Review: Magic and Mistletoe by Annabelle Jacobs

Christmas is Harry’s favourite time of the year, but it looks like he’ll be spending it alone. When it comes to the men he fancies, his luck is non-existent. Harry’s nerves always get the better of him—especially when he tries to talk to Andrew, the hot guy downstairs.

Everything changes when Harry meets a mysterious girl in the woods who professes to be a witch. He dismisses her claims, but when odd things start happening to him, he has to reconsider.

Andrew was attracted to Harry from the start, but their awkward encounters put him off. All goes well until Harry opens his mouth—and ruins it with his stupidity and silly comments. When Harry suddenly becomes more relaxed and they have a proper conversation, Andrew realises his first impression was wrong. As the days count down to December 25, they get swept up in the Christmas spirit and their relationship moves faster than either expected.

A little winter magic might have been the push they needed, but Harry worries that when it wears off, he’ll no longer be the man Andrew wants.

Cute. Cute. Cute.

Did I mention cute? Slightly whimsical with a touch of magic this is really exactly the kind of Christmas story I love. I've said it before but this year there has been a plethora of fab-u-lous seasonal stories and this was definitely one of them.

I don't know about you, but for me a Christmas story needs to be sweet and readable and happy and the literary equivalent of a whipped-cream-and marshmallow-topped hot chocolate. It has one job; to make me feel warm and snuggly and glowing just a little with happiness. This book manages that super well.

Everyone knows what it's like to make a cringworthy first impression. Right? Or have foot-in-mouth-syndrome - humour me here . At least, I know I do, which means that I instantly sympathised and empathised with Harry. Trying to make a good impression and screwing it up royally time and again is the pits, I wanted Harry to win his man and I wanted Andrew to see the true Harry beneath the blundering buffoon.

Wanting the characters to hit it off is pretty much number one aim in a gooey Christmas story. It's what I wanted and with a touch of magic it's what I got. A perfect winter read!!

A copy of this book was given ion exchange for an honest review.
To find out more, see Goodreads.

Guest Review: Happy Birthday by B.D. Roca

Jake Rushman is on the run, but it’s too late. He’s being tracked by an expert.

Motorcycle Club Enforcer Nick is tough, but even he has a conscience. It’s slowly destroying him, together with memories of his parents’ ugly deaths. Nick eliminates the guilty, but Jake Rushman is the innocent witness to a murder. It will be one kill too many.

Determined to find redemption, Nick plans to trade his life for Jake’s. Neither man counts on the fierce, powerful bond that the collision of their opposing worlds brings, and Jake refuses to let Nick sacrifice himself. He offers Nick the one thing he's never had: hope.

But with a violent past tracking them, Nick might be forced to do the one thing he promised himself he never would—kill again.

 Guest Reviewer: Samantha

Nick cut him an arctic glance. “You still want that little secret to stay secret?”

Mike went the color of putty. “You wouldn’t.”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t. Not unless I heard you talked. In which case, all bets would be off.”

“You’re a fucking bastard, Nick. I thought you were better than—”

“I’m a paid killer, Mike. What the fuck were you expecting?”

Jake Rushman saw something he shouldn't have seen - a witness to an unfortunate and bloody crime - and now he has to run for his life. But nothing is ever that easy, and Nick, the man sent to cut any loose ends, is hot on his trail.

The thing is, Nick's tired of the life. Since fifteen, he's been enforcing for his MC, and it's eating away at him. This time, he knows his target isn't some low life who deserves what he gets. No, Jake is innocent, and Nick has a plan, one that ends with trading one life for another.

He was on the edge of a cliff. And he wasn’t jumping, he was diving, a huge swan dive, like those famous cliff-top divers in some exotic place he’d seen on television once. Only they landed safely, bodies cutting into seawater like knife blades.

And his dive was a killing one.

To my knowledge, this is B.D. Roca's first published story, and it's an awfully good one. While I teetered around a 3.5 or 3.75, I decided to round up on the basis that as a first time published author, I was impressed with this debut.

The story and short and fast paced. At times, it suffers from this pace. There are pieces of the story that end up feeling constricted, too many emotions squeezed into a small space. What helps is the way the author writes. Their style is not for everyone, but for me it was quite poignant and I enjoyed the flow.

