- Narrated by:
- Length: 1 hr and 56 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:12-02-16
- Publisher: Riptide Publishing
- The Christmas Eve wedding Evan Cleary pulled together in four weeks is crashing down around him and taking his fledgling event planning business with it. With an empty altar and over a hundred guests arriving soon, he turns to the resistant, gorgeous brother of the runaway groom for help.
When Richard Patterson’s flamboyant brother storms out hours before he’s scheduled to marry his equally dramatic partner, Richard is left dealing with the fallout. The last thing he wants is more drama, yet he can’t deny his attraction to the effeminate event planner trying to salvage the wedding.
Evan thinks his crush on Richard is a lost cause, but one steaming kiss later, he learns different. What starts as a night of hot sex turns into a connection neither expected. But Evan knows their relationship is hopeless unless the ultra-conservative Richard can embrace every part of him—both in private and in public.- Buy links: Riptide | Amazon Audio | Audible | iTunes
- Tams gives this one 4 Stars...
- "Super sexy and fun Christmas story!"Where does Champagne Kisses rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?Since I've loved the majority of the Audio's I've listened to, that's a hard question to answer. It's worth a listen and I'll definitely listen to it again every year around the Holidays.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Champagne Kisses?The intimacy when these two come together. I enjoyed reading it last year when I read the e-book, but there was something about the way Silversmith told the story that added an extra layer to it.
Have you listened to any of Tobias Silversmith’s other performances before? How does this one compare?I have not, sorry. But I'll listen to him again for sure.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?Again, the intimacy. This is a super short story so the moments come and go quickly. But I absolutely loved the way the intimacy was conveyed both in the written and audio versions.
Any additional comments?My only hiccup with the written story was the extreme push back from Evan as I stated in my e-book review below, and the over the top effeminate stretch in tones that Silversmith occasionally used for Evan. - Tams e-book review from 2015
Evan Cleary has worked hard to start his own business as an Event Planner, scrimping and saving to build the business from the ground up. Now he fears it will take two jilted grooms about five minutes to tear it down. Evan thinks fast and with the assistance of one grooms grumpy brother and check writing momma, Evan pulls off a fantastic Christmas party in place of the wedding and impresses everyone in the room. Including Mr. Grumpy.
Richard Patterson labels Evan as flamboyant and femme from the start and puts a lid on his attraction to the cute Wedding Planner. Alcohol, atmosphere and an adorably frustrated Evan causes Richard to re-think that decision. The two share a heated kiss, but then Richard opens his big, fat mouth which riles Evan's fur. Thankfully, Richard is a pretty smart guy, he makes Evan an offer that is hard to refuse. One night, no strings, just sex.
Short and sexy... this was just a fast, funny read. The chemistry between Evan and Richard wasn't evident at first, it took a few pages to get a feel for them overall. I thought Richards aversion to flamboyant, femme men then falling hard for one was a nice twist. Evan aggravated me toward the end though, the way he tried to blow Richard off, I didn't think it fit in the story the way it had been written up to that point. Overall, this was a good read and I'd recommend it to anyone that likes fast reads with some substance and an electric connection between the two leads. - Excerpt...
