Miracle in the Library by Helena Stone
Summary:
Mitch & Cian #1
Seventeen-year-old Mitch McCann has been trying to dodge his bullies for eighteen months. He isn’t out, but that hasn’t stopped the popular gang at school from tormenting him for being gay. Three weeks before Christmas, in a desperate attempt to shake his pursuers, Mitch flees into the abandoned community hall, only to discover the building is far from empty; inside he finds a fully stocked library as well as Mr. Nichols, the very welcoming librarian.
Seventeen-year-old Mitch McCann has been trying to dodge his bullies for eighteen months. He isn’t out, but that hasn’t stopped the popular gang at school from tormenting him for being gay. Three weeks before Christmas, in a desperate attempt to shake his pursuers, Mitch flees into the abandoned community hall, only to discover the building is far from empty; inside he finds a fully stocked library as well as Mr. Nichols, the very welcoming librarian.
The library turns into Mitch’s refuge of choice, where he can read books that answer his endless questions, without fear of encountering abuse. His peace of mind is shattered when nineteen-year-old Cian Leavy enters his sanctuary. Cian is the boy who made Mitch realize he’s gay, and he’s more attractive now than he was eighteen months ago, when Mitch literally ran into him.
Will Cian unwittingly disrupt Mitch’s life again? Or has the scene been set for a miracle in the library?
Original Review March 2019:
I featured Miracle in the Library as part of my series of Random Tales of Christmas 2018 but was unable to read it before the holiday, how it missed my After Holiday Christmas Reads list is beyond me . . . too many Christmas cookies I guess😉😉. But as I often say, there is never a wrong time to read stories of the holidays so I may be a few months late according to the calendar but finally I jumped in.
Now, its no secret that I rarely read Young Adult, not that it is a bad genre I just probably could count on two hands the number of YA stories I've read since I was 16, I'll be 46 in October so that's 1 every 3 years on average. You can imagine that when I read one it sticks with me and Miracle is no different.
Miracle in the Library is a sweet and insightful holiday read that will entertain no matter when you pick it up. Heart, friendship, discovery, and with just a touch of holiday magic makes this short novella a must.
RATING:
Original Review January 2019:
Anyta Sunday is a new author for me which can be scary sometimes but it can also be exhilerating, that "is it or isn't it" moment can be a natural high that keeps my reading engines going. Well, if you are like me and are new to Anyta Sunday than Shrewd Angel is a perfect place to start. I'm not sure which part I liked better: the budding banter-filled slowish-burn romance between Pax and Clifford or the planning-filled friendship between Pax and Luca. They both had me smiling. A classic rom-com with just the right amount of drama and heat to spice up your holiday or any day of the year you pick Shrewd Angel up. Anyta Sunday is definitely going on my authors-to-watch list. A true reading delight from beginning to end.
The Christmas Angel series can be read in any order as the only connection is the angel ornament, however once again it is my personal opinion that Christmas Angel by Eli Easton should be read first as you learn the whys of her origins. Not that her beginning really has any bearing on each entry but I know I would have been a little distracted with wondering how she came to be and that would keep me from completely enjoying each story after.
RATING:
Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle by Penelope Peters
Summary:
Adam Bernard’s love-life is on ice.
Adam gave up his dreams of professional hockey when his mom died ten years ago; now his only focus is being the Jewish son his dad’s always wanted. Problem is, the pee-wee hockey team he coaches is in Boston for an international tourney the same week as Hanukkah. Now he’s stuck in a foreign city without so much as a candle. Enter Ben Daniels, the super-cute owner of the local kosher-style bakery. All Adam wants is a chance to celebrate the holiday away from home – but sweet and sexy Ben could light more than just Adam’s candles.
Ben Daniels’s love-life is on the back-burner.
Ben hasn’t stepped on the ice in three years. The official reason is that he’s too focused on making his kosher-style bakery a success. Problem is, he’s never kept kosher in his life, and internet searches only take you so far. Enter Adam Bernard, in town for one week only, with all the cultural touchstones anyone could want. All Ben wants is Adam’s Certified Jewish Opinion on his sufganiyot – but Adam could be the one to light Ben’s desire for ice again.
