Three the Hard Way by Sydney Croft

3.5 STARS

An ACRO Novella

Okay, it barely makes it as a Christmas story. This novella is set at Christmastime and it refers back to a major backstory plot point that takes place on Christmas, but other than that, it's not really a holiday type read. *LOL* And that's okay!

The story makes up a small part of the Acro World, adventure/thriller romances and what we have here is an adventure/thriller peopled by gorgeous men who have all kinds of super type powers. :) There are a pair of opposing organisations (ACRO and ITOR) that make use of people like these guys. And there's lots of gunfire and lots of sexytimes. :) And it was FUN!

As this is a novella that focusses on three main characters, there's not a lot of room for character depth and growth, but that's not a problem in my eyes. I like to look at it as watching a James Bond movieor an X-Men or Avengers movie.

This is the first thing I've read by Sydney Croft (Stephanie Tyler and Larissa Ione) and as I understand it, the rest of the novels and stories in this universe are m/f. I feel fully confident in saying that if you enjoy some paranormal adventure with plenty of steamy sex and hot romance, Sydney Croft is certainly worth your time. :)

Mistletowed by Tara Lain

3 STARS

Another Christmas/Holiday read. It has an interesting premise. Mistletoe magic and secret heart's desires and fated meetings. Unfortunately, these things don't really get explored in any depth. But, if you're in the mood for a quick, hot, fun, holiday story with not much delving into characters and personalities and plot, well, this is a good story. :) I did chuckle out loud once or twice.

What Happens at Christmas by Victoria Alexander

3.5 STARS

Millworth Manor - Book 1

This is the second of my Christmas reads and I must say, after the first few chapters, I enjoyed it very much.

It's a light-hearted romance - in fact I found myself chuckling under my breath more than once and even laughed out loud a time or two. It was the most well-written novel I've ever read, that's a fact. There is head-hopping, hyperbole, deus ex machina and all those good things, but it was such FUN to read.

I guess the real tale is that I found the whole cast of amusing and silly characters quite enjoyable and would be ready to see what other mischief they could get up to. I did enjoy that there were no paragons of virtue AT ALL. All the main characters had their flaws and their moments of - ooh, I don't like you! - but in the end, I ended up liking them! *LOL*

Anyway, a fun Christmas read.

Sleigh Ride by Heidi Cullinan

5 STARS

Minnesota Christmas - Book 2

I finished this book a half an hour ago and I'm still smiling. I loved it. Totally and completely loved it.

Sleigh Ride is the second installment in the Minnesota Christmas series - the first one came out last Christmas season. When I began to read it, it didn't take long before I felt as if I had just curled up in front of a blazing fireplace with a blankie and a good cup of coffee, reading by the light of the Christmas tree.

This is the story of Arthur, the ginger bear who is so rough and ready and amazingly marshmallowy; and Gabriel, one of the most endearing characters that I think Heidi has ever written.

Arthur is so straighforward, it seems, and Gabriel is so tightly wound, so ... I guess the popular word is damaged?.. so very much inside his head as many smart folk are. They are such opposites and well, opposites do attract, don't they? Each has a need that the other fulfills, but above and beyond that, they LIKE each other. Even when Gabriel was freaking out about what he'd done with Arthur, I still got the feeling that he couldn't help but like him.

There are some serious things addressed in this book as well as the romance and the hot and steamy stuff. There is a scene in the library, 3/4s of the way through the book that had me dissolved in tears, having to put aside the e-reader for a little bit because I was so overwhelmed. Not in a bad way at all. In a very good way. And in the same vein, some of Gabriel's observations and reminiscences of growing up gay could very easily be thought of as lecturing or preaching, but Gabriel being Gabriel (or Gabe as Arthur calls him), you know that this is exactly how he would talk. And it's never boring or pedantic or any of those things. I'm explaining this badly, I know, but...it just works. :)

Throughout the book we meet some old friends (including a mention of the couple from the very first Heidi C. book I ever read - the book that hooked me. *LOL*) and we make some lovely new friends.

And something that was a very big deal for me... both Arthur and Gabriel are over the age of 35. Mature men! What a breath of fresh air!!

Oh, I loved this book. So much. And loved these men so much as well. And yes, I'm still smiling. A perfect book for the season... a perfect love story that I'm still thinking about and creating images of their future in my brain.

Thanks Heidi, you've done it again!

Long the Mile by Ally Blue

3 STARS

So this is the final book in the "Home for the Holidays" collection from Riptide. It was the first published, if I'm not mistaken, but I didn't get around to it until now. I was disappointed. Yes, the blurb said that it was angst-filled, and I should have expected it, but my LORD it was depressing.

The story is about two men, Judah and Toby. Both men are homeless and live on the streets. Judah has been in prison for insider trading and when he is released, his sentence complete, he cannot find a job anywhere and soon ends up on the streets where he meets Toby. Now, quite understandably, Judah is negative, down, scared, depressed, angry... all those things. And Toby is the more positive of the two, hopeful from time to time, easier to smile, easier to love. Opposites attract and all.

Did the novella have anything to do with the holidays? Not so much. Sure, parts of it were set around Christmas, but it was barely even a plot point. I guess I was expecting a Christmas Miracle type of thing for these two men. I will admit that the characters were well done, although Gloomy Judah was really starting to grate on my nerves by the time the last third of the story began. And of course, I felt guilty for that because I should have more compassion and understanding for a homeless man and his plight.

One plus about the book was the setting. It's set in Asheville, North Carolina, a place I've visited and it was kind of nifty to re-visit places I'd been.

All in all, I found that while Long the Mile is a very well-written book, with full, rounded characters, I didn't enjoy it much. It brought me down and that was certainly not what I was looking for in a Christmas read.

Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane

4.5 STARS

This is a wonderful story. I mean, seriously, Lifetime or someone should make a movie of it and play it every year. It'd be so much better than a lot of the stuff they're showing!

Rusty and Oliver are friends. They meet in high school. Rusty is a football player and Oliver... is not. Rusty's family leaves much to be desired. Oliver's family, while challenged, is a warm, loving place. Oliver is gay... Rusty is... well, at the start of the book, he's undeclared. *g* This is the story of how Oliver and Rusty became a most adorable couple.

Nobody writes confused young people the way Amy does. She understands the angst that consumes so many of them and how everything is so important, so live or die important. And she creates characters that you take to your heart and, well, in my case, just want to mother the hell out of. *LOL* And she creates secondary characters that I always fall in love with. Oliver's father, his cousins, Rusty's sister, his college roommate... I loved them all. Rusty's roommate, Rex, made me laugh out loud so many times. What a piece of work! I've heard murmurs that he will be getting his own book (as is de rigeur in M/M circles)

So, if you're looking for a heart-warming, easy-to-read, emotion-packed, fun Christmas read, you can't go wrong with this one!

Lost and Found by Z.A. Maxfield

4 STARS

Lost and Found is another great holiday read. It's the story of two men and a dog, even though the dog doesn't get a lot of page time. :) To use a canine analogy, one of the men, Ringo, could be described as a Bernese Mountain Dog. He's the head of security for a beachside RV resort community (which I kept setting in Florida in my mind. *LOL*), he's 30 years old and has a huge, loving family. The other man, Gavin, in my opinion, is best described as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who needs some resocialising. He's a musician, a loner, cranky, impulsive and older than Ringo.

Mature heroes, guys!!! Mature heroes be in this book!! :) Yes, for me, this was a big deal.

So the catalyst of this story is that Gavin's chocolate Lab, Bird (named after Charley "Bird" Parker of course.), goes missing. Gavin and Ringo have had an on again, off again relationship, but Ringo hasn't given up. And, since this is a Christmas story, he's right to be so determined.

Z.A Maxfield seems to do these cut from a different cloth type of characters and I love them. See, I've read a few things about how Gavin is a totally unlikable character. As I said, he's cranky and a loner. He's closed off, acts on impulse - those knee-jerk reactions that are never good, bristly, mean when he's been hurt..., but you know what? They can't all be paragons of virtue. Even in romantic books. :) I found it SO refreshing that Gavin was so difficult. Ringo is the good guy - big, handsome, patient, loving... in other words, he's the perfect match for Gavin. He GETS Gavin finally and realises what the love of his life really needs, and therein lies the tale. :) And then there are the sex scenes that fairly steam off the page. I mean Serious Sexy Stuff goin' on in here!

So yes, I really, really enjoyed this one!

How I Met Your Father by L.B. Gregg

3.5 STARS

So, 'tis the season for holiday reads and How I Met Your Father is a charming, light-hearted, sexy and fun read.

The story of Justin, the closeted one-time boy band star and Jack, the sexy, doctor, father of the girl who is marrying Justin's best friend and bandmate has its deepish moments - for instance when a couple of the onetime bandmates explain to Justin exactly why he's wrong about many things - but for the most part its a comedy of errors that begins in turbulence and ends with a very cute HEA that's SO cliché that it works.

Had the author wished, I think this would have made a full novel and I could have done with a little more fleshing out of Jack's character - and by the way... 44 is NOWHERE near old. *LOL* He's pretty much too good to be true, but I know there's a flaw or two there to make him more interesting. And I thought the take on Justin staying in the closet because of all the people counting on him was intriguing too, and would have liked more insight into that. But then it wouldn't be a happy, fluffy Christmas story. :)

So brew yourself some coffee, tea or hot chocolate and curl up on the couch and give this a read. It's fun and left me smiling. :)

Let It Snow by Heidi Cullinan

4 STARS

Minnesota Christmas - Book 1

What a terrific way to start some holiday reading! Let It Snow is a sweet, quiet, heart-warming love story that just left me smiling and happy and feeling so good. :) Heidi is one of my favourite authors and she doesn't disappoint.

Outwardly Marcus is a grumpy bear living up in the North Woods of Minnesota with his two other beary buddies, Arthur and Paul. Outwardly, Frankie is a young man from the city who is so full of swish that even a blind man could tell he was gay. It's a story about opposites on the outside who are really not so opposite on the inside. It's a story of how everyone has fears and sometimes they can rule a person's life and sometimes, people you think aren't afraid, really are. It's a story about totally changing your life and taking a chance. It's a tale about doing nice things for people and how sometimes it works and sometimes it can backfire. It's about some really hot and steamy sex scenes that are really beautifully written. And it's about getting your HAE, just in time for that magical Christmas Eve snowfall. :)

I loved it! If you're looking for a good holiday romance, you can't go wrong with this one. :)