One particular instance of the short-story-syndrome (I made that up, but whatever), is how Nick's mind goes so quickly from suicidal to hopeful. I'm not saying that can't be an instantaneous thing, but not enough depth was put into the story beyond why he was suicidal. His past behaviors were hinted at - he's an enforcer, he's killed plenty - but the reader never really gets exposed to the raw essence of those feelings. With that, some of the emotional content at the beginning surrounding Nick's idea of suicide felt stunted. The author could've dug more and really exposed their character.

One other small issue I had was some of the typos or grammatical issues. There weren't an incredible amount, but there were enough that I made note of a few. At times, I think it was a bit difficult for me, as a reader not completely familiar with Aussie turns of phrases, to understand (which is my thing, not the authors. An author should be able to stay true to their dialect), but others were just some jumbled sentences.

BUT, all that being said, this story had a whole lot of good going for it. It has a plot that is attractive to a reader and a real nice dash of heat. Nick and Jake were steaming, and the author balanced the number of sex scenes to the actual length of the book, so it wasn't overloaded.

I mean, I'll say it, I love a good MC story with a morally ambiguous character. To me, that's hot. I just wish we could've seen a tad bit more of it. I almost wanted the transition to be harder - to see some bumps in the road, but I think that just goes to the length of the story and what the author intended. That being said, I think they achieved their goal of a hot, fast story that will satisfy a reader.

I'll certainly be looking forward to more from this author, as I see a great deal of potential in their words.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes! 

Review: Price of Freedom (Shadow Play #2) by Helena Maeve

Some stories just aren’t meant to be told.

From warzones to domestic scandals, Ulysses has built a career as a high-profile journalist at the expense of both family and relationships. Now his dogged pursuit of the truth has cost him credibility and job security. Discredited and depressed, he hunts for the story that will re-establish him as a trustworthy name in British journalism.

Stumbling across a string of mysterious murders that spans the breadth of the continent may prove a godsend. Yet catapulted into a world of spies and outstanding blood debts, Ulysses finds himself collaborating with elusive Robin, a man on the run whose past is as dark as the desires he awakens in Ulysses. Their chemistry is incendiary, breathtaking, unlike anything Ulysses has ever known. And chances are the fallout will prove proportional.

As Robin’s dealings land him in the crosshairs of the British intelligence services, Ulysses is faced with a choice that may cost him his life. 

I consider myself to be well versed in thrillers. Hells bells, I've read and kept up with Ludlum but this book... I hate to say it but I got out espionaged by a romance novella. 

In my defense I have had considerable trouble concentrating recently so maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention, but I got to the end and still didn't know if Robin was an active agent or not. I don't even want to talk about how long it took me to figure out he was CIA.

I feel like a failure but I'm tipping my hat to Maeve. She gives good spy.

In the case of Price of Freedom the spy is a trans FTM BAMF! named Robin. He's got some sort of weird ninja spidey skills-turns up in living rooms and alleys. Always lurking. Always at the ready to take care of badness. Badassery is in his wheelhouse.

As was the case with the first in this series, where things aren't as tight is the relationship between Ulysses and Robin. 

Ulysses is a freelance reporter hot on the trail of a murder which may involve the SIS when he crosses Robin's path. The entire story is told from Ulysses' perspective and I think having some of Robin's would've provided depth to their relationship. And clarity.

They're most certainly hot for each other, but the ending felt rushed. Just when things were getting interesting it was over. I feel like this is Maeve's MO-leave them wanting more and she definitely accomplished that. Again. But I would dearly love to see her give a full length novel a go.

Overall, I'd say the espionage plotline is stronger than the romance plotline, but I like her writing style so much that even though I find this series somewhat lacking in the romance department I can't seem to stop reading it. So take that for whatever it's worth.

A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Stalked (The Slayers, #2) by H.C. Brown

Who's more dangerous – a stripper, an assassin, or a serial killer?

The Stripper Ripper is stalking the streets of New York City, preying on male strippers, and the press is making mincemeat of a helpless police force.

