Six steamy holiday romances, including offerings by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, will keep you warm through winter's coldest nights, so Let it Snow.
O Christmas Three - Suzan Butler
When Brianna Zane confesses to her husband Garrett she wants a threesome with his best friend, it awakens feelings he’s long tried to forget. Seducing Leo Vasquez will test their relationship, reveal old secrets, and potentially tear them apart. While there may be room for Leo in bed, there may not be room for a third in their marriage.
All He Wants - Emily Ryan-Davis
All he wants for Christmas is her…
After a long tour of duty abroad, U.S. Marine Captain Keith Moss is more than ready for some festive R&R, but first he must complete the most important mission of his life: convincing his best friend’s little sister to give him the gift of her heart.
Jingle Ball - Cari Quinn
This year, rocking the office holiday party has taken on a whole new meaning.
All receptionist Wendy Stanton wants for Christmas is a chance for a relationship with her sexy, dominant boss outside the boardroom. But his secrets—and hot encounters including her other boss—are complications she never expected.
A Marquess for Christmas - Vivienne Westlake
Notorious gambler and pugilist, the Marquess of Kittrick refuses to settle down—until he loses his memory on a daring rescue mission. Violet Laurens is no cowering damsel in distress, and Kit soon finds that the widow can match him at any challenge. But falling in love is the hardest challenge of all.
One Gold Heart - Sadie Haller
When reclusive oboist, Mac Wallis agrees to replace an injured friend for the Christmas concert season, she gets more than she bargained for when she meets Dom, Finn Taylor and has to decide whether to take a chance or return to her life of seclusion.
Three Strikes - Holley Trent
The one woman the “Dark Dom” Max Fletcher wants is the one who doesn’t want him back. But magic has been known to happen during the Den of Sin’s Winterball. There, if he can warm his sometime-submissive Giselle’s heart for the night, he may be able to win her for good.
So let me tell you what REALLY stands out in this Anthology and should be the reason you should invest in this incredible collection of short stories. For me, stories in an anthology are for in-between reads. Meaning, if I can't quite put my finger on what I'm in the mood to read, I can grab an anthology and read a short story and get my reading addiction fix (lol). WELL, I picked this little beauty up after I received the ARC and WHAM, I couldn't stop reading. So I read all the stories straight thru! They were each really good! O Christmas Three - Suzan Butler: This is not just a simple menage story. There's a LOT of emotion to this book and the tension is incredible. All three of these people love each other desperately and that comes across the page so gorgeously. All He Wants - Emily Ryan-Davis: I loved this story. It was incredibly emotional for me. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite themes in a book and the way Keith showed his love for Telly throughout the entire pregnancy was really heartwarming! Essentially, he's perfect! And the story is perfect! Jingle Ball - Cari Quinn: STEAMY is about the best way to describe this little story. Yes, it starts out as a fun menage reads but turns out to be an in love HEA! yeeeeeea :) Did I mention it was MUY CALIENTE? lol A Marquess for Christmas - Vivienne Westlake: When our H/h came together it was EXPLOSIVE! The sex/love scenes were VERY erotic! The secondary characters were HILARIOUS and actually added to the goodness in this story instead of just fluff! And best of all ..... Violet, our heroine, was not your typical historical novel female. Oh no, the woman had BALLS (lol) and she knew exactly what she wanted and she got it! ;) One Gold Heart - Sadie Haller: ok, I shed a few tears (when you read it you will know). I loved this story. It has a very 'spirited' female matched with a dominant and caring man, good storyline and dialogue, a bit of naughty naughty going on :) lol, and MUCH deserved HEA for our couple. What more could you ask for? Three Strikes - Holley Trent: In this story, we have teenage friends who turn into friends with benefits as adults. I think it is good to note that their back story is actually in a different story by this author, Two Strikes: A Den of Sin Vignette. I say this because the story felt off to me at times, like I was missing something. So I searched the author and the series Den of Sin and that's how I figured this out. Not having read the previous story did nothing to make this story less. It was a well written novella with steamy sex and interesting character dynamics!
All of the stories in this collection have a theme - hot steamy reads for cold winter nights! The following is a short review of each story in the collection.
