Review: DSP Advent: Homemade for the Holidays Week 2

Choosing the right gift for that special someone can be the most daunting part of the holidays. In a sea of mass-produced items, why buy when you can DIY? The end-of-the-year festivities are the best time for crafts, whether they’re made from yarn, paper, flour, or even code. And with some love and luck, these special presents might inspire a romance that lasts an evening… or a lifetime. Nothing makes the season merry and bright like a gift handmade from the heart, and to bring smiles to the faces of the ones they care about, these guys are willing to get creative.



YAY Week 2!






Finding Yuletide Karol by L.A. Merrill

Fifty years ago, during the Vietnam War, Lee Elbridge fell in love with an Army cook nicknamed Yuletide Karol, but they haven’t seen each other since.

Now, led by a clue in an old cookbook, Lee sets off on a road trip to find his lost love. He arrives on Karol's upstate New York farm to find preparations for a handfasting in full swing, and is mistaken for the wedding planner’s assistant. As Lee is roped into folding hemp napkin goats and mashing fresh sweet potatoes, he is welcomed by Karol's large, eccentric family of witches and pagans. When Lee and Karol finally get a moment alone, Lee tells him the truth, but it will take more than a little Yuletide magick to bring them together again after almost a lifetime.

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3 Hearts

If you’re itching to read about a mature couple for the holidays, look no further!

What I enjoy most about Christmas stories is the whimsical feel that anything can happen through the magic of the holidays.

Lee has been searching for a man he only briefly knew during the Vietnam War. Though their time together was seriously short, it was impactful enough for both men to use those memories to get them through some very very difficult life situations. When Lee finally finds Karol, he hopes he can rekindle what they had so many years ago.

 The feel good feels overcome what any quibbles one may have about the set up and progression, and the old saying “love is the only thing that matters” rings true for these two men who finally get their well deserved ending that really is just the beginning!

Ann - 3 Hearts

Such a refreshing change to read about mature characters, I loved that!

Lee has been in love with Karol since they were both very young men in the Vietnam War. Lee was coming off a traumatic mission and Karol literally and figuratively saved his life. It altered Lee forever and no one could live up to the memory of Karol. Which, was incredibly sweet and also so sad. The two knew one another for less than 24 hours but the impact was profound.

Through serendipity, tenacity and a cookbook the two are reunited and the reconnection is lovely, but busy. Karol lives a unique lifestyle surrounded by his pagan friends and family. It’s very different than what Lee is used to, but having Karol back in his life makes Lee see that it’s time for him to embrace something different.


Flour, Eggs, Sugar and Magic by Daniel de Lorne

Wannabe witch Will Brand’s attempts at making magic cookies for the kids at a local shelter go awry when his ex-boyfriend messages and turns Will’s good energy to anger. Will has no idea there’s anything wrong with the cookies until his hunky roommate, Lucas, scarfs three of them, cursing himself with bad luck, unfettered hate, and ill health. In a race against time, Will must find a way to break the spell before accidents, ex-lovers, and a sudden illness make this Christmas Lucas’s last.

Ann - 3 Hearts

Will has a crush on his roommate Lucas. Lucas has a crush on his roommate Will. But, circumstances being circumstances, neither of them has acted on or acknowledged said crush. Will is also a very amatuer witch who tries to do a very good thing that turns out very bad.

I just loved Lucas. And also felt bad for the guy! He’s accidentally cursed by Will with his tasty baked goods and when things started going downhill, they went downhill fast. The drama was a little much for a short story, but the characters were likable enough to make up for it.

The ending was satisfying, especially considering everything Will and Lucas went through, they deserved their HEA by then!


For Joy by Crystel Greene

When college athlete Chad comes out to his parents and gets a nasty reaction, sparkly twink Joaquin “Joy” Acosta offers him shelter in his tiny apartment. Joy’s the sweetest, most beautiful roommate on the planet, and every day, Chad falls in love a little bit more. The problem is, Joy will never know since his banter-loving hipster friends make bear-sized Chad feel all hulking and tongue-tied.

Joy is a sucker for anything handmade, though, and eventually Chad decides to tell him he loves him with a self-knitted pair of gloves. But it turns out knitting is way harder than Chad expected. Fortunately, Joy knows just how to save the day….

​​Cute twink and self-conscious baseball jock, flatmates to lovers, opposites attract, banter, insecurity, fluff, feels, first time, Christmas.

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3 Hearts

Take a gentle giant, a shy one at that, who’s devastated by his parent’s lack of acceptance when he comes out. Toss in some good luck, and said giant is able to crash on his crush’s couch until he gets his bearings.

