This week’s reads and recommendations
Barbara Elsborg – A Spaceman Came Travelling
The gift that lights up the night sky
Working a Christmas Eve shift in a local café, Seven overhears a young boy’s wish that melts his heart.
The only thing Ben wants for Christmas is a spacesuit, so he can visit his mother who now lives amongst the stars in heaven. With Christmas Day only hours away, Seven’s determined that Ben’s wish comes true as he sets about making the spacesuit himself.
When Cooper, Ben’s uncle, finds the gift-wrapped box outside his house, he’s determined to track down the person who left it, and repay the wonderful, selfless act of generosity which has made Ben so happy on Christmas Day.
A Spaceman Came Travelling is a story that captures the true spirit of Christmas — giving selflessly, sharing joy, and wishing upon a star — and a heartwarming reminder that during the holiday season, a simple act of kindness can light up even the darkest of nights.
This story originally appeared in a charity anthology that is longer available. The story has been revised and expanded.
Release: Out Now, KU
Tags: Single Dad
My Review: An absolutely gorgeous story. My heart. KU. Highly recommended novella that made me all emotional. Loved it.
Lee Blair – Christmas Wishes (Dare Me Christmas Duo)
Say it ain’t snow!
After my bestie and I got laid off during the holidays, we drunkenly decide to plan a surprise vacation for each other. Knowing how much I hate snow, he sends me to sunny Arizona with my swim briefs and a dare. I’m supposed to finally start the beauty influencer accounts I’ve been talking about for years.
Did you know there are parts of Arizona where it snows? I didn’t. No wonder my tipsy BFF got a sweet deal on my tickets.
But I’m determined to stick it out, even if I have to endure my frigid fun in a fugly thrifted coat. And my s*x appeal must still be on point, because the hottest guy I’ve seen in ages can’t take his eyes off me.
Too bad when I go to close the deal, I find out my coat used to belong to his dead boss. Yeah, that knocks my holly jolly down a peg or two. It’s even worse when the same hottie turns out to be my Airbnb host.
But instead of a week full of awkwardness, I find out Riggs might be as quiet as a snowman, but he has the depth of the Grand Canyon.
Maybe snow isn’t so bad if you have the right person for a snowball fight.
Except the clock is ticking on my winter wonderland adventure, and Riggs hasn’t asked me to stay. And I still haven’t put up any influencer videos.
Do I dare?
Christmas Wishes is a low angst, opposites attract, forced proximity, M/M vacation romance full of small-town holiday cheer. It’s half of the Dare Me Christmas Duo, but each book is a standalone romance.
Release: Out Now, KU
Tags: Small Town Christmas, Opposites Attract
My Review: I loved book 1 in the duology, I loved this one too! I can’t choose between them… highly recommended for that small town christmas 🙂
Cari Z – His Holiday Crush
I must have missed this in 2020!!!!
Workaholic attorney Max Robertson is one meeting away from making partner at a big NYC firm when his best friend calls and guilts him into coming back home for Christmas. But there’s a reason he hasn’t been back to Edgewood for a decade—too many bad memories. The plan was to go for just one night, until a wild deer and a snow bank wrecked everything.
Former Army Sergeant Dominic “Nicky” Bell is the new guy on the Edgewood police force, so of course he drew the short straw and is stuck working the night shift. But his evening gets turned upside-down when he gets called out to a wreck in the snow—and it’s his one and only high school crush, looking even sexier than he did back then.
When they both end up stranded together at Dominic’s house, sparks start to fly and Max isn’t sure what to do. But everyone deserves a present this holiday season, right?
Release: Out Now, KU
Tags: Best Friends Brother, Small Town
My Review: Best friends brother, Christmas Hallmark movie feel, perfect holiday small town romance reading – highly recommended
TL Travis – A Little Christmas: Orion’s Secret
Orion Landry may have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but when his father died his stepmother no longer had any use for him. Having a stepson that was prettier than her just wasn’t acceptable. She was her plastic surgeon’s favorite patient and had spent more money than she’d ever admit to remedy that. But still it wasn’t enough to relieve her jealousy of Orion.
While Orion missed his father dearly, it was a different kind of daddy he craved. One who would take the time to learn everything he could about Orion, and one whom he would trust enough to share his deepest secret with.
Aleksander Numminen—Alex to his friends—had reached the age where hook-ups with random boys for the night no longer satisfied his cravings. He’d played out the scene at the local club and was now hungry for more.