O Christmas Three - Suzan Butler This steamy menage story tells of the romance between Garrett, Brianna and Leo. Garrett and Brianna have been married 10 years and want to bring Leo into their relationship, if he'll have them. On the surface this is a story of a married couple wanting a bit of play with a friend, but it quickly becomes evident that there is a tangled web of secrets and emotions that underscores their interactions. I liked how all points of view were explored and while there is no doubt it's a steamy read, there is a three way romance that is at the heart of the story. 4 stars!
All He Wants - Emily Ryan-Davis This sexy story is the romance between Keith and Telly. When Keith gets home from his tour of duty he wants nothing more than to show his friend Telly, pregnant but no longer with the baby's father, that he wants to step up to the plate, if she'll let him. I loved this story! Friends to lovers tropes always appeal to me and this one added in a new twist, with the pregnancy plot. I really liked how the author made Telly's new body into one that Keith couldn't love enough. He was completely fascinated with the changes in her physical form and worshipped them - how could she resist! It was full of steamy scenes but a definite caring and tenderness in how Keith treated Telly, making the romance sweet and sexy at the same time. A definite new favourite of mine. 5 stars!
A Marquess for Christmas - Vivianne Westlake This steamy historical romance tells the story of Kit and Violet. When Kit rescues Violet from a roadside assault, the injuries he suffers result in him ending up in her home to convalesce. From there it's a short trip to her bed. I really liked both characters in this story. Even though Kit is a dominant type of man, he still has an underlying uncertainty in the direction of his life and resents his sister's interference in his future. This made him a more three dimensional character and one that was very appealing to me as a reader. Violet also was interesting as a widow who isn't afraid to go after what she wants. The love scenes between them are well written and seductive. It was a quick read with interesting characters and a believable attraction and romance. 4 stars!
One Gold Heart - Sadie Haller This steamy novella is the story of Finn and Mac. When Mac joins Finn's music group as an oboist, she reveals her underlying trauma that results in her needing medication to perform in public. But Finn is determined to help her recover her sense of self and in doing so, finds he can't help falling for his feisty yet submissive new friend. I really enjoyed this story, and the play on words of the title of the group Dominant Cords was a cute way to reveal that all the members are active in the D/s world of BDSM. Finn is able to slowly break through Mac's shell and the scenes between them are steamy and yet show a caring on Finn's side that is Mac's undoing. Enjoyable entertaining story! 4 stars.
Three Strikes - Holley Trent This steamy story is the tale of Max and Giselle, friends since they were teenagers with a relationship that has developed into a "friends with benefits" affair. But Max wants Giselle's heart too. I really liked how this story played out. It had an interesting setting and some additional plot details (no spoilers) alongside the erotic romance that added a bit of mystery. There was a definite sexual attraction between Max and Giselle that resulted in some seductive scenes but also showcased how much Max really cares for Giselle and wants to make a real relationship with her. Sweet and sexy - my kind of story! 4 stars.
Jingle Ball - Cari Quinn In this erotic Christmas story, Wendy and Des have both shared an unrequited lust for each other for several months, but not acted upon it to maintain their professional relationship. When Wendy is caught with the proverbial "hand in her cookie jar" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) by Des during a late night office party, it's his chance to take things further, and add his trusty co-worker Cole into the mix. This was definitely a spicy read! Though it starts out with a menage situation, in truth Des and Wendy have stronger feelings for each other than just wanting a sexual relationship and it makes for a very special Christmas for them. It was a quick, fun read and will definitely light your candle! 4 stars.
This book is a collection of six steamy reads, some better than others. Here is my take for better or worse.
