ARC Review : Secret Santa by Jay Northcote

Title: Secret Santa

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)

Length: 38,000 words approx

Genre: contemporary m/m romance, holidays, Christmas

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Release Date: Friday 24th November 2017

Series info: This book is a standalone

My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars

Keeping secrets is never a good way to start a relationship

Theo hardly has time to date. Between work and caring for his four-year-old son there aren’t many hours left over. He’s lonely though, so he joins a hook-up app and starts chatting to a guy called Luke. Luke seems friendly and they arrange to meet. Theo doesn’t mention that he has a child. It’s early days and he’s worried about putting Luke off before they get to know each other.

Luke is currently working as Santa at the local shopping mall. He figures Theo never has to know. Christmas will be over soon and Luke will move on to a new, less embarrassing job. He’s surprised when Theo and a little boy visit Santa one afternoon. Theo doesn’t recognise Luke, and Luke realises he’s not the only one with a secret.

Despite misgivings on both sides, they start dating, and the chemistry is amazing. But as Christmas approaches their secrets pile up like colourful packages under the tree. If they’re not careful, they’ll lose the best gift of all—each other.

Goodreads | Secret Santa

The secrets between them loomed, seemingly insurmountable. Luke wanted to fix things and make it right, but he didn’t know how. 

Theo only knew about his own dishonesty. He didn’t know about Luke’s. 

Keeping secrets is never a good way to start a relationship...

🍭🍭🍭

Yup! Keeping secrets is never a good way to start a relationship!

I couldn't agree more!

And that what makes this Christmas Novella had successfully grip me since the very first page to the very last.

The author 'cruelly' put the reader as 'the third party' and watch how these two MC's falls into silly 'misunderstanding' because of the secrets they keep from each others and THAT made you feels like as if you're in the middle of big soccer games and you're sit on the tribune, yelling on the player on the fields with stupid words like, "Gosh! Come on! Not like that!" or in this case, what you're say would be like "Oh! Come on! Say it! SAY IT!! Aaaaaargggghhh!" etc - until almost the end of the reading!

And THAT what's makes this book feels a bit emotional in a good way and absolutely worth to read!

The chemistry between Theo, Luke and little Archie are beautiful and warmed my heart.

Secret Santa is definitely a highly recommended read to welcoming this Christmas Holiday! So, don't miss it!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Universal Amazon Link

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. Jay has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and he also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

www.jaynorthcote.com

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ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair, unbiased and honest review.

Review : Lace-Covered Compromise by Silvia Violet

Title : Lace-Covered Compromise
Author : Silvia Violet
Genre : Gay Contemporary Romance
Published : November 6th 2017
My Rating : 3.7 of 5

Adam Kingston expects to inherit his father’s multinational conglomerate. When he finds out half of it went to Nate Thomas—an annoying man whose dreams for Kingston Corp.’s future clash with Adam’s need to stave off financial disaster—Adam is furious. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to wrest control of Kingston Corp. from Nate. 

Nate may be soft-spoken, but he refuses to be swayed by Adam’s arrogant demands. When Nate accidentally drops a pair of his lacy panties in front of Adam, there’s no mistaking Adam’s interest. Nate hadn’t realized Adam was bisexual, but now that his secret is out, Nate is willing to use Adam’s lust against him if it means protecting the welfare of the company he loves. 

For Adam and Nate, hatred and desire are closely linked. Their inability to compromise threatens the company and could expose their tightly held secrets. But as they work together to develop a plan to save Kingston Corp., they begin to realize there might be more to their relationship than anger and lust.

When the lacy panties mentioned in the blurb, it's totally intrigued me. 

And the promise of a possibility for hot-shemxy-hate-fuck-sex in this enemies-to-lovers troupe made it look interesting even more.

So, I read the book in one sit and cannot put it down.

I'm sold to Nate character soon after he show up for the first time, and I love him even more after I know he's not only wearing a lace panties but also put matching lipstick when he's at the club.

