Hi guys! We have Roe Horvat stopping by today with his new re-release The Layover, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
The Layover
by
Roe Horvat
Eight years ago, Ondro Smrek fled Slovakia and the bigotry that drove his first lover to take his own life, but the demons proved impossible to outrun. Desperate for somewhere to belong, Ondro is returning to start over.
During a layover in Basel, Switzerland, he meets Jamie, an American living in Scotland who is as brilliant as he is beautiful. Jaded Ondro never would have guessed he could fall in love during a brief layover—until now.
When he is put in a position to offer Jamie comfort without hope of recompense, Ondro doesn’t hesitate and soon catches a glimpse of the home he longs for. But with their separation looming, confessing his feelings can only lead to pain and humiliation. Life has taught Ondro not to hope, but then, he never believed in love at first sight either…
Hi guys, we have Roe Horvat stopping by today with the tour for their new release Adam Only, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Adam Only
(Those Other 02)
by
Roe Horvat
On stage, Adam lets his passion drive him. All his secret desires, everything nasty, dirty, and beautiful flows freely through him, for once in harmony. His soul thrives when his body moves, but only on stage. Adam’s passionate nature makes him a great dancer…and a failure at life. He’s a lonely, emotional mess. Going home with a man far out of his reach is the last thing Adam should do. Christoffer represents everything Adam isn’t: strong, independent, educated, and rich. His kind eyes, at odds with his brutish form, make Adam’s knees and restraint buckle.
Once Christoffer sees Adam dancing, he’s lost. The young man is mesmerizing, otherworldly, and unpredictable. Whatever might happen between them, it will be transient, and Christoffer will most likely get hurt. The temptation is too great, however, and the sex explosive. He might as well enjoy every moment he’s given, even if it’s just one day, maybe two. If Christoffer treads carefully, Adam might stay until Monday.
Hi guys, we have Roe Horvat stopping by today with their new release Adam Only, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Adam Only
(Those Other 02)
by
Roe Horvat
On stage, Adam lets his passion drive him. All his secret desires, everything nasty, dirty, and beautiful flows freely through him, for once in harmony. His soul thrives when his body moves, but only on stage. Adam’s passionate nature makes him a great dancer…and a failure at life. He’s a lonely, emotional mess. Going home with a man far out of his reach is the last thing Adam should do. Christoffer represents everything Adam isn’t: strong, independent, educated, and rich. His kind eyes, at odds with his brutish form, make Adam’s knees and restraint buckle.
Once Christoffer sees Adam dancing, he’s lost. The young man is mesmerizing, otherworldly, and unpredictable. Whatever might happen between them, it will be transient, and Christoffer will most likely get hurt. The temptation is too great, however, and the sex explosive. He might as well enjoy every moment he’s given, even if it’s just one day, maybe two. If Christoffer treads carefully, Adam might stay until Monday.
Hi guys, we have Roe Horvat stopping by today with their new audio release Vanilla Clouds, we have a great audio excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Vanilla Clouds
Narrator: Vance Bastian
by
Roe Horvat
“I could spend days listening to you talk about chocolate.”
Sex and chocolate are the two pleasures Michal enjoys most in life.
His sex life has been nonexistent for some time, though. After a particularly bad hookup, he keeps mostly to himself. That leaves chocolate. Luckily, he works surrounded by the most delicious, extravagant produce in Gothenburg. Beside his job at the chocolaterie, his main source of excitement is his online friend, Magnus, whom he stubbornly refuses to meet in person.
A customer turns up at the chocolaterie one day – tall, shy, and charming. He could be just the right man. If Michal can step out of his overly safe shell, there might be not only chocolate, but sex, too. Maybe chocolate-flavored sex. And if he’s lucky, maybe even love.
Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, adult language, and obscene amounts of chocolate.
Blurb: Maplewood, Vermont is a picturesque town filled with unique shops, unique homes, and a quaint familiarity all centered around a lake with an unusual history.
Legends, old as well as Urban, float around like the mist that hovers above the lake at break of dawn.
But they’re just stories, right?
Hayden Moore’s life was destroyed when his husband, Malcolm, was murdered. Giving up his job as an assistant district attorney in Boston, Hayden moved to the little burg of Maplewood to recover.
