Wrap-Up Wednesday | January

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

The first wrap up of the year and I have no idea what I’ve read LOL. Normally, I make notes so I’ll remember, but I haven’t. I’ve reread books. I’m not sure I’ve read anything new at all. I found a folder with old ebooks on a portable hard drive and I had a couple of ‘oh, I have to read this one’ and a few ‘hmm, I don’t remember that one’ moments.

There is comfort in reading stories you already know – though I never used to think so.

Okay, here we go, I might miss some, but…

Out of the Blackness by Carter Quinn

I feel like I’m already talked out on this one LOL. I wrote about it over at Holly’s site, so I’ll keep it brief. This is way too sweet for me, way too sweet. The people around Avery are annoying and the writing is… But obviously, I love this since this is the third time I read it – guilty pleasure in all its glory LOL

Out of the Blackness A childhood of abuse has left Avery so physically and emotionally scarred he believes he shouldn’t be alive. His only sanctuary has been his relationship with his older foster brother Sam. Avery finally lets Sam convince him to start therapy to help overcome his crippling anxiety, but even that can’t prepare him for the upheaval caused by meeting Noah Yates.

Noah is everything Avery fears. He’s large and physically powerful—and undeniably capable of destroying Avery’s hard-earned progress. Although Noah seems to have a tender streak when it comes to him, Avery is terrified of being victimized again. But no matter how many times he tries to push him away, Noah never goes far.

Noah wants to save Avery, but can he be the catalyst Avery needs to begin the journey out of the blackness?

https://books2read.com/OutoftheBlackness

Guarded by Kim Fielding

I read this when it came out back in 2014. It’s one of the Don’t Read in the Closet stories that the Goodreads M/M Romance Group used to organise. It was the first year I wrote something.

This is a great story, enemies to lovers, a rude prince who is kidnapped and only his enemy can rescue him. I haven’t read a Kim Fielding story I haven’t liked yet, and you can grab this for free through the M/M Romance Group.

Guarded A brutal war left Volos Perun with physical and emotional scars and with a reputation as a hero. Now he’s a soldier stationed at the palace, desiring Prince Berhanu while receiving only loathing in return. But when Berhanu foolishly refuses the king’s request to let Volos accompany him on a peace mission to the neighboring country, Berhanu is kidnapped and brutalized. Now Volos must risk his life as he works to save Berhanu and help his country avoid another devastating war.

Download here

Coming Home by M.J. O’Shea

I didn’t remember this one, not when I only saw the title in a folder. There were no bells ringing whatsoever. But I’ve had this… many years ago I read a story about a guy with PTSD. I don’t remember much about it at all, but at times it pops up there in the back of my mind and I try to remember but I never do. It’s about an ex-soldier and I think he lives close to a lake, but that’s about it. Anyway, I thought maybe it was this one.

When I opened it, I remembered. It’s not that PTSD story at all but about a guy who used to be a bully who starts working for the one he was the most brutal towards, only he doesn’t realise that it’s that guy.

I liked it the first time I read it, and I like it this time around too, but damn I wanted to shake Tally at times.

Coming Home Tallis Carrington ruled Rock Bay with his gang of jocks and an iron fist-until a scandal destroyed his family’s name. Ten years later Tallis is dead broke, newly homeless, and on the walk of shame to end all walks of shame. He needs money and needs it fast, and Rock Bay is the only home he knows. But the people of Rock Bay haven’t forgotten him-or the spoiled brat he used to be. The only person in town willing to overlook his past is Lex, the new coffee shop owner, who offers Tally a job even though he appears to despise Tally based on his reputation alone. When Tally discovers his gorgeous boss is the kid he tortured back in high school, Lex’s hot and cold routine finally makes sense. Now Tally has to pull out all the stops to prove he was never really the jerk he seemed to be. After all, if he can win Lex’s heart, the rest of the town should be a piece of coffee cake.

https://books2read.com/ComingHomeOshea

Persistence of Memory by J.M. Snyder

Ah… I remembered this one well. I read it the first time long before I’d ever spoken to JM, and I still love it. Joah has had his memory wiped to be trained to be a soldier. He only remembers his name, but he knows there is somewhere he needs to be. He escapes and finds his way back to his husband, only he doesn’t remember his husband…

If you’re into dystopian stories, give it a go.

