A Lila Advent Release Day Review: Trading Tridents by C. M. Taylor

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

DecemberCon 2017. John Perlan, aka YouTuber “SmileyNibor,” has come to the con for one reason and one reason only: to see his idol, actor Derek Kitow. And since Derek has announced he’ll be dressed as the original Aquaman, Perlan decides to come as the Aquaman reboot. It helps that he already has the beard and the bod to make a convincing Momoaman.

But when Derek Kitow makes his entrance, he recognizes Perlan from his tiny YouTube channel and wants him onstage! Has Kitow been following him online? Could SmileyNibor’s hero also be a fan? And what exactly does Kitow have in mind by inviting Perlan to meet him after the panel?

Trading Tridents is different than any other holiday story I have read before but it falls short to deliver a warm tale. The premise is interesting and the beginning promising until the action starts. Everything moves too fast and no amount of suspension of disbelief can keep the reader believing in the couple.

Yes, it’s a quick steamy read with lots of possibilities, an interesting cast, and an atypical story for the season, but unfortunately, it’s not enough. Perhaps, less kink and more sweetness would have worked better for such a short story. I do appreciate all the pop culture references and cosplay dynamics, though.

The cover by Paul Richmond is the standard for this year’s collection. Cute, but a bit too cartoonish for my taste.

Sale Links: Dreamspinners | Amazon | NOOK

ebook, 32 pages
Published: December 1, 2017, by Dreamspinners Press
ISBN: 9781640803039
Edition Language: English

A MelanieM Advent Release Day Review: Welcome Home, Soldier by Deanna Wadsworth

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Clay and Daniel fell in love as enlisted men during Desert Shield, but Don’t Ask Don’t Tell meant they had to keep it secret. After Clay’s convoy was ambushed, PTSD changed him, and their relationship ended in a horrible fight on Christmas Eve.

Twenty-five years later, they’ve reconnected on Facebook, and Clay finds out Daniel will be alone on Christmas Eve. Impulsively, he sets out for Daniel’s hometown of Gilead, Ohio—where Daniel is now the mayor—to surprise him with a visit. But a blizzard strikes and Clay wrecks his car. All hope of seeing Daniel is lost—until a mysterious old man named Nick offers Clay a ride. The weight of past wounds and the scars of war might make their reunion awkward, but Clay is willing to take the risk to win back his lost love. Despite a lifetime of disappointing holidays, Clay hopes that this soldier is finally coming home for Christmas.

I don’t know if it was the mood I was in or if I’m just such a sap for Christmas stories like these but Welcome Home, Soldier by Deanna Wadsworth just hits all my buttons for Christmas stories. It has the second chance at love after a long period of time, a blizzard and a wonderful mystical element. Yes, even a dog. I just loved it right down to that cover.

Two men love each other deeply as young men during the Army during Desert Shield. It’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell but most importantly it’s the times and their youth, and then the changes in Clay when he’s the only one to survive an ambush of his team. They can’t survive as a couple and split up. Now it’s twenty-five years later and Christmas Eve and they are about to reconnect.

Deanna Wadsworth has done a remarkable job in creating a story that manages to seem both down to earth and yet at the same time wraps both of these older, worn men in some undefinable magical glow. She gives you that awkwardness as they feel their way back towards each other as all those years apart, trying to see if there’s anything still there. It feels very real. But the author also manages to bring a Christmas magic to her story, a mystical element that makes anything possible, including the second chance at love for these two lonely men who have always loved each other.

Boy, was I sniffling away at parts, enjoying myself immensely. Yes, this story was clearly written for me. I just loved it. Including that ending! If you are just as sappy as I am, trust me Welcome Home, Soldier by Deanna Wadsworth is just the Christmas story for you.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is wonderful. The artist captures them as young men before the breakup. But has the dog from the present times. I just adore this cover.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 76 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640803022
Edition Language English

An Ali Advent Release Day Review: An Unexpected Sanctuary (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by Cassie Decker

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

An aggressive super-flu pandemic wipes out a majority of the population over the course of one Christmas holiday—and brings Tobin and Kyle together. For almost a year, they’ve been trekking across the country from Colorado toward a sanctuary in upstate New York. Kyle’s survival skills have kept them alive, and Tobin wants to repay the man he loves with a very special gift of his own making. He sneaks off in search of the last few pieces… only to get himself and Kyle kidnapped by a desperate stranger. With their journey to New York on hold—possibly indefinitely—they’ll need to accept that home isn’t always defined by a place as much as the person you’re with.