I must admit that I didn't like Adam character almost the entire reading, but in the end I try to 'understand'. He's not 'that' bad actually, but still what he did to Nate annoyed me at some level.

Overall, I like the story and really enjoying the reading. It's annoying at first, but i can't denied that it also hot and fun enough to read.

ARC Review : Snowflakes & Cinnamon Buns by Claire Castle

Title : Snowflakes & Cinnamon Buns

Author: Claire Castle

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Length: 29,000 words (Novella)

Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance

My Rating : 3 of 5 Stars

Cameron Pearce loves to work hard and play hard. Living in New York City, means lots of men and lots of variety. He isn’t looking for love.

When he goes to his small hometown Dickensville for Christmas, food friends, family and seeing his best friend Levi are what’s on the agenda. He also hopes for some friends-with-benefits enjoyment.

Levi Jones owns and runs his own café in Dickensville. He loves the Christmas season and all that comes with it. Decorating, baking, and snow among other things.

Another perk is when Cameron visits home and he gets him all to himself.

What will happen when true feelings are revealed and everything is put on the line?
Will their friendship survive?

Can best friends go from hooking up to a real relationship?
Do they even want to?

This book contains delicious cinnamon buns, a cute westie and sexy hot men to warm up your holidays. 

Cameron and Levi had been friends for years. And for year, they had explore each other sexuality and stick to 'only casual, friends with benefits'.

Christmas will always be the best moment for Cameron for years. Every years he'll come to his hometown to spend the Christmas with his mom and seeing his best buddy, Levi for his delicious cinnamon buns and their 'mutual encounter'.

For years, Cameron had shared their bed with Levi with involved no feelings, but not this year. Because he start to feels something more than just a friend with Levi and get jealous when he found out someone flirting with him. When Levi finally show him his feeling, Cameron start to panic. He keep denying what he feels and leave...

Will they found their HEA this Christmas?

🍁🍁🍁

I'm so glad to have the privileged to read this debut Christmas Novella by the new author Claire Castle.

The story is so sweet and very Christmassy about friends-to-lovers that will warm you this Christmas.

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Claire Castle grew up surrounded by books. She has loved reading for her whole life. Her true love is romance and HEAs. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found wearing comfortable leggings, drinking mocha and petting her west highland terrier. She loves collecting awesome mugs and paperbacks of her favorite stories. 

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ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair, unbiased and honest review.

Review : A Cowboy for Caleb (Great Plains Shifters #1) by L.C. Davis

Title : A Cowboy for Caleb

Series : Great Plains Shifters #1

Author : L.C. Davis

Genre : Gay Romance, Paranormal-Shapeshifter, Mpreg

Published : October 11, 2017

My Rating 3.5 of 5 Stars

Falling for his deceased twin brother’s mate was never part of Dustin’s plan.

This midwestern Alpha might be a little rough around the edges, but he lives by a few simple principles and honor is chief among them.

Nonetheless, when tragedy strikes the Meadowlands Pack, Dustin feels he has no choice but to bring his twin’s mate home to take care of him. The only problem is, Caleb isn’t anything like Dustin expected of the city omega who stole his brother’s heart and divided their family.

What starts out as trying to do the right thing soon becomes a blurry series of complicated decisions that lead Dustin further away from the path he’s always followed—and further into the arms of the one omega he was never supposed to want.

~

Caleb has been through the worst a mated omega could fear. He’s lost his mate and their unborn child, and now he finds himself at the mercy of an Alpha who has every reason to hate him.

Despite being twins, Dustin and Caleb’s former mate, Alec, are nothing alike. Caleb wants nothing more than to please his new Alpha and secure his position in the pack, but Dustin seems to take everything he says the wrong way.

As forbidden tensions mount between Alpha and omega, Caleb begins to fear that Dustin will start taking his developing interest the right way.

This is a hurt/comfort MPREG romance at approximately 37k words, HEA guaranteed.

It's NOT an appropriate things to do to imprinted on your dead  brother's mate at first sight when he still mourning for the lost of two important things in his life, right?