Persistence of Memory Five years ago, Joah was culled–kidnapped by the government to be trained as a soldier. In the process, they erased his memory, destroying his past, his dreams, everything but his name. Armed with that alone, Joah escapes from the facility in search of someone to help him recall the man he used to be. That person is Tobin, Joah’s husband, who never gave up hope of finding him again. He refuses to believe that the strength of his love alone won’t be enough to bring back Joah’s memories of their shared lives, and he’s determined to bring back the man beneath the soldier, the man he knows has to love him. But an alarm in the chip blocking Joah’s memories was triggered at his escape, and if the chip isn’t removed soon, it will shriek his life away. Removing it won’t bring back his past, and may destroy the present that Tobin has tried so hard to build between them. Can the love they once shared possibly survive? [Genres: Gay / Science Fiction / Futuristic ]

https://books2read.com/persistenceofmemory

The Experiment by Alicia Nordwell

I remembered liking this, and I was in the mood for some sci-fi. I still think the story is good – a different planet, evil medical experients and all of that, but… eh… It all turned to fluff. I can do fluff and rainbows at times, not often, but… I was not in the mood for fluff.

In the distant future, humans wage war against the alien planet Caeorleia, with no tactic off-limits if it will help the humans get their hands on Caeorleia’s resources. Ask Ryker. He thought he volunteered for a simple experiment that would help his government in the war. He didn’t realize sadistic doctors would turn him into the experiment—by injecting him with blood from a captured Caeorleian, Seral Iorflas.

Nor did Ryker realize he’d be sent to sabotage a planet full of the very beings his world is battling, beings who kill humans on sight. But then, thanks to the experiment that irrevocably changed him, he isn’t exactly human any longer—and with each passing day, as his blood bond with Seral strengthens, he’s less and less sure as to whose side he’s on.

https://books2read.com/TheExperimentNordwell

PsyCop Series by Jordan Castillo Price

OMG! I’d forgotten that these are funny. I love Vic, Jacob too, but poor, unassuming Vic LOL. I had the first seven books and I read them in one go and when I finished Spook Squad I felt that I was done, so I guess that’s why I only have read the first seven.

They’re awesome and I wonder, if I skip Skin After Skin and jump to Agent Bayne, would I miss important tidbits about the overall story arc?

Love the ghosts, love Vic and Jacob, a bit annoyed with Lisa and I really really wish Con would stay on.
But really, I love Vic. It’s so refreshing to read a character who is crazy powerful and yet thinks he isn’t worth shit, and I love the bits where we get to see how much Jacob loves him.

I’m not gonna include the blurbs, it would be way too much text, but if you click a cover you’ll get the books2read link to each book.

Wrap-Up Wednesday | December

December 29, 2021January 2, 2022 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 2 Comments

The last Wrap-Up Wednesday of the year! It’s been a busy month, and I’ve tried to escape by reading books – old books. Books I’ve already read because my poor brain can’t take in anything new right now LOL

December should be the month when you read a lot of holiday stories. I haven’t. I’ve read one which you’ll see below. Other than that I’ve read a few M/F stories. I re-read the first two books in Patricia Briggs’ Alpha & Omega series, but while I like Charles, that series fails to grab me. And I read the first book in The Legends of Regia series by Tenaya Jayne but lost my way halfway through the second. Series. Very few series manage to hold my attention.

Oh, and I read Moonshadow by Thea Harrison. I would’ve continued that series, but when I checked out book two and saw who it was about, I didn’t LOL.