- Richard mumbled something beneath his breath that came across as derogatory, but Evan couldn’t be sure and it didn’t matter. He still needed his help.“Could you please get Bryan to the hospital?” He resisted batting his eyes only because the tactic would likely fail on the formidable brother. Richard might’ve been supportive of the wedding and helpful during the planning process, but Evan wouldn’t be surprised if this latest round of dramatics plunged him over the understanding-brother cliff.“Don’t bother. I’ll get a cab.” The usual lilt had drained from Bryan’s voice, leaving behind a cold flatness. Bryan jerked his arm from Evan’s grasped and started to walk away, only to sway and stumble toward a table. Evan lunged forward and grabbed him before he ruined another table setting.“Fine. I’ll take him,” Richard said in clipped notes. He hitched up his tux sleeve to glance at his watch. “I have to call my mother. Give me a second.” He strode away, digging his cell from his inside pocket as he went.“Pompous prick,” Bryan muttered.“Maybe,” Evan agreed as he coaxed him out of the banquet room. “But he’s a damn-fine-looking prick.”“Give it up.” Bryan snorted, derision dripping from his tone. “He can barely tolerate men like us.”Men like us. Flaming? Feminine? A “girly” man?That was still on Evan’s questionable list. Richard’s stern manner and not-so-hidden dislike for all things obviously gay had been countered by his equally obvious love for his brother whose name was probably listed under the definition of “flamboyant” in the gay dictionary. The heated looks he’d caught from Richard before his icy reserve slammed back into place was another big clue.“I can still look,” he countered. Fantasizing about the controlling, sexy man was the closest he’d come to a mutual orgasm in months. His nightly jerk-off sessions were the only thing that’d made the last four weeks of hell bearable.And what in God’s glorious holiday was going to get him through the next nine hours of cheer with no grooms and a room full of disappointed partygoers?Alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.A smidgen of hope refused to be smothered by the depressing turn of events. There was still a chance he could salvage the night. He just had to convince Nate’s mother—the check wielder and ultimate decision-maker—to turn the canceled wedding into a Christmas Eve party.He sent up a silent prayer to the universe that Christmas Day would arrive with his mind and business intact. Maybe he’d get lucky and Santa would grant him his wish.And if Santa really existed, Evan would be buried in presents to make up for the twelve years of struggle that’d been his life since his parents had thrown him out. Years of laboring under numerous event planners while saving every cent he could to start his own business.Right. He was on his own, like normal.
- Determination reset, he squared his shoulders and laid out his plan. There was no way he was letting the party fail. Grooms or not, he’d make this the best Christmas Eve party in all of Minneapolis.
- Head over to Riptide Publishing to read the entire excerpt or to learn more about the Author, Lynda Aicher.
- I love to read. It's a simple fact about me that has been true since I discovered the worlds of Judy Blume at the age of ten. This love of reading transferred to young romance (the early version of Young Adult when the stories weren't plagued by vampires, werewolves, and death) which hooked me on the romance genre and the fulfillment that comes with a happy-ever-after ending.Twenty-five years later, I'm still an avid reader of all types of romance. The diversity of writing in the market ensures that there is always something new to read. I'm still a sucker for the happy-ever-after because there are more than enough not-so-happy endings in the real world that I don't need to read about them. I read a book for enjoyment and I want to feel good when the story ends.I have the luxury of being a full-time writer, that is, a full-time writer around my duties as mom, wife, cleaner, cook, chauffeur, master scheduler, banker, cheerleader, volunteer, and tutor. Writing has to be a priority, or it would never happen.I live in the Pacific Northwest which provides many months of rain-filled incentive to stay indoors and write. However, I'm a Midwesterner at heart. A perfect day has the snow falling outside, a fire warming the room, a football game on the television, a roast cooking in the oven, my family hanging out around me and a good book to read.I'm thrilled to be nominated for a 2015 Romance Writers of America RITA® award (that's the Oscars of the romance world) for my Male/Male book Bonds of Denial. This is the first time any M/M books have been nominated and I'm humbled to be a part of such a great event.Connect with Lynda:
- Website: lyndaaicher.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lyndaaicherauthor
- Twitter: @lyndaaicher
There are a couple of opportunities to win something today.
First, an Audiobook copy of Champagne Kisses from Riptide Publishing. Second, an entry into the TTC Books and more monthly giftcard giveaway.
Leave a comment below and share a Christmas Kiss to be entered into both giveaways! Don't forget to leave your contact information as well.
I remember the furor over Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume when I was about 10 or 11. The waiting list at our school library was sooooo long. I can't think of any author even now who right of puberty like she did.
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Thank you for the review. I think I started reading this but I'm not sure if I ended up wanting to save it for a later time. I'll have to revisit it.
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I love audiobooks! would love to win this
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ReplyDeleteThanks for your review. I've only listened to one of Silversmith's audios so far & I'm somewhat on the fence about their work.
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