Guest Review: Sexted by Santa (Thrust Into Love #4) by D.J. Jamison

Christian Kringle: College professor, reluctant Santa, and...fake dating my neighbor?

I'm a grinch and proud of it--but this year, there’s no avoiding the Christmas cheer.

First, I get roped into playing Santa. Shudder. Then, while trying to dodge a setup with my boss's brother, I somehow promise to attend a holiday party with my boyfriend--who doesn't exist.

Next thing I know, my (soon-to-be former) best friend has set up a profile on a hookup app to find me a date. With the username of.... wait for it... SantaWantsYourChimney.

Go ahead and laugh. He sure did, the traitor.

Before I can delete the profile, I match with an easygoing guy with amazing photos. His teasing about Santa kink makes me laugh, and blush, and feel things I haven't since my divorce. For the first time in years, I look forward to dating.

Until we meet, and he turns out to be my neighbor. My very young, very off-limits neighbor who I've clashed with for years. Only now I know just how sexy, charming, and sweetly devoted to his daughter he is.

I should walk away, but I still need that fake boyfriend. The only problem? Jaxson's so convincing I can't tell where the pretense ends and real feelings begin.

Falling for him is easy. Loving his daughter? Effortless. Trusting that I can keep them is the hard part.

It'll take the magic of love, family, and yes--even Christmas--to teach this old grinch new tricks.

Sexted By Santa is a standalone holiday romance set in the Thrust Into Love universe.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

I absolutely adore a grump getting together with a little ray of sunshine, or even better, a curmudgeonly Christmas-hating grinch falling for a cute as heck single dad doing his best every day for his daughter! This book was everything I expected and more.

Chris is a divorced college professor strong-armed into playing Santa for good cause, but his Ho Ho Ho-ing could use some serious work when he rocks up at the care home where Jaxson works. The fact that this Santa is Jaxson’s grumpy neighbour is not lost on him, but Jax still likes what he sees!

The book starts quite slow, giving us time to get to know the two men (and the adorable Tori) before the sexting starts! Both men have had their ups and plenty of downs, and Jaxson’s struggle as a single parent is depicted accurately (to me anyway!) and I really love the rolling nature of this tale as our guys find their way (quickly) to a scrumptious HEA just in time for Christmas.

This is a perfect dose of festive love and connection. Highly recommended!

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Gotta Catch Her by Kelly Haworth

Celebrate the release of Gotta Catch Her with author Kelly Haworth and Indigo Marketing! Learn more about the contemporary romance and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: Gotta Catch Her

Author: Kelly Haworth

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: April 29, 2019

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 34800

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, contemporary, lesbian, bisexual, social/augmented reality gaming, kids, pets, sexting, workplace issues

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Synopsis

Who says phone games are only for kids? Sometimes they give just the respite you need from a hectic life. At least, that’s the way Ann feels about Ani-min Move, an AR mobile game full of cartoon animals caught with nets. Legendary raids have just launched, and Ann arrives at a nearby park to find it full of people of all ages playing the game, including Rachael, a kind, attractive single mom. And sweet! Rachael is more than willing to teach Ann the proper way to spin her nets to snag the raid boss.

Back in reality, Ann has a lot on her plate: a full workload as a project manager, finding the energy to walk her dog, Franny, and now trying to figure out if Rachael is queer. And how does Ann converse with Rachael about her six-year-old son when she doesn’t know a thing about parenting?

Ann is lost as to how to proceed until Rachael takes the guesswork out of the equation by proclaiming she’s bi—right when Ann gets a massive work assignment that consumes way too much of her time. Life/work balance was never Ann’s forte, but between caring for her sweetheart dog and figuring out how to navigate a relationship with a single parent, Ann’s determined to make it work, especially before Rachael gets cold feet and leaves Ann playing by herself.

So, collect those ultra-nets, Ann. Can you catch her?

Excerpt

Gotta Catch Her
Kelly Haworth © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Why did Ani-min Move have to launch new features on a weekday? The last thing I wanted to do when I got home from the office was immediately drag my ass back outdoors.

“I’m tired, Franny,” I said, putting my feet onto the coffee table, relieved to have them out of the little heels that were the curse of business casual. Frances cocked her head at me, her fluffy ears going askew. “But it looks like they’re launching legendary raids, and I am not missing that.”

After starting the update to my Ani-min Move app, I put down my phone while the update installed. Franny lowered her head to her paws and whined.

“I know, I know. A walk would be better than the apartment’s dog yard.”

Who knew eight hours at a desk would be so exhausting? But doing the same thing every day really grated on a person. Make sure this client has their order placed correctly. Keep that project running on time. Figure out why supplies are delayed. So much communication, so much organization, so much waiting.

I ran my fingers through my brunette hair, scratching my scalp and enjoying the ten seconds of silence.

At least, until Franny barked.

“Okay, honey. Let me get out of these slacks.”

I pushed myself to my feet and strode across the living room, wincing at the tumbleweeds of golden retriever fur under the kitchen table. This is why I’m single, I berated myself. Not that there’d be anyone datable over to see it, especially with my reluctance to use dating apps. And Sacramento was a big city, but dating was intimidating enough for me to hesitate in visiting downtown’s gay clubs. Besides, what would I wear?

