A MelanieM Advent Story Review: Four Alternative Christmas Presents by Tam MacNeil

Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5

It’s Christmas Eve, and newly minted superhero Matt AKA “Strong Man” is in the middle of taking down one of Central City’s most notorious criminals, the mesmerist and villain Dr. Destructo. It’s Matt’s first mission, and he’s working with his idol and secret crush, Jake X-Ray. He doesn’t want anything to go wrong.

Unfortunately for him, everything goes wrong. Soon Matt finds himself racing through alternative presents, trying to capture Dr. Destructo and trying to figure out why all the Matts in these other scenarios have the one thing he really wants—a relationship with Jake.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

If you are a fan of super heroes and romance, this story was written for you. Superhero Matt has just come into his super powers but is having a hard time finding acceptance among the other super heroes, especially the one he secretly adores, Jake X-Ray. Then his first mission with Jake goes wrong and they find themselves chasing the villain through multiple alternative universes. In each one that Matt has found the acceptance this Matt desires and love with Jake!

Why can’t Matt find it for himself in his universe?

I think the story was cute, a little disjointed and missing important world building elements. If you love superheroes, you might find the story cute enough that you won’t care. But if you aren’t a fan, then the issues might irritate you enough to make you want to put it down. It had a lot of promise with the plot that I just didn’t think the author was able to deliver.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 24 pages

Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press

ASIN B018RRVX2Q

Series Sleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

A Paul B Advent Story Review: Teddy Bear Christmas by C.C. Bridges

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ★★★★★

It is December 23^rd, and Tyler Martin is waiting in the airport for his flight back home to New Jersey for the Christmas holiday. Having missed returning home last year due to his then boyfriend wanting to spend it together, he is anxious to get his family celebration. While waiting for his delayed flight due to a massive snowstorm out east, he sees a teddy bear sitting across from him. When the occupants of the seats next to the teddy leave for their flights, Tyler realizes that someone who has already left must have forgotten the bear. He takes the bear to the airline’s customer service area to turn it into lost and found.

Aaron Klein is busy working the counter of the airline he is employed by. With numerous delays and cancellations, he is assisting people with their travel woes. Having already celebrated Hanukah, Aaron does not mind working the Christmas holidays. While on the phone with a mother asking about a lost teddy bear, Aaron notices a gorgeous man approach the counter with said bear. After assuring the mother that the bear will be there when she returns from her trip, the man proposes to do something special for the child who is missing her bear. Aaron agrees to go along with Tyler’s suggestion hoping to get to know this man whose plane has been delayed by weather. Will this new relationship take off or be grounded just as Tyler’s flight has been?

I absolutely adored this story. I have to say that I personally am a teddy bear enthusiast. So when the list of Advent stories was made available, I jumped on this one. I loved how the author used a child’s bear to bring two men who are neither related to the owner together. What they do for the girl who owns the bear brings the two closer together. And while there are questions by both men as to whether such a chance meeting could lead to anything, the reader knows that the two will get together at the end. This is a delightful holiday read.

The cover art by Paul Richmond for this story is the standard cover for Dreamspinner’s Sleigh Ride Advent event.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details

Kindle Edition, 31 pages
Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RVBQ1K
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

A Paul B Advent Story Review: Son of Santa (Sleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar) by Kate Sands

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Noel Nicholas decides he needs to take some time away from being the son of Santa Claus. He decides to return to school at a university in Winnipeg, where the winters remind him of the North Pole realm. He has even gotten a break in his usual job as gift distributor during the last couple of holiday seasons. However, his time off is interrupted when an ice sprite shows up on campus one November day.

Mrs. Claus has tasked Fannar the ice sprite to check with her son to see if he has heard from his father Santa Claus. It seems that Noel’s father has taken off without telling anyone where he was going. This causes Noel some anxiety for two reasons. This first is that his father is AWOL. However, Noel has not felt the calling to go home and take over for his father so he knows that his dad is safe wherever he is. The second is that the messenger is the one man who has been his crush for years. Will Noel’s missing father bring these two men from the North Pole together after years of dancing around their feelings?

This was a fun holiday read for me. You can tell that the characters have known each other for years and that they just need an extra push to get them together. Noel feels that his life as the son of Santa by necessity must be lonely while Fannar wonders what he must do to bring Noel around. The presence of Ruby from the Eros realm (think Valentine’s day) allows for some sage advice to Noel.

The cover art by Catt Ford shows a young man with snowflakes on his hair and brows in a white turtleneck above a formation of ice crystals. It is a nice wintery cover for the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details

ebook, 53 pages
Published December 1st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 9781634769
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

A Mika Advent Story Review: Not the Best Day by Brynn Stein

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Henry hates Christmas shopping. Hates it with a passion. But here he is, downtown shopping two days before Christmas. It would almost be bearable except for the jerk in the trapper hat and plaid scarf who keeps turning up like a bad penny, apparently with no other goal in life than to make Henry’s already crappy day even crappier. Henry doesn’t know what’s up with the guy, but Henry wishes he’d just go away. That doesn’t seem to be in the cards, however. In a day full of surprises, the biggest is yet to come.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

This suffered from lack of development. The couple doesn’t even make an appearance together until the last 4% maybe. Until then it’s a story about one guy’s hectic Christmas shopping, and another guy seeming aloof during the holidays. They explained everything, but it seemed out of place in this story. Neither characters were interesting enough & they seemed very thrown together. No chemistry even when they are together. Sadly this missed the mark for me.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 32 pages
Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RRVQPK
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Sleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

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