Monday, December 16, 2019

Monday Morning's Menu: Sweet Anticipation by Andrew Grey


Summary:
Greg Hansen’s pregnant sister is on bed rest, so it falls to Greg to finalize the arrangements for her best friend’s bachelorette party. Little does he know he’s in for a sweet surprise. When he arrives at the bakery recommended to him, he comes face to face with the man he never should’ve let get away—Rhys Denning.

Rhys’s business is booming with the holidays approaching, so he can’t agree to cater the party without help—and that means Greg getting his hands dirty in the kitchen, where the two reconnect over sugar, spice, holiday goodies of all kinds, and even some penis-shaped baguettes! But the most satisfying treat might be the second chance they never thought they’d get.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2019 Advent Calendar "Homemade for the Holidays."


A brother having to follow through and put together a bachelorette party organized by his very pregnant sister.  What could possibly go wrong?πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰  Okay, maybe things don't go wrong as such but it places Greg in an awkward position that he didn't ask for but this is his sister so he jumps into the fray and soldiers on.  Sweet Anticipation is a second chance story that puts Greg and his ex, Rhys, in a close working situation, will they reconnect or is it just a friendly atmosphere until the preparation is complete?  You gotta read this one for yourself to find those answers but it is a Christmas novella so I think you can guess where Greg and Rhys will end up but getting there is where the fun and magic of the story exists.

Andrew Grey's 2019 holiday ditty will get you in the holiday spirit.  Old lovers, family, favors, Christmas goodies, and penis-shaped baguettes(you read that right, penis-shaped baguettes) make Sweet Anticipation a fun filled holiday gem that will put a smile on your face and a laugh in your heart.  Definitely a win-win all around.

RATING:


GREGORY HANSEN let himself into his sister’s house, closed the door behind him, and headed right up the wide, imposing stairs. The brand-new house more closely resembled a hotel lobby than a home, but he kept that to himself because Annalise would take his head off if he said anything. Under normal circumstances, she could be trying when she wanted to be. But lately, as she wound toward the end of her third pregnancy… well, Gregory wanted to get out of the house with his balls intact, thank you very much.

“Is that you, Greggy?” she called from her room. No one else ever called him that, and he corrected the rest of the planet when they heard her use that nickname. He let her get away with it out of simple love and gratitude. After their parents had died in a plane crash when he was fifteen, she had raised him and seen to it that he had the best life she could give him. Annalise sent him to college, using the last of their parents’ life insurance to pay the tuition, all four years of it. There was no grumbling that he was getting her share. She did it because, while she might be gruff, she had the biggest heart of anyone Gregory knew. It was just that few people outside the family ever got to see it.

“I’m here,” Gregory said when he reached the top of the stairs, not wanting to yell. “I came over as soon as I got out of work.” He reached the bedroom door and gasped.

Author Bio:
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and now writes full time.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.


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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Week at a Glance: 12/9/19 - 12/15/19


























Sunday's Short Stack: Let is Sew by Anna Martin


Summary:
It’s the day before the last day of term and Year One teacher Harry Britton has a problem: all of the costumes for his nativity play have been destroyed by accident. The only person who can possibly help him is Edward Saunders, who runs a small tailor and alterations shop in the village.

Edward is more than a little shocked to be asked to make seventeen costumes for five year old children—he’s more comfortable making bespoke men’s suits. But there’s something beguiling and utterly charming about Harry Britton, so despite all his hesitations, he agrees to help.


In my reading experience tailors of higher end quality items, whether they are in a large or small shop, tend to be a bit on the snooty side, thinking they are a little above everyday/off the rack items.  Edward Saunders is not and I think that was what made me love him from the very beginning.  When Harry Britton comes into his shop and is in need of children's costumes for a school Christmas play Edward sounds hesitant for a few minutes then sees the desperation on Harry's face and jumps in with his whole heart.  Of course the chemistry between Edward and Harry is also extremely lovely, sweet, cute, and completely believable all the way.  Holiday tales tend to bank on the magic of the season and in a way Let it Sew does the same, Harry's desperate need for costumes quickly brings the two together and because of the time spent with each other they talk and learn things that might normally take several chapters and several dates.  It's this very same need and timing that makes the chemistry and "insta-connection" so believable and enjoyable.   Another gem for my holiday library.

