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**

Warmest Wishes Advent 2018: Week 1

Week 1 of Dreamspinner Press's annual Advent calendar has officially hit the clubhouse! This week we have stories by E.J. Russell, C.S. Poe, Asta Idonea, Ren Holly and Mere Rain! Join us in the weeks to follow as we review all 31 stories, The Unicorn Way. We Unicorns take the holiday spirit seriously and we're here to help you get into it!

An Everyday Hero by E.J. Russell

When Adam Tyler’s sister announced she was pregnant, Adam decided to move from Portland, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, to fully embrace the uncle experience. However, he didn’t count on the move being delayed until three days before Christmas—and three days before his sister’s due date. And he definitely didn’t count on finding a scorpion in his bedroom. Cue the panicked calls to exterminators.

Garrett Strong doesn’t consider himself at all remarkable—his ex certainly didn’t think so—and Garrett’s pest-control business is circling the drain. Although Adam is his first new client in months, that isn’t the only reason Garrett goes above and beyond for him. He feels a real connection to the younger man and intends to do everything in his power to make sure Adam feels safe and welcome in Phoenix—venomous intruders notwithstanding.



Sara - 5 Hearts

Laugh out loud funny. Opposites attract. Crazy UST with amazing chemistry. Age gap. What’s not to love?

This was the perfect story to start off my journey through the 2018 Advent Event. When Adam moves from Oregon to Arizona to be close his sister, the only family he has left and to be there for the birth of his niece, he has no idea what he is getting himself into. Adam doesn’t realize that living in the desert includes more than a lack of green grass on every front lawn. The desert is home to creatures that find their way into your home whether you like it or not. When one of those creatures, a scorpion, finds its way into his home before his furniture even arrives, Adam starts searching online for anyone to come to his rescue and finds someone not only strong, but an everyday hero that saves the day.

I mean, scorpions? They’re only one step up from velociraptors.

I love that we get both Adam and Garrett's POV in this and it was great to get both first impressions as they happened. Both men are attracted but both men are respectful until Adam continues to flirt with Garrett and Garrett gives one hell of an eye fuck to a soaked Adam. Yup, these two don’t let the “I shouldn’t” line drawn in the desert landscape keep them from moving forward quickly.

What I love about these short stories is how much they can make you feel in a short time. I adored how Garrett took care of Adam’s needs immediately and not his carnal ones. Garrett is natural when it comes to taking care of others and Adam is as well, just in his own way. There are many comedic moments as well as ones that make your hand fly to your heart with a sigh. The play on the title is sugary sweet but appropriate and that ending left me giddy while wanting more.

Ann - 4.5 Hearts

Sweet and adorkable perfection! This has everything I want in my contemporary Christmas stories. The banter between Adam and Garrett was organically funny and being inside both their heads let me get to know both of these likable guys well for a short story. I appreciated them both separately and together and that’s how well fleshed out characters should read. An Everyday Hero had one of my favorite aspects of a romance, when both characters see themselves as just regular dudes but see each other as the most perfect beings on the planet. I just loved reading the appreciation they had for each other and how flattered they were at the attention they received in turn. It’s one of the most swoon worthy things to me and makes the MC’s very relatable and I’ll root for those kind of guys pretty hard. The only thing I could ask for is more, and I’m going to scout out more E.J. Russell books posty hasty.

That Turtle Story by C.S. Poe

Nor O’Brien spends his days in sunny Key West caring for and rehabilitating sea turtles. He doesn’t need anything else in life, expect maybe a significant other to cuddle with after a long day. But recent heartbreak has left Nor salty, and he’s not in the mood for anything, Christmas included.

Then Eugene Montgomery walks into Turtle R&R, claiming to have found a clutch of eggs in distress. Nor is smitten with the tourist at first sight, and at the suggestion of his screwball colleagues, indulges in some no-strings-attached fun. Nor and Eugene are quick to get along, happily enjoy each other’s company, and take in the island’s unique holiday pleasures together.

But Nor would never leave his turtles, not for any man. So when his rebound fling turns into strong romantic feelings for Eugene, it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep the two together forever in Key West.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

It’s not surprising Nor is a bit grumpy this Christmas, as he’s newly single after a particularly bad breakup. He’s so not in the mood for any holiday cheer, but when handsome Eugene walks into the turtle rescue center where he works, Nor just might have to reconsider his resolutions.

Poe for sure delivered last year with New Game, Start, and I was not disappointed this time around either! Both Nor and Eugene each had their own endearing special charm, and I was tickled by their sweet, funny, and sexy interactions!!

My first advent read of the year is a total win, and I hope it predicts many more to come!!

Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review

Fantasy Living - 4 Hearts

Nor is adorable, but insecure and still upset about his ex not loving turtles as much as he does… and other stuff.

