Homemade for the Holidays Advent 2019
Holiday MM Romance
Dreamspinner Press
December 1, 2019
Choosing the right gift for that special someone can be the most daunting part of the holidays. In a sea of mass-produced items, why buy when you can DIY? The end-of-the-year festivities are the best time for crafts, whether they’re made from yarn, paper, flour, or even code. And with some love and luck, these special presents might inspire a romance that lasts an evening… or a lifetime. Nothing makes the season merry and bright like a gift handmade from the heart, and to bring smiles to the faces of the ones they care about, these guys are willing to get creative.
Reviews By Linda Tonis Reviewer for the Paranormal Romance Guild
These are stories about men who use their time and whatever creativity they have to produce gifts that are from the heart, personal gifts and gifts of time and effort for special occasions. Each of these stories will be available individually on 12/1/19 so I have rated them individually.
Stories to put you in the mood for the holidays. Hopefully get your creative juices flowing, so like all the men in these stories you can DIY.
A Graphically Designed Holiday: Ren Holly: 5*****Stars
Eli decided not to go into the family business inspite of his Aerospace engineering degree and instead opted for being a graphic designer. His best friend Lincoln and the love of his life since college has asked him for a very special Christmas gift, the gift of a boyfriend. Lincoln is a geometry teacher and needs help with his dating profile putting Eli in the position of trying to find a boyfriend for the man he loves. Loving Lincoln means doing everything in his power to make him happy and if finding a boyfriend is what he wants he will make his wish come true. Lincoln has never been kissed and asked Eli for lessons, lessons he willingly gave even though it broke his heart. A beautiful story about love and giving even when it hurts.
Finding Yuletide Karol: L.A. Merrill: 5*****Stars
It has been fifty years since Lee Eldridge returned from the Vietnam War and left behind the man he fell in love with. It is time for the Christmas party at the office something he dreads each year especially the Secret Santa gifts but this year the fifty years of searching for the man who saved his life would come to an end and he owes it to his Secret Santa gift from his assistant Bobbi. It was fifty years ago that he helped Yuletide Karol (his nickname) make Sweet Sun Cakes and now the cookbook that Bobbi presented to him has the recipe, Karol’s last name and an area where he lives. Arriving at a farm in Upstate New York and finding a handfasting being prepared for and Karol making his famous Sweet Sun Cakes is what Lee always dreamed of but is it too late and why when he confessed who he was did it make Karol cry?
Hole Hearted: Sam Burns 4****Stars
Luce is hosting the family Christmas dinner this year and he couldn’t be more excited, that is until his ex-boyfriend decided to drive his car through Luce’s garage and through the wall in the dining room. The last thing in the world that Luce expected was to not be able to find someone to fix the damage before Christmas dinner but it is the holiday and everyone is booked solid. Thank god for Luce’s neighbor whose son is moving in with her and who is, you guessed it a contractor. As a pediatrician Luce is totally useless when doing any repairs around the house and having a neighbor available is a god sent but when he sees Darren he realizes what the true gift is. A helping hand at the holidays could lead to so much more for the years to come.
Sweet Anticipation: Andrew Grey: 5*****Stars
Gregory Hansen’s sister is expecting her third child and it is not going well. She is put on bed rest and her girlfriend’s bachelorette party needs to be taken care of so who else can she ask but her gay clueless brother. Gregory knows nothing about cooking, baking and decorating in fact his own sister banned him from her kitchen when he almost set it on fire. Not wanting to upset his sister he takes her list and sets off to get the job done. Easier said then done because it is the holiday and everyone is booked. At a recommendation from a friend he knocks on the door of a man who works from home and comes face to face with the same man he dated for two weeks in college, the same man he fell in love with and who dumped him to return to his ex. Rhys Denning does custom work and he immediately apologizes to Gregory for what happened between them and takes full blame for the mistake he made. Rhys is willing to do everything that is necessary right down to the bread penises (that is a story of it’s own). Has this bachelorette party give Gregory and Rhys a second chance?
Making the Holidays Happy Again: Pat Henshaw: 5*****Stars
Butch is a blacksmith and has been in love with his best friend Jimmy for years. The two men have businesses next to each other but Butch has never revealed his feelings for Jimmy since he is a doctor of chemistry and natural medicine and Butch a man who never graduated from high school. In Butch’s mind how can he possibly be good enough for his best friend. As the two men near thirty both of them are looking to the future with a husband and children and both of them two stupid to look at what is right in front of them. It will take a Christmas gift to hopefully wake them up.
Purls of Wisdom: Morgan James: 5*****Stars
Finley Mason walks into Purls of Wisdom owned by Noah Miller begging for help in knitting. Noah is not a fan of the holidays and when Finley asks for lessons Noah is not thrilled with the idea but gives in. It seems that Finley a painter has a bet with Hazel who Noah is convinced is his wife, is painting easier than knitting so Finley needs to produce a knitted product before Christmas. It is love at first sight for Finley and Noah is also attracted but has no doubt that Finley is straight and married. Someone should tell Noah what it means to assume and it might have saved him a lot of heartache. Can a few knitting lessons and a few knitted Christmas gifts save the day.
Well I totally enjoyed these stories and recommend that you grab your blanket a cup of hot chocolate and start reading.