Tag Archives: Christmas

Book Review: Mr. Frosty Pants, by Leta Blake

I picked up a copy of Leta Blake‘s Mr. Frosty Pants last November with every intention of reading it by Christmas. But we had kitchen construction going on last year and just about nothing went to plan. I don’t think I managed any Christmas reading, which means I have it available to read during this year’s Christmas Reading Challenge.

Can true love warm his frozen heart?

When Casey Stevens went away to college four years ago, he ghosted on his straight best friend, Joel Vreeland. He hoped time and distance would lessen the unrequited affection he felt, but all it did was make him miss Joel more. Home for the holidays, Casey hopes they might find a way to be friends again. But Joel’s frosty reception reminds Casey of just how hard he had to fight to be Joel’s friend in the first place. It’s going to take a Christmas miracle to get past that cool façade again.

Joel isn’t as straight as Casey believes, and his years of pining for Casey have left him hurting and alone, caring for his abusive father and struggling to get by. Unable to trust anyone except his rescue dog—and with no reason to believe Casey is interested in him for more than a holiday fling—Joel’s icy heart might shatter before it can thaw.Can Casey and Joel’s love overcome mistrust, parental rejection, class differences, and four long years apart?

Mr. Frosty Pants is a stand-alone, Christmas gay romance by Leta Blake featuring a virgin hero, childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, and steamy mm first times.

I really appreciated having a male main character here who had spent some time in therapy and learned to recognize and ask for what he wants. Seeing Casey openly and honestly pursue Joel and Joel learn to be more open and honest in return was a pleasure to read. Blake faked me out several times, presenting scenarios that might turn into the tedious misunderstanding plot device, but I was relieve with what I found instead. I could have taken or left about half the sex scenes. There was a certain repetitiveness to them that bored me after a bit. But, all in all, I enjoyed this a lot (sunshine and Grumpy Pants being a favorite pairing of mine) and am awful happy to have book two at my fingertips.

Other Reviews:

Mr Frosty Pants

Review of Mr. Frosty Pants by Leta Blake

Come back tomorrow. I’ll be reviewing The Christmas Lights Battle, by Skylar M. Cates and Dreaming Of a White Wolf Christmas, by Terry Spear. Yep, I’ve had to start doubling up on my posts to fit all the reviews in by Christmas.

Book Review: A Hopeful Christmas, by Walker, Bessey, Kelly & Jensen

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This was a bit of a late addition to the Christmas Reading Challenge, because the book almost got missed; lost in my shelves as so often happens to books. But basically by accident, I stumbled across it and immediately set to reading it for this year’s challenge. (It was almost Christmas miracle-like, I tell ya.)

I won A Hopeful Christmas last year and had every intention of reading it then. I don’t remember now what back-burner-ed it. But it’s irrelevant, as I’ve read it now.

Kindle the spirit of the season as four of your favorite storytellers weave tales of love and hope in this charming yuletide collection.

Lord Blakely’s Gift
When Miss Ivy Hunt and Lord Curtis Blakely establish a secret acquaintance, neither can deny that their feelings extend beyond friendship. But as the children of bitter rivals, it will take a Christmas miracle for this star-crossed pair to reach their happily ever after.

A Season Of Hope
Following the death of her father, Amelia knows Christmas will be lean. But when circumstances become dire, it is the unexpected arrival of a childhood friend that renews Amelia’s hope—both for the future and for love.

Christmas By The Sea
After two years at sea with the Royal Navy, surgeon Will Crenshaw longs for a quiet Christmas with his family. But when unrest at home threatens to ruin the holidays, it takes the kindly intervention of a mysterious house sitter to remind them of the true meaning of the season.

Expectations At CanterWood
Marina Rowley is a spinster, Richard Stanhope a war-weary military man. A case of mistaken identity throws them together, but the unexpected stirrings of their hearts lead to an unforgettable holiday romance.

I’ll post individual reviews of each story—written at the conclusion of each—and then sum it all up with some general thoughts at the end.

Lord Blakely’s Gift, by Anneka R. Walker

I actually thought this was really sweet. The writing flowed well, the characters were relatable and likeable, and I was happy to see everyone get their happily-ever-after. Some of the changes of heart felt a little miraculous, but then they’re supposed to be. Personally, I would have been happier to have focused more of Christmas miracles and less on “pray for your Christmas miracles” and all the other sundry God bits. But this is from a Christian publisher. So, it is what it is and that’s 100% just personal preference, not quality related. Lord Blakeley’s Gift is a nice Christmas novella.