But Dustin didn't plan to do it. It just happen 'like that' and he can't 'control' when it happen and now he must take the consequences, caught between the ethics and his forbidden feeling to Caleb for the rest of his life...

But can they both denied the bonding feels that grow stronger each day?

Can they fight their destiny?

🍁🍁🍁

If you expected a hot and sexy shifter story with bulky macho alpha and/or the rest pack full with build shape men that shape shifting all the times, then you'll disappointed with this book. Because for a story with shapeshifter theme you can't find any shifting scenes on this book AT ALL!!! 

Yup! No Wolfie 🐺 no howling no shapeshifting !

Because A Cowboy for Caleb waaay to 'soft' than any usual shifter story out there. It's sweet, with less conflicts and heart warming.

It's more like reading Mpreg story with alpha-omega rather than shapeahifter. Or I can say it's 'shapeshifter story with omega taste'? Because that exactly what I felt during the reading...

I didn't say that it wasn't good or bad either, but for shapeshifter story, this one feels way too sweet and feels like something is missing...

But even so, I must admit that I LIKE the story so much. And it  surprised me a bit because I didn't expect that when I first decided to start this book.

Both Dustin and Caleb are definitely loveable characters, I'm so glad they didn't jumped to their wolves instinct even their wolves attracted to each other from the very beginning, but they keep following their 'human side' when it comes to ethic and moral things. And that's what makes this story feels so sweet and heartwarming.

For the first story of the series, A Cowboy for Caleb definitely can be a good starter, and I can't wait to read Zander's story and find what happened next....

Will he also could find his happy end?

Review : Daddy & The Manny by Bella Flint

Title : Daddy & The Manny
Author : Bella Flint
Genre : Gay Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Published : September 25th 2017
My Rating :  ⭐⭐⭐

Hollywood bad boy Hayden Reynolds is plagued by scandal after scandal. After one too many fights with the paparazzi and more than a few trashed hotel rooms, his agent holds an intervention. He needs to shake his bad boy image and work on a squeaky clean and wholesome new look if he wants to keep his career on track. Just as he's trying to turn his life around, the ultimate bombshell is suddenly dropped on him. Hayden discovers he has a young daughter he never knew about - the product of a long passed and short-lived relationship - and she’s coming to live with him. Hayden has no idea about being a dad, he barely knows how to take care of himself. When Hollywood Mannies sends James to help, he thinks things will fall into place immediately. What he doesn't expect is that while things with Violet get better, his personal feelings for his manny only grow complicated. 

James Everett is the complete opposite of Hayden. He’s sweet, geeky, down to earth and his love for children has made him one of the most sought-after nannies in Los Angeles. The only trade-in is he has to deal with the children's often snooty parents with more money than sense. He can tell straight away that Hayden has no clue about raising a child. Then again, it’s his job to do most of that anyway. When he takes the live-in position at Hayden’s mansion, he thinks he’s landed his dream job. Little Violet is sassy, funny and smart. She's also troubled by the sudden death of her mother and being thrown into a whole new world she never knew about. She warms to James quickly but doesn’t seem to want to know her father. James is used to playing mediator so this isn't new for him. However, falling for the man whose daughter he's supposed to be helping is. 

When a man from Violet's past threatens to destroy the world Hayden and James have created for her, questions are raised. Hayden must navigate his newfound fatherhood and do what he can to protect the little girl he'd do anything for. Even if that means breaking his heart in the process. Can Hayden really have his career, his daughter and a man to love by his side? And can James really put his heart on the line for a man who's afraid to love him in public? 

Daddy and the Manny is a full-length novel about love, discovery, and family. It contains some steamy scenes and a whole lot of sweetness and of course has a wonderful HEA. 

“I don’t know how to do real relationships, and I fucked up. But I want one...with you...”

I always have soft spot for Mannies stories. So after I saw the title plus the cover and read the blurb, I decided to read the book on first place.