I stripped out of my slacks and blouse, tossing them into the pile slowly accumulating on one side of my bedroom, and pulled on my comfy stretch pants and a bright pink tank top.

Oh, it was so tempting to collapse onto my side of the bed—avoiding the piles of fur where Franny slept on her side—and browse the internet or read until I fell asleep.

But that was one of the many reasons why I had Frances. Personal accountability. She got me out of the house every day, kept me walking and breathing fresh air.

“Okay girl, where’s your leash?”

The scramble of nails on the fake hardwood floors echoed down the hall as Franny dashed into the kitchen where she likely took position expectantly beneath the row of hooks for her leashes. I pushed feet into worn tennis shoes and picked up my phone. The update was complete, and I reopened my app, tapping past the screen welcoming me and advertising the new raids. The legendary cat Felesana would show up at local parks for me to battle with my friends! Yes, I got it. Show me where the closest one is. I brought up the augmented reality map, my character standing in the middle of the block my apartment complex resided on, and I tabbed over to the nearby raid window.

Franny let out a whine to remind me I hadn’t put on her leash yet, so I obliged her and giggled as her excitement ramped up from an eight to a twenty, all wagging tail and lolling tongue and shivering with eagerness.

“Honey, I’m so glad it’s this easy to make you happy.”

Heaven knew how hard it was to make people happy. “Where’s the product I ordered”—“Annabel, your surveys have come back less than perfect”—”I’m sorry, I can’t date a lesbian who used to date men”—

Yeah. I loved Franny. Dogs were woman’s best friend too. Not just man’s.

I grabbed my phone and my keys and gave Frances a pat.

“Looks like one of these big kitties is at the park three blocks away. Let’s go do our first legendary raid, girl.”

Purchase

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Meet the Author

Kelly Haworth grew up in San Francisco and has been reading science fiction and fantasy classics since she was a kid. She has way too active an imagination, thus she channels it into writing. Kelly is nonbinary and pansexual and loves to write LGBTQIA characters into her work. In fact, she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to write a non-queer couple again. Kelly has degrees in both genetics and psychology and works as a project manager at a genetics lab. When not working or writing, she can be found wrangling her two kids, painting, or curled up on the couch with a good TV show or book.

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Review: A Second Harvest (Men of Lancaster County #1) by Eli Easton

David Fisher has lived by the rules all his life. Born to a Mennonite family, he obeyed his father and took over the family farm, married, and had two children. Now with both his kids in college and his wife deceased, he runs his farm alone and without joy, counting off the days of a life half-lived.

Christie Landon, graphic designer, Manhattanite, and fierce gay party boy, needs a change. Now thirty, he figures it’s time to grow up and think about his future. When his best friend overdoses, Christie resolves to take a break from the city. He heads to a small house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to rest, recoup, and reflect.

But life in the country is boring despite glimpses of the hunky silver fox next door. When Christie’s creativity latches on to cooking, he decides to approach his widower neighbor with a plan to share meals and grocery expenses. David agrees, and soon the odd couple finds they really enjoy spending time together.

Christie challenges the boundaries of David’s closed world and brings out feelings he buried long ago. If he can break free of the past, he might find a second chance at happiness.

Eli Easton nails it, once again. I love everything she writes and when she has a new release, it's a no-brainer for me. I'll grab it, devour it and love it. Every. Time.

David is a widowed farmer who grew up in the Mennonite church. His kids are off doing their own thing, living their own lives. David keeps on keepin' on with the same old routine every day. He's a little lonely, but things change for him when his new neighbor, Christie, moves next door.

Christie is living in the city and is tired of it all. The bars, the parties, the meaningless sex... he's over it and wants a change. He decides to take a break from everything by moving to a small town in Pennsylvania.

So, after the "Hello, how do you do's" they set up a little arrangement with each other. No... not that kind of arrangement. Not yet, at least. Christie makes home cooked meals for them both and David helps out with the groceries. Simple enough. They both gotta eat, right? And why eat alone when you can have company? Gah! Their dinners couldn't have been cuter. What was even cuter-er was the fact that David was oblivious. He didn't know Christie was gay. He didn't know why he liked being around Christie so much. And he didn't know that they were practically dating every time they ate together. But, poor Christie. He knew. And had to hang around the sexy, oblivious man. I don't think it was too much of a hardship for him, though.

Everything about these two is adorable and endearing. They couldn't be more likable. Was I surprised? No. Because, Eli Easton. 

Things did progress and there was tension. Thick, amazing, they-need-to-have-sex-right-now tension. Good-NESS, Eli Easton can crank up the heat without so much as a kiss. There are some spectacular sex scenes. I mean, really, just... UNF.

I really loved Christie, but David was the star of this book for me. I loved how he went for what he wanted. He had some obstacles to overcome being from the Mennonite church. It wasn't easy for him, but he wouldn't give up on Christie and I simply adored that about him.

Yup. This was so, so good. I already can't wait for more from the series and more from Eli Easton. 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. 

Check it out at Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!