A new life.
A fresh start.
However, something underneath the water is stirring. Something rotten. A deadly secret wakes underneath the black waters of Lake Veronica so disturbing it haunts the nightmares of the local residents.
Review: Hayden has had his life uprooted in more ways then one. He was a up and coming prosecutor who worked to put the filth and evil away. He had fought the hard fight and it had cost him everything, including the love of his life. His husband had died that night and so did a part of Hayden. He quit his job after putting away the ones responsible for his husbands death. Then he went to a unique town that was beautiful as well as deadly. He had bought a home right near Lake Veronica but had not known of the past of how it had became that name. So many came to help in the fight, but one stood out among them all. A sexy young man named Tommy.
Tommy had spent his life as most teenagers did, getting into trouble. He finally left to join the military and decided his life was best lived alone. He had not expected to feel something for the man he helped with his house. Things heat up between them but so does the dreams. Paul came to figure out the tremors that seemed to be at center with the Lake. People around them were dying, drowning and it gets even more twisted. A father who hated and then died with grief in his heart, a young man murdered and the woman connected to them angry and full of hate. A demon arises from that hate and death soon follows.
When I was given this story it was among many of my holiday stories so you can imagine my surprise when this one was not one of those stories. I have not been a fan of horror stories whether in books or in movies. However this one just seems to pull you right in and keep you till the very end. It was very entertaining and I can imagine the nightmares will come after reading it. It definitely will do that to you. This author has one hell of a gift at telling stories.
I can not believe I am saying this but I had a blast reading this. I also noticed that it will continue in another story and I will be on the front line waiting for it. I was amazed at the heart ache, hate, love, and so much more that this story has going on in it. There is action, excitement, danger, death and horror all mixed in to one big story with much more.
I would definitely recommend reading this with a light on.
Hi guys! We have F.E. Feeley Jr popping in today with his release Closer, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Lisa’s review so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Closer
by
F.E. Feeley
Maplewood, Vermont is a picturesque town filled with unique shops, unique homes, and a quaint familiarity all centered around a lake with an unusual history.
Legends, old as well as Urban, float around like the mist that hovers above the lake at break of dawn.
But they’re just stories, right?
Hayden Moore’s life was destroyed when his husband, Malcolm, was murdered. Giving up his job as an assistant district attorney in Boston, Hayden moved to the little burg of Maplewood to recover.
A new life.
A fresh start.
However, something underneath the water is stirring. Something rotten. A deadly secret wakes underneath the black waters of Lake Veronica so disturbing it haunts the nightmares of the local residents.
Hi guys, we have N.B. Dixon popping in today with her release Heir of Locksley, we have a great exclusive excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Heir of Lockeley
(Outlaw’s Legacy 01)
by
N.B. Dixon
Robin of Locksley is a rebel, more comfortable roaming Sherwood Forest with his longbow and courting the village girls than learning how to run a manor.
An innocent flirtation with a peasant girl soon lands Robin in trouble, and worse, he finds himself inexplicably attracted to Will Scathelock, his best friend since childhood. Robin must decide whether to follow the rules of society or his own conscience.
Meanwhile, his neighbour, Guy of Gisborne, is anxious to get his hands on the Locksley estate and he will do anything to make it happen – even murder.
Blurb: Daring a snowstorm might not be the smartest thing Aiden has ever done, but he can’t stand being in his flat a moment longer. With only three days to Christmas, he doesn’t want to be alone. He wants a place to belong, wants people around him who won’t look down on him. He might not find all that at his mother’s place, but at least it’s better than being alone in the city. If he can make it there, that is.
Tristan is looking forward to a quiet night in front of the TV, but instead, he has to save an idiot in designer clothes from freezing to death in his forest. Tristan tries not to notice the man’s good looks, just like he has tried not to notice any man’s good looks for the last seven years. He knows where relationships go and is far better off living alone, with his dog, in his cabin.
