Summary:
Will Oliver get the gift he’s hoping for this Christmas?
Oliver Walker’s Christmas is shaping up to be a quiet one. That is until hunky neighbour Ed Middleton moves in next door.
Attraction is instant, but Ed is only there temporarily and neither wants to start something with an expiration date.
As the festive season approaches, holiday cheer wraps around them, and giving in to temptation is inevitable. But Ed is still set on moving in the new year—a fresh start, miles away from those he’s closest to.
If Oliver doesn’t want to lose his heart, he’ll have to show Ed that home is wherever he wants it to be, and love is possible no matter what.
Some authors have a special knack for holiday romances and Annabelle Jacobs is one of them. There's just something about her stories that never fail to entertain, warm the heart, and leave you completely fulfilled. Sometimes we have to search far and wide to find what we're looking for(and sometimes what we aren't looking for) and then again there are times when it's right in front of us, or next to us😉.
No Place Like Home is about friends, family, neighbors, romance, heat, humor, drama, but mostly it is filled to the brim with heart. You will smile, laugh, I can't say you will cry but you will definitely have moments of "Awww". I feel like I've written the phrase "feel good story" so many times this holiday reading season and for some people they can only take so many "Hallmark-y" tales but I can't get enough of them, especially when they are as brilliant and heartwarming as No Place Like Home. Annabelle Jacobs has once again earned her place on my #holidaymustreads shelf.
RATING:
Summary:
Home for the Holidays #2
A cute teacher gets a spanking this Christmas. How hot can it get being on his former student’s Naughty List?
Is Aaron allowed to want a hot holiday fling with his young former student? Even more forbidden, is he allowed to want this student to spank him?
It’s another Christmas, and Aaron is still in the closet as a gay man and a natural submissive. With one youthful indiscretion blacking his ethics record, he can’t afford to indulge his desires no matter how pent up and needy that leaves him.
Until his former student comes home for the holidays.
Dominant and charming, RJ knows what Aaron needs—intense, steamy encounters and a firm hand. As Christmas nears, RJ helps Aaron unlock his true self. But family and fallout await, and all good things must end.
Or can their hot holiday affair turn them into lasting lovers?
Mr. Naughty List is a steamy, Christmas MM romance set in the Home for the Holidays series that began with Mr. Frosty Pants, but can be read as a standalone. Featuring light D/s, spanking, an older sub with a younger Dom, former student/teacher dynamics, and, of course, warm, sweet holiday feels complete with a strong happy ending.
Summary:
Hiring a boyfriend for Christmas; what could possibly go wrong?
Derek is facing yet another Christmas where his life feels out of control. He has a new career that doesn’t feel like his, and parents who would just love to see him settled down. All he needs is a temporary buffer for the parties he has to attend, and for his parents to leave him alone. Enter, Luke.
Luke is twenty-thousand dollars short for the renovations on Halligans; his family’s bar in New York’s Financial District. A favor for a buddy has him agreeing to play the part of boyfriend to a guy with more money than sense.
But when the spirit of Christmas works its magic on the two men, and they begin to fall for each other, Derek runs scared, and Luke needs space.
It doesn’t matter what obstacles you throw in the way of love, or how much you run in the other direction, because, when you’re least expecting it, whether you want it or not, love happens anyway.
I really don't think there is anything I can add to either my original ebook review or last year's audiobook review. I may have listened to this a few months before the holidays but with RJ Scott's words and Sean Crisden's voice, I kept expecting to look up and see snow and my holiday light display outside my window. Brilliant holiday tale from beginning to end.
Audiobook Review December 2018:
There's not a whole lot that I can add to my original review from last year in regards to the excellence of the story so I'll just say that Sean Crisden once again brings voice as only he can to RJ's words. That's not quite true, no, he brings life to the world RJ Scott has created in her holiday tale. RJ wrote Derek and Luke as if they were people you would meet at the store in your hometown but Sean's voice lets you feel like they are right there in the room with you. That you are witnessing firsthand their blossoming romance which is helpful because as I said last year there was more than one occasion that I wanted to whack Derek upside the head and Sean made me feel like if I just stretched out my arm I could do just that😉😉. RJ and Sean are a combo that I hope continues for years to come.