Eugene is really laid back and seems to be rolling with whatever Nor wants. He doesn’t seem to care, as long as he gets to hang out. Oh, and he appears to enjoy learning about turtles. Not a bad catch for Nor. But Nor doesn’t have a great track record with casual flings, so feelings start to get in the way of their relaxing time together and Nor ultimately has a moment.

This was squishy sweet with some jokes and a touch of angst.

Nor’s work colleague was a lot of fun with her outrageous remarks to embarrass him in front of dreamy Eugene. I enjoyed everything about this story from the setting to the characters, and the easy writing style.

Key West sounds like a great place to spend Christmas, and I’m totally sold on Nor and Eugene together.

Also, who doesn’t love turtles? I mean look at her!!!

Source: The Turtle Hospital

Sara - 5 Hearts

This was perfection! I can’t even ramble my redheaded butt off to tell you how adorable, funny, sexy and absolutely perfect this story was. Seriously. Poe can do romantic comedy like no other and she proves it here.

I loved Nor and his love for turles and his Veganism even if he took Cowboy Willy’s advice about the cheese. I love characters who have no filter and the dudes that find that endearing. Eugene, I mean come on! The physical was one thing, I’d be on that ice cream scenario with Nor, but when you find out what he does? Shut the front door and OMG! He’s everything a romantic lead should be and he finds everything Nor to be everything he wants. This was everything! You know? You KNOW?

Ack. I won’t get into the details of the story because I want you to read this and marinate in its perfection until your fingers are pruny. Got it.

Okay. I am going to go read this again because it’s worth it just to read Eugene’s compliments and Nor blurt out anything at all.

Ann- 4.5 Hearts

Who doesn’t love a man who loves animals? Another gem of a story in Week 1 of DSP’s 2018 Advent Calendar. I expect it with C.S. Poe and I always look forward to her contributions to these collections. The banter between Nor and Eugene, well, Nor and anyone really, was tops. He’s such a funny faux curmudgeon, which is the best kind of curmudgeon to be. I appreciated how the author took the miscommunication trope and used it for good in The Turtle Story. Nor owned his misguided idiocy brilliantly and I loved Eugene’s gentle patience with Nor’s nonsense. I really could feel his appreciation of Nor throughout the story and Nor needed that. The whole story is very sweet and funny, definitely an annual holiday reread.

Barbies and Beaches by Asta Idonea

For the first time ever, Shane is not looking forward to the annual Boxing Day barbecue at Matty’s house. He recently divorced, none of his friends know what to say to him now, and Shane is tired of the pity and awkwardness. Things take a turn, however, when he meets Matty’s English cousin. Neil is struggling with the Australian heat, having left the UK after a bad breakup. When Shane suggests the two of them head to a secluded beach to cool off, the growing intimacy between them might make both reassess their current situation.

Sara - 4 Hearts

When mending hearts leads to extreme heat and deserted beaches, the story can’t be bad!

I liked this one. Super sweet and short with Shane our resident Aussie on a stick who is fresh out of a divorce and sick of talking about it. He doesn’t want to attend the annual Boxing Day Bash at his friend Matty’s but he knows he will never hear the end of it so he plans to make an appearance and then leave. When Shane sees a stranger passed out on Matty’s couch he’s intrigued but doesn’t think much of it until later when he sees the bloke upright.

Neil is Matty’s cousin and aso fresh from a break up who needed time away from his home in England so he hits up his cousin but didn’t think he could literally melt from the summer heat in Australia. As Neil is trying to come to terms with where his life is headed and how hot the holiday is, he’s interrupted by Shane and invited for a swim to cool off.

These two were sweet. Of course both men think the other is straight so Shane’s first move was a bit WTF DUDE but it played out well. I liked how they went about this new attraction and how the story ended too. Neil and Shane will always have their anniversary of Barbies and Beaches.

Ann - 3 Hearts

The writing is smooth and top notch in Barbies and Beaches and I do love short stories, but this one had too much story packed in to too few pages. I felt like I was missing integral pieces that connected Shane and Neil in a forever way. 21 pages need to engage me in a focused moment, not a life changing event. I need those little nuggets of connection between two MC’s for me to be able to gel with them and that was the one piece that was missing for me. I still very much liked the MC’s and believed what I was told about their future, I just needed to see it a bit more organically to make the story more memorable.

Mosquitoes and Mistletoe by Ren Holly

After Andrew’s boyfriend dumps him just before Christmas, he decides to take a job far, far away from city life. It’s a dishwashing job on a remote island off the coast of Georgia. Expecting sunshine, palm trees, and some quality alone time, Andrew is surprised to find alligators, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes, and Garrett—a devilishly handsome naturalist. Andrew desperately tries to resist Garrett’s charm, because a twice-broken heart before Christmas is just not an option. Besides, Andrew’s new friend Anna might already have a thing for Garrett.