Mix this with the holiday spirit, and Chad’s besotted feelings have only one direction to travel and that’s to grow deeper and deeper for Joy. He can only dream and wish that Joy would feel the same. What’s a guy to do?

Again, another easy holiday read, but beware a mean bestie, a preference towards some D/s that seemed incongruent, and the use of one of my most hated endearments. However, this was saved by two great MC’s that were just so darn likeable! Pssst…. the smexy smex didn’t hurt one bit either! Just saying.

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Oh Chad, how do I love thee . . .

I love me a Chad type character in a story and this Chad made me all kinds of happy. He’s so much more than he seems on the surface and is underestimated entirely too often. It takes a special person who sees him for all his wonderfulness and I couldn’t have been happier to have Joey and Chad paired up.

One of the friends, Franky, was a little much and he could have been dialed down from 11 by a few notches, but he was the vehicle to see Joy’s protective streak come out and Chad and I both loved seeing that.

There was an odd little dynamic about Joy’s sexual preferences that seemed to be dropped in, but not super relevant because the intimacy between Joy and Chad didn’t need any explaining. They seemed to handle things fine all on their own.


Get Lit by Kim Fielding

Uri Kessler is a bit of a klutz. Recently divorced from a guy he married too quickly and yearning to have a holiday that feels special, he decides to make Hanukkah candles. The results are literally a blazing disaster. But Uri’s mishap helps him get to know Oscar Cortez, his sexy new neighbor, and the two men instantly hit it off. While Uri finds himself drawn to Oscar, he’s also afraid to make a mess of their budding relationship. It’ll take a small miracle to make things work between them.

Ann - 4 Hearts

This story! So damn cute with the banter and Uri’s inner musings. Uri’s craft challenged and when he attempts some holiday homemade magic he burns his condo down. Bless his heart, but he is a hot mess in the most charming of ways.

He gets to know his neighbor Oscar through his klutziness and lucky him! The two of them are a total treat together and they fall hard and fast, but in a believable and pretty reasonable way. Oscar’s efforts to learn about Uri’s faith is heartwarming and Uri’s appreciation is humbling and adorable. I just loved these two together and this story was a humorous warm hug wrapped up in just a handful of pages.


A Graphically Designed Holiday by Ren Holly

Graphic designer Eli has harbored a secret crush on nerdy math teacher Lincoln since they were at school together, and he’s perfectly content with his unrequited feelings—until Lincoln requests a special handmade holiday gift: a dating profile with all the bells and whistles Eli can include, one that will be sure to find Lincoln a boyfriend for Christmas.

Eli uses building the profile as an excuse to spend time with Lincoln, but will he be able to watch his friend find love with someone else?

 R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts

Oh this went down nice and easy!

Eli has been pining for his bestie Lincoln, since college, but as usual, the typical reasons for not making a move always stems from the fear that it'll ruin the friendship. When Eli can’t say no to Lincoln’s request to help him find a boyfriend before Christmas by sprucing up his online dating page, there’s all sorts of inner turmoil.

This really does the trope of friends to lovers just right, with a bit of cluelessness, a lot of UST, with the added bonus of a virgin (though admittedly, the smexy progression rubbed me wrong). Despite that one snafu, this still left me with a smile on my face!

Ann - 4 Hearts

This friends to lovers story nailed the trope so well. The author did a great job of showing me the depth of Eli and Lincoln’s friendship through references to their history and the time they spent together. It was organically done and made me totally believe they were meant to be together well before the two of them figured it out.

And the journey was bittersweet even though I was sure they were going to get their HEA because all of the warm fuzzy love was so obviously there. But, I could also respect Eli’s wishes to protect their friendship and it was worth it to him, to sacrifice his own happiness, as long as Lincoln got his. 

Thankfully the sacrifice was unnecessary and Lincoln’s grand gesture leveled the field between them and the ending was just perfect.


The Great Aerodynamicist by A. Nybo 

Thinking he’s up to the task, droll Irishman Donnell, who is new to Australia, has almost completed assembling a model steampunk flying machine for his nephew’s Christmas present. Then an accident involving a parachute, some superglue, and his mouth lands Donnell in the emergency room with two of his fantasy men… only one of whom is real. 

Ann - 3.5 Hearts 

While this was, in all honestly, a slightly silly setup, I still totally dug on it. The characters, especially Donnell, made me laugh and also shake my head at his predicament. Even though it was slightly over the top, I had to appreciate the result of the meet-cute between Donnell and Charlie. And, as I got to know them and they got to know one another I was completely charmed by their relationship.

Also, who wouldn’t love a guy who went to that kind of effort for his nephew? The author put a perfect amount of personal quirks for the characters to make them relatable, unique and pretty adorable. I really liked the dynamics between the two of them and could completely believe in them in the long term.

**copies of the Advent stories were provided for honest reviews**

Review: DSP Advent: Homemade for the Holidays Week 1

Choosing the right gift for that special someone can be the most daunting part of the holidays. In a sea of mass-produced items, why buy when you can DIY? The end-of-the-year festivities are the best time for crafts, whether they’re made from yarn, paper, flour, or even code. And with some love and luck, these special presents might inspire a romance that lasts an evening… or a lifetime. Nothing makes the season merry and bright like a gift handmade from the heart, and to bring smiles to the faces of the ones they care about, these guys are willing to get creative.

Tis the season once again and I, for one, am a happy, happy unicorn! We'll be posting reviews weekly of Advent stories and while this week is a bit behind (I'd like to know who's idea it was to make Thanksgiving a week late this year, I really hate when that happens), but December is here and it's time to let the love of the Christmas short story flow.

The Carpenter's Prince by Jayce Ellis

Sean Edwards would do anything for his nephew, including designing the props for a children’s version of the Nutcracker. He’s ready for the long nights and weekends in the workshop—they’re part of the job, especially given the short notice. The insanely sexy head ballerino is completely unexpected, however.

All principal danseur Keni Jackson wants is to surpass last year’s performance, blow people’s socks off, and cement his place in the studio. The last thing he needs is something to shatter his carefully held control—like a cuddly carpenter who favors jazz over Tchaikovsky.

Sean and Keni are drawn to each other, but not everyone is a fan of their relationship. When Keni’s position is threatened, they have to decide whether to walk away for good, or if what they’ve found is worth fighting for.

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Sean makes this story for me. You know how, when you read about a character, and you fall for them in all the ways within the first bit of page time? That’s Sean. I mostly was down with whatever happened as long as my Sean got his happy ending. And he did, but there was a bit of minor manufactured drama that got in the way a bit.

That little nugget of a plot point didn’t make me super happy, but there had to be some sort of speed bump on the road to the HEA, and as far as speed bumps go it wasn’t terrible, but stilllllllll, Sean was unnecessarily sad and I did not like that one bit. Of course there was another MC, his name is Keni and he’s a dancer and he’s good and all, but he was onboard, albeit reluctantly, with the nonsense that hurt Sean, so that didn’t endear me to him a whole lot. Sean likes him so very much though and Keni does feel the same for Sean, but I need Keni to grovel some more and make sure Sean knows how amazing he is on the daily. In my head that all happens even after the story was done and they got their HEAs.


Christmas Ghosts by Jenn Moffatt

Dealing with the unexpected loss of his mother isn’t how carpenter Steve Browning planned to spend his Christmas. Hoping her costume jewelry can bring some happiness to others, he takes it to the local community theater, where he runs into his first love, Troy Baxter.

Troy’s trying to help his sister put on a gender-fluid version of A Christmas Carol, but no one on the cast or crew knows which end of a hammer to hold let alone use a power tool. Then a face from the past brings a present-day miracle… one that could lead to the happy future they both thought they gave up back in high school.

Ann - 2.5 Hearts

Christmas Ghosts had good bones to it, but the story never fully coalesced for me. There was a lot of info and relationships to get background on in a short period of time. I think because it was a second chance kind of romance, I needed to feel the love Steve and Troy had before and how it evolved and worked in the present. I was told about the love before, but I was told a lot of things and so I never had a sense of their connection and how it could have held together and rekindle over the years.

I liked Steve and I liked Troy and I wanted to feel moved by them, but there were too many distractions in the form of siblings and grief in a short story to give the guys the page time they needed to become fully fleshed out characters and in turn a romance worthy of a second chance.


Crochet My Heart by Carol Pedroso

Accountant Tristan plans to make a ton of crochet items for his local LGBT charity to sell at their holiday fair. His only problem? He can’t crochet.

Fortunately the community center offers a class, and it’s taught by Charlie, who is gorgeous and sexy and seems interested. At first. Can grandmotherly fellow classmate Ivy guide the clueless men to each other, or will it take something more serious to help them see the possibilities?

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

This story is just adorable. It has all the elements for a warm and fluffy Christmas story and the author delivered the fuzzy love very well. Tristan and Charlie have a super sweet homespun meet-cute and their banter was enough to feel the chemistry between them as they spent more time together. Tristan’s good intentions to the LGBTQ center he volunteers with have him overextended and needing Charlie’s help to meet his goal to provide handmade crocheted treasures for the holiday craft sale. So, already you know he’s a good guy. Charlie is also a good guy and so I couldn’t help but want to read about them getting their happy on.

There was some outside drama that provided the bit of bitter with all the sweet and the secondary characters kept Charlie in line when he veered off track in a moment of stupidity. Instead of being annoyed by the stupid, it actually made Charlie seem a bit more real because people do dumb things when they are falling in love and he redeemed himself quickly and in the end heroically.


An Elf to Myself by Emy Calirel

The last thing Wilhelm expects to find at Michaels, three days before Christmas and in search of a gift to make for his niece, is one of Santa’s elves—a cute one with a wicked, inappropriate sense of humor and a kinky streak. Alabastair may have been kicked out of Santa’s village, but he’s still a Christmas expert. And he’s determined to give Wilhelm and his family the best holiday he can.

With only two days to turn the Grinch’s house into a Christmassy wonderland, they have a lot on their plate. Among the glitter and the cheer, Wilhelm and Alabastair might find more than just the holiday’s magic. But will it be enough to keep Alabastair in Wilhelm’s bed and life when the North Pole calls him back?

Ann - 4 Hearts

I don’t know how, but the author made me suspend all my disbelief and by into elves as quickly as Wilhelm did. I should have been wanting more backstory and worldbuilding, I mean it’s an elf hanging out in Michael’s and he’s pretty open relatively quickly about who and what he is. But no, I was all “meh, it’s cool, these dudes obviously dig each other, let’s roll with it”. And roll with it, I did. 

I think it worked partially because the elves in question weren’t super magical, etc. They were, for the most part, regular people who just happened to work in the North Pole. I was fine with the modern twist the author put on Santa’s story, so I could pretty much forget about that and just wallow in the pepperminty sweet goodness that was Alabastair and Wilhelm. They both fell pretty hard and fast, but they had enough snark and attitude in their banter to balance the sweetness a bit and make their relationship seem possible for the long haul.


Evan Versus the Sharlotka by Chrissy Munder

Rumpled tech support Evan Carmichael has a crush on pristine programming supervisor Gavriil Cottan. The whole company knows it. Except Gavriil. As a closet romantic, Evan dreams of declaring his feelings with a grand gesture, something out of the movies he loves.

The company holiday potluck luncheon gives Evan a perfect opportunity. He finds out Gavriil’s favorite dessert and is determined to make an apple sharlotka just like Gavriil’s mother used to make. The only problem is, Evan is a disaster in the kitchen. Can he master the mystery of the sharlotka and the intricacies of the springform pan in time to both woo and wow Gavriil?

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

I look forward to Chrissy Munder’s stories every year. They are always amongst my favorites and she always writes characters I fall hard for. Evan is right up there as a guy I rooted for from page 1. He’s an everyman that can’t seem to catch a break and his mom is his biggest cheerleader. On paper, he may not seem like a romantic leading man type MC, but heeee isssssssss.

The story is told from Evan’s perspective and being inside his head is a little sad at times, but he’s forever hopeful. His crush on his co-worker Gavriil is so swoony as told from Evan’s view. While I didn’t get to know Gavriil well, he still felt fully fleshed out and I could completely understand why Evan was smitten. The author does a great job of making the time the MC’s spend together count and their conversations are the perfect vehicle to make the romance progress.

Evan’s attempts at baking Gavriil’s favorite dessert for the office Christmas luncheon was freaking adorable and about the sweetest thing I’ve read in a long time. Gavriil’s reaction made it even better and that had to be one of the most satisfying endings to a short story ever.


The Fairy Shop by Tara Lain

When Nate Hawthorne meets Asher Dane, the huge, tattooed hunk is the personification of Nate’s dreams. But Nate knows there’s no future, because Asher is also the personification of his beloved five-year-old daughter Delly’s nightmares. She’s frightened of big men. Things turn around for both of them, however, when Delly goes Christmas shopping at the Fairy Shop and begins her quest for a wand that will make her brave. Neither of them guesses that the Fairy Shop will be the source of far more than Delly’s courage. On Christmas Eve, under the influence of a very unusual fairy, Nate’s life will change forever.

Ann - 4 Hearts

The Fairy Shop is total Tara Lain reading candy for the holidays and I enjoyed every sweet little nibble. The author knows how to write super fluffy love stories that balance with a bit of drama to give a Lifetime feel that’s easy to dive into and get lost in. There’s a lot of story packed into this one, but everything seemed to balance out in the end.

Delly, Nate’s daughter really read like a little kid at first, but her vocabulary changed towards the end that made her seem like a little adult at times which was a little off putting, but not too bad that I was drawn out of the story.

The secondary characters added to the depth of The Fairy Shop and the only thing I would have liked, was more of Asher’s story. I don’t think that could have really been a thing in this case since it’s a short story and I know Asher’s story would be pretty involved. I really liked him though and while there wasn’t anything missing for him, I just wanted more because the author made me like and respect him so much.

**copies of the Advent stories were provided for honest reviews**