RATING:


On the last Thursday before Christmas, Edward’s shop was quiet. He hadn’t minded in the morning; Edward liked to take the mornings slowly, waking up with multiple cups of tea while he worked on anything that had been left over from the previous day. Business often picked up around lunchtime.

With the hammering rain outside creating a lovely background tune for his task, Edward finished the repairs on an old smoking jacket and carefully set it on a hanger ready for steam cleaning. The jacket had come from a man who’d found it in his granddad’s attic, and wanted to wear it for his wedding on New Year’s Eve. It was a marvellous thing—black velvet with satin lapels and a beautiful patterned lining. Edward hadn’t recognised the name on the label so he’d turned to the internet to research it. That had taken a few days, but he’d learned that it had likely come from a tailor in London, who had been very fashionable in the nineteen twenties. The jacket was probably a hundred years old.

Edward had opened his tailoring and alterations shop in the village of Little Wetherill, on the northern edge of Dartmoor, almost six years ago. Despite his relative youth in the community, he’d become a solid figure in it. People travelled from all over the south-west to bring him things—either repairs, which he enjoyed, or custom projects, which he’d built his reputation on.

His mother had been overtly derisive of his decision to open a real-life, bricks and mortar shop, convinced that he’d never be able to turn it into a profitable business. But Edward had been running a bespoke tailoring business out of his living room for years, and he had a small but loyal following of people who bought his custom designs online.

Sure, the shop was small, and cold, and in the first year he’d been forced to spend hundreds of pounds replacing the windows at the front so they were double-glazed. In the winter he only got the sun first thing in the morning because of the side of the high street he was located on. So he’d spent even more money installing good lights, so he could see what he was doing at his workstation at the back of the shop. It was worth it. Every penny.

Edward was startled from his cup of tea by the shop door crashing open, then a man rushed into the shop looking particularly red-faced and out of breath.  Edward thought that when he calmed down, he might look attractive. Handsome, even. Probably looking for a gift for his wife, knowing Edward’s luck.

“Can I help?”

“I really hope so.” The man heaved his satchel, which was dripping with rainwater, onto Edward’s counter. “I don’t suppose you have a set of nativity costumes that would fit a group of five and six year old children?”

Edward stared at him. “I’m a tailor. A menswear tailor.”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve been everywhere, literally everywhere, and I don’t know who else to ask.”

Curiosity killed the cat.

“How many costumes do you need?”

He started to count them off on his fingers. “Mary and Joseph. Three wise men, three shepherds, three sheep, a cow and a donkey. The inn keeper and his wife, and the Angel Gabriel. And a star.”

Edward blinked. “Seventeen. Seventeen costumes.”

“Yes.” He nodded rapidly. “Ten boys and seven girls. That’s my class.”

“And when do you need these by?”

“Three o’ clock tomorrow afternoon.” “Can you sew?” Edward asked, feeling like asking had been a monumentally bad idea.

“Honestly? No.”

Edward stared at the handsome intruder. Did he want to make seventeen nativity costumes? Of course he didn’t. That sounded like absolute mayhem. He took a deep breath, then sighed.

“Well, for your sake, I hope you’re a fast learner.”

Edward pulled on his long wool coat and flipped the sign on the door to ‘Closed’. He grabbed an umbrella, too, it was still raining cats and dogs out there.

“My name’s Harry, by the way. Harry Britton.”

Harry. It suited him.

“Edward Saunders.”

Author Bio:
Anna Martin is from a picturesque seaside village in the southwest of England and now lives in the Bristol, a city that embraces her love for the arts. After spending most of her childhood making up stories, she studied English literature at university before attempting to turn her hand as a professional writer.

Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, Anna is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theater (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), going to visit friends in other countries, and reading anything thatΓ­s put under her nose.

Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, prereading, and creative ass kicking provided by her best friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept responsibility for anything Anna has written.


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Pre-Order Blitz: Snowstorms and Second Chances by Brigham Vaughn

Title: Snowstorms and Second Chances
Author: Brigham Vaughn
Series: Williamsville Inn
Genre: M/M Romance, Holiday
Release Date: December 16, 2019

Summary:
Erik Josef is a forty-three-year-old, recently divorced businessman with one goal: wrap up his last project of the year so he can spend the holidays in Tahiti. All he wants is drinks on a beach, served to him by a woman in a bikini.

While waiting at an airport bar for his business partner to fly into Buffalo, New York, he encounters Seth Cobb, a chatty travel writer waiting for a flight to Pittsburgh to visit his family.

After a huge snowstorm grounds all flights, a mix-up at the Williamsville Inn leads to Erik and Seth sharing a room. Seth’s love of Christmas gets on Erik’s last nerve, but a mugful of Seth’s hot chocolate slowly melts Erik’s icy exterior.

When Erik realizes he’s attracted to Seth, he must choose between the life he’s always known, or a new adventure with a man a decade younger and a second chance at happiness.

Author Bio:
Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga.  She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Her books range from short stories to novellas. They explore gay, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.

To stay up to date on her latest releases, sign up for the Coles & Vaughn Newsletter.


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EMAIL: brighamvaughn@gmail.com




Saturday, December 14, 2019

Saturday's Series Spotlight: Lonely Dragons Club by Silvia Violet


Four thousand-year-old dragon shifters looking for their fated mates.

The Christmas Dragon's Mate #1
Summary:
Best Surprise Ever: Going out to add to your Christmas hoard and finding your fated mate.

Laszlo
I’ve been longing to find my mate for over a thousand years. When I see him for the first time, he’s standing beneath sparkling glass ornaments, like a present waiting to be unwrapped. A present I intend to lay claim to.

If I can lure him back to my lair, I’ll shower him with so many gifts he’ll never want to leave. Bonded with my mate by Christmas? Yes, please.

Roman
I’m no good at flirting and have terrible luck with men, so when a gorgeous alpha says he wants to take me home, I’m shocked. And wary. My heat is about to start, and I’ve never shared it with anyone, so why do I suddenly want to say yes to this stranger?

There’s something unusual about him, the way his eyes shine, the odd phrases he keeps using. He says he wants to add me to his collection of beautiful things. I should be offended, but instead, I’m intrigued. Just this once, should I take a risk?

The Lonely Dragons Club is an MM dragon shifter mpreg series about finding your one true love.

The Snow Dragon's Mate #2
Summary:
Best Christmas gift ever: Finding out dragons exist and one of them is your fated mate.

Kymar
Weary from centuries spent searching for my mate, I hid away in a mountain cabin until an offer from a friend leads me to the most exquisite omega I have ever seen. From the moment our eyes meet, all I want is to make him mine. A well-timed storm leaves him stranded in my lair, but when the snow melts, he insists on returning to his human life. I’m convinced we’re fated for one another. Can I make this stubborn young man believe it too?

Holden
I rode on a dragon’s back. A real, live dragon. In his human form, Kymar is so gorgeous I can hardly breathe around him. I’m drawn to him by a force too strong to ignore, but, magical creature or not, I can’t get involved with him. Happiness never lasts. I’ve learned that lesson again and again. After I walk away, my longing to return grows worse every day until I start to wonder if I can find to courage to believe what my heart and my dragon say is true—Kymar and I are meant to be together.

Lonely Dragons Club series is an MM dragon shifter mpreg series about finding your one true love. The Snow Dragon's Mate is Book 2 and the next book is The City Dragon's Mate.

The City Dragon's Mate #3
Summary:
Best Decision Ever: Hiring a man in need of discipline and finding out he’s your fated mate.

Bartholomew
When a friend calls, hoping I’ll take a problem employee off his hands, I jump at the chance. Despite running a large company and having a bustling city at my feet, I’m bored. I need a project. And if that project happens to be teaching a young man discipline, all the better.

But when he arrives, I realize my mistake. Pierre carries burdens from his past and needs my comfort as well as my discipline. My dragon instincts tell me I’m never going to want to let him go.

Pierre
I made a terrible mistake, and it nearly cost me my life. Now I’ve got a second chance with Bartholomew, and I’m determined not to screw it up, no matter what he requires of me. But I didn’t expect to want him so much, not when longing for a different dragon was what got me into this mess in the first place.

All I’d ever wanted was security, but now I’m falling in love. And nothing sounds riskier than trusting my heart to a dragon.

The Island Dragon's Mate #4(Coming December 27, 2019)
Summary:
Best Day Ever: When your fated mate washes up on the beach like a gift from the sea.

Desmond
I’d nearly resigned myself to a life alone when the sea brings me a beautiful omega who smells like heaven. I realize he’s mine, and I’ll do anything to protect him. He doesn’t know how he got here. He doesn’t even know his name, but he feels our connection. I wait for his memory to return, but no matter what happened in his past, I won’t let it take him from me.

Jonah
I woke up on a beach with a big, gorgeous man standing over me. I can’t even remember my name. I should be afraid, but I’m not. This man feels safe, his touch comforting. Even when I learn he’s actually a dragon, I’m not intimidated. He’s caring and protective, and he wants a big, loving family just like I do. I don’t want to think about my past, only my time with Desmond. But when my old life catches up with me, I’ll have to find a way to face my past while protecting my future.

Lonely Dragons Club series is an MM dragon shifter mpreg series about finding your one true love. The Island Dragon's Mate is Book 4.


The Christmas Dragon's Mate #1
The shop I was looking for was on the next block. Tolliver’s Treasures. I vaguely remembered the windows being full of all sorts of kitschy gifts, but it hadn’t seemed nearly as interesting until it had been transformed into a Christmasy wonderland.

The door jangled as I pushed it open. A young man called out to welcome me, and I was suddenly transfixed, not by the beautiful glass I had come to acquire, but by the omega behind the counter. He made the two boys I’d devoured earlier that week seem like stainless steel next to the finest gold.

His golden hair shimmered in the light as magnificently as the glitter-filled ornaments. His eyes were bright blue, like jewels. His skin was smooth and beautiful, his body lean but not skinny. There was plenty of flesh for me to sink my teeth into. It was as if he’d been created just to tempt me. And he smelled absolutely delicious. His heat was coming on. Soon he’d be ready to beg for a thick cock inside him and a knot to fill him up.

Mine, my dragon insisted. Yes, he would be mine. The mere thought of him spending his heat with someone else made my dragon push to be released. The animal inside wanted to snatch up the omega and fly home with him held in his talons. But my dragon form was far too large for this little shop. My transformation would shatter all the lovely glass. I wondered if the omega had ever met a dragon. Not likely since my kind were rare. There weren’t many of us within easy distance of this village. He was in for a treat. If he’d never experienced the wonder that was my kind, he’d never truly been satisfied. I stifled a groan as I imagined taking him home and playing with him amongst all my shiny things.

“May I help you, sir?” The delightful omega interrupted my fantasies. I smiled at him, reminding my dragon he would have to behave for now. “Is there something you need?”

Even his voice was perfect, soft and sweet. This omega wasn’t a snack. He was a treasure I wanted to collect. I would add him to my hoard along with the sparkly things he sold.

“There is much you could help me with. But first, I’d like these.” I pointed to the glass ornaments that hung near the counter.

“How many of them, sir? And what color?”

I tried to focus on the glass orbs, but all I could think about was the omega. His scent was too intoxicating. “All of them.”

The Snow Dragon's Mate #2
Kymar and I each took an ornament, but I nearly dropped mine when he brushed against me as we both reached toward the tree. He took it from me, hung it, and then led me away. I shivered when he cupped my face and leaned in close, warm breath tickling my ear. “You know what I’d rather do?”

I shook my head, but I hoped fuck me was the answer.

“I’d rather cover you in ornaments. Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires.”

“Your scales look like sapphires.” I realized how dopey that sounded and wished I could take it back, but I felt him smile as he skimmed his lips down my neck.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “Would you like that? For me to lay you out in front of my fire, strip you bare, and decorate you?”

I swallowed hard, hoping my voice would work. “Y-yes. But… um…”

“Tell me,” he ran his tongue up the outer edge of my ear, and my knees literally buckled.