Aiden is driving Tristan mad with his bratty comments and irresponsible ways, and Aiden is going crazy from Tristan’s judgmental attitude. Luckily, in a few days, the weather will clear up, and the two men won’t have to be together any longer. But will a few steamy nights with the grumpy lumberjack change Aiden’s mind about wanting to leave? And will Tristan still want to go back to his peaceful, predictable life without fear of getting his heart broken?
Review: Tristan lives in the mountains with his faithful dog by his side. I do not want to call him a recluse but there is not really a lot of interactions with others as a result of where he lives. He seems content for the most part if not a bit lonely.
Aiden took a bit for me to warm up to as he seemed arrogant and that irritated me until I got to know him better. His mother and the way she is is the reason for Aiden’s arrogance. When Aiden sets out in the middle of a snowstorm and gets stranded Tristan rescues him.
These two do not immediately hit it off. With Aiden’s attitude it’s a wonder Tristan did not throw him back out. But alas as the story progressed the attraction between them proved much stronger. I liked the interactions between these two as it felt real to a degree.
Hiya guys, we have Jamie Deacon stopping by today with the new release Caught Inside, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Caught Inside
by
Jamie Deacon
Luke believes he has his life figured out…and then he meets Theo.
It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.
Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.
Hiya guys, we have Jamie Deacon stopping by today with the cover to the upcoming release Caught Inside, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Caught Inside
by
Jamie Deacon
Luke believes he has his life figured out…and then he meets Theo.
It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.
Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.
Hi guys, we have Hans M. Hirschi stopping by with the tour for his newest release Jonathan’s Promise, we have a short exclusive excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Lisa’s review, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Jonathan’s Promise
(Jonathan Trilogy 02)
by
Hans M. Hirschi
Jonathan made Dan a promise – a promise that will affect the remainder of his life. But what does he have left to live for?
When their grandson Parker and his fiancé Cody move in with him, the three of them embark on a journey to shed light on Dan’s roots.
A heart-warming sequel to Jonathan’s Hope, Jonathan’s Promise deals with aging and the ultimate consequences of wedding vows. Are we entitled to a second shot at happiness? When is ‘for worse’ too much to handle?
Hi guys, we have Hans M. Hirschi stopping by with his newest release Jonathan’s Promise, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Lisa’s review, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Jonathan’s Promise
(Jonathan Trilogy 02)
by
Hans M. Hirschi
Jonathan made Dan a promise – a promise that will affect the remainder of his life. But what does he have left to live for?
When their grandson Parker and his fiancé Cody move in with him, the three of them embark on a journey to shed light on Dan’s roots.
A heart-warming sequel to Jonathan’s Hope, Jonathan’s Promise deals with aging and the ultimate consequences of wedding vows. Are we entitled to a second shot at happiness? When is ‘for worse’ too much to handle?
Blurb: Jonathan made Dan a promise – a promise that will affect the remainder of his life. But what does he have left to live for?
When their grandson Parker and his fiancé Cody move in with him, the three of them embark on a journey to shed light on Dan’s roots.
A heart-warming sequel to Jonathan’s Hope, Jonathan’s Promise deals with aging and the ultimate consequences of wedding vows. Are we entitled to a second shot at happiness? When is ‘for worse’ too much to handle?
Review: I have read many books over the years some good and some bad, but very rarely have I came across a book that is very emotional and heart-felt. This author is new to me so I was a bit leery of reading this story. At the time I had not known that there was even a first book before this. I had only seen the title so totally skipped the first story which I will definitely have to fix.
Every once in a blue mile do you come across a book that you wish that you could rate higher than what is available but this is one of those stories. The world that was created was not only loving but very tempting. Although I must admit I wasn’t sure about the beginning and I can honestly say that I hated the ending but not for the reason one would expect.
Jonathan had sixty years with the man he loved. He knew that he would never have another and didn’t really want to go forward in his life. He had made a promise to Dan, to continue to live. To learn to love once more. Dan had been in love once more and Sean had died before his time. It was time for Dan to join Sean and for Jonathan to continue to love once more.
Parker had been afraid to introduce the man he loved to his family. Cody was born blind and he was black, but that was not why he was afraid. He was afraid of his family not loving him once more. With Parker and Cody moving in with Jonathan it teaches them that love will keep strong. Jonathan was to keep his promise to Dan and he had to see that there was still time for more happiness.
