This week's reads and recommendations
C F White – Festive Fever Pitch (A District Line Charity Novella)
Note from CF –
This is a charity novella where all proceeds are going to my London Marathon fund where I am running for First Step, a charity supporting families with disabled children. Also available in audio, the only way to get hold of a copy is via the form above and either ebook or audio (or both) will be send direct to emails on 1st December in exchange for a donation (details on how to donate included within the form link).
This book is a fifth instalment of my District Line Sports/Rocker romance and readers will need to be familiar with the characters to fully enjoy this festive bonus. Therefore, the boxset of the first three books is free for the five days leading up to the 1st December with the fourth book 99p/c. All available in KU and audiobook format too!
When Christmas throws a curve ball, it's a good thing your husband's a footballer.
The Ruttman’s usual Christmas surrounded by friends and family is turned upside down when Jay brings home a troubled teen from his U16 Academy squad. Opening their door to welcome talented footballer and looked-after-child Devon into their life might have been the charitable thing to do for Christmas Day, but it also might open a massive can of worms.
Devon has more in common with both Jay and Seb than even they could have accounted for, and understanding first-hand the barriers he faces to achieve his dreams, how will they be able to send him back to the children’s home come boxing day? Especially when daughter Bea asked Santa for a big brother.
Devon seems to shine a light on all the unresolved issues Jay and Seb have been avoiding confronting about their relationship all these years, making it harder to not to see him as the missing player in the Ruttman band.
Besides, a guitar-playing footballer shouldn't just be for Christmas, right?
This is a charity bonus novella set in the world of the District Line.
To get this book is slightly different but WELL WORTH THE VISIT… https://forms.gle/okJ19X1R2D42JX6U9
Tags: sports romance, Found Family, Older leading men, Rom Com
Beth Bolden – Silent Knight
Jeremiah—or Jem, as his friends like to call him—Knight is stuck at a crossroads. Injured and unsure if he’ll be spending another season on the football field, he returns home for the holidays, hoping to lick his wounds in private. Only to be roped into being the mascot and grand marshal of the annual Christmas Falls festival and parade.
Murphy Miller isn’t looking for a boyfriend or a romance or even a knight in shining armor. His wood carving business requires plenty of attention, especially at the holidays, but when the town asks him to help with Jem, Murphy can’t say no.
Even though he and Jem grew apart in high school, they’ve known each other their whole lives, and Murphy hopes, over endless cups of rum punch, too many strands of Christmas lights, and nights spent cuddled up together at the ice rink, they might become friends again. But unexpected attraction blooms into desire which explodes into passion.
Even though Murphy doesn’t need Jem to fight his battles, maybe what they’ve both been searching for this whole time is a fairytale and some Christmas magic of their own.
Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.
https://readerlinks.com/l/3673432
Release: 28/11/2023, KU
Tags: Friends to Lovers, childhood best friends, sports romance, small town
Ali Ryecart – Snowed In at Christmas Cottage
Two strangers, one cottage, and a blizzard that changes everything.
In the quiet isolation of a snowed in cottage, William guards his shattered heart. His world’s been ripped apart, and he has no idea how to start living again. Little does he know life is about to come crashing in.
Kyle’s seeking his own refuge from the festive season. Arriving in the dead of night, the last thing he’s expecting is to be attacked by a half naked man.
Both have booked the cottage. Both are determined to stay. But as the weather worsens neither is able to leave, and they’re left with no choice but to stay and endure each other’s unwanted company.
Thin skinned William and cocky Kyle are opposites in every way, and their initial clash sparks an icy standoff. Yet, as the snowflakes continue to fall, so do the barriers between them. Exploring the winter wonderland beyond the cottage, and sharing Christmas treats by the crackling fire, smouldering attraction starts to ignite.
Can William overcome the burden of his secret heartache, and will Kyle be able to convince him that life and love are there for the taking — but only if he is brave enough to seize the chance?
Snowed In at Christmas Cottage is an opposites attract, close proximity, heartwarming MM romance. Expect a touch of enemies to lovers, a pinch of grumpy/sunshine — and only one very big bed.
https://geni.us/AR-SIAC
Release: 15/11/2023, KU
Tags: Only One Bed, Only Just Met, Enemies to Lovers
Keira Andrews – The Christmas Veto (Festive Fakes book 3)
Can fake dating lead to true love?