The story hooked me since the very first page. Even when I know that this book will have 'similarities' with any other Mannies story I ever read before which always start with same 'pattern', i must admit that it still intigued me to try. 

I like the pace, the journey and the growing emotions between the two main characters feels so sweet. There's a bit 'drama' at nearly end of the story, but since I'm in the mood with this kind of fluffy story, I think it's fine.

I love Violet! 

Seeing how Hayden and James trying to give what the best for Violet in her 'transition' by protecting her from all media and the way James help Hayden to build a good father-daughter relationship with Violet totally melted me.

So, if you into a sweet story about mannies, I think this one is for you!

Review : Without a Compass by Helen Juliet

Title : Without a Compass
Author : Helen Juliet
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance
Published : August 24, 2017
My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars

Riley Anderson isn't an outdoorsy guy. He's a desk jockey, office by day and couch by night. So when his family insists on a camping trip for his father's 50th birthday he's hardly thrilled. Things only get worse when Kai shows up, too.

Kai Brandt's more than eager to go camping with his best buddy, but his buddy's little brother Riley is all grown up now, and hotter than hell. Kai's willing to help him pitch more than just a tent… Which is weird, because Kai never swung that way before.

Events conspire to out Riley's secret AND leave him stranded in Kai's care for longer than they'd planned for. Trapped together in the wilderness, they're going to have to face a few hard truths if they're going to make it back to the world.

But even if they manage it, the experience will leave them forever changed.

Without a Compass is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhanger. 

For ten years Riley hide his crush on his older brother bestfriend, Kai.

For years Riley had seen Kai gone from one girlfriend to another girl. 

For years Riley avoiding meetings Kai to protect his already fragile heart, but fate then bring him meet his crush again when he MUST attend his father 50th Birthday which held in the campsite.

More handsome, more gorgeous.... 

Will Riley survive spending a week with Kai walking around before his eyes?

🍀

For years Kai used to see his bestfriend little brother, Riley around him. Riley's family has been like the second family to him.

For years, Kai only see Riley as his bestfriend little brother who following him and Brandon everywhere.

Years has passed and he never seen him again until he saw him on the campsite.

The young little boy now has changed into a beautiful young man. And for the first time Kai cannot describe the feels he felt inside...

First, it just a comfortable feeling to knowing that there's someone he know to start the conversation on his early arrived to the campsite. Then Riley stir the sense of protectiveness inside Kai and makes him want to punch every single person who hurts him on the first place!

Confused? 

Kai then start to 'questioning' himself for what he'd felt to Riley. Or maybe all this time he'd been digging on the wrong 'field'?

🍁

For the insta-love that happened in just three or four days count, surprisingly I didn't feel everything had happen between Riley and Kai feels that 'instant'. Instead, everything that happened feels so smooth and 'slow'. The growing feeling and connection feels so 'natural' , right on the place and perfect.

Recommended!

Review : Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker

Title : Best of Both Worlds
Author : N.R. Walker
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance writing in drabbles
Published : October 9, 2017
My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars

Sebastian Gilman meets a guy on a dance floor every Friday night. He knows nothing about him, not even his name, only to find one day this familiar stranger turns up on his building site and they need to work together.

Ryland Keller knows better than to get involved. Alone and half a country away from home, he revels in isolation until a handsome man in a gay bar turns his world upside down.

Sebastian wants to help Ryland recover from a horrible past, but only if Ryland can let his guard down long enough to see that he can have the best of both worlds. 

**This 20,000-word story is told in drabbles: each chapter consisting of only 100 words.** 

This is my first time reading drabbles, a bit worried at first but then I'm drowning to each words the author placed and then the next thing I know the book start to 'sing' in beautiful rhythms and I'm in love... 😍

Even in limitations of the words, the author still can turned my heart upside down. The feeling was strong, the characters also strong and adorable even its broken, and most of all, I must tip my imaginary hat to the author writings. It's strong and beautiful to the end. And yes! I'm crying!!!!

Highly Recommended!!!

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