This was one of my favorite stories in the Dreamspinner Advent anthology this year. It was my first time reading this author so I had no idea what to expect. The story starts with Tobin and Kyle coming into a small town as they try to find some shelter from the cold weather. Kyle is focused on finding them a safe house and Tobin is distracted by his desire to finish a gift for Kyle. Neither realize that while they’re focused on these things, someone is watching them.

There was just the right amount of tension at the beginning. It’s an apocalypse story so I definitely want to be a bit on the edge of my seat whether it’s Christmas time or not. The author provided that as well as a story that also ends up having a touching and sweet aspect to the romance. I liked both of the MC’s and the world the author created. I actually would have happily read a story about these two’s relationship prior to this story.

There is nothing scary or gory in this so it’s fine for those of you who don’t do typically do apocalypse type books. The main focus is the romance and the holiday.

Cover by Paul Richmond: The cover to this was the standard one of the Advent book and it was done by Paul Richmond. I thought it was well done and fits the holiday spirit. Since it is the generic one for the entire anthology it did not fit this story specifically

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 33 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640803015
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Caryn Advent Release Day Review: Christmas Grace (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by C.L. Miles

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This book really exemplifies what I have come to expect from Dreamspinner’s Advent Collection – short, sweet, low angst, uncomplicated happy ever after. Pleasant way to spend an hour, but when it’s done, you forget all about it.

Aaron and Craig have been dating for 9 months. They are taking their romance slowly, because both of them have been burned by relationships in the past, and they want to make sure this one lasts. The story is told primarily from Aaron’s point of view, and he knows that he is in love with Craig, is pretty sure Craig feels the same way, and he believes they are ready to take that final step. It’s Christmas Eve, and a snowstorm is in the process of shutting down the city, so Craig takes Aaron to his condo for the first time ever. But it turns out there is a reason that Aaron has never been there before, and when he finds out what it is, he feels betrayed and runs away.

Of course, the city is shut down by the blizzard, so he only gets as far as the lobby of the condo building, where the very kind security guard convinces him to give Craig a second chance. Which he does, all is explained and forgiven, and they become a family and promise each other forever. The End.

With such a short story, it is hard to summarize without giving away any significant spoilers. So the rest of this review is a bit of a rant on things that bother me, but since they might not be issues for other readers, I don’t knock many stars off for it. As I was reading this story, it felt like one of those where an author has taken a hetero-romance and just changed one of the MCs to a man. I really hate that – there is a reason why I started reading gay romance instead of het romance! So here it is: Aaron is physically smaller, more insecure, makes less money, has anxiety, and feels that their relationship is not complete until they have penetrative sex. Of course he is the bottom, that was never in question. So this was a classic strong man rescues virginal damsel in distress, has sex and marries her trope, just with the gender changed. I find that misogynistic. And don’t get me started about anal sex being the be-all and end-all of gay sex: not only is it heteronormative BS, it also denigrates all the other forms of intimacy that couples can share. It kind of smacks of Bill Clinton insisting he did not have sex with Monica Lewinsky since it was just a BJ, and therefore didn’t mean anything. OK, rant over!

Cover art by Brooke Albrecht is sweetly generic.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640803008
Edition Language English

A MelanieM Advent Release Day Review: A Timely Gift by Kris T. Bethke

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Sometimes the right gift can be life-changing….

On the solstice, Rory’s grandfather gives him a pocket watch that he claims will have Rory’s life sorted and his problems solved by Christmas. Rory starts out skeptical, but when he reconnects with an ex he never thought he’d see again, he has to admit there might be some holiday magic working after all.