My name’s Connor Lisowski, and here’s what you need to know about me:
I’ve had a massive crush on my best friend’s older brother since high school.
Everyone thinks I’m straight.
I have two dads but I’m afraid to come out.
I’ve never even been kissed.
And somehow, I’ve been roped into pretending to be Reid’s boyfriend for the holidays. Who’s Reid, you ask? Only the aforementioned best friend’s older brother who never looked at me twice.
Until now.
The Christmas Veto by Keira Andrews is a gay Christmas romance featuring fake boyfriends, a bisexual king in a designer suit, first times, and of course a happy ending. Connor first appears in The Christmas Deal, but this novel can be read as a standalone.
https://readerlinks.com/l/3675051
Release: 16/11/2023, KU
Tags: Pretend Relationship, Best Friends Brother, Age Gap, Virgin
Fearne Hill – Second-Best Men
Two snowed-in men. 300 cows. And a mangy dog.
Tucked away down a rutted dirt track lives a grumpy dairy farmer.
He’s firmly in the closet. And he’s desperately lonely.
That farmer is me—Rob Langford. I have more meaningful conversations with my prize bull than people. Except, one snowy night, I stumble across a fancy car wedged into a ditch.
The driver needs my help.
He’s injured. Stranded. The snow lies two feet deep.
And over the next few days, I discover this quiet, thoughtful man doesn’t mind my run-down cottage and my lumpy old sofa. He's even quite tolerant of my smelly arthritic dog.
Strong. Handsome. Self-possessed.
A man who knows what he wants. In bed and out of it. And bizarrely, that thing is me.
But to be what he needs? I must step out of the shadows. And into his life.
Release: 16/11/2023, KU
Tags: Stranded, Snowstorm, Forced proximity, Only Just Met, small town, Grumpy Sunshine, Pets/Animals
Nic Starr – Twinkling Elf
Opposites attract when doing a good deed brings two friends together for Christmas.
When Micah returns to town and volunteers to run Santa’s workshop, he never expects his brother’s best friend to be working alongside him. It seems the time apart has done nothing to kill the crush he’s always had on Nicholas, and he’ll need to learn to live with it. Showing up each day in his silly elf costume is going to be torture.
Back home for the holidays, Nicholas gets roped into assisting at the kid’s play center, but it turns out being Santa’s photographer has its perks. He loves spending time with Micah, whose Christmas spirit is infectious and does strange things to Nicholas’ heart. Not to mention those adorable leggings!
The festive season, two friends, two good deeds, and the gift of love.
Twinkling Elf is a low-angst gay Christmas story (~11k words) featuring opposites attract, brother’s best friend, a long-time crush, with sexy times and a sweet ending. It’s a stand-alone story filled with Christmas spirit. It was part of the 2022 Rainbow Advent Calendar.
https://books2read.com/twinklingelf
Release: 22/11/2023, WIDE
Tags: Best Friends Brother etc, Opposites Attract, Low Angst
Have You Read?
The Wishing Tree
It takes an impossible Christmas wish for Bailey to find forever love with his brother’s best friend.
Turning twenty-five and still a virgin, Bailey has barely dated, let alone acted on the private fantasies featuring his brother’s best friend, newly retired hockey star, Kai. All he wants is for Kai to love him, but after a summer when Kai’s anger drove them apart, love doesn’t seem possible at all.
When Kai goes home to Wishing Tree, he knows he owes everyone an apology, not least of all to the man he loves. He’s convinced he can be the man Bailey deserves, and he needs to show Bailey how much he’s changed.
The only problem? Bailey has secrets he’s scared will drive Kai away, and Kai is running out of time to convince Bailey that falling in love starts with a wish, and can end up in forever.
The Wishing Tree is a standalone small-town Christmas MM romance with perfect snow, twinkling lights, a first real kiss, a shy virgin with a silken kink, a retired hockey player, and all the Christmas feels.
More info →
some good reads recommended there.
I really like the Silent Knight cover 🙂
I liked Amy Aislin ‘s Get Frosted
I love the Wishing Tree cover <3
I like the Silent Knight cover. The book is lovely too.
I am really enjoying all of the covers. My favorite time of the year to read new authors and their holiday stories.
I like the Silent Knight cover
I start reading Christmas/holiday books after Thanksgiving. I can never find enough time to read all of the ones I have on my TBR list. Thank goodness for e-readers. I can indulge in my Christmas books in April if I want to and no one is the wiser 🙂 for what I am reading.
