Title: Comfort and Joy
Author(s): Joanna Chambers , Josh Lanyon, Harper Fox, L.B. Gregg
Genre: Holiday Anthology
Length: 231 pages
Publisher: JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. (December 6th, 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Joy-Joanna-Chambers-ebook/dp/B00QO7ZR6A
Blurb(s):
Rest and Be Thankful by Joanna Chambers
Two stormy hearts find peace when feuding neighbors in the Scottish Highlands are trapped by a blizzard.
Things haven’t been going well for Cam McMorrow since he moved to Inverbechie. His business is failing, his cottage is falling apart, and following his very public argument with café owner Rob Armstrong, he’s become a social outcast.
Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow. He can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.
Zane’s Review: Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Written by Joanna Chambers, “Rest and Be Thankful” introduces Rob and Cam, two lonely men, an argument/slight misunderstanding with overreactions on both parts, a friendship (possibly more) cut short by said misunderstanding… the approaching New Year… a broken down vehicle… and the chance to kindle what burned out before it really started.
A short read, this could have been rushed or lacking in substance, but it wasn’t. Well written with plenty of character back-story and detail, this story certainly fulfilled its premise. Who doesn’t want a second chance at a rich and full life? At love? I was rooting for these two from the get-go.
I really liked Cam and Rob – both individually and as a couple. Bring on the hot, broody men who find first friendship, then sexiness, happiness and a future in each other, and just in time to ring in the New Year.
Short and sweet with a bit of sexy, just the way I like my holiday stories, this one is a keeper.
Out by Harper Fox
Can a stranger unlock the courage and passion in a young man’s captive heart?
It’s Christmas at Edinburgh’s magnificent Barlinney Hotel, and chief housekeeper Cosmo Grant is in charge of the festivities. He’s already got his hands full when handsome Ren Vaudrey checks in.
It soon turns out that Ren is an undercover cop. Cosmo wants to help him, but unless he can do it within the Barlinney’s walls, Cosmo is stuck. A victim of crippling agoraphobia, he’s been a prisoner in this gilded cage for over a year. Cosmo gathers all his courage to do the right thing by Ren and Sam—and as a glittering Christmas Eve descends on the city, finds himself confronting his very darkest fears.
Cat’s Review: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts (more if I can steal a few)
Cosmo loves his job working at a plush high-end hotel. He has worked up to management but his supervisor George brace is a real meany. All of the staff fear Brace. Brace is taking advantage of Cosmo but when he wants Cosmo to be an extra service to some of the guests, he tries to put his foot down.
A new guest arrives and Cosmo finds himself very attracted but when Brace send him to Ren’s room Cosmo tells Ren he won’t be one of the conveniences of the hotel. Ren lets him know right away that he wasn’t expecting that, he needed information. This is where even more twists start unraveling.
Wow this story is awesome. It was like reading a full novella in a short story. It is perfectly executed. The characters are all interesting the storyline is intriguing the romance is hot, everything is amazing.
If you like romance with a bit of mystery and intrigue, fancy hotels, cops, lots of twists and turns, sweet romance, and a good holiday story I highly, highly recommend this one!
Waiting for Winter by LB Gregg
Some mistakes are worth repeating.
Luke always thought he and Winter were the perfect couple—until the day Winter announced he was taking a new job and they were uprooting and headed for Germany. No discussion. No debate. For the first time in his life, Winter miscalculated. Badly. Now Luke is trying his best to move on with his life, but Winter is back in town and he’s set on digging their relationship out of the deep freeze.
Tams’ Review: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Six months ago Luke’s boyfriend, Winter, walked out on him, their life and their home for a job in Germany. Now he’s back and he has one goal in mind, to reclaim what is his. Luke gives being angry and complacent a valiant effort, but Winter knows how to make him squirm, and it doesn’t take long until they are in very familiar territory, the bedroom. The sex is mind-blowing and reminds Luke of when they first met. He’s not going to wait around to be hurt again though, and this time he walks out on Win.
When Christmas rolls around Winter is back and once again trying to prove to Luke that he loves him and that they belong together. Luke is convinced that what happened over the summer was a mistake, the question is, was it one worth repeating?
A fast, fun read about the importance of communication and compromise. Luke and Winter have lost a year they could have spent together all because Luke wanted Winter to ask. But the blame doesn’t lie solely on Win’s shoulders, since Luke was too stubborn to be honest with him about how he felt. Now it’s Christmas, it’s snowing, they are trapped in a beautiful cabin with a glistening tree and two hearts that belong together.
Definitely worth the read and appropriate for the season!
Baby, It’s Cold by Josh Lanyon
Or maybe it’s the flu. Breaking up is hard to do — especially around the holidays.
Talk about Kitchen Nightmares! TV Chef Rocky and Foodie blogger Jesse have been pals forever, so it should have been the most natural thing in the world to move their relationship to the next level. Instead, it turned out to be a disaster. But Christmas is the season of love, and someone’s cooking up a sweet surprise…
Leigh’s Review: Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Rocky and Jess had three months together and two months broken up. They have been friends for years prior to that. So they decided to give it a go as boyfriends. Only their own insecurities got in the way and destroyed what they were trying to have. Jesse in a last-ditch effort decides to put together a surprise dinner for Rocky. Only things to not go the way he plans. Both MCs know they made mistakes and the reason they didn’t work. It takes them finally opening up to each other to see what they should have from the start.
This was a well-written piece. However, I was not really drawn into the story. There was just something missing, maybe an emotional pull that I didn’t feel.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *