Review: DSP Advent: Homemade for the Holidays Week 4

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.









Week 4 is here My Lovelies!



A Peace Offering by R.L. Merrill 

Dover Billings has sold his handcrafted wares at the Dickens Fair in San Francisco for over twenty years. He's not as outgoing as the other artisans at this yearly Victorian celebration and prefers to observe the festivities from the shadows. That is until a new corset maker moves into the booth next door and unsettles his carefully constructed life. Landry Malcolm is handsome, well-dressed, and the life of the party… one Dover wants no part of. Too bad he's attracted to his confident younger rival.

Landry desperately wishes to get through to the beautiful artist next door, but every move he makes seems to be the wrong one...until a drunken kiss seems to break through Dover's serious demeanor. Miscommunications seem to plague any attempts to find common ground, leaving Landry wondering what—if anything—he can do to make things right. Will a custom-made peace offering open the door to friendship, cooperation… and maybe more?


R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts! 

Oh this was a good one!

Slight enemies, Dover and Landry seem to step on each other’s toes over and over as they cross paths repeatedly within their small artsy renaissance community. Landry desperately wants to make an impression, and Dover just wants to avoid intimacy all together.

It’s awkward and tentative with a one step forward with two steps back progression. Dover and Landry just can’t seem to connect and they fight with each other and themselves over whether or not they should pursue or just back off.

What I really enjoyed about this is that the MC’s are not cookie cutter stereotypes of the grumpy antisocial nerd vs the charismatic extroverted player. These two have layers, and I was constantly pleasantly surprised to see them slowly revealed in ways I didn’t expect.

Overall, impressive writing with natural realistic progression, this really was one of those rare holiday shorts that never felt rushed nor left out anything crucial (except the erotic details - darn!). Regardless, a hard earned, well deserved happy ending where a bit of perseverance and a willingness to take a chance pays off in all the ways!

Ann - 4 Hearts

This tale had all the elements of old-timey Christmas pageantry that I would love to have a taste of. The author did a great job of creating a visual treat and considering both Dover and Landry are artists, that element was a character in itself that added to my enjoyment of A Peace Offering.

Dover and Landry have an opposites attract / not-really-enemies to lovers thing going on. I liked where it was going even if Dover came across as a real dick to Landry more than once. Thankfully we got Dover’s POV as well and I really appreciate when an author does that with a particularly prickly character. Especially in a short story. The ending of the story and the beginning of the relationship don’t feel rushed then, because we’ve had the benefit of insight into Dover, in reality, being a bit of a smitten kitten over Landry.

The two of them were a real treat once Dover opened up and all that sweet chemistry got to pour out towards Landry who deserved it muchly by that point.


Piecing Together His Life by Jon Keys 

Real estate broker Colin Romu has been estranged from his family for many years, but an unfinished quilt bequeathed in his mother’s will might help him make peace. Seeking solitude, Colin heads for his isolated cabin in upstate New York, but a sudden blizzard lands him in a ditch instead. Fortunately local EMT Mason Doyle is on hand with a rescue and a place to stay until the storm blows over. As they contemplate Colin’s mother’s last gift, they realize their lives entwine in ways they never imagined.

Ann - 3 Hearts

The setup for Piecing Together His Life was really great. An inherited unfinished quilt, some family drama, a somewhat reclusive artist, a cabin in the woods; all great stuff. Colin and Mason were both likeable characters and obviously very attracted to one another. I liked where the story was going and was completely onboard.

I got a little lost with the two main plot points along the way. I was told about them, but they didn’t feel like they were explored enough or maybe they were just too big for a short story. Mason had basically zero confidence in his artisitic skills and has just kind of given up on pursuing art as a profession. His family is all for that and I guess I just didn’t get it. The big why was never really explained beyond they just weren’t fans of the idea. Colin was cut off from his family even though his mother left him the quilt and apparently still loved him. I guess. His family sounded pretty terrible actually and I didn’t understand the point. She could have just left him the quilt without all the drama and it would have felt more sweetly sentimental instead of a little meh.

I loved how it turned out though. It was a Very Christmas Happy Ending (all capitalized), the kind that gives you hope for the MC’s for a forever kind of happiness, not just with each other but with all kinds of possibilities for their futures.


Purls of Wisdom by Morgan James

Yarn shop owner and ex-soldier Noah Miller never looks forward to the Christmas season. At least this year the break coincides with Hanukkah. But before his vacation, he has to survive the December rush. 

When virgin knitter Finley Mason comes into the store desperate for yarn, needles, and lessons so he can win a bet against Hazel, a woman who must be his wife, Noah agrees to help him despite his better judgment—he usually hates teaching. 

As the deadline to finish his roommate’s scarf looms, Finley falls in love with the reclusive shopkeeper, and he tries his best to woo Noah with all the magic of New York City at Christmastime. Noah could easily be swept away—if only Finley wasn’t straight and taken….

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts!

Understated with dashes of quirk, I appreciated this nice holiday short!

Noah is a lot grumpy and perhaps that’s due to his experience in the military. Now that he’s home and owns a yarn shop, such a pleasant environment has not lessened his gruff side much. Despite the many unwelcoming signals Noah thinks he’s putting out, customer Finley is completely oblivious as he desperately begs Noah for help in teaching him to knit.

Surprisingly, Noah is unable to say no to Finley, and a nice slow burn starts as these two get to know each other under the excuse of being teacher and student. Finley is super earnest and happy go lucky - his infectious cheer inevitably rubbing off on Noah. Both wish things would progress further, but there’s just one teeny tiny misunderstanding.

Again, sweet and heartwarming as Noah comes out of his shell for all the right reasons, guaranteeing that he and Finely get a fabulous holiday together!

Ann - 4 Hearts

On paper Noah shouldn’t have been as swoon worthy as he was, but damn if he didn’t convince me to swoon along the way. Sure he’s a fine specimen of a male, but his grumpiness should have been off putting but turns out, it wasn’t. Especially in the face of the force of nature that is Finley.

Sure the story is pushed along by the misunderstanding, and the only reason that wasn’t annoying was because it was a short story, so it didn’t go on for too long, and because Finley has a friend in Hazel who is smarter than both Finley and Mason and makes sure the two of them get their shit together.

Noah is saved by the fact that we get his insight so I knew he was falling hard for Finley and my absolute favorite thing was the banter between the two of them. They had chemistry for days and I was there for it with every conversation.

Finley is just too sweetly earnest to ignore for long and his gift to Noah was sincerely adorable. I’ll be adding this one to my Christmas reread list.


Rainbows in Sea Glass by Kim Katil

Kyle has loved James, his best friend’s older brother, for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately James is a player, and Kyle has no desire to be his latest conquest. When James suddenly turns the full weight of his charm on him, Kyle flees to Cape May Point to collect sea glass and Cape May diamonds to make a St. Nicholas Day present for his aunt.

James has always taken Kyle’s presence for granted and he’s shocked to find how integral Kyle is to his life and future happiness. Braving his family’s well-meaning attempts to help and a sudden winter storm, James heads to the shore to convince Kyle that the most precious thing they’ll find on the beach is each other


R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3 Hearts!

Bonus points for favorite trope of falling for your best friend's brother!!

As per the blurb, Kyle has been in love with James for as long as he can remember, but he knows that he would never survive being a fleeting hookup. When a night of dancing makes Kyle realize he needs to distance himself from James and the potential messy situation, James too, has his own revelation.

What ensues is a bit of sappy wooing but it was enjoyable sappy wooing. Beware again the out of nowhere random BDSM element dropped in the bedroom (perhaps along with the homemaking theme, a little bondgae was also a possible option for advent authors this year) but I digress.

Again, this features a beloved trope, warm family vibes, and an inevitable cuddly HEA!

Ann - 3 Hearts

Being in love with the best friends brother is a trope made of gold. Rainbows in Sea Glass took it and cranked it up to 11. While everything was a little too perfect, a little too sweet and a little too shiny, that didn’t mean I didn’t eat it up. The author did a really good job of throwing in enough flash back moments to make sure we knew how important Kyle was to James and his family.

I really appreciated the unique setting and the use of the crafts that brought Kyle and James together (finally). Being a west coaster I wasn’t familiar with the setting and some of the treausres Kyle worked into his present for his aunt. So I did some googling and that always is a fun rabbit hole and any story that makes me google is a winner.


Riding the Hammer Lane by Cassie Decker

It’s long-haul trucker Eddie’s first Christmas away from home, and he picks up the CB radio in search of friendly voice. He doesn’t expect to reconnect with his old instructor—and brief but passionate fling—Colton. Eddie realizes the scarf he’s been knitting symbolizes the love and longing he’s been trying to deny. When fate brings them back together on a lonely, snowy stretch of Iowa highway, will they grab hold of their second chance and acknowledge the love woven tightly between them?

Ann - 2.5 Hearts

I liked the idea of Riding the Hammer Lane, I liked what I knew of the characters, but the problem was, I didn’t really get to know much. Having only one POV made it a little tougher to buy into how into one another these guys were.

Eddie was obviously a good guy and Colton was, well, Colton was there and I felt that I was told about their connection much more so than anything I actually saw. Which was kind of a bummer considering the unique premise. I think the action in the middle was a little big and not exactly necessary. I would have loved to have those pages filled with Eddie and Colton reconnecting. I wanted to be there for that ride
.

The Santa Project by Elinor Gray

Working at the Craft Emporium keeps Adam Martinez busy during the holiday season he absolutely hates. Enter elementary schoolteacher David Okoye, who can’t get enough of Christmas or craft supplies. David is cute, wholesome, and Adam can’t deny a little bit of a crush.

Making the holidays special for his students is only part of the reason David makes excuses to go to the Craft Emporium. He also holds a torch for Adam. He takes it as a personal challenge to show Adam how to enjoy the holidays when he asks Adam to teach him to knit. David promises the holidays can be wonderful when shared with the right people, but how can they share them when David is going home to his family and Adam will be left all alone?

Ann - 4.5 Hearts 

Ok, this story is a snack and a half. The author really managed to fit a lot of connection between David and Adam into a short story. I also felt like I got plenty of backstory for each of them, so that their reactions, issues and conversations read organically.

And David? David is super emotionally mature and what is up with that? He’s just perfect for Adam and the way he handled Adam’s dislike of the holidays and the understanding he showed was above and beyond what I expected. His profession as an elementary school teacher shines through, but in a way that was kind and not at all condescending. Adam recognized it too and it spoke to the appreciation they had for one another.

Their dates were quite sweet and exactly what I wanted to read for them. The bit of drama at the end made sense and was short lived, thankfully, because a sad Adam made me sad. The resolution was executed perfectly for the two of them and gave confidence in an HEA.

Also, steamy hot. Very steamy hot. A lot of the Christmas short stories fade to black when it comes to the physical, but not this one, no sireeee bob. Thank you Elinor, that was some good stuff.

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

Warmest Wishes Advent 2018: Week 5

It's Week 5 of the Warmest Wishes Advent Stories! This week we're featuring stories from Renae Kaye, Kim Katil, Crystel Greene, Elizabeth Noble, Bru Baker and Jana Denardo!

ICYMI: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Slow Summer Heat by Renae Kaye

Geoffrey Saxon is in his forties, a bit plump, a lot fuzzy, and rather boring in bed—and thanks to a very public breakup, everyone in his street knows it. However, what they don’t know is that Geoffrey sometimes watches his hot young neighbor, Vaughn, in the pool. Vaughn has invited Geoffrey to join his pool parties, but Geoffrey knows it’s only pity.

As if things can’t get worse, Geoffrey’s air conditioner breaks during a heat wave in Western Australia—and just before Christmas. In search of some relief, he camps out in his backyard, where he also has a prime view of Vaughn swimming… naked. When Geoffrey’s injured falling from his spying post, Vaughn comes to his rescue and Geoffrey doesn’t think he can be more horrified.

But he could be in for a sweet holiday surprise. Is he ready to take the dive?

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

This story does slow burn just right, like, exactly, perfectly right. And when slow burn is done right, it can be hotter than the porniest of porn. Geoffrey gets that and his awkwardness, sincerity and honesty make this story. Slow Summer Heat is a purely character driven story, which works really well for the shorties because the characters can be more fully fleshed out and the balance of banter and activity let me get to know Geoffrey and Vaughn. Well, Geoffrey especially. It was nice to read a story with a more mature MC and watch his ego get stroked by someone who he felt was out of his league, but who ended up being a perfect match for him. The setup made it easy to see why Geoffrey was attracted to Vaughn, but reading about the evolution of Vaughn’s attraction to Geoffrey and Geoffrey’s realization that he deserved the affection was a treat.

Season to Shimmer by Kim Katil

One morning close to the holidays, Nolan wakes up to two surprises: a distress call from his younger brother and a beautiful man in his bed. Nolan, an art gallery owner, has always been discreet about his sexuality, but when his baby brother plans to come out at the annual family gala, Nolan wants to have his back—and that means showing up with a man of his own on his arm. Nolan knows just the man for the job.

Skylar, who owns a karate studio in St. Augustine, can’t get his one-night stand out of his mind. When he runs into Nolan at his gallery he is more than happy to volunteer his services as arm candy. Out-and-proud himself with his striking blue/green hair, Skylar is all in. Their adventure means a fancy salon, family drama, lots of sex, a ninja hippo, and palm trees lit up in a very suggestive way. By the end of it, what started as a hookup might become much more.

Ann - 2.5 Hearts

I loved the idea of this one and the beginning was a seriously hot setup. But then a lot of noise happened with every other character and took away from the two MC’s and that bummed me out. The messages were well received but were delivered in the guise of telenovela drama, which if you like a bit of OTT, then you will love this. I myself appreciate subtlety a bit more, so while this story wasn’t so much for me, I can see the appeal. I liked Nolan and Skylar together, I just didn’t get a real sense of them as a couple so it was harder to buy into the HEA than it should have been.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3 Hearts

When a pending family holiday party pushes Nolan to come out to support his younger gay brother, it also pushes Nolan to take a chance on finding some romantic love himself. Who better to be his co conspirator and quasi-fake boyfriend than the gorgeous hookup currently occupying his bed? Surely, Nolan can find some “incentive” to get Skylar to be his date.

For me, this was a bit rough around the edges in execution and dialogue. There was a lot going on here that kinda left me spinning. However, I really enjoyed the brotherly vibes and for those who need plenty of smexy, this shortie does not shirk on the goodness. The dynamic between Nolan and Skylar was great and though things moved super fast, having Christmas just around the corner was good enough for me and apparently, good enough for these two to push them in the right direction! Cheers!

Santa on the Beach by Crystel Greene

The sexy Santa and the virgin dad....

Single dad Mario, twenty-one, has finally won shared custody of his five-year-old son, Sammy. They’re spending Christmas at a Tenerife resort to celebrate. The children’s swimming instructor, Josie, is sexy and fun, and Mario can’t stop dreaming about him. But Mario has no clue how to talk to a hot guy.

With his suntan, Speedos, and rippling abs, Josie seems to be the typical jock. He’s super sweet too, and everyone loves him. But he only has eyes for the fire-eyed little dad who looks like his son’s older brother and won’t stop policing the swimming class.

Sammy would like to be a king in the hotel’s nativity play. But he’s too afraid to go anywhere without his dad.

Mario would like a holiday romance with Josie, or even a little more, but between building his tech company and trying to do his part as Sammy’s father he has missed out on a lot and is too inexperienced to know where to begin.

Luckily Santa might have just the thing for everyone on his list...

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

Santa on the Beach was so much more than I expected and I loved Mario and his story. The author managed to fit SO much nuance into a short story and it was seriously impressive. The story was told from Mario’s perspective and it was a take on young fatherhood that I had never read before. I don’t usually go for stories with kids in them and it’s only because I don’t give them a fair shake. It’s no easy feat to write a story with a believable little kid, but Crystel Greene did it and the realistic difficulties Mario had with his son Sammy were in turn heart-waming and heart-wrenching, but in the end, realistic.

Reading Mario’s perspective and the stress he felt about measuring up as an extremely young father gave me a lot of respect for his character. At the same time, his crush on Josie gave him some hard won focus on himself for a change and while he fought it pretty adorkably hard, Josie appreciated Mario for how he should be appreciated.

The depth of this story along with the lovable characters and excellent banter made me search out more of this author’s stories as soon as I finished.

Twenty-Nine Hours to Eternity by Elizabeth Noble

Being gay and pagan can make for a lonely holiday season, as Ian knows well. He’s used to celebrating alone. The last place he expects to meet a like-minded guy is at LAX during a twenty-nine-hour layover.

Ian’s never felt so comfortable or compatible with another man, even if there is an air of mystery to Race.

Race is no stranger to holiday isolation, and he decides they should seize the opportunity they’ve been given and observe the Saturnalia the way it was meant to be. A grand celebration ensues, where every moment is special and every meal a feast. The ancient traditions take on new meaning as the men find meaning in each other. But each of them has a destiny and for their paths to continue together, it’ll take a kind of magic that hasn’t been seen in centuries.

Ann - 3 Hearts

This story was truly unique and while it didn’t have a lot of world building to be able to attach to, it was still bittersweetly intriguing. The hints of the paranormal throughout are subtle at first, but make more sense as the story evolves. The blurb makes it sound bigger than what it is, the story itself is not that dramatic, but the level of detail I got worked for the length of the story. I liked Ian and Race together very much and it was obvious from their connection they were meant to be together. There was only one way for that to be a thing, hence the bittersweet, but I still wasn’t too sad, and that says a lot for how the author set it up and the amount of detail provided. It wasn’t an expected type of holiday story, but it still had the core feels that made it memorable.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3 Hearts

This was odd but weirdly enjoyable but odd.

Ian has a long layover waiting to service his next flight. However will he wile away the next 29 hours? Luckily, he meets Race, a stranger who he finds compelling and charming, and what ensues over the next day is them getting to know each other fabulously and celebrating the holiday through their shared pagan beliefs.

What Ian doesn’t realize is that the future brings an interesting development, and Race has apparently been waiting for this event and Ian for a long long time…

Obviously, this has a bit of paranormal/fantasy whimsy thrown in. Mix it with a little fate and you’ve got an interesting original set up that brings a twist on Ian and Race’s HEA!

Holidays Are Where Your Heart Is by Bru Baker

Jared’s been all over the world as a traveling manny with Holiday Helpers, and the itch to put down roots is starting to eclipse his wanderlust—especially since his current family is a handful.

After culinary school, Wes did some wandering of his own, exploring Central America before settling as a resort chef in his mother’s homeland of Costa Rica, a place he loves and where he plans to stay. If he’s learned one thing, it’s to be wary of flings with vacationers. Still, he can’t stand to watch two little Swiss kids lose their belief in Saint Nicholas, so he’ll lend a hand to the manny assisting the family. It won’t be easy to recreate a traditional European Christmas in a tropical paradise.

Between a snowball fight on a sunny beach and sledding down an active volcano, Jared and Wes discover some renewed holiday magic of their own. Can they make it last a lifetime?

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Jared is feeling like he’s at the end of his traveling manny career. He’s dedicated to the education of kids and is anxious to try a new way to reach them. His latest charges have seemingly absentee parents so he has a big job on his hands to make these kids feel like they aren’t missing the Christmas they know while on a tropical beach. He gets help from the chef/surf teacher on site and of course, the two of them hit it off and it was pretty smooth and angst free. It made it easy to appreciate them as a couple and the near perfection of their relationship was all kinds of Hallmark. It wasn’t too saccharine sweet though, Jared and Wes had just enough snark to keep it real-ish, while still being holiday perfect. I totally bought into an HEA for them, so while the perfection may not have been 100% realistic, the author made me want to believe it, and so I did.

Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo

Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida, home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

Ann - 3.5 Hearts

Well, I’m a sucker for holiday stories. I’m also a sucker for stories with critters. Put the two together and it’s pretty much a recipe made for me. Purrfect Holiday had the makings to be entirely too adorable, but the author managed to bring in some reality to keep it from being that side of too much. Both men had issues outside the vet’s office and those things made their meeting much more important than just two guys being attracted to one another. Tony has a degenerative eye disease that he is learning to live with and Javier has some family that refuses to accept him; totally different heartbreaks, but heartbreaks nonetheless. They each could use a little shoring up and they found it with one another through the pets they’ve dedicated their lives too. It made for a meet-cute that wasn’t too cute, but also wasn’t too heavy either. The author struck a good balance between the reality of their situations and the hope they found with each other.

R *A Reader Obsessed - 3.5 Hearts

Animal lovers watch out! There's all sorts of dog and cat adorable-ness coming your way!

Disabled Tony doesn’t let his impending blindness inhibit him too much. So, when his grandmother finds him a part time job cuddling those in need at her vet’s office, it’s the perfect distraction. Bonus points for Tony, because hot doctor Javier is hot!

The progression between Tony and Javier was appreciatively sweet, realistic, and romantic. Throw in the bestest seeing eye dog, a geektastic meddling grandma, and plenty of food porn (sadly none of the real stuff) and this was quite the enjoyable and cute holiday romance!

Review copies were provided by the publisher in exchange for honest opinions.