Deacon’s life is in shambles, and he’s returned to Syracuse for a fresh start. Running into Rory again feels like much more than a coincidence, and neither of them can deny the passion between them is still smoldering. With the watch behaving oddly at just the right moments, Rory and Deacon might receive the gift of a lifetime—if they’re willing to accept it.

Another wonderful Advent Stocking Stuffer short story from Dreamspinner Press, A Timely Gift by Kris T. Bethke has a hint of the magical about it while being essentially a second chance at love romance.

After a brief “thing” and separation when one leaves to pursue his dreams across the country, now years later Rory is about to reconnect with his past. His ex, Deacon returns to town and runs into Rory just when both need each other the most. But is it accident or is it due to Rory’s grandfather’s gift of his mysterious pocketwatch at the Winter Solstice?

I loved everything about this slow second chance at love story. From Rory’s African Grey parrot Apollo to the injured Deacon and the naturally tender way the men reconnect and fall back into love once more. The men, the dialogs and dynamics all felt relevant to the ages of the men and their situations. All so nicely done and expected as I have loved this author’s stories before.

The only element here that felt a little underwhelming was the mystical “pocket watch”. It honestly didn’t feel all that magical to me. It made a few noises but really seemed underutilized as a story element as was the Winter Solstice connection which wasn’t thoroughly explored. As a storyline thread it was thin and I wish it was a much larger part of the story to give this a truly holiday feel it deserves.

Still A Timely Gift by Kris T. Bethke is a sweet second chance at love romance, one you won’t want to miss.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond is humorous and lively, just what I expect and want for my Advent Stocking Stuffer cover.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 39 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640802995
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers

A Caryn Advent Release Day Review: The Probability of Mistletoe (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by E.J. Russell

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this cute holiday story about second chances, and of course I was thrilled to review another of E.J. Russell’s books after reviewing the Fae Out of Water series here on Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words earlier this year. I enjoy her characters, who have just the right combination of snarky and sweet…

Keith and Parker were best friends in high school, despite significant differences in personality – Parker was popular, involved in everything, friends with everyone, and Keith was an introverted geek and computer genius who really only had Parker. At the winter formal senior year, Keith attempted to kiss Parker under the mistletoe, but Parker freaked out and ran. He later rationalized his actions, thinking that he would have held Keith back from becoming the success that Parker knew he could be. After graduation, Keith left for Stanford, Parker stayed in Oregon, and though he thought of Keith often and regretted his actions, he allowed lingering embarrassment to keep him from staying in contact, and they drifted apart .

Ten years later, Parker is organizing the class reunion. He was surprised to get a text from Keith, but happy, and he starts thinking he might be able to make up for that missed opportunity 10 years ago. Keith also wants Parker, for business as well as personal reasons, but since he never knew the reason behind the missed kiss so long ago, he is very unsure about what will happen.

What follows is a comedy of errors, accidents, and misunderstandings that almost sabotages their reunion. But when the probability of mistletoe is high, anything can happen…

Very enjoyable Christmas read!

Cover art by Paul Richmond is humorous, cheery, and brands the stocking stuffers for 2017.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 43 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640802988
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers

An Alisa Advent Release Day Review: Poison Marked (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by T.J. Nichol

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Kill his lover or disobey his king and instigate civil war?

As the feared court poison master, Nikko is sworn to do as his king bids. As the lover of the king’s nephew, Lord Rodas, Nikko must hide his affection or risk being labeled a traitor and punished. A former thief who clawed his way into the palace from the filthy streets, Nikko longs to be deserving of Rodas’s love.

A respected war hero, Rodas is in a delicate political situation. He is not the kingdom’s natural heir, though many support his claim over the wastrel, Prince Fortin. The last thing Rodas wants is war. His highest ambition is for Nikko to openly wear the jewels he’s bestowed on him as a public declaration of their love.

Neither man is prepared for the king to order Nikko to poison Rodas during the solstice feast or for the deadly intrigue they’re plunged into, which exposes their affair and rocks the foundations of the kingdom.