Oh Christmas Three Brianna and her husband Garrett have decided after 10 years of marriage it is time to spice up their sex life and add another partner in the bedroom. All they have to do is convince Garretts best friend Leo to take a chance and join them. Brianna quickly learns what she has long suspected that their is much more to their friendship than either is willing to admit. This was a hot steamy m/m/f ménage read. Not a lot of character development, just a lot of hot sex. 3.5 stars
All He Wants All Keith has ever wanted is Telly. Fresh back from deployment he knows it is now or never. But Telly is pregnant and has more than just her own heart to think about. Can she take the risk and give Keith a chance? I was not a fan of this one at all. The story is super short so there is no time for character development. Keith appears to have a pregnancy fetish which was just too much for me. It made all the sex scenes awkward and not enjoyable for me to read at all. 2 stars
Jingle BallWendy has had a thing for her boss Des since she started working for him but Des has made it clear he will not cross that line...that is until her catches her in his friends office and takes their relationship to a place she never dreamed would be possible. This is another quick, hot and steamy story. The characters are like able even though you don't really know much about them and the story moves at a good pace. 3.5 stars
A Marquess for Christmas This is the story of what happens when a woman rescues a man and allows him to recoup in her home and they eventually fall in love. This one is a historical romance, which are so not my thing so I had a really hard time with this one thrown in with all the other contemporary romances. It is well written and the sex is hot, just not my thing. 2.5 stars
One Gold HeartMac is doing a favor for her friend Sully in filling in for him with his quartet. When she arrives at the rehearsal she comes face to face with Finn. A man who makes her question her seclusion and want to experience life again. What to say about this one...it felt way too dark and delved into some really deep issues for a novella. The result of which felt like a really rushed D\s relationship considering Macs past (which you never truly know exactly what happened, just that it was bad). 3 stars
Three StrikesGiselle has known Max since she was 14 and loved him almost since then. Now he is a Dom and she is fighting everything in her to submit to him. Max knows what Giselle wants and hearing her say that she loves him, he knows he has to find a way to give it to her. So I guess this is the 2nd in a series and although it was stated it can be read as a stand alone, I felt like I was coming into the story in the middle. Once again, there is a lot going on for a novella. Also, there wasn't really much sex in this one. 3 stars
My thoughts overall:
Quick hook or slow starter? 3 (each story was a little slow to get into) Character development: 3 Level of Romance between characters: 3 Passion/Heat level: 3.5 (most had really hot sex) Angst/Heartbreak: 3 (all the stories are too short to develop much in each story) Cliffhanger?: Nope, each is wrapped up as best as it can be.
Overall, this one was just ok for me. If you are looking for some sex and not much else, give this one a try.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Like all anthologies, this collection is a bit hit and miss. There are truly enjoyable moments while others that are somewhat meh, but over all, there is more excellent than mediocre.
There is not a super obvious flow between these stories, and as such it took me quite a while to figure out why they’d been grouped together. Yes, they are all vaguely xmas-y and kinky, but that’s not really enough to tie six stories together into a cohesive whole. Near the end I finally realized that while some are very d/s or bdsm heavy, and others have mere flavors of kink, they are all inherently about control. When to hold onto it and when to let it go, when it needs asserting and when you can allow someone else to take the reins.
As this is a collection of previously available single titles, you might want to check your e-book archives to make sure you aren’t purchasing works you’ve already acquired. But honestly, at the bundled price it’s well worth it, even if you do already have one or two of the stories.
One final note unrelated to the actual review: I have to say, I think potential readers of this collection could benefit from the addition of a trigger warning in the book blurb, as two of the six stories (All He Wants and One Gold Heart) deal with the aftermath of rape.
For the sake of full disclosure it must be stated that I received this book, free of charge, from Netgalley.
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. Fair warning...I did not realize that these were erotic stories when I started...surprise!
O Christmas Three - I loved these three. Garrett and Leo were adorable in their reluctance to be with each other, but I'm glad that Bri was there to help them through that.
All He Wants - Warning...pregnancy fetish but God help me if they weren't adorable together.
Jingle Ball - I will never look at a candy cane the same way again. It's always surprising when these random office trysts happen, but I'm glad it worked out for Wendy...and I really want to see what happens with Vanessa.
A Marquess for Christmas - historical isn't my thing.
One Gold Heart - LOVED this one. Finn was so good for Mac. And I loved that Sully was there to help her and him get through her trauma.
Three Strikes - Why am I just learning about this Den of Sin series now???
Most of the stories were very spicy but my favorites were by Suzan Butler Of Christmas Three and Cari Quinn with her Jingle Ball. I loved how Ms. Butler's story made the three lovers accept that they are fated to be together. Ms. Quinn Jingle Ball was very good when the boss decides to finally admit he's hopelessly in love with his secretary. Let it snow will have you wanting to spicy up your life during these cold winter nights.
This book was great! Each story was the perfect size, not too long, not too short. I tried to decide which one was my favorite and that was just not going to happen, I loved them all!
This is an excellent book to read while you are stuck in the house during a blizzard. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, a blanket and snuggle up in front of the fire with this book and I promise, you will love it!!
***This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an open and honest review***
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories from these authors! I had never read any of these authors prior to this book, but I was impressed with their writing and story lines - and now I have new authors to read :) I definitely recommend this book to others, it's a nice collection that you won't regret reading.