In desperation, the police refer the serial killer's case to the Slayers, a team of enhanced, undercover super soldiers. The commander of the Slayers puts his team on the streets to watch over the Ripper's favorite targets.

One of these targets is Micah, a twink stripper and a desirable sub. Micah's baby sitter is one of the newest members of the Slayers, Sorren, as cold-blooded an assassin as they come, and the last person you'd expect to harbor feelings for his charge.

True to form, Sorren is as surprised as anyone at his new infatuation, but Micah is hiding something. Will Micah learn to trust his protector, or is he destined to be the next victim on the Stripper Ripper's list?

Come join me in WTF land, won't you? There are pancakes.

We'll need the sustenance.

New to me author, H.C. Brown's "Stalked" is the second book in The Slayers series. It is about nano enhanced super soldiers or ex-soldiers who are extremely rich, like mega billionaires (they like throwing that around while stating it's not a big deal) who investigate murders under the FBI's nose (for why?) and run an ultra exclusive BDSM club.

The setting is supposed to be New York City where the city that never sleeps actually sleeps: "the road is empty and I'd say the entire population is asleep". And has a murderer on the loose, the Stripper Ripper. The Stripper Ripper is targeting dark haired gay twinks. Micah who is 5'2" , a stripper and submissive is hiding a past and secrets (that is never explained in the book). His real name is Jeremiah Sterling but he goes by the stage name Snake. He's the next target of the murder but is truly doing the space cadet league of the TSTL Academy proud because he continues to bumble his way into the killer's path over and over again.

Oh...while making time to strip and be submissive. For whom? The Slayers, of course! The Slayers are cyborgs? *scratches head* Some of them are and all of their blood is. Who cares?! They play pretend at BDSM and have lots of cash like at a time $5000!! They have billions in the bank! Whoop whoop, hooray for superficiality!

Soren is the big bad 'Dom' Slayer who doesn't care because he's programmed that way. But he likes the "butterfly" aka Micah. While searching for the killer (LOL to the search and the killer), Soren forces Micah to have sex under the guise of using their nano pheromone the first time since Micah was iffy with his consent. He basically told Micah to shut up and take it. It was supposed to be sexy? So I'll warn if the book doesn't, dubious consent. The rest of the times the sex happened, it wasn't SSC [safe, sane, consensual] or BDSM but in WTF land I think it's considered BDSM...so...

The BDSM...I am tagging it as such because the book is tagged as such. Please don't think this is. This is some made up BDSM that is just abuse. You have a nano enhanced 6'7" asshole who admits he wants to torture his "pup" and flay his skin off since the nanos will heal him. He think it's "pain pleasure"/ "edge play" or whatever bullshit he wants to package it as but it is abuse. That is not BDSM.

"Can we discuss boundaries? A contract perhaps?"

Soren wanted to shake him. Boundaries, holy fuck, would this little shit ever trust? "No! I refuse to discuss limitations, or contracts. I am a Dom and in my dungeon, we go by my rules. I will push you to the edge and you will trust me to give you pleasure."

There is nothing more that I loathe than Doms written like Soren. This book went from a possible 2.5-3 Hearts to a straight D- aka 1.5 Hearts with that bullshit. Ordering someone around and declaring yourself a Dom while wearing black leather and having a "dungeon" doesn't make you a Dom.

With that asinine logic I should go to my bank and declare myself a frigging millionaire!

The book barely knew the basics of BDSM. Anytime it sort of got something right, there goes Soren or the Slayers or whatever other hokey thing barging in to muck it up.

The book started like a bad B movie, it was laughable, but sort of fun. However, once the crap BDSM started, and the way Soren treated Micah happened, it wasn't fun anymore. I can only stretch my reality suspension rubber band so far. It broke somewhere in the middle. The author didn't seem to care about characterizations or plots or setting as much as the story continued.

Suggestions:

* Have an American read future stories in this series over if there will be more since it read like pseudo Brit/Aussie mish-mash. This is supposed to be set in America and it doesn't read like it.

* Know the setting - just because New York City points of interests can be Googled doesn't mean it will read authentic. It doesn't. Was this an alternative universe? A different planet with a fake Manhattan? If it was, it should have been clearer.

