotlight: Hitting Black Ice by Heloise West (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: Hitting Black Ice
Author Name: Heloise West

Heloise West is here with a contest, blurb and excerpt from her latest book, Hitting Black Ice.  The author also took a turn in our author’s interview chair.  Check it out below:

Q. Hitting Black Ice is a great title. Where did you get the inspiration for it?

If I said in a dream, would you believe me? Well, it was a two-for dream; I was trying to think of a title for story for a member of our writing group, and they both came to me just as I was starting to wake up. You know, in that middle state between dreaming and not quite awake, the hypnagogic state. I wanted something active and punchy, and I think that did the trick.

Q. What is the first idea you want the reader to imagine when they read that title?

Danger, unexpected and spinning you out of control…but if you can keep your head, you can get yourself out of it…

Q. This book has plenty of exciting elements….murder, mystery, a man on the run..how do you find a right balance for all these threads in your story?

The romance helped keep it all tied together, I think.

Q. Suspense and action are terrific elements for keeping a reader on their seats, but how do you bring the romance into it without losing that tautness of plot?

I don’t think I ever made it easy for Hunter and Shawn–even when there was a lull in the present action, the past was a threat, too. So basically, the answer is subplots that shadow and echo the main plot.

Q. What was your muse for this story?

Since the main POV character was Hunter, I listened to later Decemberists for that undercurrent of sadness. Since he’s really a country boy in the city, the folk aspect of the Decemberists worked for me, too. It’s not really a playlist. It’s the same two albums on an endless loop. The music shoves me deeper emotionally into the character.

Q. If you love to write mysteries, do you also like to read them?

I do love to write mysteries. I love to read mysteries, too, especially historical mysteries.

Q. If so, which author is a favorite of yours or is there a favorite fictional detective/sleuth character?

I can never answer “most favorite” questions or “desert island” questions (unless the answer is Matt Damon).
My favorite sleuths is a great question: (can’t answer with one 😉
Gordianus the Finder (Steven’s Saylor’s Sub Rosa series), Feste (12th century jester/spy by Alan Gordon), Adrien English, of course, and Kit and JX. Ariana Franklin’s Adelia from the Mistress of the Art of Death series; Mary, Sherlock Holmes’ young wife in Laurie King’s s

eries. Those are off the top of my head, the auto-buys, though a few of these series have ended.

Q. What’s next for Heloise West?

I’m working on a sequel to Hitting Black Ice and a Renaissance era romance/mystery suspense is on submission.

Thanks for having me here today!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Author Bio:

Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mayhem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance of all flavors. She travels and gardens with her partner of 10 years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.

Author Contact:

Publisher: Loose IDHeloiseWest_HittingBlackIce_coverin
Cover Artist: Syneca Featherstone
Sales:  Loose id    All Romance (ARe)   amazon

Hitting Black Ice Blurb:

ER physician’s assistant Hunter guards his heart carefully, but that doesn’t stop him from falling for Shawn, the front desk clerk. He keeps his distance from relationships for a reason, but just can’t help himself when it comes to Shawn.

Shawn is on the run from the law and love to protect himself and anyone else involved. One man is dead because of him, and his life now is simple and easily thrown into a bag at any hint of danger. Until he meets Hunter, and he no longer wants to run.

Forced into a hostage situation, buried passion explodes in the aftermath, and sex in the supply closet brings their hearts back to life. Tentatively, step by step, they begin to explore a relationship together until the past catches up with Shawn.

FBI agent Nick Truman has finally found his man, but when Shawn escapes, he focuses his attention on Hunter. Shawn returns, even though it means sacrificing himself to save Hunter from the man who framed him for murder.
Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance

Excerpt:

It was nine o’clock. They’d long lost the reservation. Hunter turned away from the warm lights of the restaurant, heart heavy. Shawn was too good to be true. For all he knew, he had a problem like Jerry’s, who’d often left him waiting, wondering, and ultimately fearing as dinner sat cold on the table. He gave in and took a step toward home.

“Hunter!”

He whipped around.

Shawn rushed toward him. He slipped on the snowy sidewalk, nearly going down, but Hunter ran at him, and they crashed together so hard his teeth clicked. Shawn’s arms went around him and his around Shawn, and they managed to hold each other up.

“I’m sorry,” were the first words out of Shawn’s mouth.

“All you deserve is pizza crusts,” Hunter mock-growled and kissed him, unconsciously trying to taste booze on his breath. Like Jerry and too many broken promises. Relieved it was only peppermint mouthwash, he didn’t stop kissing him.

When Hunter let him speak, Shawn said, “I’m starving, I’ll take it.” He pushed Hunter a little away from him. “Jesus. You’re freezing.”

“And starving. There’s a Greek pizza place down this way, come on—”

“I’ll make it up to you,” he said, taking Hunter’s hand.

 

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A Sammy Review: The Holiday Hoax by Skylar M. Cates

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.

Life should come with signs like an amusement park ride, warning you of all the possible side effects.

 

The Holiday Hoax coverEvan Goodman is like any college freshman. He’s just trying to find his way in the world, find a place for himself. Of course, he knows that the world is truly a stage, and theater is his one true love. It’s on stage that he meets Tyler, another performer. Evan does a cliff dive into the relationship, but when he looks back, Tyler hasn’t even stood within a foot of the edge.

So when Christmas comes and Evan’s supposed to come with a handsome, cultured boyfriend… he’s, well, screwed.

But after seeing JD, a fellow student, being rejected by his brother, he gets a not-so-bright idea. His family doesn’t know what Tyler looks like, and JD needs a place to go, so why not?

Holidays come with a spark of magic though, and maybe Evan and JD might have some magic of their own.

Sometimes it was easier to face the world when I couldn’t see every harsh shape, every flaw. The world could be kinder if everyone was a bit myopic.

I’m not exactly a holiday story fan. I like stories that really tell more than just a few days, I want stories that breathe life. I gave this a shot, however, because the cover, by Paul Richmond, is just plain adorable and totally drew me in (and is a total match for the heart of the story, which I appreciate), and because I’ve liked some of Cates other work.

Unfortunately, the magic wasn’t there for me. This was a perfectly fine story with some cute elements and others that were surprisingly deep, but it fell flat in ways that short stories often do. I felt like something was left missing and things wrapped up way too neatly for my tastes.

So to be clear, there was nothing wrong with this at all, it just wasn’t really a story that suited me. If you’re into cute and fun holiday stories that are short and sweet, then you will probably adore this. If you want some more depth, maybe not so much. Overall the story was nice, but it didn’t leave me with a big impression.

Cover art by Paul Richmond.  Just plain adorable.

Sales Links:    Dreamspinner eBook          All Romance (ARe)         amazon          buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 83 pages
Expected publication: December 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165930