This story has its ups and its downs but you can see that their love is complete. When Cody had his accident I thought for sure that it was going to go downhill for them all. As for Marc, he was a miracle worker that showed Jonathan that it was possible. You will meet many wonderful people in this story and I can tell you that it is like you are right there with them. You are celebrating with them, you are scared with them and you are in pain with them, but you will also see that there is life after all.
You will need a box of Kleenex’s to read this book because it will have your heart breaking and tears in your eyes.
I will have to read the first book because after reading this I want to know about Jonathan’s life with Dan. However I am not sure if I truly want to read the next book, because I do not want to cry over these guys. They were perfect and I absolutely loved them. This author has an amazing gift and I am grateful to have had a chance to read this story.
It was amazing and I would definitely recommend it.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi guys we have the anthology Love Unlocked and it’s authors popping in for a quick visit today, we have short interviews with Al Stewart and Ofelia Gränd, a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Love Unlocked
by
Claire Davis and Al Stewart, Victoria Milne, Dawn Sister, J.P. Walker, Caraway Carter, Ofelia Gränd, Debbie McGowan
Love Unlocked is a collection of seven short stories and novellas – unique LGBTQ romances inspired by the Love Lock Bridge.
When Sal attends an open exam for an apprentice artist to work alongside the infamous Matthew Picard, the last thing he expects is to be the winner. But then his role is revealed and nothing is ever the same again. As he toils day and night on the unique sculpture, strange sensations begin to affect both him and the watching master artist.
Matthew Picard thought he was through with men and love. What he wanted was for Sal to help him create one final monstrous masterpiece – The Trap.
But as he observes his young apprentice, his focus shifts, and so do the very walls of the gallery.
Is it the beauty of art, or something more magical at work?
As the sculpture is created, a power is unlocked.
Can love save them, or will they be trapped forever?
Spending a month in Paris to write his romance novel had seemed like the perfect plan, but one week in, Phil Pearson is suffering from a severe case of writer’s block. With barely a word written, he’s fed up and ready to cut his trip short.
When Laurent Marceau sees Phil in his café, it sends him hurtling into the past, opening old wounds and reminding him of the love he lost. But, after watching the aspiring writer struggle for inspiration, he surprises himself by offering to show him Paris through the eyes of a true Parisian.
Finally bursting with ideas, Phil is delighted to put pen to paper, albeit badly at first. As the writer finds himself falling in love for the first time, Laurent knows he needs to decide quickly if he’s strong enough to return his affections, or whether it would be better for them both if he walked away. He knows he may not have a choice, once Phil finds out the truth.
Due to a misunderstanding, the troll that lives underneath one of the most romantic bridges in Paris inadvertently unlocks every single padlock lovers have left there over the years. L’Authoritié de Fée Folklorique are up in arms. He has no idea what all the fuss is about. The noise was driving him mad. He just wanted a bit of peace and quiet.
A spell is cast, leaving the troll in a bit of a predicament. He is charged with the seemingly impossible task of fixing the locks before the spell can be reversed and he is allowed to return to his home. There are other complications, the least of which is the insistence and persistence of a fairy who is determined to help him against the wishes of his own people.
Now the troll has a dilemma. What is more important to him? The only home he has known for two thousand years, or a fairy he has just met?
Nat’s been through a rough breakup and trust does not come easily. When she accompanies a group of friends to Paris for a hen weekend, she finds a connection she wasn’t looking for, in the form of beautiful, passionate Morgan. They quickly fall into a wonderful weekend fling and even engrave their initials into a lock and attach it to the most romantic bridge in the world, Love Lock Bridge.
But was that weekend fling all there was, or will news of the bridge being taken down lead to something more?
Brandon Marshall, in Paris for his twin sister’s wedding, has a fling before the big day. At the end of a whirlwind week of discovering each other, Brandon and his lover place a scarlet lock on the Love Lock Bridge.
Follow Brandon through six years of letters – to the citizens of Paris, on everything from how to make love, to eating passionate fruit – and to the lover, who is now his brother-in-law.
The locks are being removed, the bridge refitted… What will be the fate to The Scarlet Lock?