Original ebook Review December 2017:
As Derek continues to settle into life at the top and head of the family business he also finds himself trying to fend off his mother's meddling in his personal life. In hopes of easing her off the "Derek settled down" train he's told her about Marcus, the boyfriend. Unfortunately there is no boyfriend. Luke is in need of some cash to help his family restaurant so when his friend offers him a chance to make a few bucks for the holiday season he really doesn't have the choice to turn it down. Will Luke make the perfect Marcus or will Derek find Luke to perfect just as he is? Can business turn to love?
If you follow my blog and/or reviews then you are familiar with my love for the worlds created by RJ Scott. She is the reason I found the M/M romance genre but its more than that, her love for all things romance is clear when you read her work. As for her holiday romances, well there is just something extra special about them and Love Happens Anyway is no different.
Derek and Luke's story has a little bit of everything, okay maybe there's no sci-fi element and no murder mystery but it has everything else: lust, romance, humor, and plenty of holiday heart. Sure, I wanted to grab Derek by his expensive lapels, give him a good shake, and scream things like "Tell your mom the truth", "Open your eyes", and "Luke Is Marcus" but alas, Derek never listened to me. So I just buckled up and went along for the ride. I'll just say this: despite wanting to whack Derek upside the head more than once, I loved every minute of Love Happens Anyway. As for Luke, well you can't help but love him for the way he's accepted what life has thrown in his path and kept going, not everyone would but he did.
I don't have a lot of time to do any re-reading during the holiday season, there's just so many wonderful new stories every year, so I think I'm going to have to do a Re-Read Holiday Style next summer and Love Happens Anyway will definitely be in the running for that list. I have read so many wonderful tales over the past few years that I have long ago learned to never judge a book by its cover but I would be failing in my review if I didn't mention how much I absolutely adore RJ's cover for Derek and Luke's journey. The color is eye-catching but its the snowman's cheeky smirk that really makes it perfect and once you read Love you will understand it's significance. Most of all, I think it speaks volumes to the author's understanding and appreciation for meshing romance, drama, holiday spirit and just the right amount of humor to bring to the reader that extra special fun factor.
RATING:
Summary:
A SIX BOOK BUNDLE of RILEY KNIGHT’S most heartwarming previously-published holiday classics, all for one low price!
The Complete Christmas Collection contains:
Snow Angels
Billy and James both work more than they do anything else. Billy is a firefighter, James a paramedic, and both of them have dangerous, stressful jobs that leave little time for anything else, such as romance or even dating.
Then Polly, an adorable little black and white kitten that they rescue, comes into their lives and changes everything. James has always thought he was straight, but soon, he has reason to question that, and everything else, when he realizes that he's falling for his best friend.
Winter Wedding in Wyoming
A decade ago, Jason ruined everything with his best friend when he kissed him impulsively. The only logical thing to do at that point was to run away from his homophobic family and neighbors, not to mention his mistake, and build a new life for himself in a whole new state.
Another mistake brings him back to Wyoming, back to Lance, the best friend that he’d freaked out all of those years ago. Even after all of the time that has passed, he only trusts one man on the planet enough to ask to marry him. And that’s exactly what he needs to do, if he wants any chance at keeping his exciting new life.
Mistletoe Marriage
When David was a teaching assistant, he met Jonathan, a beautiful young student. The two became close friends, but the romance budding between them was forbidden and impossible. After the death of David’s wife, the older man is left a single father, longing for his best friend. It isn’t until Jonathan gets divorced that they have their chance.
When David invites Jonathan and his son to live with him in the aftermath of the divorce, both men begin to wonder if the spark that was once there between them still exists. As the holidays approach, will the opportunity for love rise once more?
Holiday Engagement
Jake Marshal is just a DJ - he never expected to be famous. After a widely publicized relationship with a high-profile pop star ends disastrously, Jake just wants to put the incident behind him. A year later, her betrayed fans are still threatening his well being, her revenge song is still on the radio, and his manager thinks he needs a bodyguard to get him through Christmas. Jake hates Christmas, but his attraction to his bodyguard is nearly instant.