The Silent Knight cover grabs me the most, but all of these sound like great reads. I can’t fit all the Christmas reads I want to read into the Christmas period, lol.
I’m loving all the Christmas Falls covers!
I want to read The Christmas Veto.
The Twinkling Elf by Nic Starr has a cute and fun looking cover.
love the second best men cover
I think Silent Knight has the best cover this week, but Second-Best Men sure is nice to look at 😂
they all have nice covers. I really want to read the Beth Bowden one.
great list!
week 3
The Wishing Tree
Loved this book
I love the Christmas Vote one the best. And the story is really lovely
Most of these were already on my TBR! These reviews are all the more reason to read them!
I have read ‘Silent Knight’ and fell in love with the story. The cover model made me smile before I even started reading.
This is a great recommendation!
I love the cover of the Christmas Veto, Keira Andrews covers are always so classy. I’ll read all of these but the one I’m most looking forward to is Second Best Men, the premise looks intriguing.
I was going to say Nic Starr’s cover from the newsletter but then, I came here and saw you added The Wishing Tree. And yeah, that one! I’d love to read it.
I am loving the Christmas Falls series so far. I’m looking forward to the new one by Beth Bolden.
Looking forward to reading the next Christmas Falls Book Silent Knight. They previous books where so good and really getting me into the Christmas mood.
Thanks for the recommendations. I have read Twinkling Elf, Snowed In At Christmas Cottage and Silent Knight. Always looking for more holiday reads!
RJ, which of all of your Christmas stories do you recommend and/or love the most?
One of my favorite Christmas stories is “Deefer and the Great Mistletoe Incident”; I have too many on my tbr list, even “The Wishing Tree”! Time to get cracking with the Christmas reading!
Gotta go Silent Knight, partially because I’m really enjoying the series!
Second Best Men
Grumpy farmer, alone at Christmas, stranded stranger rescued by him. All the feels and ghat’s just from the blurb. Can’t wait to read it. The cover not too shabby either!
I loved The Christmas Veto and Silent Knight. The others are on my TBR.
Silent knight cover is my favourite its stunning 🔥. I’m just trying to remain salmon the run up to Christmas 🎄🎅like all you guys but I am looking forward to pulling crackers 😆 thank you 💗
Silent Knight looks really cool and I have enjoyed Beth Bolden’s books before.
RJ,
The book(s) I want to read – ALL of them. I love great Christmas stories. And by great I mean sappy, happy, new-found love, re-found love, magical love, forced proximity love…. you get the picture. I’m DYING to read The Wishing Tree, Snowed In at Christmas Cottage, Silent Knight, all of them. Your choices always find their way into my TBR and eventually get read – sometimes as late as summer “vacation” reading.
Happy holidays to you, RJ, and all who see this!
I enjoyed a hot chocolate earlier today. ’tis the season.
The Christmas Veto looks fun!
I’m waiting to binge all the Christmas Falls books!!! 😃😃😃
Not to be the grinch, but none of the half dozen or so covers trips my interest. Since I’m traveling, my read time will be limited until sea days, when I pick up the reader again.
But regarding the holiday season, I am looking forward to the festivities aboard the NCL Epic as we sail from Rome to Florida. With 3K strangers to meet, it should be a great way to begin the celebrations.
I think the wishing tree is a nice cover!! I hope you have a great Christmas 🙂
I really like the cover of Nic Starr’s book 🙂
Twinkling Elf
All these are in or will on release/preorder wishlist. I adore The Christmas Throwaway, The Christmas Prince, The Wishing Tree and Wishing Tree Wedding.
These are absolute must haves in my Kindle
I am excited about the new Railers Christmas Story! I love this series.
The Wishing Tree caught my eye! Happy Holidays everyone!
love the Christmas Veto cover and there’s a Wishing Tree Wedding?!
(going there right now 🙂 )
I just downloaded all of the Christmas Veto series.
I covers I like best are…. Festive Fever Pitch, The Christmas Veto, and The Wishing Tree. I love reading christmas stories, they warm my heart. 🙂
I covers I like best are…. Festive Fever Pitch, The Christmas Veto, and The Wishing Tree. I love reading christmas stories, they warm my heart. 🙂
I really like the look they developed for the Christmas Falls books. I hope to start reading my Christmas books sometime this week and loving all the good books you are posting about.
I like Silent Knight the best.