All Delron wants is to live his life with Phillipe, but when their love lock is stolen from Pont des Art, their relationship is in jeopardy. Without the lock holding them together, Delron is convinced they’ll crash and burn. The only way he can save their relationship is to find the stolen lock, and that is just what he plans to do, no matter what.
Phillipe loves Delron, he really does, but it’s driving him insane that Delron can’t see that a padlock is simply a piece of metal. The lock has nothing to do with them, not really. Up until the night the lock was stolen, their life was great, but Del’s crazy behaviour has Phillipe wondering if he has ever really known his boyfriend.
Delron’s search leads him through art-filled Paris, but will a symbol of love ever be enough to soothe the mistrust his quest has planted in Phillipe? Phillipe always thought he’d spend the rest of his life with Del, but who can live with anyone willing to break the law just to find a padlock when they can buy a new one in just about any shop?
Josh and George have always shared the special bond of friendship. From days in primary school, to holidays spent riding their bikes along the canal, theirs is a promise to remain best friends forever.
But can that promise withstand the trials of adolescence, and the changes in their feelings towards each other?
Hi guys, we have Hans M. Hirschi popping in today with the tour for his new release Ross Deere – Handy Man, we have a stunning trailer, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Ross Deere – Handy Man
by
Hans M. Hirschi
Ross Deere – Handy Man is the story of a young man who stumbled into the escorting business by accident. Ten years later, about to date someone for real for the first time, he looks back at some of the clients he’s met over the years, decisions he’s made, and parallels to his current life.
Meet lawyers, professors, students, aspiring Hollywood actors, and many others who, at one point or another, have found themselves in need of Ross’s services.
Ross Deere – Handy Man is an erotic novel, funny and free of drama – a steamy read with plenty of fast-paced action that will leave you sweaty and satisfied!Join Ross on his many adventures in and out of bed, literally.
Hi peeps, we have Raine O’Tierney & Debbie McGowan visiting today with their newest release Where The Grass Is Greener, we have a brief chat with Raine & Debbie, there’s a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so enjoy the post and click that rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Where The Grass Is Greener
(Seeds of Tyrone 02)
by
Raine O’Tierney & Debbie McGowan
Mistakes were made, that’s for sure. But was it the night of passion? Or walking away afterward?
That’s the question Seamus Williams must face when he gets a late night phone call from someone he never expects to hear from again.
“I miss you, Shay.”
Chancey Bo Clearwater is a cowboy through and through. He spends his days finding work on whatever ranch will take him and his nights at the pool hall. He’s always done what needed doing and never thought much about what he wanted. ’Til that drunken night with Seamus.
A world of problems now stand between Seamus and Chancey exploring what might have been, the least of which being the Atlantic Ocean. On one side there’s Chancey’s daughter who mood swings from angel to demon in two seconds flat; on the other there’s the new lodger, hogging Shay’s telly and his cornflakes, and making private Skype time hard to come by.
Is this relationship doomed before it ever begins? Or can a surprise announcement from Seamus’s brother be enough to help the two find their second chance?
Where the Grass is Greener features Seamus Williams – the older brother of Patrick from Leaving Flowers.
Hi guys, we have Larry Benjamin visiting today to show off the cover to his upcoming release Vampire Rising, we have that stunning cover, a tasty snippet and a fantastic giveaway! So enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Vampire Rising
by
Larry Benjamin
It’s the mid twenty-first century. Anti-Semitism, racism, sexism and homophobia have been consigned to the dustbin of history. The world is run by “the state,” and Christian zealots, whose chief governing tools are fear and oppression. It’s a wonderful time to be alive—unless you’re a Vampire. Vampires are despised, and feared, and subjected to discrimination and unspeakable violence.
Considered undead, unholy, without basic human rights, Gatsby Calloway lives on the fringes of society, avoiding humanity. Until he meets Barnabas, a young encaustic painter.
When Barnabas is mortally wounded during an anti-Vampire attack, Gatsby must forget everything he has known, and learn to trust.
