Tentacles All the Way

Tentacled Christmas #2

by K.C. Carmine

A crush on his best friend.
An artist unable to create.
A month in snow-covered New York.

How to spend magical Christmas time with your bestie without falling in love?

Marinos. Tentacled, dominant, secretly in love with his best friend.
How do I come out as pan to my gay best friend without telling him about my crush on him?
That’s right, my bestie from art college in Germany, the reason for my awakening, is going to stay with me for Christmas. No matter how tempted I am, I can’t crawl into his bed. Our friendship will suffer if he finds out that I know about his secret submissive side and I’ve been obsessed with learning how I could fulfill that for him. In my quest to become his dream dominant, I found out I have more in common with my kinky krampus friend than I ever thought. How would he react if he learned about that side of me? Worse yet, what will he think of me when he sees my failed career as a painter?

Kert. Horned and horny, burning for his tentacled bestie.
Five years of making eyes at my tentacled Greek God of a roommate, then three more of us keeping in touch long-distance. Now, I’m about to visit him, spend my favorite holiday in magical New York City, and find the inspiration I desperately need to continue sculpting.
I hoped face-to-face time with Marin would cure me of my infatuation with my straight friend. Instead, all I can think of is his tentacles around me, taking charge, using me however he likes.
Would he be shocked to learn about my submissive side? I can’t risk tainting our friendship.
But most of all, Marin can’t know that I’ve become famous while he didn’t didn’t find success. He’d resent me.

Will our reunion prove to be a Christmas disaster?

The book includes:
- a tentacle shifter
- a krampus who loves Christmas
- Christmas in NYC
- ice skating
- best friends to lovers
- snowed-in
- tentacle lovin’
- D/S elements

Standalone book 2 of Tentacled Christmas series (see book 1: Tentacles Rock)
Low angst, high steam.

Tentacles All the Way is part of the Tinsel and Tentacles season 2 multi-author collaboration and a complete standalone.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Paranormal, M M Romance, Fantasy, LGBT

181 pages, ebook

First published December 21, 2024

About the author

K.C. Carmine loves writing about people falling in love with a focus on characters and their (very spicy) journey to HEA. As a member of the queer community, it is important to her that her writing reflects the diversity of voices around her. While she is a lover of romance, she also enjoys horror, paranormal and mystery stories. When she’s not writing, she likes travelling, playing the guitar, video games, and reading.

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Reviews

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC and literally could not put down. This book will suck (literally) you in from beginning to end. Best Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this is a top book for me. K.C stays true to her writing style with plenty of kinks to explore. Marion and Kerr learn that they are just what the other persons needs and now is the perfect time to take some filthy action.
Kinks also included are:
Multiple piercing
Double peens
D/s
Tentacle bondage
Belly bulging
DP
AND THE BEST PART…. lots of tentacle snuggles.

[⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven• · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute & kinky MM Paranormal romance with Best Friends to Lovers, Tentacles & Tail smut, Christmas in NYC, Artists, & talk edging (🤣).
I loved Kert & Marinos! Their other friends are... interesting lol. Devoured my #ARC in 5hrs, after my short exam on 28th Dec.

Kert is a German Krampus who loves Christmas. He's outgoing, happy, flamboyant with a long crush on his "straight" College bestie & hopes meeting him after years will curb it.
Marinos is a Greek Cephalopod-shifter. He's humble, sweet, more of a homebody. He's pan, but how should he tell his bestie that he was M's awakening?

This was a fun holiday story. That longing OMG. I was desperate for them to FINALLY talk! It's not that slowburn as a novella but they edged me 🤣. Sub Kert is fierce & Dom Marin is protective, filthy hot 🥵. The hot little kinks OMG 🔥🔥. Somno, DP, piercings!

But they've got an end date...will Kert leave?
I was worried! Hot ch 16. I felt ch 17 was rushed, like there was a chapter 16.5 that got cut 🤔. As the rest of story was well-paced. The ending's sweet tho still. I found some time issues & they'll be corrected by the author ❤️.

Story Ratings:

POV: 1st person, Dual POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 😏😁😩😳🥰🤭🥺🙈🤨🤤🤣🥵😋😍😯❤️🐙
4) Steamy scenes: 3.25/5
5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4.25/5
Angst/Edging: 2.25/5
Dark: 0.5/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.5/5
7) Plot arc: (Christmas in NYC, Friends to Lovers) 4.25/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.5/5

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kert & Marin
Rating: 4.1⭐

- Krampus/Tentacle Shifter
- Sculptor/Painter
- Christmas in NYC
- Best Friends to Lovers
- Ice Skating
- Tentacle Fun
- Somnophilia
- Double 🍆
- MC w/ Multiple Piercings

This was a fun and sweet holiday read about two best friends, prior roomies, who definitely have a thing for each other but they don't want the other one to know. Ha, we know how that goes! They've been out of school and apart for three years and Kert is coming to NYC to visit Marin for five weeks over the Christmas holiday!

