Midwinter Night's Dream by Whitley Gray

18806551Title: Midwinter Night’s Dream

Series:  N/A

Author: Whitley Gray

Genre: Contemporary/Christmas

Length: Novella (114 pages)

Publisher: Loose Id (December 10th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating:
♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts

Blurb: Two years ago, Joe Blake lost his secret lover, firefighter Bryce Marshall. Grieving, Joe left his job as a fireman and paramedic to become the spokes model for undergarment company Escalade. They lured him into the limelight and drove him deeper into the closet. Modeling doesn’t provide fulfillment; Joe wants privacy and to feel useful again. A holiday at his mountain cabin outside Denver is the perfect escape. The last thing he anticipated, or wanted, was sharing his retreat with another man.

Last Christmas, actor Errol Lockhart discovered boyfriend Carson had stolen a play. Carson accused Errol and then blackballed him in the theater community. Some Christmas that was. Now Errol has to take whatever work he can to survive. Delivering a singing telegram during a blizzard isn’t wise, but it pays double and rent is overdue. He’s got dreams, not of a white Christmas, but of getting a shot at Hollywood. He’s determined to make it, if he survives this storm.

As Joe and Errol ride out the blizzard, more than marshmallows get toasty in front of the fire. When Errol discovers Joe’s identity, he’s sure he’s found his way in, his big break. But Joe won’t sacrifice Errol to the Hollywood sharks. Unless they can forge a compromise, they’re going to wake from their midwinter night’s dream to lumps of coal in their stockings.

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/newest/current-month/midwinter-night-s-dream.html

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: I can’t think of anything better than to be trapped in a cozy winter cabin with a hot underwear model who also happens to be a great paramedic, especially if it were I freezing to death in a snow bank.

There’s plenty of sexual tension, and steamy possibilities, though when the two do finally give in to their sexual attraction there seems to be a step missing, possibly, because this is a shorter story/novella format. The two MC’s have a huge back-story that never quite gets revealed, and would have led to stronger character development. Near the end of the story, I did feel the emotional punch. However, with the way Joe seems to brush Errol off in front of their rescue team. That truly did hurt!

The best part of the book was that feeling of total blanket isolation where the two of them got to forget their lives for a while, play in the snow, eat by the fire, and explore each other’s bodies. The elements of a lover’s ghost nudging things along was also sort of magical.

The story format was too short for the bits the author tried to fit in, would have been stronger as a more developed story, but as a small Christmas treat, I was entertained.