Hi guys we have Debbie McGowan & Raine O’Tierney popping in today with the blog tour for their newest release Leaving Flowers, they answer a couple of questions for us, there’s a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Zane’s review for you to check out. So enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link
Leaving Flowers
by
Debbie McGowan and Raine O’Tierney
Shy and awkward since childhood, Aidan Degas is now a man lost. His twin—Aidan’s other half, Nadia—died tragically young, leaving him with nothing to get him through his days but his job at the prestigious Grand Heights Luxury Apartments and the flowers he lays upon her grave. When Aidan is assaulted on the job by a tenant, it’s the graveyard he turns to for strength and solace.
Patrick loves being assistant groundskeeper at the sprawling cemetery where he tends graves and offers a bit of comfort to mourners. When he sees a sad young man lingering over an old grave, his curiosity is strangely piqued for reasons he doesn’t understand. He’s never done this—struck up a friendship with a mourner. But soon that friendship blossoms into a romance.
It’s not going to be easy for the pair. Aidan is so damaged, like petals crushed in an angry fist, and even with Patrick’s warm heart and Irish charm, it might not be enough to bring him back from the edge.
Title: Checking Him Out For the Holidays Series: Checking Him Out Author: Debbie McGowan Genre: Contemporary/Holiday Length: Novella (75 pages) Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing (December 21st, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts Blurb: Freelance engineer Sol Brooks doesn’t do the festive season. He thinks it’s boring and overly sentimental. With the rest of the household laid up with ‘the flu’, Sol’s planned to use the time to crack on with some work.
His mother, however, has other ideas.
And so does Sol’s husband, Adam.
A stand-alone holiday special featuring Sol and Adam from Checking Him Out.
Review: Even though this is marketed as a standalone holiday sequel to Checking Him Out, it would probably be best to read book one. The background in the first book really does help explain Adam’s behaviour while he is sick in this one.
This is a quite charming story of a couple trying to get their separate beliefs together for the holiday seas. Sol is Jewish and Adam is Christian. They’ve been together for a while now, they’re also married and life is good since they have relocated to England.
We also learn a lot more about their families, particularly Adam’s brother Noah and friend/ex-boyfriend Matty. In fact, Matty is a sweetheart and I want to hug him and make it all better. Actually, I wouldn’t mind learning more about Noah and Matty.
I think this book actually makes me think on Checking Him Out in a much better light. This one has a fairly simple plot and a few sick family members (and a bitchy move from Sol’s sister). It’s easy enough to enjoy and easy enough to understand the insanity of families.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: From All of Us to All of You Series: Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday Anthology (Volume 1) Author: Ofelia Gränd Genre: Contemporary Length: Short (28 pages) Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing (December 1st, 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts Blurb: Simon hates the Holidays. It’s the same every year – awaiting the dreaded Christmas Eve, when his father gets drunk, while the family fake Christmas spirit and strain to hear the TV over Dad’s snoring. This year, Simon’s sister is celebrating Christmas elsewhere, leaving him to deal with their parents on his own.
But there’s a glimmer of hope.
A work colleague introduces Simon to her son Hannes at the Lucia Day celebrations, the trouble being that Simon mistakenly believes it’s a blind date, and as if that isn’t embarrassing enough, Hannes wants them to be friends, and Simon’s starting to see signals that aren’t there. He’s beginning to wonder if he’ll make it through Christmas with his sanity intact.
Review: Reading this book sparked memories of going to a church masses and being in Catholic primary and high school productions as either actor or musician. This is all about family and love and just general celebration, it’s difficult not to like this short story because again, this makes me think of my family at Christmas and Easter. Even if Simon’s family is nothing like mine.
This is certainly a different type of Christmas story: it is set around Santa Lucia and Christmas in Sweden. There is no one feeling lonely amongst their hordes of relatives and presents and happiness.
Instead, Simon isn’t particularly happy when it comes to his parents and really has an intense dislike for Christmas since he’s never had a happy Christmas. He lives in his small hometown, with an average job and everyone knows everyone else’s secrets. Simon is introduced to Hannes, by Hannes’s mother who Simon happens to work with.
Both Simon and Hannes are adorable and sweet. Hannes seems to have something Simon needs and vice versa, they just need to get their act together.
This isn’t a rushed insta-love, but a subtle story that just happens to coincide with Christmas.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *