Contemporary Romance

Review: “Purrfect Holiday” by Jana Denardo

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TITLE: Purrfect Holiday
AUTHOR: Jana Denardo
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Adrian Nicholas
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
E-BOOK: Yes
PAPERBACK: No
LENGTH: 46 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2018
PRICE: $3.99 – e-book

BLURB:

A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida, home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.
Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?

Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo is one of the short stories from the 2018 Advent Calendar—Warmest Wishes. This is the first book that I have read by Jana Denardo, but I look forward to reading more books by her. I enjoyed her writing style, character development, and the plot of the book.

This was a cute short story. I’m such an animal lover that I really enjoyed how Tony was able to turn his life in a different direction when he found out that he was losing his sight and got a job as a cat cuddler instead of being a veterinarian. The story doesn’t have any on-page sex, but there is some great chemistry between Tony and Javier. Great holiday cheer.

I liked Tony Gatti. He had his life all planned out. He was going to get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. But soon after achieving those goals, he learns the shadow and blurriness in his vision goes way beyond needing glasses. He has Retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight nearly over he moves to St. Augustine, Florida with his guide dog, Raven, to live with his grandmother, to start his life over. His grandmother Nonna Concetta thinks that she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue so that they can be adopted. I liked how he interacts with his grandma and how he doesn’t let his disability get him down.

I also liked Javier. He wasn’t planning to hire a cute former vet to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, but he’s worried that his attraction is inappropriate since Tony now works for him. Javier also knows that the holiday season always depress him and he worries that if Tony says yes that he would just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough on his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever? I liked how Javier and Tony interact together and the chemistry that they share.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

Review edited by : Laura McNellis

Review: “New Tricks” by Andrew Grey

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TITLE: New Tricks
AUTHOR: Andrew Grey
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Adrian Nicholas
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
E-BOOK: Yes
PAPERBACK: Yes
LENGTH: 200 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 11, 2018
PRICE: $6.99 – e-book/ $14.99 – paperback

BLURB:

In matters of the heart, there’s no such thing as business as usual.
Thomas Stepford spent years building a very successful business, and now at thirty-nine, he wants a quieter life. With his parents needing help, he decides to return home. He can’t get away from business completely and needs an assistant—but the man who’s hired isn’t quite what he had in mind.
Brandon Wilson, the ink on his degree barely dry, needs a job, and his mother helps him get one as Mr. Stepford’s assistant. Thomas doesn’t seem to remember, but Brandon worked mowing the stunningly attractive older man’s lawn years ago. Thomas was Brandon’s teenage fantasy, and now he’s Brandon’s boss.
Thomas and Brandon are both determined to keep their relationship strictly business, but the old attraction is still there. They learn to work together even as the tension between them reaches the boiling point. But just as they start to surrender, Thomas’s old life in New York calls him. Even if he resists that pull, can their newfound relationship survive when Brandon receives the call of his dreams… from Hollywood?

New Tricks by Andrew Grey is a standalone book. I’ve been a fan of this author’s work for a while now. He’s one of my go-to authors for when I want to just curl up on the couch with a good book. The plot is always interesting with lovable characters and just enough drama, angst, and sexy times. I also liked Marjorie and Blaze and Thomas’s matchmaking mom and Brandon’s mom. I think the only thing I would have liked to have seen more of would have been Thomas interacting with his parents and helping them out. It was after all the reason that he went home, but while he had time to spare and was trying to figure out what to do with it, he didn’t think about going and visiting them.

I liked Thomas Stepford. He’s spent years being career driven and building a very successful business, and now that he’s achieved that, at thirty-nine, he’s feeling restless and is ready for a change. He thinks that he might be interested in a quieter life and maybe a relationship. With his parents needing help, he decides to return home to Colorado Springs. However, he knows that he will still need an assistant with managing his life since he is used to having everything done for him—housekeeping, dry cleaning, cooking, organizing his appointments, and laundry. Now that he has more time on his hands and is giving more responsibilities to the team leaders of his company, he might just learn how to do some of the domestic stuff himself. However, problems with a potential acquisition arise and Thomas and his new assistant, Brandon, fly back to save the deal.

I liked Brandon. He’s just gotten done with his degree and needs a job, and his mother helps him get one as Mr. Stepford’s assistant since his mom is friends with Mr. Stepford’s mom. Thomas doesn’t seem to remember, but Brandon worked mowing the stunningly attractive older man’s lawn years ago. Thomas was Brandon’s teenage fantasy, and now he’s Brandon’s boss. I liked how quickly he learned how to do his job and how efficient he is at it even if it isn’t the type of job that he wants to do for the rest of his life. He wants to work in promotions and marketing at a place like Columbia Pictures. He’s sent out a bunch of resumes to the various movie places and figures that he can work as an assistant until he hears back from one of them.

I love a good age gap or May/December romance. And I loved the chemistry between Thomas and Brandon, especially as both are determined to keep their relationship strictly business. But the attraction is still there and they learn to work together even as the tension between them reaches the boiling point. Just as they start to surrender, Thomas’s old life in New York calls him, and Brandon receives the call of his dreams from Hollywood. Can their newfound relationship survive or will it dissolve from Brandon’s new focus on his career and his move to Hollywood? Will Thomas follow him or not? You’re just going to have to read the book to find out.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

Review edited by : Laura McNellis

Review: “Season to Shimmer” by Kim Katil

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TITLE: Season to Shimmer
AUTHOR: Kim Katil
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Adrian Nicholas
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
E-BOOK: Yes
PAPERBACK: No
LENGTH: 45 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2018
PRICE: $1.99 – e-book

BLURB:

A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
One morning close to the holidays, Nolan wakes up to two surprises: a distress call from his younger brother and a beautiful man in his bed. Nolan, an art gallery owner, has always been discreet about his sexuality, but when his baby brother plans to come out at the annual family gala, Nolan wants to have his back—and that means showing up with a man of his own on his arm. Nolan knows just the man for the job.
Skylar, who owns a karate studio in St. Augustine, can’t get his one-night stand out of his mind. When he runs into Nolan at his gallery he is more than happy to volunteer his services as arm candy. Out-and-proud himself with his striking blue/green hair, Skylar is all in. Their adventure means a fancy salon, family drama, lots of sex, a ninja hippo, and palm trees lit up in a very suggestive way. By the end of it, what started as a hookup might become much more.

Season to Shimmer by Kim Katil is one of the short stories in the 2018 Advent Calendar—Warmest Wishes. This is my first story by Kim Katil, but it sure won’t be the last. I loved this short story. It had everything that I was hoping for when I read the blurb. It has a heat level of 5 mixed in with some family drama and Christmas cheer. This story had great flow, and I loved the author’s writing style. The characters had depth and were lovable. And with the amount of heat that the author managed to pack into 45 pages, I can’t wait to see what a full-length book is going to be like.

I loved Nolan. He wakes up one holiday morning to two surprises—a distress call from his young brother and a beautiful man in his bed. Nolan is an art gallery owner, and he’s always been discreet about his sexuality. His stepfather is homophobic, and he knew that if he wanted to continue to see and have a relationship with his two younger brothers that he would have to keep his sexuality discreet. When his baby brother plans to come out at the annual family gala, Nolan wants to have his back, and that means showing up with a man of his own on his arm. Nolan knows just the man for the job. I loved how he stands up to his stepfather and is there for his brothers when they need him.

I also loved Skylar. He owns a karate studio in St. Augustine, and he can’t get his one-night stand out of his mind. When he runs into Nolan at his gallery, he is more than happy to volunteer his services as arm candy. Out and proud himself with his striking blue/green hair, Skylar is all in. I loved how their adventure means a fancy salon, family drama, lots of sex, a ninja hippo, and palm trees lit up in a very suggestive way. By the end of it, what started as a hookup might become much more. I loved how vibrant and energetic Skylar is and how Nolan calls him Shimmer.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

Review edited by : Laura McNellis

Review: “Slow Summer Heat” by Renae Kaye

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TITLE: Slow Summer Heat
AUTHOR: Renae Kaye
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Adrian Nicholas
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
E-BOOK: Yes
PAPERBACK: No
LENGTH: 54 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2018
PRICE: $3.99 – e-book

BLURB:

A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar
Geoffrey Saxon is in his forties, a bit plump, a lot fuzzy, and rather boring in bed—and thanks to a very public breakup, everyone in his street knows it. However, what they don’t know is that Geoffrey sometimes watches his hot young neighbor, Vaughn, in the pool. Vaughn has invited Geoffrey to join his pool parties, but Geoffrey knows it’s only pity.
As if things can’t get worse, Geoffrey’s air conditioner breaks during a heat wave in Western Australia—and just before Christmas. In search of some relief, he camps out in his backyard, where he also has a prime view of Vaughn swimming… naked. When Geoffrey’s injured falling from his spying post, Vaughn comes to his rescue and Geoffrey doesn’t think he can be more horrified.
But he could be in for a sweet holiday surprise. Is he ready to take the dive?

Slow Summer Heat by Renae Kaye is one of the short stories out of the 2018 Advent Calendar—Warmest Wishes. I liked this short story by Renae Kaye. From the blurb I was expecting just a little bit more explicit content but it turned out to be a slow burn and with all of Geoffrey’s insecurities that he is battling from his ex, it makes sense that it would be a slow burn and ends up having just the right amount of passion to it. I thought this was a cute story and it had me laughing over some of the things that happened in the book. I will be reading more books by Ranae Kaye.