I also read The Duke by Gaelen Foley, but… eh…

Okay, onto the M/M books!

How to Cheat at Dirty Santa by Amy Spector

The one and only Christmas story I’ve read this month! This is cute, such an adorable story about Jonah who has a crush on his colleague, Nathan, and when it’s time for the yearly dirty Santa game at the office, he asks his friends for help to get his present in Nathan’s hands. It spirals out of control, of course, and the plan gets more and more complicated and more and more people get involved. Hilarious. And I loved the ending!

How to Cheat at Dirt Santa Some things are worth risking the naughty list.

Jonah Newfeld is not someone men fall for at a glance. They have to get to know him first. So when he meets the perfect man, he knows he needs to play the long game.

Nathan Sharp is the newest guy on the customer service floor. He’s clever, kind, blessedly single, and volunteers weekends at a local animal shelter. Jonah wants to raise babies with him. But when Nathan’s sister starts trying to fix him up with her veterinarian, Jonah’s dream is put into jeopardy.

Jonah needs the perfect plan if he wants to win over the man of his dreams. But a terrible plan will have to do, and more than a little help from his friends. If Jonah can pull it off and manage to get the boy, it’ll be more than worth being put on Santa’s naughty list for good.

books2read.com/howtocheatatdirtysanta

A Charm of Magpies

I was in the mood for a paranormal story, and I hadn’t read the third story in the A Charm of Magpies series by K.J. Charles, but I wanted to. You know series… Anyway, it’s been many years since I read the first, then I read the second a few years ago. I remember putting littlest down for a nap, and she never could fall asleep unless I stayed in the room, so I started reading it. Littlest turns six next week. So I decided to re-read the first two before reading the third. And lo and behold, I read through the entire series. It’s awesome!

And I love the covers.

The Magpie Lord

A lord in danger. A magician in turmoil. A snowball in hell.

Exiled to China for twenty years, Lucien Vaudrey never planned to return to England. But with the mysterious deaths of his father and brother, it seems the new Lord Crane has inherited an earldom. He’s also inherited his family’s enemies. He needs magical assistance, fast. He doesn’t expect it to turn up angry.

Magician Stephen Day has good reason to hate Crane’s family. Unfortunately, it’s his job to deal with supernatural threats. Besides, the earl is unlike any aristocrat he’s ever met, with the tattoos, the attitude… and the way Crane seems determined to get him into bed. That’s definitely unusual.

Soon Stephen is falling hard for the worst possible man, at the worst possible time. But Crane’s dangerous appeal isn’t the only thing rendering Stephen powerless. Evil pervades the house, a web of plots is closing round Crane, and if Stephen can’t find a way through it—they’re both going to die.

https://books2read.com/MagpieLord

A Case of Possession

Magic in the blood. Danger in the streets.

Lord Crane has never had a lover quite as elusive as Stephen Day. He knows Stephen’s job as justiciar requires secrecy, but the magician is doing his disappearing act more than seems reasonable—especially since Crane will soon return to his home in China. When a blackmailer threatens to expose their illicit relationship, there’s only one thing stopping Crane from leaving the country he loathes: Stephen.

Stephen has problems of his own. As he investigates a plague of giant rats sweeping London, his sudden increase in power, boosted by his blood-and-sex bond with Crane, is rousing suspicion that he’s turned warlock. With all eyes on him, the threat of exposure grows. Stephen could lose his friends, his job and his liberty over his relationship with Crane. He’s not sure if he can take that risk much longer. Crane isn’t sure if he can ask him to.

The rats are closing in, and something has to give…

https://books2read.com/ACaseOfPossession

Flight of Magpies

Danger in the air. Lovers on the brink.

With the justiciary understaffed, a series of horrifying occult murders to be investigated, and a young student flying off the rails, magical law enforcer Stephen Day is under increasing stress. And the strain is starting to show in his relationship with his aristocratic lover, Lord Crane.

