With stories By... Sam Burns, Emy Calirel, Daniel de Lorne, Cassie Decker, Jana Denardo, Jayce Ellis, Kim Fielding, Elinor Gray, Crystel Greene, Andrew Grey, Dirk Greyson, Pat Henshaw, Ren Holly, Asta Idonea, Morgan James, Kim Katil, Jon Keys, Tara Lain, Kassandra Lea, L.A. Merrill, R.L. Merrill, Jenn Moffatt, Chrissy Munder, TJ Nichols, A. Nybo, Carol Pedroso, C.S. Poe, Liv Rancourt, E.J. Russell, B.G. Thomas
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.
Click here to purchase this bundle from Dreamspinner Press!
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The Carpenter's
PrinceJayce Ellis
Synopsis
Sean Edwards would do
anything for his nephew, including designing the props for a children’s version
of the Nutcracker. He’s ready for the long nights and weekends in
the workshop—they’re part of the job, especially given the short notice. The
insanely sexy head ballerino is completely unexpected, however.
All principal danseur Keni
Jackson wants is to surpass last year’s performance, blow people’s socks off,
and cement his place in the studio. The last thing he needs is something to
shatter his carefully held control—like a cuddly carpenter who favors jazz over
Tchaikovsky.
Sean and Keni are drawn to
each other, but not everyone is a fan of their relationship. When Keni’s
position is threatened, they have to decide whether to walk away for good, or
if what they’ve found is worth fighting for.
Cat
gives this one 4 Meows with a 1 Purr heat index...
This is a very sweet, fun Christmas story. The characters are good, relatable, and the sexual tension is good without having to have a lot on-page. And of course, funny kids always lighten up a good story. A great feelgood read.
This is a very sweet, fun Christmas story. The characters are good, relatable, and the sexual tension is good without having to have a lot on-page. And of course, funny kids always lighten up a good story. A great feelgood read.
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
About the author ... Jayce Ellis has three loves: her husband and her two turtles. Hubby loves her back. The turtles she’s not so sure about, but they do love their sports (Bay Area teams FTW!). She still hasn’t figured out why she lives in Northern Virginia, where there’s weather, instead of California, where she’s from and where it’s just… pretty. Jayce spends her days divorcing happily married couples (or so she’s been told), and her nights talking maniacally to herself. Thankfully the recorder catches her rumblings and magically turns them into words on a screen. Painting nails is way easier when you don’t actually have to type, and with well over 500 polishes to get through, there’s a lot of painting going on.
About the author ... Jayce Ellis has three loves: her husband and her two turtles. Hubby loves her back. The turtles she’s not so sure about, but they do love their sports (Bay Area teams FTW!). She still hasn’t figured out why she lives in Northern Virginia, where there’s weather, instead of California, where she’s from and where it’s just… pretty. Jayce spends her days divorcing happily married couples (or so she’s been told), and her nights talking maniacally to herself. Thankfully the recorder catches her rumblings and magically turns them into words on a screen. Painting nails is way easier when you don’t actually have to type, and with well over 500 polishes to get through, there’s a lot of painting going on.
Notwithstanding her no-good, very bad, horrible day job, Jayce seriously believes that true love conquers all. Even Malificent said it. Sure, she was having an epic Mean Girls moment at the time, but she still said it. And she’s right. The only thing Jayce loves more than writing about true love conquering all is hearing from readers who feel the same way. Drop her a line; she’d love to hear from you.
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Christmas Ghosts 
Jenn Moffat
Synopsis
Dealing with the unexpected loss of his mother isn’t how carpenter Steve Brownings planned to
spend his Christmas. Hoping her costume jewelry can bring some happiness to
others, he takes it to the local community theater, where he runs into his
first love, Trey Baxter.
Trey’s trying to help his sister put on a gender-fluid version of A Christmas Carol, but no one on the cast or crew knows which end of a hammer to hold let alone use a power tool. Then a face from the past brings a present-day miracle… one that could lead to a happy future they both thought they gave up back in high school.
Trey’s trying to help his sister put on a gender-fluid version of A Christmas Carol, but no one on the cast or crew knows which end of a hammer to hold let alone use a power tool. Then a face from the past brings a present-day miracle… one that could lead to a happy future they both thought they gave up back in high school.
Cat
gives this one 4 Meows with a 1 Purr heat index...
A sweet and fun holiday romance. If you like second
chances this is for you!
About the Author... Jenn Moffatt is a proud nerd. Raised on Star Trek, Dark Shadows, The Wild Wild West, and James Bond, she learned not to be afraid of things that go bump in the night and to have hope for the future of humanity. She grew up wanting to be a member of the Addams Family or part of the crew of the USS Enterprise—and she still does.