When bodyguard Xavier Stone gets a job protecting Jake, he has no idea how much he has his work cut out for him. At least, he figures, the tour of Christmas events that Jake’s manager has planned will keep them in high spirits. Xavier loves Christmas, and spends each year eagerly counting down from December 1st. He quickly discovers that Jake is a scrooge, still stuck on his break up.
Small Town Christmas
Andy is a small town Sheriff with a secret. For years he’s been in the closet, hiding the truth about who he really is--and this year, it’s even more important that he keep his secret hidden. His position as Sheriff is up for grabs.
Jeffrey Smith is a big city businessman, and he’s only in town to secure an investment. When his luck takes a turn, he finds himself falling for the last person he should--the town’s Sheriff himself.
Country Christmas
Edward Kirby is a big-city surgeon who’s worked himself toward an early grave.
Summary:
Christmas on Catalina Island--it's just what the doctor ordered.
Injured in the line of duty, FBI Special Agent Shane Donovan is longing for a few days of peace and quiet. Some nice meals, a couple of good books, and maybe a bottle of the best. No family, no friends, no Fa la la la la...just a little time on his own to think things through.
But an offshore storm, a geriatric treasure hunter, and the guy who dumped him without a word two years earlier are about to unwrap all Shane's carefully laid holiday plans.
I called A Case of Christmas a romantic comedy the first time around 4 years ago and after listening to Derrick McClain's narration, I would reinforce that statement. Shane and his Not-Norton is clever and fun in a I-want-to-whack-their-heads-together kind of way. Rom-com with little Lanyon tweaks here and there to make this holiday gem enjoyable anytime of the year.
Original Review December 2015:
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a Lanyon read. Sometimes timing is everything and will Shane and his Not-Norton get it right the second time around? A great little romantic comedy for your holiday library.
RATING:
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Random Tales of Christmas 2019
Love Happens Anyway by RJ Scott
I knew Marcus was six-two, just a little taller than me. I knew he had blue eyes, and dark hair with red tones in certain light. He had a brother, but they didn’t see each other much, being that his brother was in the Navy. His parents were retired in Florida, but they’d had Marcus and his brother Adam late in life. Marcus was twenty-nine, same as me with only a few months separating our birthdays, and he was a firefighter. Oh, and he was a good, kind man who was thoughtful all the time and treated me like a prince.
“That’s such a shame. Anyway, how are Marcus’ kittens?” Mom asked. I pulled myself back to what she was saying. It was never good to not pay full attention to anything Mom said, otherwise you’d end up agreeing to all kinds of things she’d throw at you when your defenses are down. I loved her dearly but she was sneaky like that.
Which is how I got myself into this mess with Marcus in the first place.
“They’re fine.”
“Did he find good homes for them?”
“Absolutely, the last of them went to a widowed grandmother in his apartment block.”
“Socks? The dark one?”
I glanced at my notes. “No, you remember Socks went to his uncle; Spider went to the old lady.”
“Oh yes, of course, although why someone would name a kitten Spider I don’t know.”
“There were spiders in the house where Marcus found the kittens.”
“I still don’t understand how there could be spiders in a burned-out house.”
Shit. “Spiders are hardy.”
“You said the house was razed to the ground, dear.”
Now I was losing the will to live. “Well, maybe the spider was outside. Mom, I need to go, Moira is at the door and she needs me to sign off on the new AbbaLister raisins account.”
“Of course dear, just, please tell Marcus he is welcome at any time. We so want to meet him and thought it’d be better at the house.”
“I will, I know he’s keen to meet you.”
“Oh good,” she said, and I knew I’d fucked up and somehow given her an opening. I’d never mentioned once that Marcus wanted to meet them, because that would just give them the impetus to take matters into their own hands. My worst fears were confirmed. “Oh, I’ve had the most wonderful idea.”
Oh God, what?
“Your dad and I are coming into the city on Monday; book us dinner on any night, or lunch, breakfast, anything. I want to meet this young man of yours and if it has to be in a restaurant then so be it.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Derek, he can’t be busy every night next week, and every lunchtime, goodness me, we’ll even take a quick coffee if that is all he can manage.”
Shit. Shit. And double shit.