Crane chafes at the restrictions of England’s laws, and there’s a worrying development in the blood-and-sex bond he shares with Stephen. A development that makes a sensible man question if they should be together at all.

Then a devastating loss brings the people he most loves into bitter conflict. Old enemies, new enemies, and unexpected enemies are painting Stephen and Crane into a corner, and the pressure threatens to tear them apart…

https://books2read.com/FlightofMagpies

Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton

I don’t know how many times I’ve read this. Four is my guess. I didn’t mean to read it this time, but I felt a little lost after I’d read the Magpies, and hubby got me a new phone and I didn’t have all my books so I was scrolling through my kindle app (I normally read on apple books, but my new phone is an android and all my books were gone and I was panicking and so on) and there it was.

I was going to bed and thought I’d just read the first chapter or so and then the next day, I’d sort out the book situation. I ended up reading the entire book, not that night, but the next day I continued it instead of sorting the book situation.
It’s funny because I normally steer clear of all books with a religious theme, but I like this one. Though Levi’s family pisses me off to no end.

Between Sinners and Saints Levi Binder is a Miami bartender who cares about only two things: sex and surfing. Ostracized by his Mormon family for his homosexuality, Levi is determined to live his life his own way, but everything changes when he meets massage therapist Jaime Marshall.

Jaime is used to being alone. Haunted by the horrors of his past, his only friend is his faithful dog, Dolly. He has no idea how to handle somebody as gorgeous and vibrant as Levi.

Complete opposites on the surface, Levi and Jaime both long for something that they can only find together. Through love and the therapeutic power of touch, they’ll find a way to heal each other, and they’ll learn to live as sinners in a family of saints.

https://books2read.com/BetweenSinnersAndSaints

Treasure by Kim Fielding

Now that I’d read Between Sinners and Saints, I was missing the ocean. I think it’s time to move. Moving away from the sea wasn’t our best idea and I miss it a lot.

It’s been years since I read this one, but it’s such a… cosy might be the wrong word, but the small-town charm and the weird characters, imps and dragons, and there are pirates! What’s not to love?

Treasure Julian Massey has always been sickly. When the young man’s parents send him to the seaside town of Urchin Cove to recuperate, he finds himself stranded in a tiny cabin with only the quirky local inhabitants for company. Then a storm blows through, and he finds an unexpected discovery washed up on the beach: an unconscious man.

After stealing a treasure, Kit Archer is taken prisoner by a ruthless pirate, Captain Booth. When a storm hits the pirate ship, Kit is able to escape, but not without serious injuries. Jules nurses him back to health, and friendship grows into desire. But Captain Booth is bound to come in search of his treasure and the man who stole it.

In a world with dragons, sprites, and wizards, it’s going to take more than a little magic for Jules and Kit to find lasting happiness together.

https://books2read.com/TreasureKim

Yakuza Pride by H.J. Brues

Hubby and I were watching Giri / Haji on Netflix, so I figured when I was all about rereading old books, why not reread Yakuza Pride? I remember loving it when I read it waaaayyyy back when. I still love the story, but man the epithets. Every time the yakuza looked at the American a part of my soul died. I know it’s a ‘me problem’, but I just wish writers would stop doing this to their stories. The smaller man has a name, the American has a name, and I bet ya the older man does too.

Still yakuza, tattoos, torture, and artists!

Yakuza Pride When yakuza underboss Shigure Matsunaga meets Kenneth Harris at a boring social event, he’s surprised to find himself attracted to the blond gaijin with the mismatched eyes. Shigure is even more pleased when he discovers Ken not only speaks Japanese fluently, but is fluent in Japan’s ways, even the more violent of the martial arts. Ken’s expertise at kendo is not his most striking quality—it’s the passion beneath his quiet, almost fragile exterior that ignites Shigure’s lust, and the two come together as explosively as they spar.