This Hanukkah, Adam and Ben find their miracles aren’t only on the ice.
Their fling was only meant to last for the holiday. But Adam’s about to get the chance to rewrite his history – and Ben’s dreams of business success are about to come true. Will they be so willing to extinguish their relationship in eight days – or will their Hanukkah miracle last for a lifetime?
Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle is a m/m romance featuring two sexy and sincere Jewish guys, match-making 12-year-old hockey players, and lots of yummy kosher donuts.
I featured Miracle in the Library as part of my series of Random Tales of Christmas 2018 but was unable to read it before the holiday, how it missed my After Holiday Christmas Reads list is beyond me . . . too many Christmas cookies I guess😉😉. But as I often say, there is never a wrong time to read stories of the holidays so I may be a few months late according to the calendar but finally I jumped in.
Now, its no secret that I rarely read Young Adult, not that it is a bad genre I just probably could count on two hands the number of YA stories I've read since I was 16, I'll be 46 in October so that's 1 every 3 years on average. You can imagine that when I read one it sticks with me and Miracle is no different.
Miracle in the Library is a sweet and insightful holiday read that will entertain no matter when you pick it up. Heart, friendship, discovery, and with just a touch of holiday magic makes this short novella a must.
RATING:
Shrewd Angel by Anyta Sunday
Summary:
The Christmas Angel #7
Pax Polo is the swashbuckling guitarist for Serenity Free.
Correction: Was the swashbuckling guitarist for Serenity Free.
Now he sports a black eye and his bros have kicked him out of their band—three weeks before Christmas. It’s an unfamiliar kick to his over-inflated ego, but . . . whatever.
No problem.
Thanks to some stellar eavesdropping, an unexpected angel ornament, and a bribe to open for his favorite band ever, Pax will weasel his way back into his mates’ good graces.
All he has to do is friend Clifford, the neighborhood man-shrew, for the summer. Distract him a bit so Clifford’s younger sister can sneak around.
It sounds like a piece of beginners Beethoven. Jolly good fun.
Easy.
Because, Pax totally knows how to friend people. He has heaps of friends. This shrew’s no match for his shrewd ways. Or is he?
The Christmas Angel #7
Pax Polo is the swashbuckling guitarist for Serenity Free.
Correction: Was the swashbuckling guitarist for Serenity Free.
Now he sports a black eye and his bros have kicked him out of their band—three weeks before Christmas. It’s an unfamiliar kick to his over-inflated ego, but . . . whatever.
No problem.
Thanks to some stellar eavesdropping, an unexpected angel ornament, and a bribe to open for his favorite band ever, Pax will weasel his way back into his mates’ good graces.
All he has to do is friend Clifford, the neighborhood man-shrew, for the summer. Distract him a bit so Clifford’s younger sister can sneak around.
It sounds like a piece of beginners Beethoven. Jolly good fun.
Easy.
Because, Pax totally knows how to friend people. He has heaps of friends. This shrew’s no match for his shrewd ways. Or is he?
Anyta Sunday is a new author for me which can be scary sometimes but it can also be exhilerating, that "is it or isn't it" moment can be a natural high that keeps my reading engines going. Well, if you are like me and are new to Anyta Sunday than Shrewd Angel is a perfect place to start. I'm not sure which part I liked better: the budding banter-filled slowish-burn romance between Pax and Clifford or the planning-filled friendship between Pax and Luca. They both had me smiling. A classic rom-com with just the right amount of drama and heat to spice up your holiday or any day of the year you pick Shrewd Angel up. Anyta Sunday is definitely going on my authors-to-watch list. A true reading delight from beginning to end.
The Christmas Angel series can be read in any order as the only connection is the angel ornament, however once again it is my personal opinion that Christmas Angel by Eli Easton should be read first as you learn the whys of her origins. Not that her beginning really has any bearing on each entry but I know I would have been a little distracted with wondering how she came to be and that would keep me from completely enjoying each story after.