Though there was one boy that caught his eye, the boy no other daddy could seem to tame.
Was it possible this boy could be the one?
This book is part of A Little Christmas: Season Two 2023 multi-author series with themes loosely based on the classic book A Secret Garden. Each book in A Little Christmas is a standalone. But each boy is silly, unique, lovable, and downright adorable so why not read them all?
Release: Out Now, KU
Tags: Daddy/Little, Hurt Comfort, Only Just Met, Age Play, Daddy Boy
Have You Read?
The Christmas Throwaway
For Zachary Weston Christmas means sleeping on a churchyard bench in the freezing snow with nothing better in his future. Thrown out of his home for being gay, he is left without money or, it seems, anywhere to go. Until a stranger shows him that some people do give a lot more than a damn.
Ben Hamilton is a rookie cop in his small home town. He finds a young throwaway, fresh from the city, sleeping on a bench in the churchyard on a snowy Christmas Eve. Can he be the one to give Zachary his own Christmas miracle?
More info →
Manon says
I love the cover for His Holiday Crush.
Lee Blair‘s books are so great and Christmas Wishes don‘t disappoint. I do hope she continues the Juniper Ridge town.
Lisa says
I really like all the covers 🌟
Claudia M says
I love the cover of ‘The Christmas Throwaway’ It’s moody but in a perfect way, that totally relates to the title of the book. Just love it!
Victoria Weston says
I absolutely love his holiday crush cover its so beautiful. It’s hard to get in the Christmas spirit since we only just lost my dad but I’m trying for my family. I hope everyone remains calm in the lead up to Christmas and I hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS🎄🎅🤶⛄🎉😘
Stephen G says
Cari Z’s cover for His Holiday Crush says pick me up and read me!!
Kathy J in Ellicott City says
I love all the covers!
Elizabeth says
I don’t always love animated covers, but A Spaceman Comes Travelling really calls to me! I’m not getting through all the Christmas TBR as quickly as I would like, but I’m still working away at it amidst all the holiday tasks. 🙂
Kathy says
Love The Holiday Crush cover!
T jorgenson says
The cover for His Holiday crush is so cute and happy!
I love The Christmas Throwaway, I was sad that it was short as I could’ve read a whole novel about them!
Greg says
Love the Christmas Wishes cover!
Rita says
Loved Lee Blair’s Christmas Duo! Great fun and sweet!
Mary Young says
I read A Spaceman Came Travelling in the anthology and you are correct, it was an absolutely gorgeous story. And the cover for this now released novella is perfect ❤️.
Michelle Nabach says
the christmas throwaway
Sherry George says
I can’t wait to read “A Spaceman Came Travelling”!
Carol Costello says
Love the A Spaceman Came Calling cover. I bought it.
Marion Cee says
Thanks for the recommendations. I love finding new books! I also love the graphic at the top,of the page. Not often you see figure skates.
Jodi Ciorciari-Marinich says
all the books look and sounds great..happy holidays
Evie Wedin says
I like A Little Christmas: Orion’s Secret the best
KayMTee says
To be honest, I like all the covers. I also love everything about Christmas, including Christmas services, decorating and baking.
Heather Rawlins says
I am really looking forward to reading A Spaceman Came Traveling. The cover and blurb are so appealing. It’s already in library.
Jennifer Shannon says
These are all new to me. I’m particularly interested in Barbara Elsborg’s book.
Alyson says
I also must have missed Cari Z’s book. I recently purchased it and am excited to read it during the holidays.
Mari Cardenas says
I love the cover for His Holiday Crush!
Cathy Brockman says
the Christmas crush really got my attention but a few looked good
Kareni says
I need to start wrapping some gifts as the days are flying by!
Wishing you a happy holiday, R.J., and the same to all who see this.
Angie says
I liked A Little Christmas: Orion’s Secret
Ginger Connatser says
The Christmas Throwaway
Beth says
After reading that blurb I definitely would like to get Barbara Elsborg’s book. Sounds cute.
And The Christmas Throwaway is the first book of yours that I ever read. Sure wish I had that prettier cover on mine but I got my copy back in 2010 when it was still with the original publisher.
Cindi Knowles says
A Spaceman Came Traveling is so cool! I want to grab it right away!
Lee Todd says
I really like The Christmas Throwaway cover
Amanda Fernandez-Yerena says
I love the cover of A Little Christmas: Orion’s Secret.
Sue A. says
Last but not least, The Christmas Throwaway was my pick!