Kert is a Krampus from Germany, where they both went to school and were roommates. Kert has had a crush on Marin, the Greek tentacle shifter, since the first day they met. They have always been tactile and cute together throughout their friendship. After Marin witnessed Kert indulging at a secret party one night, his views on his sexuality changed but he never told his friend (the party is a flashback on-page). Now, Marin has to try and hide his crush while Kert is visiting for the holidays. It does take them awhile to finally give into their chemistry, which is blazing whenever they are in the same room. Once they finally admit their attraction to each other and agree to be together during the rest of Kert's visit, well they heat up the pages quickly, so worth the wait. Will they find a way to be together as the end of Kerts visit draws near, or will they separate again?

Content Warnings (may contain spoilers):
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Explicit language
- Breath Play
- Fisting
- Breeding
- Tentacles as restraints
- Belly bulging
- Edging
- Sounding with tentacle
- Consensual non-consent (somnophilia)

I received a free copy of this book via author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
OM/OW Drama: No
Ages: 28 & 28

[Mommysuz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet holiday romance set in NYC at Christmas. From enjoying a NYC dirty dog and pizza to ice skating in Time Square.

Marin and Kert, best friends from college, haven’t seen each other in years. Kert visits Marin for six weeks during the holidays, hoping his old crush is gone only to realize it’s stronger than ever. Marin has been hiding his own feelings, and their time together brings everything to the surface.

With minimal drama and plenty of heart, this is a fun, feel good read about love and reconnecting during the holidays. A perfect holiday romances!

I received this story to review, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tentacles All the Way is part of the multi author Tinsel and Tentacles 2.0 series. Each book can be read as a standalone but why not enjoy the rest of the series. This is the story of Marion and Kerr. This was just a fun low angst story. I love tentacles so much. K.C. Carmine does such a great job with this book. I love the kinks in the story. I just needed something to relax with and this book hit the spot. I would definitely recommend this book and series.

[LC · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Marinos in New York City as he waits for Kert, best friend and Krampus, to arrive from Germany. This is the first time they've seen each other in person in three years. Marin has a lot to say to Kert, but will he get the courage to do so in time?

I really loved this story for different reasons. Having your bestie, being in love with your bestie, that kind of friendship to lovers story will always be in the top of the books I'll read. The push and pull of will they, won't they is angsty yet not on the edge of your seat angsty. Secondly, I don't know if you count tentacles as monster-ish, but I'm really loving monsters right now. The differences in how they're built, but the sameness in which they fall in love. Also, this is more of a continuation story, but continuation isn't the right word. Marinos is younger brother to Ner, who we met in Tentacles Rock, and older brother to Spiros, who we should see in December 2025. When I figured out that Marinos was Ner's brother, I was elated. I love the type of stories where we meet family and stay in the world just a little longer. For me coming back to Tinsels and Tentacles at Christmas time for a holiday themed series is so much fun.

[T Channell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's not to love about this world with a mix of species trying to find what we all want in this life? Marinos & Kert's love story started in the uni and bloomed into some more years later when the besties saw each other again. Kert had a crush on Marinos and thought it would die down with time but it only made him realize that he didn't have a crush on his best friend he was in love with him. Marinos always cared for Kert but didn't want to throw sex into the picture because he didn't want to lose a best friend.

Kert came to New York with a plan to tell Marinos that he wanted his tentacles and not in a best-friend way. Marinos was finding it harder not to touch his tempting best friend and maybe sex for now would be something they could both enjoy. He knew what Kert wanted and needed in sex and he had the tentacles to get the job done.

I love the flow of their story, and the tentacle sex scenes are fire! I read those scenes a few times because they set a wild movie in my head, and now I want my own tentacles mate. I want to dive into Marinos' older brother book, Spiros, because I can't get enough of these tentacle brothers.

[Nedra81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a quick, enjoyable addition to the Tinsels and Tentacles series! You can always rely on KC to bring the most interesting storyline (and the filth) and of course, we were not disappointed! Their history together definitely added to the overall experience, too!

Kert and Marionos were a match made in the stars! Their chemistry was so in sync with each other along with their movements. They never skip a beat once deciding to go official for the duration of Kert’s visit, with an unexpected surprise at the end! Kert was bubbly while Marianos was serious, yet they balanced each other out (and apparently can read each other’s minds).

[Tracey Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story so much, I wanna read it again! I'll wait awhile to indulge that impulse, though it is tempting. These two are amazing together, and frustrating, and sweet, endearing, aggravating, and romantic. When they get together, sparks fly, chemistry is off the charts, and the spice is *chef's kiss*! The k1nk & heat were scorching & the story was a sweet one with beautiful background scenery/settings, it all came together to make one wonderful holiday romance tale that I shall revisit in the future. (I'm also looking forward to next year's story, of Spiros!)

[Whisper Wallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tentacles galore 🤣 Pretty cute winter story. The spice was definitely spice’n. The kinks were all over the place and I was here for it 🔥 The end did kinda feel rushed but other than that I loved it. It wasn’t meant to be some deep love story definitely meant to be a spicy friends to lovers. It’s as simple as that.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story

This was a cute story. It’s set in the same universe as a few others by this author but can be completely read as a stand-alone. This was a really sweet best friends to lovers story that was slightly slow paced but really spicy once the characters got together.

[Fran Rosey · Rating 5 out of 5]

great characters and wonderful world building. i really love their story and how they both had reservations on how their friendship would hold up. has very great themes in it and has a wonderful hea. cant wait for more keep up the great work.

[Linda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy gay romance between paranormal beings
If you like gay romance among creatures roaming the world of humans in their own unique blend of humanoid and alien-like beings, you will want to read this book. I have often wondered what the appeal was of books about creatures with tentacles, but after reading this book, I can see it is like having your own personal harem in one being. Was this an allegory for gay/trans people in future???
Kert and Marinos were roomies in art college in Germany. Because Kert is German he taught Marin what he needed to know of the language to get by and together they were a good match. Kert is red with horns on his head and a long tail. Marin is a Greek cephalopod with multiple tentacles, lavender in color and three hearts. He also has another very distinctive characteristic which cannot be shared in this review. Kert is visiting Marin at Christmas time in NYC where Marin lives and works. When they come to know each other and their desires better, will they be able to stay together? This book is very steamy once these two accept their attraction to one another. Mostly comical watching Kert and Marin but there is one very poignant scene at the children’s hospital that may bring a tear to your eye. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another marvellous tentacle romance from K.C.

I loved Robert's story in Whispers In The Woods and Ner's story in Tentacles Rock (Marin's uncle and brother respectively) in the first two books in the Cryptid Alliance series. Now K.C has treated us this Christmas with Marin and Kert's story.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. The best friends reunited, the tentacles, the art, the pining, the tentacles, New York, the families, the tentacles, Christmas Day, and did I mention the tentacles?
Marin and Kert were adorable. Kert's fascination with Marin's tentacles was just so sweet, unable to stop touching them for comfort as much as anything. This had always been the case for him and that hadn't changed just because they'd been apart for three years, though the tentacles were just as tactile with him now.
K.C.'s imagination never lets herself or us down and this is just another wonderful story from her to savour. Next Christmas brings the next one in the series and it's far too long to wait!

[Book Fairie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not have 'discovering tentacle kink' on my bingo card for 2024 but ho boy was this the year this little sub-genre of paranormal/shifter/fantasy world got gooooooood. This isn't my first of that type (or even the first from this author - I adored Tentacles Rock too) - but this was definitely the hottest, and also the sweetest. Two best friends who've been separated across different countries for several years, both hiding their secret pining for the other, now spending some intense one-on-one time together in the run up to Christmas. How could this get better? Well let's set the couch on firefor one, because this calls for the 'only one bed' trope urgently, and now they've got no choice but to get all octopussed around each other have they? Perfection. And yes, it's sweet and soft and lovely and beautiful but also hooooooooly wotsits, it's smexy as all hell. Read in public only if your poker face is FLAWLESS.

[GreenwingReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book Carmine has contributed to the on-going multi-author Tentacled Christmas series, now in its second season. Last year, we met Ner in Florida. This year, we meet his younger brother, Marion, in NYC.

Just like last year, Carmine delivers both romance and spice with plenty of...appendages.

Marion, a cephalopod shifter, is best friend's with Kert, a krampus. Both are artists and went to art school together. They've always had a close relationship, but there are things they kept from each other, most important being their feelings for one another.

After being on opposite sides of the Atlantic for a few years, they reunite when Kert comes to NYC for a visit and a taste of the Big Apple at Christmas.

This is a sweet romance between two rather oblivious best friends with a heavy dose of steam that I've come to associate with Carmine's books (read the TWs to make sure the spice is right for you).

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a joy to return to the world of Tentacles Rock, last year's Christmas story with Ner and Rick to meet Ner's brother Marin, an NYC-based artist and tentacle shifter and his Krampus best friend, the sculptor, Kert.

I love the careful and clear worldbuilding that K.C. Carmine creates in these stories, with an alternative existence that chimes all to clearly with our own. Both Marin and Kert are adorable and I thoroughly enjoyed their will they/won't they from best friends to lovers, with extra kink. The description of the BDSM edged art world was an extra bonus, and I really appreciated how this couple bonded as creatives as well as life partners. A wonderful imaginative, feel-good Christmas read, with NYC tourist sites to boot!