She’s been soaked to the skin for Chinese New Year and walked in the fog in Frisco. Went to high school in Sin City, and no, she didn’t live in a casino. Lived on the slope of an active volcano, and used to snorkel between classes in college on the Big Island. Now she lives in San Diego where she gets to see the ocean and wildflowers in the desert on the same day.
Jenn was born disabled, which gives her a deep understanding of what it’s like to be different, but she’s never let it hold her back. It just means she gets pretty good parking.
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Crochet My Heart Carol Pedroso
Synopsis
Accountant Tristan plans
to make a ton of crochet items for his local LGBT charity to sell at their
holiday fair. His only problem? He can’t crochet.
Fortunately the community
center offers a class, and it’s taught by Charlie, who is gorgeous and sexy and
seems interested. At first. Can grandmotherly fellow classmate Ivy guide the
clueless men to each other, or will it take something more serious to help them
see the possibilities?
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
Cat gives this one 5
Meows with a 1 Purr heat index...
Oh my gosh I loved this one.
This was a very well written short story and felt like a full story. I loved
both characters, all of the secondary characters. The elderly lady in the
crochet group was a hoot. Not only is this a fun, sweet romance then we get a
big twist and some suspense. Of course, add in some holiday magic and a lovely
HEA.
About the Author... Carol Pedroso lives by the seaside in the south east of the UK. She started writing when she was young but stopped once work and life interfered. She started up again in 2014 when she stumbled upon the Wednesday Briefs Writing Group. She likes to ensure all her characters find their HEA and that any bad guys get what they deserve.
About the Author... Carol Pedroso lives by the seaside in the south east of the UK. She started writing when she was young but stopped once work and life interfered. She started up again in 2014 when she stumbled upon the Wednesday Briefs Writing Group. She likes to ensure all her characters find their HEA and that any bad guys get what they deserve.
Carol is a full-time mum and wife, as well as an active volunteer in her community. She helps out with various charitable groups and teaches classes such as cooking, sewing, and crochet.
She is always grateful to her family and friends (both on and off-line) for their unwavering support in her pursuit of her writing aims.
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An Elf to MyselfEmy Calirel
Synopsis
The last thing Wilhelm
expects to find at Michaels, three days before Christmas and in search of a
gift to make for his niece, is one of Santa’s elves—a cute one with a wicked,
inappropriate sense of humor and a kinky streak. Alabastair may have been
kicked out of Santa’s village, but he’s still a Christmas expert. And he’s
determined to give Wilhelm and his family the best holiday he can.
With only two days to turn
the Grinch’s house into a Christmassy wonderland, they have a lot on their
plate. Among the glitter and the cheer, Wilhelm and Alabastair might find more
than just the holiday’s magic. But will it be enough to keep Alabastair in
Wilhelm’s bed and life when the North Pole calls him back?
Cat
gives this one 5 Meows with a 1 Purr heat index...
This is a fun unique take on elves. I liked that they are real humans and my heart went out to Alabastair. I nearly cried at the thought he was dropped from the North Pole in Chicago with no food, money or even a coat. But then maybe just maybe Santa wasn’t being mean but helping out both men? Christmas has never been anything but a heartache to Wilhelm ( I will let you read the story to see why) so he never celebrates. This year his sister insists he let them, and his niece comes over for Christmas lunch. The deal is… She makes lunch he has to make his nieces gift. So off to the craft store where he meets a cute, meek little man that is too helpful. I loved the contrast between Wilhelm and Alabastair. Alabastair was so fun and quirky. Great feel-good romance.
This is a fun unique take on elves. I liked that they are real humans and my heart went out to Alabastair. I nearly cried at the thought he was dropped from the North Pole in Chicago with no food, money or even a coat. But then maybe just maybe Santa wasn’t being mean but helping out both men? Christmas has never been anything but a heartache to Wilhelm ( I will let you read the story to see why) so he never celebrates. This year his sister insists he let them, and his niece comes over for Christmas lunch. The deal is… She makes lunch he has to make his nieces gift. So off to the craft store where he meets a cute, meek little man that is too helpful. I loved the contrast between Wilhelm and Alabastair. Alabastair was so fun and quirky. Great feel-good romance.
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
About the Author... Emy Calirel grew up in France, but also spent some time in Africa as a child. When she finally reached adulthood, she jumped on opportunities and moved to California, then Ireland, before coming back to her roots. San Francisco still holds her heart, though, and always will.
After trying a couple different jobs, she settled down and now works in a funeral home/monumental masonry, which she loves. To handle life’s daily stress, she laughs with her coworkers a lot and spends any free time she gets reading or daydreaming about queer folks finding their happily ever after.