But where do Garrett’s interests lie, and will Andrew find out before he’s surprised by a visit from his ex?

Sara - 3 Hearts

This was a cute story with a lot of potential but it fell short for me. Despite there being Christmas Day in the story, it never felt like a holiday read.

I liked the idea of Andrew taking an escape plan to a remote eco island in Georgia after his butthead of an ex dumped him because he was a creep. Knowing from the blurb that Garrett would be the other MC I expected more from their first meeting and Andrews small flirting but tossing Anna in the mix crushing n Garrett made it awkward and not in a good way.

Garrett never once seems curious about Andrew in any way other than a friend and coworker so the whole thing with him Andrew felt really disconnected. I never had a chance to get to know either man and the moments of head hopping got confusing including the whole random appearance of a full POV from Garrett. There was a lot going on in the story that didn’t mesh with the page length and the

The story does get points for Andrew being a ginger and the visual of an eco friendly hotel without wifi or televisions.

Ann - 2 Hearts

I liked how Mosquitoes and Mistletoe started and I was on board with Andrew’s new gig and with Garrett’s friendliness. I was looking forward to reading about how these two would get together and all the shenanigans that would come with an island retreat. Events, characters and dialog started flying around randomly and I found myself disconnected from where the story started and I ended up losing interest in where it was going. I think it tried to be too much with too many people to flow well within a short story. Garrett went through absolutely zero angst for never having been with a man before so that felt rushed and the emotions weren’t explored nearly as much as they should have been. Andrew is coming off a bad breakup, so it would have been completely cool to focus on the two of them and skip the villainous ex, the baking, the lifesaving, the ping pong and all the other “stuff”. The “stuff” drowned out the possibility of any depth in their romance.

The Last Birthday Party by Mere Rain

Their favorite holiday is going away. Will it take their friendship with it?

Since 1989, the birthday of the Emperor of Japan has been celebrated on December 23rd. But this is the last year; the Emperor is abdicating, and next year there will be no holiday.

For twenty-year-old Akihito, the holiday has always been special. It’s his birthday, too, and a perfect excuse for spending the entire day celebrating across Tokyo with his life-long best friend, Kenji. But now that they will no longer get the day off and will soon face adult responsibilities, will they drift apart? Or if Akihito confesses the secret love he’s held in his heart for years, will their closeness be ruined? One thing is certain: nothing will be same by the end of the day.

Sara - 5 Hearts

Wow! Where did this author come from?

It’s rare these days that I get stunned by a story on the first page but with this one, I did. With one line: “He put one in his mouth and held it on his tongue, imagining he could taste the salt of Kenji’s palm lingering on the bean.” I can't explain the feeling but it made me pause, read it again and be sure to highlight it so I could share it.

This trope is one of my most favorites, the boy who has been in love with is BFF for years but is afraid to tell him until that time he can’t keep it inside any longer. With this, we have childhood friends Akihito and Kenji who are ready to celebrate Emperor of Japan’s birthday which happens to be Akihito’s birthday as well. The young men have always celebrated the day together, being off as a full holiday, but today is a bit melancholy as the Emperor is abdicating and the new Emperor's birthday won’t be celebrated the same day as Akihito’s, December 23rd. The loss of calendared coincidence makes Akihito feel that this special day spent with his best friend will be lost.

“[...] I wanted to get you something really special for twenty, but I couldn’t think of anything that seemed right. Nothing seemed like… enough. We’ll get something today, okay? I’ll give you anything you want.”

The friends start off the day to honor the Emperor and then decide to toast Akihito and their impending adulthood and Coming of Age day with a walkabout bar hop that leads to emotional speeches, chaste meaningful touches, confessions and firsts for the friends. I found myself holding my breath from the first time Akihito pretends the caring touch of his friend is more, to their reminiscent stories of their youth driven shenanigans, to Akihito finally listening to what Kenji is saying. These two pulled hard at my heart strings and though I finished the story, they haven’t let go.

This truly was a wonderful story that made me look up images as I read so I could see what Akihito and Kenji were seeing. I love where this left off and of course, being greedy, I wouldn’t mind more.

Ann - 4 Hearts

The Last Birthday Party is a total treat. I do love me some Christmas story overload, but even I have to admit it was refreshing to read a holiday story not about Christmas for a change. The author does a great job with setting a scene and I found myself stopping to Google locations, festivals, food and cocktails. I love reading a book and accidentally learning things, especially about other cultures. I finished this book both happy and hungry. I loved being in Akihito’s head and his love for his BFF, Kenji, read so real. It’s pretty obvious to the reader how Kenji feels, but the dawning realization to Akihito is the real star here. The ending felt a little rushed considering the beautiful buildup, but the outcome is still perfect and I would love to read what happens next for these two.

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