“I’ll see what I can organize.” I kept my tone regretful, to at least give the impression I would try to organize them meeting Marcus, but that it would be unlikely.
We finished the call, and I replaced the handset in the cradle, fighting the urge to throw it against the wall, sit and cry at my desk, or maybe, less drastically, move to Montana and become a cowboy.
So many lies.
There was no Moira standing at my door. It was still closed and I’d lied to my mom.
There were no kittens, I made those up, and the spider story. The word spider came about because when I’d been talking to my mom about Marcus and the kittens, a tiny spider had crawled over my notes.
I closed the notebook in which I had the names of five kittens with their various characteristics listed.
Mom wanted to meet Marcus, any night, any lunch, anytime.
Which sucked big hairy balls.
Because that was another thing I had made up.
There was no Marcus either.
A Case of Christmas by Josh Lanyon
The rain had stopped as he staggered down Crescent Avenue, past the shop windows decorated with garlands and red bows, then up Clarissa Avenue, past the quaint little cottages trimmed with Christmas lights, wreaths on every other door—For Rent signs in the windows of the rest. He was trying to decide if the wet soaking his T-shirt was perspiration or blood—and not caring much either way so long as he could die on his own living room floor—when he noticed the vacationer from across the street was now outside, balancing on a ladder in fact, as he strung red lights along the edge of the cottage roof.
That seemed pretty industrious for a holiday renter, but some people took their Christmas very seriously.
Not Shane. Which was to say, he liked the holidays fine, liked his family, and generally liked spending time with them over coma-inducing feasts, liked presents—even occasionally liked shopping for them—but he couldn’t think of the last time he’d actually purchased a Christmas tree (not counting the potted plant currently squashed under his arm) or mailed a Christmas card. Most years he was too busy to remember to even open the ones he received.
The guy on the ladder was clean-shaven and had brown hair, neatly cut. He was tall and muscular—a trim, powerful body—in faded jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. Shane was in physical distress, but he’d have to be dead not to notice a body that nice. He stopped panting like someone practicing his obscene phone call routine and tried to straighten up beneath his load of holiday goodies.
The man on the ladder glanced around, spotted Shane, did a double-take, and nearly fell.
“Whoa,” Shane called. “Need a hand?” He hoped the answer was no, because attractive though this guy was, Shane needed to lie down very soon. His side really did hurt like hell, and he realized that between dragging his suitcase from the dock and hauling groceries from the market, he probably had overdone it. If he thought his family was nagging him now, it would be nothing to the symphony of shame he’d be subjected to if he landed back in the hospital.
“Uh, no,” the guy in the black and blue flannel shirt said. “No thanks.” He wasn’t looking at Shane, and his voice sounded muffled, strange…
Strange but familiar.
Shane went down the little walk to his cottage door, fumbled the door open, and dropped his groceries on the sofa. His hands were shaking.
“You’re crazy,” he muttered to himself.
After two years he couldn’t possibly remember what Norton’s voice had sounded like.
His heart was pounding so hard he felt sick.
“He doesn’t even look the same,” he protested, but he went over to the window, twitched the blinds wide open, and stared out.
From across the road, the man on the ladder was staring at Shane’s cottage.
He didn’t look like Norton. The hair was wrong. Norton’s hair had been a wild yellow bush. The build was… Norton had always worn baggy, loose clothing…clogs, earrings, beads…but he had been tall and well-built. Like the guy across the street. His face…
It bothered Shane that he had difficulty remembering Norton’s face. Especially since he was trained to remember facial types. But whenever he tried to recall Norton’s features, his memories were troublingly vague. Norton had looked like a lot of people. He had been attractive, but nothing in his attractiveness had really stuck out. He’d had a nice grin, and he’d made a lot of faces when he was joking around. Expressive. That was it. His eyes had been alert, his demeanor lively. His features had an almost malleable quality to them.
The guy staring at Shane’s cottage—in fact, he was probably watching Shane watch him—was still and unsmiling. Secretive? Or was Shane projecting? But yeah, had Norton ever had an alarmed or disbelieving moment, that was likely the expression—or lack of expression—he’d have worn.