Shigure is a dangerous man in a dangerous position. He’s been trying to keep the peace with the Daito-kai—his hated rivals—but the danger on the streets is escalating, threatening those Shigure most wants to protect. He may claim to love his gaijin, but before he can keep Ken safe, Shigure will have to overcome hostility from his people, a hidden enemy, and, the most insidious opponent of all, his own hard-won pride.

https://books2read.com/YakuzaPride

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

I got cocky. If I’d read one series, what’s to say I couldn’t read another? Captive Prince is another one of those I read a very long time ago, and I’d read the first two but not the last. So I did a repeat of the magpie books, I reread the first two and then I read the last.

For the most part, I disliked Laurent, but it’s a perfect balance really. Just when I think I can’t have more of him, he does something that makes my heart ache. I like the third story better than the first two, there were moments when I laughed, and I liked it better when Laurent and Damen weren’t hating each other.

Who knows, soon I’ll tackle the Whyborne & Griffin series too. I’ve read the first two, but it was years ago LOL

Captive Prince

Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.

Beautiful, manipulative and deadly, his new master Prince Laurent epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.

For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else . . .

https://books2read.com/CaptivePrince

Prince's Gambit

With their countries on the brink of war, Damen and his new master, Prince Laurent, must exchange the intrigues of the palace for the sweeping might of the battlefield as they travel to the border to avert a lethal plot.

Forced to hide his identity, Damen finds himself increasingly drawn to the dangerous, charismatic Laurent. But as the fledgling trust between the two men deepens, the truth of secrets from both their pasts is poised to deal them the crowning death blow . . .

https://books2read.com/PrincesGambit

Kings

The stunning conslusion of worldwide phenomenon—from the boldly original author of Captive Prince and Prince’s Gambit.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor’s forces are massing. In the north, the Regent’s armies are mobilising for war. Damen’s only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen’s identity—can it stand against the Regents final, deadly play for the throne?

https://books2read.com/KingsRising

Surfacing Again by A.L. Lester

Actually… I just realised that I lied when I said I’ve only read one Christmas story. I’ve read Surfacing Again, a short sapphic romance set on Lindisfarne, and it has otters! This is lovely. The cold wind of the sea and the warmth of Rowan’s cafe all mixed with holiday cosiness. And otters.

Surfacing again cover Melinda is staying on Lindisfarne for a Christmas break with her old friend when an unexpected argument leaves her alone for the holiday.

It’s the first Christmas since her mother died and the island’s peace and wild tranquillity bring balm to her wounded heart. Two chance meetings, first with a pair of wary otters and then with cafe-owner Rowan, bring her genuine joy.

Will her tentative relationship with Rowan survive the end of her holiday and the turning of the year?

A short sapphic Christmas story. With otters.

https://books2read.com/SurfacingAgain

Guest Post | The Santa Emergency by Nell Iris

December 24, 2021December 22, 2021 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

Guest-Post

Today, the lovely Nell Iris is with us to talk about her story, The Santa Emergency, which will be released tomorrow. I’m so glad Nell is talking about glögg! This year, I made my own. Picked lingonberries and boiled with all the spices. Then I went a bit overboard as I tend to do at times, and made apple glögg (pretty nice) and chokeberry glögg (too sweet, but hubby added some vodka to it and then it turned just fine. He’s resourceful, my man 😆)

And now that Nell has got me talking glögg – Sorry, Nell – I have to say, that my granny always had glögg on midsummer. She invited her friends and they’d sit in the garden, a group of old ladies sipping glögg and eating gingerbread in June. I miss her dearly.

And with this, the longest welcoming intro in history – welcome, Nell! It’s lovely to have you here.

It’s me. Nell. I’m back, have you missed me? I’ve missed you! And I’ve missed our lovely hostess Ofelia, because I haven’t been in the morning office as much as I’d liked lately, so before I dive into what I’m here to talk about, I’m blowing a cyber kiss Ofelia’s way. Thanks for having me, you’re always so kind and generous. ❤️

Not that that’s over with, let’s talk books! I’m here to talk about my new holiday story The Santa Emergency. The story is full of Swedish holiday traditions, and you’ll find me around the internet talking about them, but I saved the most important one for you:

Glögg.