This was a nice story, however as I thought when I first read the description it isn’t what one would think of as a Christmas story. It is focused on the Solstice but doesn’t have the same feel. I could feel Nikko’s pain of indecision and duty when he is ordered to kill his lover. Rodas seems genuine but I didn’t really get a good feel for him. I’m not a fan of the whole have to have an heir thing but I can have a lover also; it just feels too close to cheating to me but in the world they seem to live in it’s the best that Nikko could hope for.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza. Great cover….for anything but an Advent story. Not sure how I feel about it.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 56 pages

Published: December 12, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Advent Release Day Review: The Storm’s Gift (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by A.D. Ellis

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Snowed in together in their college dorm, two men share a quick connection that creates enough heat to spar with the blizzard outside.

Rory Blackwell plans to rejuvenate his mind and repair his battered heart after his world is shaken by an unexpected breakup. James Austin’s freshman-year plans of improving his social life crashed and burned, leaving him feeling as alone and outcast as he did back home.

One man is hurting while the other is eager to provide comfort. One is a virgin, the other experienced with other men. Both are looking forward to Winter Break, but can they take full advantage of their situation—or will the passion ignited between them fizzle out with the storm?

This was a nice story, more on the side of sexy than romantic. James is very insecure and when he isn’t able to get home to his family for the comfort he needs he pretty much gives up. Rory has gone out of his way to not notice James but the vision of him mostly naked in the elevator won’t leave his mind. Rory provides the comfort James needs but it still seems fragile at the end of the story. While Rory insists it isn’t a fling you can’t help but wonder when they had never really talked before the blackout.

Cover art by Paul Richmond. It’s the wonderfully humorous cover that brands the Stocking Stuffer series this year.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 34 pages

Published: December 11, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

Edition Language: English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Advent Release Day Review: The Puzzle Box (2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffers) by C.C. Bridges

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

This was a delightful short holiday story in which Cole, artist and elementary art teacher, is not looking forward to the Christmas holiday this year because his lover and best friend, James, is a soldier deployed overseas. I was immediately able to relate to this, having had a family member deployed in a war zone over the holidays thirteen years ago.

Cole at least has his BFF, Liz, to keep him company and to nag him into eating and shopping, two things that are way too boring without James. When Cole receives a box from James in early December, it takes him a short time to figure out that James is going to lead him on a Scavenger Hunt to what will ultimately be his best Christmas present ever! Along the way, though, there are stops at locations where the two men had firsts: first kiss, first dinner after moving in together, etc.

As I stated earlier, this one is delightful. I’m impressed by this author who is new to me. The characters are well developed, the plot is thoughtful and interesting, and the ending is everything I would hope for in a holiday romance. I highly recommend this stocking stuffer to all lovers of MM romance and if you have a spot in your heart for those serving their country away from home, this one is perfect to lift your spirits.

The cover by Paul Richmond is the standard Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar art—bright and and cheerful.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 31 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640802957
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series2017 Advent Calendar Daily – Stocking Stuffer

An Alisa Advent Release Day Review: Pining for Perfect by Ki Brightly

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Stokely leads a solitary life, trying to do all the right things. He has a solid, respectable job, a properly decorated, respectable apartment, and goes to work every single day, no matter what. But it’s Christmas, and he hates Christmas, especially since his one guilty pleasure, listening to Asher Banks on the radio, is ruined with upbeat, holiday garbage.

Asher is the polar opposite—he loves Christmas to a fault and schedules himself into the ground with fundraisers to help the local community. When Asher and Stokely meet during one of the holiday spectacles Asher has thrown together, sparks fly, but neither one of them has ever had a real Christmas—or a real home. Will they be able to make one with each other?

I loved this story. Both Stokely and Asher grew up in foster care but in drastically different situations and it has affected their adult lives. It was great to see Stokely adapt and bend from his strictly structured life and ideas to help Asher and give them both happiness. Both of them deserve anything they can get and the story ended with me rooting for them to continue.

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht. Love the cover, just perfect for the holidays and story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 61 pages

Published: December 9, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

Edition Language: English

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