Shane left the window and went outside. The man on the ladder observed him cross the road. There was no traffic. No golf carts. No pedestrians. Nobody out this misty, gray morning but Shane and…whoever this guy was.
Shane came to a stop on the narrow sidewalk outside the white picket fence surrounding Norton’s cottage. “Well,” he said. “This is a surprise.”
“Yeah?” the man on the ladder said defensively. “Is it?”
Yep, the voice was definitely Norton’s.
“You looked pretty surprised to me a minute ago. What are you doing here?”
“I live here.”
“No, you don’t.”
The blue eyes—how had he forgotten Norton’s eyes were a cold, clear blue?—hardened. “Not all year, I don’t. In the spring and summer I rent the cottage out.”
Shane heard it, but it didn’t really register. He was busy with his own thoughts, struggling to contain the volcano of feelings threatening to erupt out of him. He felt…peculiar. Emotional. He was confused and angry, and he wasn’t exactly sure why. Normally he was controlled and rational. He liked that about himself. He believed it was what made him a good agent. A civilized man. A grown-up. But he did not feel controlled right now. He felt…like his head was about to explode. Like red-hot rocks were going to crack the roof of his skull and go flying, shattering nearby windows perhaps.
He said, “It is you, right? Norton?”
If it wasn’t Norton, it was his twin. Or his doppelgänger.
The man in front of him didn’t answer, seemed to be considering what he should say, and for some reason that made Shane all the angrier.
“I mean, I already know Norton isn’t your actual name. That much, I figured out a long time ago. It would be nice to know the rest of it.”
Nice wasn’t exactly the word.
Norton’s—no, not-Norton’s eyes narrowed. “What is it you think you figured out?”
“You’re some kind of investigator. You were hired by the family or by the Bureau. I’m guessing the family. The Fallons. To investigate me.”
“That’s right,” not-Norton said. “I worked for Metropolitan Mutual. The Fallons’ insurance company. And, as you know, I cleared you of all suspicion of wrongdoing, and you got your job back. So…you’re welcome.”
“W-w-welcome!” stuttered Shane. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me?”
Not-Norton frowned. “What would you like me to say to you?”
I knew Marcus was six-two, just a little taller than me. I knew he had blue eyes, and dark hair with red tones in certain light. He had a brother, but they didn’t see each other much, being that his brother was in the Navy. His parents were retired in Florida, but they’d had Marcus and his brother Adam late in life. Marcus was twenty-nine, same as me with only a few months separating our birthdays, and he was a firefighter. Oh, and he was a good, kind man who was thoughtful all the time and treated me like a prince.
“That’s such a shame. Anyway, how are Marcus’ kittens?” Mom asked. I pulled myself back to what she was saying. It was never good to not pay full attention to anything Mom said, otherwise you’d end up agreeing to all kinds of things she’d throw at you when your defenses are down. I loved her dearly but she was sneaky like that.
“They’re fine.”
“Did he find good homes for them?”
“Absolutely, the last of them went to a widowed grandmother in his apartment block.”
“Socks? The dark one?”
I glanced at my notes. “No, you remember Socks went to his uncle; Spider went to the old lady.”
“Oh yes, of course, although why someone would name a kitten Spider I don’t know.”
“There were spiders in the house where Marcus found the kittens.”
“I still don’t understand how there could be spiders in a burned-out house.”
Shit. “Spiders are hardy.”
“You said the house was razed to the ground, dear.”
Now I was losing the will to live. “Well, maybe the spider was outside. Mom, I need to go, Moira is at the door and she needs me to sign off on the new AbbaLister raisins account.”
“Of course dear, just, please tell Marcus he is welcome at any time. We so want to meet him and thought it’d be better at the house.”
“I will, I know he’s keen to meet you.”
“Oh good,” she said, and I knew I’d fucked up and somehow given her an opening. I’d never mentioned once that Marcus wanted to meet them, because that would just give them the impetus to take matters into their own hands. My worst fears were confirmed. “Oh, I’ve had the most wonderful idea.”
Oh God, what?
“Your dad and I are coming into the city on Monday; book us dinner on any night, or lunch, breakfast, anything. I want to meet this young man of yours and if it has to be in a restaurant then so be it.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Derek, he can’t be busy every night next week, and every lunchtime, goodness me, we’ll even take a quick coffee if that is all he can manage.”
Shit. Shit. And double shit.
“I’ll see what I can organize.” I kept my tone regretful, to at least give the impression I would try to organize them meeting Marcus, but that it would be unlikely.
We finished the call, and I replaced the handset in the cradle, fighting the urge to throw it against the wall, sit and cry at my desk, or maybe, less drastically, move to Montana and become a cowboy.
So many lies.
There was no Moira standing at my door. It was still closed and I’d lied to my mom.
There were no kittens, I made those up, and the spider story. The word spider came about because when I’d been talking to my mom about Marcus and the kittens, a tiny spider had crawled over my notes.
I closed the notebook in which I had the names of five kittens with their various characteristics listed.
Mom wanted to meet Marcus, any night, any lunch, anytime.
Which sucked big hairy balls.
Because that was another thing I had made up.
There was no Marcus either.
A Case of Christmas by Josh Lanyon
The rain had stopped as he staggered down Crescent Avenue, past the shop windows decorated with garlands and red bows, then up Clarissa Avenue, past the quaint little cottages trimmed with Christmas lights, wreaths on every other door—For Rent signs in the windows of the rest. He was trying to decide if the wet soaking his T-shirt was perspiration or blood—and not caring much either way so long as he could die on his own living room floor—when he noticed the vacationer from across the street was now outside, balancing on a ladder in fact, as he strung red lights along the edge of the cottage roof.
That seemed pretty industrious for a holiday renter, but some people took their Christmas very seriously.
Not Shane. Which was to say, he liked the holidays fine, liked his family, and generally liked spending time with them over coma-inducing feasts, liked presents—even occasionally liked shopping for them—but he couldn’t think of the last time he’d actually purchased a Christmas tree (not counting the potted plant currently squashed under his arm) or mailed a Christmas card. Most years he was too busy to remember to even open the ones he received.
The guy on the ladder was clean-shaven and had brown hair, neatly cut. He was tall and muscular—a trim, powerful body—in faded jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. Shane was in physical distress, but he’d have to be dead not to notice a body that nice. He stopped panting like someone practicing his obscene phone call routine and tried to straighten up beneath his load of holiday goodies.
The man on the ladder glanced around, spotted Shane, did a double-take, and nearly fell.
“Whoa,” Shane called. “Need a hand?” He hoped the answer was no, because attractive though this guy was, Shane needed to lie down very soon. His side really did hurt like hell, and he realized that between dragging his suitcase from the dock and hauling groceries from the market, he probably had overdone it. If he thought his family was nagging him now, it would be nothing to the symphony of shame he’d be subjected to if he landed back in the hospital.
“Uh, no,” the guy in the black and blue flannel shirt said. “No thanks.” He wasn’t looking at Shane, and his voice sounded muffled, strange…
Strange but familiar.
Shane went down the little walk to his cottage door, fumbled the door open, and dropped his groceries on the sofa. His hands were shaking.
“You’re crazy,” he muttered to himself.
After two years he couldn’t possibly remember what Norton’s voice had sounded like.
His heart was pounding so hard he felt sick.
“He doesn’t even look the same,” he protested, but he went over to the window, twitched the blinds wide open, and stared out.
From across the road, the man on the ladder was staring at Shane’s cottage.
He didn’t look like Norton. The hair was wrong. Norton’s hair had been a wild yellow bush. The build was… Norton had always worn baggy, loose clothing…clogs, earrings, beads…but he had been tall and well-built. Like the guy across the street. His face…
It bothered Shane that he had difficulty remembering Norton’s face. Especially since he was trained to remember facial types. But whenever he tried to recall Norton’s features, his memories were troublingly vague. Norton had looked like a lot of people. He had been attractive, but nothing in his attractiveness had really stuck out. He’d had a nice grin, and he’d made a lot of faces when he was joking around. Expressive. That was it. His eyes had been alert, his demeanor lively. His features had an almost malleable quality to them.
The guy staring at Shane’s cottage—in fact, he was probably watching Shane watch him—was still and unsmiling. Secretive? Or was Shane projecting? But yeah, had Norton ever had an alarmed or disbelieving moment, that was likely the expression—or lack of expression—he’d have worn.