* Having all of your characters use the same colloquialisms and share the same thought processes melds all of your characters together. Though this story is a deep as a pocket of air, it made the story useless by the end. Um...Sorren style. (What was up with the lame and awkward dialogue and catchphrases by the way?)

* A person who is 6' 7" can not just stand straight and have sex with another person who is 5' 2" without some body mechanics issues. Think...of the logistics. The taller one's cock will automatically land in the shorter one's ass when in the book he complained about the shorter one barely reaching his shoulders? Unless the shorter twink has freakishly long toes, about 12 inches or so. Excuse me.

* Since when did stripper = sub? A stripper can be a sub but it doesn't mean that all strippers are submissives. So why would a random person call a gay strip club to order a personal night with a submissive? Is there a menu that I missed? The strip club (Pinkies) where the twink originally worked did not state at any time that it was also BDSM club. In the land of WTF, this is all okay and $5000 seems to be the golden ticket to anything. (Please refer to the awesome gif above.)

The suspense part was ridiculous. The murder? why? The entire thing was stretched out. He could have struck so many months earlier. The couple is ridiculous. The premise was interesting, maybe written differently...it could've been something? I didn't read the previous book. I was lost about the backgrounds of the Slayers but I think I'd still be lost if I did read the first book. There were questions unanswered, items not developed. I'm not interested in reading any more of this series. My eyes can't roll any more for today.

Why not the just give it a 1? Hm...it wasn't so bad in the beginning. cheesy as hell, weak characters and surprisingly not all about sex but once the sex started, it went to shit. And the cover isn't bad. *shrugs*

Now it's time for me to leave WTF land. I'd love to eat pancakes all day but I can't. Bye!

Not recommended for anyone I know. I highly doubt I'll be reading this author again.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review & GIVEAWAY: Dick, It's What's for Dinner by James Cox

A criminal, a pilot, and an aspiring chef dance in a stripper bar at the center of the universe...

Six months on a military ship with my two friends, cooking food for the crew in nothing but skimpy shorts, what could possibly go wrong? Let’s see, our friendship starts to turn sexual. We agree to cook naked for extra money. One friend turns out to be a thief, the other is facing his shyness to admit he loves me, and atop all that, we’re thrust into the middle of a war. I was a dreamer trying to conquer my wish of being a chef, not some space fighter. How were we going to survive in combat conditions?

My best advice: Watch out for boiling water while cooking naked on a spaceship. Oh, and once in a while, play the hero.

*****

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below! It's your chance to win an ebook copy from James' backlist. The only problem is... what to choose?!

*****

Breann

Oh, for the love of balls, this was fun. 

Vern, Ale and Rei are besties and they work at a bar where they shake their sexy asses to pay the bills. When they receive a job offer they can't refuse, they hope to be able to pursue their dream jobs with the large payout they're promised. In Vern's case, he loves to cook and dreams of being a chef. Luckily, the job offers him this opportunity. But with naked dancing. And a little chef hat on his penis. No joke.

I loved the sci-fi world building. I could clearly picture everything, but was never confused. It was an easy read, which is uncommon for a sci-fi romance, IMO. It also helped that Vern was so completely likable. The story was from his POV and I loved being inside his head.

As the guys work their new job, they start to push their unspoken boundaries a bit. All for the sexy show, of course, nothing more. Until it's not all for show and their real feelings come to the surface. They all had feelings for each other before there was touching involved, but it was never discussed and the guys kept it all to themselves. Given the premise and the title, I was surprised by how much I felt from these guys. This wasn't only some fun sci-fi erotica (although, it was that) but there was definitely a great romance between Vern, Ale and Rei. I was especially surprised by Ale. The big guy is just a soft marshmallow inside and he ended up stealing the show for me.

Fun, flirty, with a bit of an emotional punch. Definitely my fave from James Cox, thus far.



Ann

So, when James Cox invited members of the clubhouse over to his pad to have dinner, more specifically, Dick for Dinner, Breann and I tripped over each other heading out the clubhouse door.

James always provides a fun sci-fi adventure and this one is no exception. Once you get past your appreciation of the title of course :D.