RATING:
Summary:
Adam Bernard’s love-life is on ice.
Adam gave up his dreams of professional hockey when his mom died ten years ago; now his only focus is being the Jewish son his dad’s always wanted. Problem is, the pee-wee hockey team he coaches is in Boston for an international tourney the same week as Hanukkah. Now he’s stuck in a foreign city without so much as a candle. Enter Ben Daniels, the super-cute owner of the local kosher-style bakery. All Adam wants is a chance to celebrate the holiday away from home – but sweet and sexy Ben could light more than just Adam’s candles.
Ben Daniels’s love-life is on the back-burner.
Ben hasn’t stepped on the ice in three years. The official reason is that he’s too focused on making his kosher-style bakery a success. Problem is, he’s never kept kosher in his life, and internet searches only take you so far. Enter Adam Bernard, in town for one week only, with all the cultural touchstones anyone could want. All Ben wants is Adam’s Certified Jewish Opinion on his sufganiyot – but Adam could be the one to light Ben’s desire for ice again.
This Hanukkah, Adam and Ben find their miracles aren’t only on the ice.
Their fling was only meant to last for the holiday. But Adam’s about to get the chance to rewrite his history – and Ben’s dreams of business success are about to come true. Will they be so willing to extinguish their relationship in eight days – or will their Hanukkah miracle last for a lifetime?
Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle is a m/m romance featuring two sexy and sincere Jewish guys, match-making 12-year-old hockey players, and lots of yummy kosher donuts.
Summary:
The Executive Office #1.5
Before Ethan returns to DC…
Before he becomes Jack’s first gentleman…
Jack and Ethan share their first Christmas together.
Step back to Jack and Ethan’s first Christmas season and the tentative early months of their relationship under the world’s spotlight.
Three months into Ethan’s transfer-in-exile in Des Moines, Iowa, the pressures of dating Jack, the president of the United States, start to wear Ethan down. His weeks are measured by the days he works in Iowa, chasing counterfeiters and financial crimes, and the weekends he manages to steal with Jack back in DC. The media stalks his every move, he’s isolated by his coworkers, and loneliness hammers at his heart.
In DC, Jack tries to piece together a global alliance to take down the Caliphate, while the world seems focused on tearing apart his personal life. Hostility surrounds him from all corners of the globe, but a surprise offer from President Sergey Puchkov may pave the way for a tentative alliance…and perhaps the beginning of a friendship.
As Ethan finds himself in the middle of an investigation that rubs too deeply against his soul and Jack tries to balance leading the free world and keeping his and Ethan’s relationship going, the two men must face what their love has become…and where they are heading together.
Summary:
Accidental Roots #7.5
The holiday season can’t be over soon enough for John Hall. His ex-boyfriend emptied the bank accounts and ran off with his personal trainer months earlier leaving John unable to pay his creditors. Now he’s forced to close the independent movie theater he runs, a bad end to a bad year. Gay, single and closer to fifty than forty, John doesn’t see a lot of hope in his future. In the dark of night he wonders if staying afloat is worth the effort.
Chance Allsop made a promise to his dying mother he hopes he doesn’t regret. Ten months after her death he’s finally in Skagit Washington, visiting the old movie theater where his parents met and fell in love decades ago. The whole thing seems like a lark until he lays eyes on the handsome owner. With his mother’s spirit at his back Chance fully intends to win John Hall’s heart.
I'm ashamed to admit that I lost track of this series after River Home(book 5) so when it was brought to my attention that there were more entries in Accidental Roots, I gobbled them up. When a series I love has a Christmas story well it's as welcomed as finding one more package under the tree on Christmas morning😉. The NorthStar is a delightfully fun Christmas tale of finding love when you least expect it.
Chance is fulfilling his mother's dying wish to visit the place where she met and fell in love with his father, what he didn't expect was John, the owner on the verge of closing the theater for good. John didn't exactly expect a whirlwind like Chance either. You can't help but love these two and root for them, sure its pretty much a case of insta-love which I understand isn't for everyone but when its written right then it works and these two are definitely written right. Chance's determination to prove to John how important the theater is to everyone may seem like a holiday cliche and I suppose in a way it is but just because something is cliche doesn't mean it won't work or that its not true.
As I live in a small-ish town with a theater that's been around since 1927 and has just recently added a second small screen, I know how important it can be to a community. Some might go 20 minutes to the next city with the multiplex with 8 screens, there are just as many who want to stay and go to the 92+ year theater that probably hasn't seen much in the way of renovations for decades. The NorthStar is not only a lovely holiday read but an emotionally charged story that helps to remind us that "local", "tradition", and "same old, same old" are more than just words and phrases, for some they give hope and strength for tomorrow.
The NorthStar may be a lighter read than the previous entries in the series but it is definitely worthy of the Accidental Roots stamp. There may be no mystery or angsty drama in this holiday story but Chance and John certainly belong in Skagit, Washington. The NorthStar can be read as a standalone but I personally hate reading a series out of order so I recommend doing so but you won't be lost by any means if you haven't read the previous entries.
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Random Tales of Christmas 2019
Miracle in the Library by Helena Stone
Mitch didn’t recognize the smile on Cian’s face. It was soft and warm and inviting and….
“You are something else.” Cian reached out and lifted Mitch’s chin with the press of a few fingers. “Stop me if you don’t want this.”
Cian’s gaze mesmerized him. He glanced from the beautiful brown eyes to Cian’s mouth and back again. Stop him? Nothing was further from Mitch’s mind. He was lost in the moment and hoped he would never be found.
Mitch’s heart beat faster when Cian pressed his lips against his. The only people to have ever kissed him were family members. It didn’t compare. Lips should be lips should be lips, but there was a world of difference between Aunt Mary’s dry pecks and Cian’s lush caressing of Mitch’s mouth.
He wanted more. He wanted…a taste. With his heart rate increasing even further, he parted his lips slightly and pushed the tip of his tongue through until he encountered Cian’s mouth. Cian’s response was immediate. He wrapped a hand around the back of Mitch’s neck, holding him in a light yet possessive grip. At the same time he too parted his lips, and the next moment Mitch was lost.
Closing his eyes, Mitch didn’t actually see lights flashing, but he understood why people described the experience as such. He was transported to a version of life he hadn’t known existed, a world filled with sensations, feelings, and thoughts he didn’t recognize. The kiss sent tendrils of heat coursing through his veins. Mitch felt Cian’s heart beating against the palm of the hand he’d pressed against his solid chest. This was…. He didn’t have words for what it was. New, shocking, the best thing in the world, scary, delicious, more….
The urge to scream came over him for the second time when Cian pulled back, gave him one more peck on his lips, and stepped aside.
“Much as you taste like more, I think that’s probably enough for here and now.”
“Much as I hate to admit it,” Mitch grumbled, “I think you’re probably right.” He kicked the fence for good measure.
“Will I see you in the library tomorrow?” Cian asked.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Mitch said, cringing when he realized how childish that sounded.
“It’s a date.” Cian grinned before giving Mitch one more kiss and walking away.
Mitch didn’t move from his spot until Cian was out of sight. It’s a date. He had a date.
Mitch didn’t recognize the smile on Cian’s face. It was soft and warm and inviting and….
“You are something else.” Cian reached out and lifted Mitch’s chin with the press of a few fingers. “Stop me if you don’t want this.”
Cian’s gaze mesmerized him. He glanced from the beautiful brown eyes to Cian’s mouth and back again. Stop him? Nothing was further from Mitch’s mind. He was lost in the moment and hoped he would never be found.
Mitch’s heart beat faster when Cian pressed his lips against his. The only people to have ever kissed him were family members. It didn’t compare. Lips should be lips should be lips, but there was a world of difference between Aunt Mary’s dry pecks and Cian’s lush caressing of Mitch’s mouth.
He wanted more. He wanted…a taste. With his heart rate increasing even further, he parted his lips slightly and pushed the tip of his tongue through until he encountered Cian’s mouth. Cian’s response was immediate. He wrapped a hand around the back of Mitch’s neck, holding him in a light yet possessive grip. At the same time he too parted his lips, and the next moment Mitch was lost.
Closing his eyes, Mitch didn’t actually see lights flashing, but he understood why people described the experience as such. He was transported to a version of life he hadn’t known existed, a world filled with sensations, feelings, and thoughts he didn’t recognize. The kiss sent tendrils of heat coursing through his veins. Mitch felt Cian’s heart beating against the palm of the hand he’d pressed against his solid chest. This was…. He didn’t have words for what it was. New, shocking, the best thing in the world, scary, delicious, more….
The urge to scream came over him for the second time when Cian pulled back, gave him one more peck on his lips, and stepped aside.
“Much as you taste like more, I think that’s probably enough for here and now.”
“Much as I hate to admit it,” Mitch grumbled, “I think you’re probably right.” He kicked the fence for good measure.
“Will I see you in the library tomorrow?” Cian asked.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Mitch said, cringing when he realized how childish that sounded.
“It’s a date.” Cian grinned before giving Mitch one more kiss and walking away.
Mitch didn’t move from his spot until Cian was out of sight. It’s a date. He had a date.
Helena StoneHelena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.
The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.
Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.
A bit about me: I'm a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.
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Penelope Peters
Penelope Peters wrote her first story at the age of nine, based on a dream she couldn’t shake. This is probably why most of her romances usually include the weird and whimsical. Penelope has been happily married to her college sweetheart for nearly two decades, which is probably why her romances are practically guaranteed happy endings. Armed with her two kids, the cat, and her somewhat-trusty laptop, Pen’s traveled to more countries than you can count on two hands. (She’s very close to filling up that third.) Currently Penelope lives in Country of Residence #4, where she is surrounded by sand, surf, and her collection of unfinished counted cross-stitch kits.
Tal Bauer
Tal Bauer is an award-winning and best-selling author of LGBT romantic thrillers. He is happily married and lives with his husband in Texas. Tal is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
Elle Keaton
Thanks for stopping by, I’m Elle Keaton and I hail from the northwest corner of the US where we are known for rain, rain and more rain. I write the Accidental Roots series, set here in the Pacific Northwest featuring hot mm romance and the guarantee of a happy ending for my men. They start out broken, and maybe they end up that way too, but they always find the other half of their hearts.
I started writing way back when but only began publishing about two and a half years ago and now have nine books out. Each features a couple in my little universe, sometimes there is added mystery and suspense.
Thank you for supporting this Indie Author,
Elle
Find me, follow me, friend me.
Tal Bauer is an award-winning and best-selling author of LGBT romantic thrillers. He is happily married and lives with his husband in Texas. Tal is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
Thanks for stopping by, I’m Elle Keaton and I hail from the northwest corner of the US where we are known for rain, rain and more rain. I write the Accidental Roots series, set here in the Pacific Northwest featuring hot mm romance and the guarantee of a happy ending for my men. They start out broken, and maybe they end up that way too, but they always find the other half of their hearts.
I started writing way back when but only began publishing about two and a half years ago and now have nine books out. Each features a couple in my little universe, sometimes there is added mystery and suspense.
Thank you for supporting this Indie Author,
Elle
Find me, follow me, friend me.
Helena Stone
GOOGLE PLAY / KOBO / MeWe / iTUNES
EMAIL: helenastoneauthor@gmail.com
Anyta Sunday
EMAIL: anytasunday@gmail.com
Penelope Peters
Tal Bauer
Elle Keaton
Miracle in the Library by Helena Stone
Shrewd Angel by Anyta Sunday
Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle by Penelope Peters
KOBO / iTUNES / BOOKS2READ
Interlude: The First Noel by Tal Bauer