[Heather Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

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I’m not gonna lie - the tentacle sexy times are especially fun. But not the only good thing.

Two bffs reunited for Christmas. Two friends everything, except for the things they aren’t telling. But thankfully over the course of their New York Christmas those secrets are finally spoken, and our artists make their mark on more than the art world.

They are both very loveable, thoughtful, and caring. And it’s a joy to tag along for their adventure in the Big Apple. I also really want a sexy Krampus painting!

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York City at Christmas is pretty magical and I loved how the author was able to capture it perfectly. It’s a lovely setting for this best friends to lovers romance. I thought their friendship was wonderful and I loved their excitement at being together again. It was a bit slow on the build up to the lovers part of the story for me, I wish Marin was able to communicate and trust Kert. I loved the chemistry between Marin and Kert, this author is amazing at delivering creative and intense steam. It was also wonderful to get a little update on Ner and Rick from the previous book. This was a fun read and a lovely couple.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marinos and Kert story was intense, with heartbreaking moments, misunderstandings, miscommunication, insecurities, secret crushing, and wishing on happiness.
They are afraid to acknowledge their feelings for fear of loosing the their friendship and being rejected.
Their moments together were marvellous but tinted with sadness for the eminent separation that looks over them.
They had numerous obstacles in their way, but in the end love wins and they confess their true feelings and have a true heart to heart that puts in motion their happily ever after.
I liked how they balanced their professional and personal life, their achievements and the group of friends they made.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable low angst story about two best friends, both different sorts of paranormal beings - one with tentacles, the other with a tail. These extra body parts were used in all sorts of entertaining ways (in the usual graphic style this author excels in). Both MCs are artists, and unbeknown to each other, both used each other as muse, I particularly liked the painting of the hospitals full of beautiful murals. After a lot of pining and worry that the other didn't share their feelings, the HEA came quite quickly.

[ash-reads-romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marin and Kert are a pretty sexy best friends to lovers duo!

All the pining really turns to 🔥 when Kert comes to visit his college bestie in NYC for the holidays and their mutual crushes finally get revealed. It’s a destination book with all the NYC at Christmas feels (lots of sightseeing!) and Holidates! And they even get SNOWED IN for Christmas (love that for them) but KC really brings the spice (as is her absolute strength) with some D/s, hot tentacle action, DP, f1sting, somno, and lots of orgasm control! HECK YA!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Jvles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This is a solid friends-to-lovers romance story. The city of New York was a nice backdrop. The main characters were artsy and had a unique anatomy. We are thrown into the story a few years after they first met and after they hadn't seen each other a while. I would have loved a little more detail to the time before. The pacing was a little wobbly at times and I didn't always get the characters. Nevertheless, this is a quick, sweet, slightly spicy holiday romance and might be right up your alley if you're in the mood for something like that.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marinos, a Greek tentacled shifter and Kert, a German Krampus have been bf's since Art School where Kert secretly crushed on Marinos. Years later, Kert comes to visit Marinos in New York and the two's relationship evolves from friends to more. In many spicy scenes, complete with lots of tentacles, they discover friends make the best lovers. Mixed with the magic that is art, their lives expand and explode with colorful beauty. I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary opinion.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A crush on his best friend. A secret awakening. A month in snow-covered New York. How to spend magical Christmas time with his bestie without falling in love?

This was an enjoyable story of two best friends who became more after finally being honest with each other. A lot of thoughts and feelings in this story which was easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot to enjoy here: Marin and Kert have a strong, vibrant connection that works on both emotional and physical levels. There’s kink, there’s caring, there’s art– and there’s an equally vibrant backdrop (NYC) to enjoy as their connection develops from friends to lovers. Well worth a read.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[M E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love everything this author creates. This book was so much fun with just the right amount of angst. And the tentacles 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️!!

A great best friends to lovers romance with all the feels and lots of kink. Definitely worth the read if that’s your thing.

Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews and KC Carmine for the advanced copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

4.0 ⭐️

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kert and Marin were fun! The tentacles, tail, and other bonus appendages made for lots of spicy scenes. I loved Marin’s evolution as an artist, and Kert was sweet with his years-long crush. No angst, high heat, HEA.

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been disappointed with a couple of "tentacle" storylines recently i nearly gave up! However as I love KC's books thought I would have a read and so glad i did. A well written sweet and steamy journey for Marin and Kert. They have such a strong connection and amazing chemistry. Plenty of emotional relationship development kept me completely captivated.
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun friends to lovers Christmas read, with some very sexy tentacle time.