The world building was detailed without being overcomplicated making it easy to dive right into the story and understand where the characters are coming from. The story is written from Vern’s perspective and his character was extremely likable, charming and deliciously horny. He’s an aspiring chef who’s working as a stripper/waiter to earn enough to finish his training. He works closely with Ale and Rei. Ale is a big ol’ hunk of a man that Vern has a crush on and he’s a bit of a mystery. Rei is a pilot in training who’s working his way through training just like Vern. The three have great chemistry on the surface and once the story really gets going the physical attraction moves into something much sweeter and deeper. James threw in just enough feels to take the story from pure sci-fi campy fun to something more.

James writes a damn fine menage relationship. His characters are all very unique so you don’t get them muddled during sexy times and he doesn’t discount the feelings that each has for one another. They are different, but no less important. Vern feels differently for Ale than he does for Rei, doesn’t make it any less significant, but it’s unique and I think that’s why they work for me.

The adventure was great fun and his hero’s always have the charm and “accidental luck” that make them great to read. They aren’t perfect and no victory comes easy, that’s what makes them all the more heroic in my book. They are regular horny guys in an extraordinary situation.
The ending was delicious as I was expecting from the title and I liked reading how the guys had evolved and come together after all the shenanigans were played out.

A couple of fave sentences, because I always highlight the hell out of James’s sentences:

“Ale was a sight that made cocks harden and weep.”

“His long legs ate up the space much like I wanted to eat his dick.”

“His cheeks were the shade of a hard-spanked ass.”

For more info on Dick, It's What's for Dinner, check it out on Goodreads.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Enter to win an ebook copy from James Cox's backlist! Simply comment below with your name and a way of contacting you (email, twitter, Goodreads, etc). The giveaway will end on Monday, January 4th 9PM PST when a winner will be randomly drawn. Please respond to the winning email within 48 hours, or another winner will be chosen. GOOD LUCK!

Review: The Christmas Pageant by D. River

When Troy Swenson left the army to raise his little brother, he had no idea what he was in for. Now a high school history teacher at Brentsen Academy, he finds himself drafted into running the school's Christmas Pageant. There's just one problem: He has no idea how to do that.

Fate intervenes and sends him help in the form of Taylor Douglas, a parent of one of his students. Taylor is a handsome, funny guy and if Troy allowed himself to think such things he'd find him very attractive. However, Troy doesn't have time for romance. He barely has time to breathe as he struggles to keep the Christmas Pageant from falling apart around him.

What he doesn't realize is that Taylor is going to drag him out for fun no matter what feeble protests Troy offers. Troy finds friendship with Taylor easy. The problem for Troy then becomes, how does he keep the feelings he starts to have for Taylor in check?

I am a huge fan of Christmas stories and this one did not disappoint. There is a fine line, I feel, with Christmas stories. A line that separates cute from cheesy - now don't get me wrong, I'm a sap and I pretty much love 'em all, but there is some skill in pulling off a warm, cosy Christmas story that doesn't cross from one side to the other. This year, there has been a plethora of fabulous seasonal stories, and this is definitely one of them.

Troy is the kind of hero I like. Putting his brother before himself, even though he had to change his whole life around to do so, Troy is funny and honourable and hard working and... I just really liked him. I wanted him to be happy so I loved reading about him. Taylor Douglas is the same - a guy I really liked. Like always sounds so meh, but to me it's really important to like my MC's. Especially in a feel good story. What I liked most about him was that he wouldn't let Troy just concentrate on everyone else and made him think about himself a little.

D. Rivers is a writer I enjoy. He has a wonderful way with words and includes a cast of characters that just make a story. I'm always partial to surrounding characters as they can really make or break a story. The kids in the pageant, Troy's son... they all fleshed out a good story and added to it.

A great story that I recommend to everyone who enjoys Christmas stories as much as I do.

A copy of this story was given on exchange for an honest review.
For more information check out Goodreads.

Review: Cardinal Sins (Hidden Gems #2) by Lissa Kasey

Paris Hansworth, star whore turned senator and the most powerful man in City M, has been hiding his terminal illness for years. Searching for a way to reverse the toxic environment that’s killing him, Paris stumbles upon a lost research facility, and a merman named Rain.