I liked Geoffrey Saxon. He’s in his forties, a bit plump, a lot fuzzy, and rather boring in bed. And thanks to a very public breakup, everyone on his street knows it. However, what they don’t know is that Geoffrey sometimes watches his hot young neighbor, Vaughn, in the pool. He has been invited to join the parties by Vaughn, but Geoffrey knows it’s only out of pity. To make things worse, Geoffrey’s air conditioner breaks during a heat wave in Western Australia, just before Christmas. Searching for some relief, he camps out in his backyard, where he also has a prime view of Vaughn swimming in the buff. When Geoffrey’s injured falling from his spying post, Vaughn comes to his rescue and Geoffrey doesn’t think he can be more horrified. Geoffrey could be in for a sweet holiday surprise. But is Geoffrey ready to take the dive. I loved the personal growth that is shown in this short story by Geoffrey. I also loved how Geoffrey and Vaughn complement each other.

I loved Vaughn. He’s young, carefree, and just what Geoffrey needs to get him out of his rut. I also loved that Geoffrey is just Vaughn’s type and that Vaughn has had a crush on him which is why he was always inviting him to the pool parties.

This was a cute story with a slow burn romance that I’m sure that I will be reading again.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

Review edited by : Laura McNellis

Review: “The First Noel” by Joe Cosentino

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TITLE: The First Noel
AUTHOR: Joe Cosentino
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
COVER ARTIST: Adrian Nicholas
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
E-BOOK: Yes
PAPERBACK: No
LENGTH: 72 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 7, 2018
PRICE: $3.99 – e-book

BLURB:

Each Christmas has marked a milestone in Bobby and Paolo’s love story. But will this year be their last noel?
It’s no surprise Bobby isn’t feeling much holiday spirit—not when he suspects his husband, Paolo, might be interested in his new business associate, the incredibly handsome Noel. On top of that, Bobby’s father is hanging up his Santa suit at the department store due to health issues; and worst of all, Geoffrey’s birth mother, funded by antigay extremists, is threatening their family. She’s trying to take away Bobby and Paolo’s adopted son, but she’ll have to face their supportive friends, family, and pastor before she can tear Geoffrey from the only real home he’s ever known.
With so many challenges in their path, the December grooms will need an extra helping of holiday magic this year. Rumor has it Santa’s on his way to spread some holiday cheer

The First Noel is the third book in the Bobby and Paolo’s Holiday Stories. I really liked the blurb, and even though I hadn’t read the first two books in the series I figured I would give it a try, and I’m so glad that I did. I loved the story. The writing was wonderful with a great flow to it, and the characters were lovable and relatable and dealt with everyday issues and problems. I can’t wait to read the first two book to see what adventures I missed as their relationship grew. I also loved Noel and David. David is the attorney for the Adam and Eve Forever Organization—antigay extremists. David had been through a conversion camp to cure his gayness, and I loved how every time he had a gay thought he would snap the rubber band on his wrist. He sure did have a dirty mind every time he saw Noel. That rubber band sure did get a workout. I would love for Noel and David to get their own story. I would love to read more about them.

I loved Bobby. He’s feeling down and misses his husband, Paolo, because he is working such long hours and having to take clients to dinner to schmooze them. Because of all of the late nights, Bobby is feeling insecure and thinks that Paolo might be thinking about having an affair. Like I said, real everyday issues and problems and worrying about if your husband is cheating is definitely a real everyday issue between couples. He also has to deal with his father retiring as the department store Santa although I really loved the couple that replaced him as Santa and his elf—naughty Santa and his elf. The department store will never be the same, but everybody at the store just loves them. I loved them too.

I loved Paolo. He’s swamped at work and isn’t getting the credit and recognition that he should be, and so he decides to get his own clothing line with the help of a new celebrity sports client. But it all has to be done in secret since neither his work or his husband know that the work he has been doing isn’t for his job but so that he can go into business with the client he’s stealing away from work.
And if that isn’t enough drama for Bobby and Paolo, a woman shows up that says that she’s Geoffrey’s birth mother and that she wants him back. That she’s gotten her life together with the help of the Adam and Eve Forever Organization and that they’re going to help her get her son back. It sounded like Geoffrey had been through a lot and didn’t want anything to do with his mom. But with the help of some good friends like Noel, who’s supposed to distract the Adam and Eve’s attorney, David, and a little holiday magic their holiday wishes do come true.

This holiday novella is full of twists and turns, and it was a joy to read. I can’t wait to read more book by Joe Cosentino.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

Review edited by : Laura McNellis