Mulled wine in Swedish is called glögg; it’s a shortened version of glödgat vin which means heated wine. The first written mention of glödgat vin in Swedish literature is from 1609, but drinking heated, spiced wine is an old tradition; even the ancient Greeks did it as it was a good way of covering the foul taste of a bad quality wine. But in Sweden, we’ve been drinking it at least since the Middle Ages, but it was only in the 19th century it became a Christmas related drink.

Swedes are crazy about glögg, and these days, we buy our mulled wine pre-spiced. According to statistics, we drink five million liters of glögg every year, which is a lot considering our population of not quite 10.5 million people and that we mostly drink it in December. There are several different varieties of glögg, made from red or white wine, some with added spirits like rum or brandy. Every year, the largest glögg producer Blossa, releases an annual seasonal glögg, a special blend flavored with something not traditionally in the recipe (in 2021 it’s oranges), and there’s even glögg bubbly which is disgusting, and I say this as someone who loves both glögg and bubbly.

We drink it in espresso-sized cups and add raisins and almonds and we have glögg parties with our friends where we serve finger food that goes with it.

In short; Swedes are crazy about glögg.

So when I decided to write a Christmas story set in Sweden, glögg needed to be a part of it. Main character Sigge in The Santa Emergency isn’t a huge fan of Christmas, but if there’s one thing about it he likes, it’s the glögg. So when Kristian comes knocking, frazzled because he has less than an hour to solve an emergency, Sigge invites him into his home and soothes his nerves with mulled wine.

Mulled wine

Blurb:

I have a Santa emergency and I desperately need your help.

Sigge isn’t exactly a grinch when it comes to Christmas, but he’s not a fan of the holiday either. So when his new neighbor Kristian shows up in a panic, begging him to help by donning a Santa suit, Sigge’s gut reaction is to say no. But Kristian is cute and funny, rendering Sigge powerless against his heartfelt plea—especially after a promise of spending more time together—so he agrees.

The instant connection deepens as they share mulled wine and conversation as easy as breathing. But is it just holiday magic swirling in the air, or is it something real? Something that will last into the new year and beyond?

M/M Contemporary / 13 816 words

Buy links:

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Books2Read

The Santa Emergency

About Nell

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bonafide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along at the top of her voice but she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, bullet journals, poetry, wine, coffee-flavored kisses, and fika (a Swedish cultural thing involving coffee and pastry!)

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a bisexual Swedish woman married to the love of her life, a proud mama of a grown daughter, and is approaching 50 faster than she’d like. She lives in the south of Sweden where she spends her days thinking up stories about people falling in love. After dreaming about being a writer for most of her life, she finally was in a place where she could pursue her dream and released her first book in 2017.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, short over long, and quirky characters over alpha males.

Find Nell on social media:

Newsletter :: Webpage/blog :: Twitter :: Instagram :: Facebook Page :: Facebook Profile :: Goodreads :: Bookbub

Excerpt:

I clear my throat, and ask, “So what’s the emergency? And come in properly, please. Can I get you a drink?”

Kristian follows me as I lead the way to the kitchen. “Yes, please. If you have anything hot, you’ll forever be my hero. I almost froze my ass off on my way over here.”

I hum in understanding. The sun has been out all day and even though clouds have rolled in during the last hour or so, the temperature hasn’t risen above minus ten degrees. His suit doesn’t seem nearly thick enough to keep him warm even on the short walk between our houses.

“Coffee?” I ask. “Or I have some mulled wine warming by the TV if you’d like?”

“Gawd, yes. That, please!”

I chuckle and grab another of the tiny cups for the mulled wine—the green one decorated with outlines of reindeer because it’s as whimsical as his Santa hat—from the cabinet, and nod in the direction of the den. “This way.”

