Tag: Christmas

First Footing

~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

Time for some Christmas reads, right?

First Footing by Clare London. I grabbed this for free a long time ago when I was browsing Smashwords – I don’t shop on Smashwords very often, but this time I did. This story is about Caleb and Owen who are in a relationship. There are other books about Caleb and Owen, but that I only found out after I’d read First Footing.

I don’t know in what order you’re supposed to read them, but since I didn’t know it was part of a series until after I’d read it, I’d say you can read it out of order without being confused.

Anyway, they receive a Christmas card for a girl in their building and they start fighting about in what order their names should be. The argument makes spark fly and soon their focus is elsewhere.

A short, hot, established couple, Christmas story. Perfect for when you have a few minutes to spend.

books2read.com/FirstFooting

First FootingCaleb and Owen’s relationship thrives on conflict and banter, however deep their true feelings run. But are they really going to fall out over… a Christmas card?

This was written as a free gift for readers as part of the Rainbow Advent Calendar event on Facebook.

Up!

~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 2 Comments

We have time for one last story before Christmas, have we not? I was gonna write this post yesterday on the release day, but I got a niece (!), so for once reading or writing wasn’t on my mind.

Up! is a delightful story by Claire Davis and Al Stewart and if you’ve read this duo before you know what to expect language-wise. I just love their voice, the poetic, almost dreamy way they tell a tale.

Luke struggles with his mental health, he observes life through his window, afraid to take part in it after his world came crumbling down when he went to college. For years he’s followed Formaldehyde Bob’s blog, an artist Luke fell in love with a long time ago, and when their paths meet something between them grows.

This is such a lovely story about love and struggles, about family and art, about jeans and  Dr Martens. I adore Harry, Luke’s dad, he’s a beautiful character. As you know if you’ve followed this blog YA/NA isn’t really my thing, but few write NA books like Davis & Stewart. Marvellous! And it’s a free story, so go grab it!

books2read.com/Up *

Up!After a failed attempt at college, Luke lives a quiet existence with his dad. He recovers from bitter disappointment and gradually life returns to a regular rhythm. Safe and predictable. Every day he gains confidence, but with health comes boredom. From the window ledge, he watches people outside and wishes he could be like them.

There’s another side to Luke. Underneath his bed are five hidden pairs of jeans with matching Dr Martens: yellow, purple, striped, green and tartan. Some days he feels the itch to get them out. Nope. Those days are gone.

One day, an amazing thing happens. Dynamic blog artist Formaldehyde Bob comes to town with an exhibition of light and dark! Luke has crushed on him since being fifteen, idolising the man and his unusual creations. Something about the art calls to Luke like nothing else, makes him believe there might after all be someone out there who thinks in the same way. A soul mate. A bird with a similar song.

No. Luke isn’t going to go and see Formaldehyde Bob. He isn’t. Because he’s happy with his monotonous lot and doesn’t want to see hope sliding down a mountain of sand.

Will Luke take a chance and visit Formaldehyde Bob?
Can the jeans ever be worn again?
Does grumpy Barbara ever smile?
And the most important question: is there any magic left in the world?

Find out in this snowy tale of young love in the most unexpected places.

Content warning: references to self-harm, mental illness.

* 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.

 

My True Love Gave to Me

~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

I’m not one to read many historical stories, some I do read of course, but I often dismiss a story when I see that it’s a historical one. I don’t really know why, but I do. So it gladdens me to say I read a historical and I liked it LOL.

My Ture Love Gave to Me by Ava March. I was sure I’d read Ava March before this, but I haven’t marked any of her books as read, so I guess maybe I haven’t.

But, back to this story. Alexander hates Christmas because it reminds him of how Thomas, his one true love, left him four years ago. Thomas who fled to New York is now back in London, and the only reason he’s there is to beg Alexander to take him back.

Alexander isn’t so forgiving. Thomas broke his heart and it hasn’t healed during the four years that have past, he will not risk getting it broken again. But Thomas is persistent.

If you’re into fencing and Christmas balls, you should give this a try. Not my usual read, but I liked it a lot.

books2read.com/MyTrueLove *

For more Christmas stories, click here.

My True Love Gave to MeAlexander Norton loathes the festive season. The revelry of the ton is a reminder of Christmas four years ago, when his first love, Thomas Bennett, broke his heart and fled to New York without a word. So when he encounters Thomas at a holiday ball, Alexander is determined not to let on how much he still hurts.

Thomas has returned for one reason only: Alexander. Having finally come to terms with his forbidden desires, he will do whatever he must to convince Alexander to give their love another chance. But instead of the happy, carefree man Thomas once knew, Alexander is now hard and cynical. Saddened to know he’s to blame for the man’s bitterness, Thomas resolves to reignite the passion he knows lies hidden behind the wall of disdain…

* 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.