This holiday season, we are doing three roundups of stories from the 2014 Dreamspinner Advent collection. The stories are available for purchase individually or as a full set. Today Michelle has reviewed three advent stories.
The Virgin Miracle by Rob Rosen
Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story
Lance and Bruce are seated next to each other on a plane as they both try to visit family for the holidays. The attraction is instant and they find interesting ways to pass the time during the flight. It’s Christmas Eve and, due to weather conditions, connecting flights are delayed and then cancelled. Their personal connection, however, continues on throughout the airport terminal and a private meeting room, and just may connect them more permanently come Christmas morning.
That age old story of the Mile High Club. This story had a bit of a lead up and then is just an erotic short of two men connecting on a plane and then the airport and possibly something more. We don’t learn much about either man, but they have an instant attraction and definitely some witty banter. The story can be read in a short amount of time and even with only enough time for a HFN, it is an erotic holiday fantasy piece that is enjoyable to read.
Neighbors by Emma Wilson
Rating: 3.25 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story
Shy Eric has been watching his neighbor from his window every morning. Without knowing his name, he calls him Crooked Smile. Rhys enjoys his breakfast at the window to catch a glance of his neighbor as well, and without knowing his name, has dubbed him Bed Head. When Eric’s roommate returns home during the holidays, she catches on to what is happening and, with the help of Rhys’ business partner, tries to show the men there could be much more than what they see through the window.
I enjoyed the premise of this story. It starts as a sweet story of two men who have been eyeing each other through their apartment windows and the occasional glance in the building or parking lot. They are both cute, using terms like “adorkable.” Eric is so nervous, he cannot even speak to Rhys, and also mistakenly thinks that Rhys has a boyfriend. Rhys can’t figure out why Eric just glares at him.
The beginning of the story had a lot of promise and lots of tension between the two guys. There are then a lot of secondary characters joining in and issues of both guys’ pasts added in that did not have a chance to be developed. One issue in Rhys’ past gets mentioned in the last few pages of the story. The guys spend most of the story apart and only have their first real conversation at the very end. I would have preferred to have seen them together a bit more as they had a fun story. There is one mixed up name error which also had me reading one line more than once. The story is a cute premise of getting two guys together over the holidays but ultimately did not let them have a long enough time to be together before the story is over.
Second Bite of the Cherry by Louise Lyons
Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story
Daniel reluctantly agrees to join his friend Kate for the New Year’s Eve celebration and fireworks in London. He is trying to make himself have good time. He is then surprised to see his first boyfriend, James, in the midst of the large crowd. The men have not seen each for four years, but the spark is still there for both of them. At the start of the new year, Daniel and James may just have a second chance at love.
This is a well written, holiday story of two guys meeting up unexpectedly after having had an amicable break up. We get a lot more of Dan’s history in this story. The guys reminisce and spend one heat filled night reconnecting and realize they should have that second chance. The guys are likable and the attraction between them is present, although I did get a feeling that they were somewhat settling for the comfort of each other, although that is not what is intended. Overall, a good story of two men ringing in the new year and rediscovering what they once had.
A review copy of these books was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