The City Dragon's Mate #3
Pierre was a puzzle. Maybe he was what I needed to rid me of my current plague of boredom. Could I find a way to teach him discipline, punish him for having been so selfish, and also make him enjoy it? Of course I could. I could accomplish anything I set my mind to.

I took another step toward him and drew in a deep breath. His scent was incredible, warm, gingery, and so potent. Had I ever smelled a man as delicious as this one? My cock hardened as I imagined what he’d be like spread out and pliable beneath me. Yes, I was definitely going to keep him and find a way to make him want to please me.

Mine, my dragon insisted. He certainly was. For a while anyway. My dragon snarled. No. Keep.

I couldn’t keep him, not for long, not unless… No, he couldn’t be my mate. He smelled incredible, and I was drawn to him, but it couldn’t be that easy. My mate wouldn’t simply be gifted to me after I’d searched for so long.

It was that easy for Laszlo and Kymar.

No, I wasn’t going to listen to that seductive voice. This was only happening because I was feeling desperate, and Pierre was a very attractive young man. I needed to focus on the business at hand.

“You’re going to work here for me. You’ll clean, do the laundry, run errands, and whatever else I require.”

“Will I—” He froze clearly expecting to be rebuked for speaking.

“Continue.”

“Thank you, Mr.… um… What should I call you?”

“Sir will do nicely. Otherwise, Bartholomew is acceptable, but no shortening my name. I abhor nicknames.”

“Oh, right, sir.”

I raised my brows and gave him a hard stare. “Your question?”

“Um… Will I be expected to sleep with you, sir?”

Author Bio:
Silvia Violet writes fun, sexy stories that will leave you smiling and satisfied. She has a thing for characters who are in need of comfort and enjoys helping them surrender to love even when they doubt it exists. Silvia's stories include sizzling contemporaries, paranormals, and historicals. When she needs a break from listening to the voices in her head, she spends time baking, taking long walks, and curling up with her favorite books. Keep up with her latest ventures by signing up for her newsletter.


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The Christmas Dragon's Mate #1

The Snow Dragon's Mate #2

The City Dragon's Mate #3
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  GOODREADS TBR

The Island Dragon's Mate #4(Coming December 27, 2019)
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  GOODREADS TBR

Release Blitz: Let Your Heart Be Light by JR Lawrie

Title: Let Your Heart Be Light
Author: JR Lawrie
Genre: M/M Romance, Holiday
Release Date: December 13, 2019
Publisher: Carnation Books

Summary:
This holiday season, celebrate with a trio of festive gay romances by debut author J. R. Lawrie. This anthology features three stories sure to warm the heart and captivate the senses. Full of romance, humor, sweetness, and the perfect amount of heat, this collection is perfect for an evening by the fire.

FOR SERVICES RENDERED

Dr. David Christmas has heard every joke in the book when it comes to his name. Weary of the festive season and from his long shifts in the emergency room, David is also tired of his lonely single life. His only hope for Christmas is a glimpse of the shy but gorgeous neighbour who lives above him.

Christmas-loving Julian has nurtured a crush on the grumpy man downstairs for years now. Still hurting from his ex-boyfriend's cruelty, he hasn't yet dared to say hello. When an injury on Christmas Eve puts Julian directly into David's careful hands, a little healing might be on the way.

KIND OF A BIG DEAL
and
THE FARRINGDON CLUB

Up-and-coming comedian Zack Wynn splits his time between the stage and the London pizza restaurant where he works, until life hands him one hell of a Christmas present. Richard Garston is the handsome and clever older man of Zack's dreams, but what exactly is it that Richard does?

Soon, Zack learns the truth: Richard's classified role in the British government makes him a much bigger deal than he claimed.

Is Zack ready for the politics and power of Richard's world?
And is Richard's world ready for him?


Author Bio:
J. R. Lawrie graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA in English Language and Literature in 2011. She believes queer readers deserve a wealth of interesting stories, not just familiar tales of self-loathing. She practices what she preaches in York, UK, with her wife and their three spoiled guinea pigs.

For news and updates, you can follow her on Twitter or Facebook.


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