Although Rowan
Stormbringer was raised Wiccan, he’s never felt a connection to magic.
That changes on the eve of Yule, when he encounters a magical creature, a
phoenix, that needs his help getting to Stonehenge before the sun sets
that day. Hiding a magical creature in the mortal world is tricky at
best, but partnering with a good-looking, snarky taxi driver may be just
the ticket Rowan needs. As they explore their instant attraction to
each other, Rowan and Martin must learn to trust one another if they
hope to deliver the phoenix home in time.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
Another cute story – I love that
this story brought in Wicca – though the relationship between the two men
seemed forced. At the beginning I thought maybe the magic of the phoenix had
brought it all about, but after that, their conversations didn’t make their
attraction and their sudden desire to go find a B&B make sense. It was more
like, okay take two men, put them together and they will want to have sex.
Still cute, but it didn’t do much for me.
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Dr. Gareth Evans and
his medical doctor partner, Warun Jones, are having trouble making time
for each other between end of term craziness for Gareth and
holiday-related injuries pouring into the hospital for Warun. Gareth has
planned what he hopes will be the perfect recipe for relieving the
tension and bringing them back together. While Warun wants Gareth to
partake in Plygain, a traditional dawn service of hymn singing for
Christmas, Gareth plans to take Warun to Bryn Celli Ddu and introduce
him to the Druid ritual of Alban Arthan, the celebration of the winter
solstice.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
Okay, I absolutely loved this
story. Part of it is my life-long fascination with Wales and part is that I
love the celebration of the solstice. Add in that the author did a spectacular
job with the two characters, the language – I really do love Welsh. In what
other language can you have whole words with no vowels? – and the sweet love
story of two men who have been together for quite a while and needed to
reconnect? Definitely a winner.
I just wish the author would have
described to us the stories that Gareth told Warun while they waited for the
sun to come up. I would have loved to hear them :)
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nick, a bartender, and Ben, a hotel reviewer, have been together two years. Though he hates the paperwork involved, Nick agrees to accompany Ben to a beautiful lodge on the Mozambican side of Lake Malawi. Over a bottle of wine, they trade Christmas horror stories from their pasts. But memories of hurt and loss only serve to remind them how lucky they are to have found each other. It might be time to try out the showerhead built into the tree outside….
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
This was a very cute story. Not a
lot of weight, but for the length, definitely cute. The blurb basically says it
all.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
American Walsh Brandt is happy when a promotion lands him his dream job and a quiet new life in Germany. Until December rolls around, when he realizes it’s almost impossible to hide from the holiday season in Germany.
Dierck Reiniger is fascinated by Walsh’s hatred of Christmas and makes it his personal mission to help Walsh enjoy Weihnachten and the German traditions he grew up with. Walsh has a great time getting to know Dierck—but he still isn’t sold on Christmas, despite Dierck's efforts. Dierck's on the rebound, and he's determined to develop their physical relationship slowly, much to Walsh's frustration. It isn’t until they’re alone in a secluded cabin—hiding from the traditional trappings—that Walsh finally recognizes what the magic of the season can bring when spent with someone special.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".
Absolutely charming tale. Walsh
wants nothing to do with Christmas. Only, he is now living in a town where
everyone celebrates it every day of December. Kind of hard to keep away from.
Especially when a new guy catches his eye and drags him to celebration after
celebration. I loved this story. They didn’t just jump into bed with one
another. Instead, it was a slow buildup of their relationship. For a short
story, I think going from one point of view is a great way to do it. It allowed
me, the reader, to really get to know Walsh – and see our similarities.
A definite ‘should read’ out of
this collection.
Loved this tale, 5 rainbows
We start the tale at the last Saturday in November with
Walsh, an American transplant living in Mannheim Germany. He’s been living
there for six plus months and so far enjoying it. He had a pretty bad childhood
and him and his mother never celebrated the holidays, including Christmas. And
as an adult he’s kept up with that tradition. As Walsh walks to the local
market he notices that the town has gone Holiday crazy, which puts him in a
foul mood. After getting his favorite coffee, but not being able to sit he
walks right into a tall, board hunk of a man and spills coffee all over him.
Dierck, seems perfectly fine with this turn of events and asks Walsh to have
more coffee. Two hours later they have started a wonderful friendship. As the
weeks go on Walsh and Dierck become closer but don’t cross that step that takes
them beyond friends and Walsh gets worried that Dierck is using him as a
holiday friendship because he misses his family and once the season is over so
are they.
So many wonderful things about this tale, if you haven’t
spent any time in Germany this author does a wonderful job describing a snippet
of a holiday that is special for them. Not just in the Mannheim area. At one
point I wanted to stop reading and make my own Gluhwein (Mulled wine) to drink
along with the two MC’s. I enjoyed the way we had a slow build throughout the
story, just a bunch of dates. Some misunderstandings, just like a couple
starting out. I will looking for more from this author.
A wasting plague swept
over the Four Quadrants, changing how folks view the traveling guilds.
Most travelers now make permanent contracts and settle in villages
instead of continuing on the road. Needing to alter his lifestyle,
Kerryll MacGhylle rides deep into the Northern Quadrant in search of a
place to belong.
The Northern Duke, Cullan Gryffyn D'Antuono, accepts the contract of the frozen minstrel arriving during a powerful ice blizzard. He nurses Kerryll through the ravages of the sickness. Though they live at opposite ends of society, they have more in common than they realize.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package Celebrate!
The Northern Duke, Cullan Gryffyn D'Antuono, accepts the contract of the frozen minstrel arriving during a powerful ice blizzard. He nurses Kerryll through the ravages of the sickness. Though they live at opposite ends of society, they have more in common than they realize.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package Celebrate!
Minstrels Solstice isn’t my type
of story. It was well-written and flowed, but it was impossible to get to know
the characters in such a short span of time. I knew names but couldn’t really
connect with them emotionally. There wasn’t much description really of what
people looked like so I couldn’t even imagine them in my head. Added to that,
the Duke and the Minstrel had only known one another for 24 hours – of which
half of that the minstrel had been too ill to talk, and suddenly they want to
be together forever? Not my thing.
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