The mulled wine sits on the coffee table in a pot that looks like a laboratory flask, the round bottom part resting in a metal stand, and it’s kept warm by a flickering tealight. I grab the top part of the flask and pour some steaming wine into the reindeer cup and offer it to him. I gesture for him to sit as I retake my previous spot, refill my own tiny cup—this one red with white Christmas trees—then move the bowls containing raisins and almonds closer to him. “Help yourself.”

He wrinkles his nose at the raisins but adds a generous helping of nuts into his cup before taking a sip. “Ahhh. Just what I needed.”

I drink some myself and hum when the flavor hits my tongue. Mulled wine is the only Christmassy thing I like; my childhood Christmases meant too much booze and screaming matches—and fistfights if I was really unlucky—so the holidays hold no fond memories for me. I’m not a Grinch, I don’t hate Christmas, but I prefer to keep it out of my own space. I don’t decorate, I don’t listen to Christmas music or watch sappy holiday movies. I never do anything special on Christmas Eve; my friends try to talk me into joining them every year, but I don’t feel right about intruding on their family time.

The mulled wine is the only exception, my only Christmas weakness; I love the flavors of cinnamon and cardamom and cloves, love the way it warms me from the inside, love the way it makes my house smell. Other than that, I usually spend my Christmases on the couch, ordering takeout, watching one black-and-white B-movie or another, and drinking mulled wine the traditional way, with raisins and almonds.

It seems my new neighbor shares my appreciation for the beverage, and he warms his hands on the cup between sips. It looks a little ridiculous; his long fingers wrapped around the tiny thing, trying to soak up what little bit of heat it offers, and I’m tempted to ask him if I should get him a big mug for the wine so he can properly warm his hands. “Tell me about your emergency,” I say instead.

He gulps down the contents and turns to face me on the couch. “My mom broke her leg two weeks ago. We always do Christmas at her house, and she wanted us to this year, too, despite her injury. But she’s not the kind of person to sit idly by and let other people do all the work, especially since she doesn’t let anyone into her kitchen. She’d insist on business as usual, and she’d exhaust herself and risk re-injuring her leg. So my sister came up with the idea of Christmas at my house since I’m the only one in the family besides Mom living in a house and not an apartment.” He rolls his eyes. “Because Santa would surely strike us down with a mighty hammer if we celebrated Christmas in an apartment, right? I know I’m mixing my metaphors, but I’m trying to say that I’m sure the world wouldn’t end. I love my sister to death, but she has the weirdest ideas.”

He speaks with his whole body; he gestures with his hands and his face is lively and animated, and I can easily read every emotion as he experiences them, even after only being in his presence for a few minutes. All that makes him even more irresistible. In a society where everything is about hiding the truth behind a pretty surface, meeting someone open is refreshing.

“Anyway,” he says, “that gave me two whole weeks to unpack my stuff and plan a party. Dammit, Sigge, I’m a copywriter, not a party planner!”

Holy crap. He’s paraphrasing Star Trek, too? Is he perfect?

“But I did all right. The food, the decorations, everything is perfect. Or you know…everything except that I forgot to convince someone to come play Santa. When my sister found out, she lectured me in her scariest hissing voice until I was overcome with the urge to run away from my own house. She said I must not love my nieces and nephews since I forgot about a Santa. Her blame game is on point.” He grimaces.

“I’d say.”

“It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa always comes after Donald Duck is over. I can’t believe I forgot. The kids reach meltdown level if someone needs to go to the bathroom after the TV is turned off, so I have exactly—” he looks at his watch and gasps “—thirty-five minutes until my sister declares me the worst uncle ever. You must help me. Pretty please with sugar on top.”

His eyes are wide and pleading, his eyebrows slumping sadly, and I swear I can detect a hint of a tremble in his lower lip. I reach out and ease the cup out of his hands and pour more mulled wine into it before handing it back to him. “Drink this.”