Shane left the window and went outside. The man on the ladder observed him cross the road. There was no traffic. No golf carts. No pedestrians. Nobody out this misty, gray morning but Shane and…whoever this guy was.
Shane came to a stop on the narrow sidewalk outside the white picket fence surrounding Norton’s cottage. “Well,” he said. “This is a surprise.”
“Yeah?” the man on the ladder said defensively. “Is it?”
Yep, the voice was definitely Norton’s.
“You looked pretty surprised to me a minute ago. What are you doing here?”
“I live here.”
“No, you don’t.”
The blue eyes—how had he forgotten Norton’s eyes were a cold, clear blue?—hardened. “Not all year, I don’t. In the spring and summer I rent the cottage out.”
Shane heard it, but it didn’t really register. He was busy with his own thoughts, struggling to contain the volcano of feelings threatening to erupt out of him. He felt…peculiar. Emotional. He was confused and angry, and he wasn’t exactly sure why. Normally he was controlled and rational. He liked that about himself. He believed it was what made him a good agent. A civilized man. A grown-up. But he did not feel controlled right now. He felt…like his head was about to explode. Like red-hot rocks were going to crack the roof of his skull and go flying, shattering nearby windows perhaps.
He said, “It is you, right? Norton?”
If it wasn’t Norton, it was his twin. Or his doppelgänger.
The man in front of him didn’t answer, seemed to be considering what he should say, and for some reason that made Shane all the angrier.
“I mean, I already know Norton isn’t your actual name. That much, I figured out a long time ago. It would be nice to know the rest of it.”
Nice wasn’t exactly the word.
Norton’s—no, not-Norton’s eyes narrowed. “What is it you think you figured out?”
“You’re some kind of investigator. You were hired by the family or by the Bureau. I’m guessing the family. The Fallons. To investigate me.”
“That’s right,” not-Norton said. “I worked for Metropolitan Mutual. The Fallons’ insurance company. And, as you know, I cleared you of all suspicion of wrongdoing, and you got your job back. So…you’re welcome.”
“W-w-welcome!” stuttered Shane. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me?”
Not-Norton frowned. “What would you like me to say to you?”
Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They're usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.
USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.
RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.
The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.
She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below.
Riley Knight is an avid reader and has always had a soft spot for gay romances. What could be better than a sweet story between two beautiful men who need each other? It only seemed logical for Riley to write these steamy, emotional romances, focusing on an emotional and happy ending.
When not reading or writing, Riley can be found wandering the landscape and loves to go for long walks and observe all sorts of people and situations.
Bestselling author of over sixty titles of classic Male/Male fiction featuring twisty mystery, kickass adventure and unapologetic man-on-man romance, JOSH LANYON has been called "the Agatha Christie of gay mystery."
Her work has been translated into eleven languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first male/male title to be published by Harlequin Mondadori, the largest romance publisher in Italy. Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan's annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list).
The Adrien English Series was awarded All Time Favorite Male Male Couple in the 2nd Annual contest held by the Goodreads M/M Group (which has over 22,000 members). Josh is an Eppie Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist for Gay Mystery, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads Favorite M/M Author Lifetime Achievement award.
Josh is married and they live in Southern California.Her work has been translated into eleven languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first male/male title to be published by Harlequin Mondadori, the largest romance publisher in Italy. Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan's annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list).
The Adrien English Series was awarded All Time Favorite Male Male Couple in the 2nd Annual contest held by the Goodreads M/M Group (which has over 22,000 members). Josh is an Eppie Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist for Gay Mystery, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads Favorite M/M Author Lifetime Achievement award.
Annabelle Jacobs
EMAIL: ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
Leta Blake
EMAIL: leta.blake.author@gmail.com
RJ Scott
BOOKBUB / KOBO / SMASHWORDS
EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Sean Crisden(Narrator)
EMAIL: crisden@seancrisden.com
Riley Knight
Derrick McClain(Narrator)
No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs
Mr. Naughty List by Leta Blake
Complete Christmas Collection by Riley Knight
A Case of Christmas by Josh Lanyon