Years alone have made Rain long for companionship, and the beautiful man on the other side of the glass intrigues him. But Rain speaks the wrong language, and is decades out of touch. He isn’t quite sure what to think of the new environment he’s been thrust into.

As a virus spreads through the city targeting City M's most private residents—A-Ms—Paris realizes he’s out of time. He’s willing to sacrifice everything, even his own life, to stop it. But Rain might just be the missing DNA link to explain the mutations created in the last plague, maybe even the cure.

Watching Paris race to save his friends, Rain knows he's found someone special and will do anything to stay by his side. But the past Paris thought he’d escaped is seeking revenge, and he’s forced to adapt yet again, possibly even becoming a monster. He only hopes Rain will still want him.

This is a hard one for me to rate. There is so much to like about the second installment in this series-great world building, great suspense, great storytelling, great characters so much greatness! But there is one issue and that is it's unfocused.

Let me just stop right here and say after reading Hidden Gem there was one secondary character that stood out and that was Paris. Paris's rags to riches story coupled with his domineering personality and no nonsense attitude spoke to me. When I read the blurb and realized it was not only going to be Paris's story but there was to be a merman... well, let's just say I kinda whigged out. A tiny bit. In a completely dignified way.

Paris is a senator now and an influential one but when he first came from the South to the North he worked as a whore at the Hidden Gem. His Southern family is affluent and chock full to the brim with asshats who made every effort to make his childhood and adolescence a living hell until finally kicking him out to fend for himself. He was rescued by Bart and has gone on to make his own family of rescues and strays.
Paris is also a dom but the BDSM strikes me as superfluous to the plot thus I'm not going to prattle on about it.

He uncovers a long forgotten near frozen facility with an aquarium which contains a merman named Rain who is the sweetest! I kinda wanted to stick him in my pocket but the whole no water in there would be problematic. And he's smitten with the pretty man a.k.a. Paris. 

Such is life.

It just so happens that Paris has recently bought a former casino (Cardinal Sins) with a huge empty aquarium.

For science Paris and his team bring the merman and all the other fishes to Cardinal Sins. Of course he and Rain are drawn to one another, but Paris has a debilitating illness which is incurable and is literally on his last legs, so he simply takes comfort in being able to see Rain on a regular basis. 

Where things began to falter was the virus that's sweeping the North which brings many A-Ms and psis to Cardinal Sins for treatment by Paris's on call doctor, Quinn Vitoric, including Shane which means Aki and Candy and his newest acquisition, Ivy. Quick side note:  a glossary of terms would be appropriate. I'm not sure if it made it into the final published version, if not it would be a good idea for the next installment.

Anyhoo... where was I? Oh right, subplots.

These two subplots got so much page time that they overtook the main. I found myself rushing to get through those chapters so I could get back to Paris and Rain. The subplots are interesting held my attention. I especially loved all the shifted Shane looking for Mate (Aki) and even howling mournfully for him. They are crazy, stupid in love and it's cavity inducing in it's sweetness. I am kind of a sucker for a possessive, growly alpha though. 

#NoShame

I know they're meant as set up for the grand finale as well as the next book, but there is such a thing as letting the teasing for the next book overwhelm the plot of the current one and that negatively affected my enjoyment. 

The other casualty of these subplots was minimal relationship development between Rain and Paris. The romance is more of an afterthought. The sex is mostly awkward. But the HEA at the end came out of nowhere and I found my suspension of disbelief button on the fritz.

The last 30-35% was much tighter and more what I was looking for which is Paris being a BAMF! If the whole thing had been that focused this would easily be a 5 Hearter. As it stands, I'm somewhere between 3-4 Hearts.  


In all likelihood, I will read the next one. Take that for what it's worth.


As always, your mileage may vary.

A review copy was provided by the author for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Careened: Winter Solstice in Madierus (Baal's Heart, #3.5) by Bey Deckard

A Baal's Heart short, following the events in Fated: Blood and Redemption Plagued by terrible dreams, Jon begins to distance himself from Baltsaros and Tom. Perhaps a little holiday cheer is just the thing to help the three of them find common ground again.

My favorite pirate throuple returns just in time for Christmas *ahem* Jizzmas!