A Season Of Hope, by Sian Ann Bessey

I generally enjoyed this. I thought it was generally well written and very sweet, with likeable characters. I liked it so long as I ignore one thing. I have a large qualm with a small part of the story.

The story is set in 1816 and it’s stated that Philip had spent the previous 5 years working on his uncle’s sugar plantation in the West Indies. It’s stated that he worked hard, invested well, and returned wealthy. Here’s the thing, I’m no historian (so, I keep hoping I’m missing some knowledge that would make this untrue), but slavery wasn’t abolished until 1834 in the West Indies (and even then many previously enslaved peoples weren’t functionally free for several years past that, what with the forced apprenticeships and such). The story refers to the plantation’s “workers” more than once.

My issue is how effectively this language obscures the fact that Philip almost certainly must have spent the last 5 years actively participating in the enslavement of other human beings. This is not at all engaged in the story. In fact, I don’t think the reader is even supposed to notice it at all. But I have a hard time imagining both the plantation’s man with the whip and the good son/respectable hero being the same person. Honestly, this just overshadowed the whole story for me.

Christmas By The Sea, by Carla Kelly

I’m of two minds about this story. The writing is very good and I really liked that this is a story about an established married couple, with children. The vast majority of Regency Romances are about people falling in love. I truly appreciated a devoted husband and wife romance. I also found the difficulties of a marriage between people of different social statuses interesting. It made for engaging conflict. But I also found the eventual events super predictable and sadly sappy. I enjoyed the buildup significantly more than the climax.

Expectations At CanterWood, by Krista Lynne Jensen

I liked this last story quite a bit. I enjoyed Marina’s wit and the realities of Richard’s unnamed, but present PTSD. I also appreciated that this story was notably less religious than the previous stories. It did feel as if there might be a previous story or book preceding it (Julia and the Vicar’s romance) and I’d have appreciated knowing that. But all in all enjoyable, with nice writing, and a bevy of fun side characters.

***

Looking at this collection as a whole, I liked it more than I expected to. I appreciated that these stories were long enough to allow for robust plot development, even if not full book length.

Regency romance, clean Regency romance at that, isn’t a favorite genre of mine. Plus, I largely avoid explicitly Christian stories if I can (any religion, really). As I mentioned above, this is from a Christian press. So, I knew going in there would be no avoiding God. I admittedly went in with some trepidation. Luckily, I found the Regency settings charming and none of the stories proselytizes too strongly (and the last almost none at all). So, while I noticed everyone’s devotion to The Spirit, I wasn’t put off by any of it. I’d read any of these authors again.

Blog Tour and Review: A Hopeful Christmas

https://lureviewsbooks.com/2020/10/01/a-hopeful-christmas/

Come back tomorrow. I’ll be reviewing Mr. Frosty Pants, by Leta Blake.

Book Review: The Plight Before Christmas, by Kate Stewart

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I accepted a review copy of Kate Stewart‘s The Plight Before Christmas for review through Wordsmith Publicity. The book was also on Sadie’s Spotlight, shortly thereafter. When I got the offer, I thought it would be the perfect addition to my Christmas Reading Challenge (not that I was short on books).

Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.

Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.

Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.

I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.

I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.

I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.

I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.

I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.

Fa la la la la, la FML.

I have to admit, I’ve been doing a Christmas Reading Challenge this year. So, I’ve read A LOT of Christmas books recently. A LOT. This was one of my favorites, top three for sure. The writing was sharp and readable. Even though I had an ARC I didn’t notice any editing mishaps. There is real humor here, characters I could relate to, a second chance romance I rooted for, with leads that I enjoyed, and a satisfying ending.

I did have a couple complaints. One of which is a spoiler, so be warned. The non-spoiler is that I think the book is longer than need be. The spoilery complaints are 1) the serendipitous way the couple was brought back together. If I’m to believe he loved her as much as he did for as long as he did, then I have a hard time also believing he never came back for her. It’s very briefly addressed in the book, but it wasn’t enough for me. And 2) the whole birthday bucket list would have enraged me if I’d been in her shoes. Those were her dreams and he went and did the all WITHOUT HER, while she never had the opportunity. I understand what was supposed to be romantic about it, but I would still feel like something had been stolen.

All in all, though, I liked this a lot.