Friday Reads | Tommy’s Blind Date

January 6, 2017February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 1 Comment

The first Friday Reads post of the year *rubs hands*. I’ve been reading Tommy’s Blind Date by Anne Brooke, not because I longed to read it, I didn’t even know what it was about – though the title says it all, doesn’t it? No, I read it because those rubber ducks glare at me every time I look at my kindle library. I’m not sorry I read it, though.

Opening the book, I don’t know what my expectations were but it made me smile. A couple of pages in Tommy is on a blind date with the much younger, much hornier, and much drunker Hector and I just love it when Tommy ‘queens it up for Britan’.

This is not a story filled of surprises, you pretty much know what’s going to happen all along, but it didn’t bother me. It’s short, it’s steamy, funny, and a good friends-to-lovers read. Definitely, worth the glaring ducks LOL!

books2read.com/TommysBlindDate

Thirty-two year old Tommy Godolphin has been on a series of blind dates, as he doesn’t want to be single any more. However, none of them really hits the spot and the latest one has proved a complete, if amusing, disaster.

When he recounts what happened to his best friend, Jacob, he expects Jacob to laugh with him as usual, but this time he doesn’t. Instead, Jacob challenges Tommy to go out on a blind date with him, to see what, if anything, he might be doing wrong. If Tommy accepts, how will their friendship survive?

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday Reads | The Christmas Mansion

December 30, 2016February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

The last read of the year! I was going back, thinking maybe this would be post #52 in the Friday Reads category and turning it into an anniversary post of sorts – it’s #54. Apparently, I didn’t start 2016 by deciding to do Friday Reads posts, I started in December 2015. Time flies. So, for this 54th post, I’ve read The Christmas Mansion by Hollis Shiloh.

I’m absolutely certain I’ve read Hollis Shiloh before but according to my read shelf on Goodreads I haven’t. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t, though, I fear I’ve read a lot of books that never made it to my GR shelves.

The Christmas Mansion is a short, sweet story about a man fixing up a mansion for a Christmas party and the magician he hires to help him.

It’s a gentle story in a historical setting, but apart from the mentioning of Christmas a few times I didn’t get a holiday feeling. This is not a steamy read, it’s not packed with action, and even though the love interest is a magician there isn’t much of the paranormal either…but it’s sweet.

If you want one last Christmas read for the year, check it out.

books2read.com/ChristmasMansion *

In a world of gas lighting and horse-drawn carriages, Rex is fixing up an old mansion to host a Christmas party for his wealthy family’s business. He meets a gentle, insecure magician named Gene, who’s come to work on the crumbling mansion’s moldings. He doesn’t expect to fall in love.

Note: This story first appeared in “Christmas Delights,” a collection of Male/Male gay romance stories set in and around the
Christmas season.

Length: 9,615 words

Heat level: sweet

Themes: Christmas, magic, gay romance, sweet romance, historical fantasy

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Friday Reads | A Christmas Outing

December 23, 2016February 12, 2019 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

My life is utter chaos – the food is on the stove, my sister has gone into labour, my little one fell down the stairs and does now have a black eye, my mum is on her way here, the vacuum cleaner is still in the kitchen, the rest of the kids are vibrating with expectations, my husband is shielding himself with his guitar, and one of the cats is walking all over the keyboard. But, I have read a story!

I picked a short story for this day since it’s the day before the day (here, I know most of you celebrate on the 25th but we don’t). A Christmas Outing by Jonathan Hill is a Christmas coming out story, not necessarily what I usually read, but this is brilliant.

I had a laugh reading about poor David and his insane family – there was a lot of recognition there LOL. David is planning on telling his parents he’s gay and that Jamie, his boyfriend, actually is his boyfriend and not just a friend from school, but his parents’ focus is everything else and making himself heard in the chaos isn’t easy. It’s sweet, and it’s funny, and David’s sister is insane. I also might have to steal the name Godfrey for some future story, it has a certain ring to it.

I know no one has any time to spare this weekend, but if you happen to find yourself with half an hour or so do check this one out, it’s well worth it.

books2read.com/AChristmasOuting *

It’s that time of year again, when Mum insists on dragging us to the Christmas markets. This year is a bit different, though, as my friend Jamie is coming too.

Mum is so stressed about enjoying the evening that she probably won’t enjoy it, Dad has conveniently developed a sudden fear of crowds to try to get out of it, and I’m waiting for the right moment to tell them both that Jamie is more than just a friend…

A feel-good comedy short story of around 10,000 words.

* By clicking the Books2Read link you’ll be taken to an external page. Links to Smashwords, Kobo U.S and Amazon contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.