Finally, a Santa jizz story that I can get behind! Pirates! And not your run of the mill pirates either. I've made my love for the "Baal's Heart" series well known. It's been documented all over. Sadly, you can't just jump to this Jizzmas short, you must read the first three novels before reading Careened.

Trust me, it's worth it.

We're back on the lush island of Madierus with Jon, Tom and Baltsaros, where one of the men is having some trouble, after effects from events in Fated. Are the men strong enough to weather the storm?

Yes! They are communicating, though you'd be surprised (or maybe not) who is having more trouble with talking in this novella.It's Winter Solstice. And each man has different customs but band together because no matter what their relationship is important to them and makes them strong.

The story starts dark (not as dark as the author can get don't worry). Not only does Careened revisit with the main men but also Kate and her lady love, Maya. They're having a big surprise! The Winter Solstice is getting to the inhabitants and the holiday spirit seems to even affect the pirate throuple...in a good way. The story ends happy, hopeful and a little kinky. I wasn't expecting that present at all. I loved all the gifts they each got each other but Baltsaros' gifts for each of his men were golden. I'd add my favorite quote here but I think it'd ruin the surprise and what's Jizzmas without some surprises, huh?

This is a great gift for Baal's Heart's fans. Highly recommended.

I'm wavering between 4.5 - 5 Hearts for my rating, but you know what? I just finished this with a huge smile on my face. I just read through a range of emotions (depression, anger, fear, guilt, hope, love) from all three men in less than 45 pages and it packed a punch, so I'm going with the higher end of rating.

"It's Li'l Tom's first time in his golden gibbet. Give the poor hurtin' thing a bloody break!"

So happy to see the men growing stronger together.

P.S. There are a number of unicorns that will quelt themselves when getting to this, but there is one especially that will prance with glee. She might even go off like a rocket when she reads this.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Forget what you've heard, Santa rides the hell out of a unicorn on Christmas Eve to deliver all the toys to all the girls and boys.

Bareback.

Because that's the kind of gentleman he is.

Santa Claus representing like the true pirate he is. Aye Mateys!

So if you celebrate the Christmas holiday or not, have a lovely day!

With love from,

Try not to show off too much in your BOSS Jizzmas sweater today.

We see the Stallion sized erection there. #proud

Review: If Only In My Dreams by Keira Andrews

To be home for Christmas, they must bridge the distance between them.

Charlie Yates is desperate. It’s almost Christmas and his flight home from college has been delayed. For days. Charlie promised his little sister Ava he’d be home for her first holiday season since going into remission from leukemia. Now he’s stuck on the opposite coast and someone else grabbed the last rental car. Someone he hasn’t even spoken to in four years. Someone who broke his heart.

Gavin Bloomberg’s childhood friendship with Charlie ended overnight after a day of stolen kisses. With years of resentment between them, they don’t want to be in the same room together, let alone a car. But for Ava’s sake, Gavin agrees to share the rental and drive across the country together.

As they face unexpected bumps along the road, can Charlie and Gavin pave the way to a future together?

If you are a Keira Andrews fans, a road-trip story fan, a frenemy to lover fan, a Christmas story fan - then this story is for you. It is the perfect Christmas story combination in my mind. The kind that leaves you with a warm glow. And it has snow. Lots and lots of snow. I don't know what it is about snow that warms the cockles of my heart in stories, but it really, really does. It just adds even more goo for me. Dammit. Snow is romantic in stories/films. Bridget Jones anyone?

The road certainly starts out bumpy for Charlie and Gavin. How do you react when the person you feel so much for ignores you for four years? I'd know how I would feel, no matter how good the reasons are. Charlie is dealing with so much that rejection from Gavin is about the last thing he can handle, yet somehow he does and moves on, until the fateful day when they are stuck together at the airport with only one option of getting home; a shared car. Pride takes a backseat when there is a sister and a special promise involved.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - friends to lovers is my favourite storyline. This has the added 'bonus' of being friends turned enemies... it all makes for a great feel good story. The kind you want to read with a hot chocolate and mince pie in front of a roaring fire. If you're looking to add to your Christmas reading, please don'#t miss this gem.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more at Goodreads.

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