She’s a cat owner, a plant killer, and a San Francisco Giants fan. Wanderlust flows in her veins, and her goal is to visit every capital in Europe—if she can ever stop herself from going back to London over and over again.
Emy’s muse is a sassy being who expertly farms plot bunnies in Emy’s overgrown imagination. As a consequence, Emy has more stories and characters living in her head than she’ll ever be able to write in her lifetime. She’s fine with it, though, as, like a child, she loves playing in her sandbox.
A documentary enthusiast and curious to a fault, Emy often loses herself in research and will happily share her discoveries with everyone. Did you know most mammals empty their bladders in twenty-one seconds?
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Evan Versus the Sharlotka
Emy Calirel
Synopsis
Rumpled tech support Evan
Carmichael has a crush on pristine programming supervisor Gavriil Cottan. The
whole company knows it. Except Gavriil. As a closet romantic, Evan dreams of
declaring his feelings with a grand gesture, something out of the movies he
loves.
The company holiday
potluck luncheon gives Evan a perfect opportunity. He finds out Gavriil’s
favorite dessert and is determined to make an apple sharlotka just like
Gavriil’s mother used to make. The only problem is, Evan is a disaster in the
kitchen. Can he master the mystery of the sharlotka and the intricacies of the
springform pan in time to both woo and wow Gavriil?
Cat
gives this one 4 Meows with a 1 Purr heat index... This is a sweet, friends
to lovers, office romance. I loved watching Evan try so hard making this
Sharlotka to impress Gavrill. This one is super short and can be read in next
to no time!
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
Chrissy loves to chat with her readers so don't be shy! Visit her on Twitter, her website, Facebook, or Goodreads.
Do you love holiday romance as much as Chrissy? Join the Chrissy Munder Holiday Collection Club for special updates and sneak peeks at upcoming work.
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The Fairy Shop Tara Lain
Synopsis
When Nate Hawthorne meets
Asher Dane, the huge, tattooed hunk is the personification of Nate’s dreams.
But Nate knows there’s no future, because Asher is also the personification of
his beloved five-year-old daughter Delly’s nightmares. She’s frightened of big men.
Things turn around for both of them, however, when Delly goes Christmas
shopping at the Fairy Shop and begins her quest for a wand that will make her
brave. Neither of them guesses that the Fairy Shop will be the source of far
more than Delly’s courage. On Christmas Eve, under the influence of a very
unusual fairy, Nate’s life will change forever.
Cat
gives this one 5 Meows with a 2 Purr heat index...
This story is filled with
sweetness, and Holiday magic. I loved the details of the Fairy shop and
Ophelia. I liked the way little Delly connects with Ophelia and dresses like
her. I also like how Delly just doesn’t run up and grab a wand and ponders it
over a few days’ time trying to select just the right one. The heat between Asher
and Nate is snow melting (I couldn’t help myself). So great characters, a tiny
bit of suspense (Delly’s reason for being afraid is sad) fabulous descriptions
and I loved the meanings of names and stuff. A must-read holiday story!
Buy links: Dreamspinner - Amazon
About the Author... Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters—and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories, which star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey, and her soulmate dog decided they wanted fewer cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon, where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers. She also loves to hear from you.
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Finding Yuletide
Karol L.A. Merrill
Synopsis
Fifty years ago, during
the Vietnam War, Lee Elbridge fell in love with an Army cook nicknamed Yuletide
Karol, but they haven’t seen each other since.
Now, led by a clue in an
old cookbook, Lee sets off on a road trip to find his lost love. He arrives on
Karol's upstate New York farm to find preparations for a handfasting in full
swing, and is mistaken for the wedding planner’s assistant. As Lee is roped
into folding hemp napkin goats and mashing fresh sweet potatoes, he is welcomed
by Karol's large, eccentric family of witches and pagans. When Lee and Karol
finally get a moment alone, Lee tells him the truth, but it will take more than
a little Yuletide magick to bring them together again after almost a lifetime.
Cat gives this one 5 Meows with a 1 Purr heat index
I like that this one has
older Characters. Lee is in his seventies now, wealthy, seems to have it all
except he is lonely. An office party gift gives him a clue as to where he may
find his first and only true love. How he met Karol was poignant and how he finds
him is sweet. And I love his personal assistant sidekick that adds a touch of
humor to the story!
Author the Author...
Follow her on Twitter for feminism and fangirling @la_mer92, on Facebook @L.A.MerrillWrites, or check out her website, www.leahmerrillwrites.wordpress.com.
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Look like a bunch of good books.
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